Pacific Surfliner
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Surfliner is a 350 miles (563 km) Amtrak
regional passenger train route serving communities on the coast of Southern California
between San Diego and San Luis Obispo
.
The service carried 2,613,604 passengers during fiscal year 2010, a 0.8% increase from FY 2009's total of 2,592,996 riders. Total revenue during FY 2010 was $49,523,433, an increase of 6.4% from FY 2009. The Pacific Surfliner was Amtrak's third-busiest service, and the busiest outside of the Northeast Corridor
.
The Los Angeles-to-San Diego portion of the Pacific Surfliner route was once served by the Santa Fe's San Diegan
passenger trains (see "Operations" below); the Pacific Surfliner name was bestowed on the route on June 1, 2000.
and Paso Robles
during hours when that part of the Coast Line
track is in use by freight trains. The route is named after the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
's (now owned by Southern California Regional Rail Authority
) Surf Line
. Over the years, the number of trains and passengers on the route has increased greatly; in the late 1970s there were only three round trips daily between Los Angeles and San Diego.
Because neither San Diego, San Luis Obispo, nor Goleta is equipped with a usable wye
or a turntable
, trains running on the Pacific Surfliner are arranged so that the last car of the consist (the Cab Control Car) is one equipped with engineer controls, so that the train can be operated in either direction, allowing for a quick turnaround. This is known as a "push-pull
" configuration. Before the cab cars were used on the line, the trains were wyed
in San Diego for their return trip. Los Angeles Union Station
is a stub off the mainline which means trains leave Los Angeles facing the opposite direction that they enter. The locomotive
is at the rear of the train, "pushing" the train from Goleta/San Luis Obispo or San Diego to Los Angeles. At Los Angeles, the train "backs into" the station, and, upon departing the locomotive "pulls" the train to San Diego or Goleta/San Luis Obispo, respectively. Currently a project is being prepared for run-through tracks at Union Station.
The 350 miles (563 km) trip from San Luis Obispo to San Diego usually takes eight and a half hours, for an average speed of 43 mi/h. The maximum track speed is typically 60 to 79 mph (96.6 to 127.1 km/h) in and north of Los Angeles County; in portions of Orange County and San Diego County, higher track speeds of 90 mi/h are afforded due to the usage of ATS
. Future track improvements will raise the train's speed to 110 mi/h.
Much of the Pacific Surfliner's scenic route follows the Pacific coast
although trains travel inland through industrial backlots and expansive farmlands to traverse the Los Angeles Basin
and San Fernando Valley
. The Pacific Surfliner operates 11 daily trains each way between Los Angeles and San Diego on weekdays and 12 trains each way on weekends.
The Pacific Surfliner is usually on time; however, train 796 may be held up to one hour if Train 11 (the Coast Starlight
) from Seattle
, containing transferring passengers, is delayed. The on-time performance is usually above 75%. Due to increasing conflicts with other lines, train 784 holds the worst on-time performance record currently below 62% as of October 2011.
Though operated by Amtrak, the Pacific Surfliner is primarily financed through funds made available by the State of California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) and is operated under the Amtrak California
brand. In 1989 local agencies along the corridor along with the host railroads and other stakeholders formed the Los Angeles – San Diego - San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN) to improve the safety, reliability, capacity, and customer experience along the rail corridor. Recently there has been discussion regarding the local agencies take over administering the service (the SB 457 process much like the Capitol Corridor service has adopted). As of 2007, the route recovers
63% of its operating expenses through ticket sales.
. The Pacific Surfliner name became effective on June 1, 2000.
Pacific Surfliner trainsets usually consist of an EMD F59PHI locomotive, a business class car, a cafe car with coach seating, two coach cars, and a Cab Control Car equipped with coach seating, a checked baggage space, and engineer controls. During holiday seasons or days of heavy ridership extra cars may be added. At least one Superliner
Coach or Coach/Baggage car will often be added to the Surfliner trainsets just before the Surfliners Cab Car.
All but one of the Pacific Surfliner trains consist of double-decker California (II) Cars which are similar to, but not the same as, Superliner
cars; the remaining trainset, which goes from Los Angeles
Union Station to San Luis Obispo and back (#799 northbound, then #798 southbound on weekdays or #792 on weekends), uses four or more of Amtrak's older single-level Horizon Fleet or Amfleet
cars, either a GE P32-8WH (Dash 8)
or P42DC (Genesis) locomotive, and one of Amtrak
's old F40PH locomotives which has been converted to an NPCU.
Most cars are equipped with 120v power outlets for laptops or other electronic devices. Pacific Surfliner trains use cars whose design is very similar, but not identical, to those on the other Amtrak California trains, the San Joaquins
and Capitol Corridor
. The Pacific Surfliner trains are painted in a blue and silver livery that is unique to this line.
Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner webpage, as well as its timetables, suggest that all trains use a Surfliner trainset; as a result, passengers occasionally become upset due to the fact that the Amfleet
/Horizon Fleet cars lack many of the services typically found on Surfliner bi-level cars, do not provide as smooth a ride as the Surfliner cars, and have small windows, making it difficult to view the scenery.
During some holiday periods, the number of cars is increased and reservations are required even for coach seats. In addition, strong ridership has recently led to an increase in the number of trains using six passenger cars; some trains will have as many as ten. The resulting shortage of Surfliner equipment has forced Amtrak to assemble a second trainset of as many as eight Horizon Fleet and/or Amfleet cars, in addition to that mentioned above. Metrolink and/or Coaster railcars might also be used on rare occasions, particularly during the Del Mar horseracing season (i.e. July and August).
On very rare occasions and for special holidays, this train set might include Amtrak's last remaining full-dome car, #10031. This car (named Ocean View) normally is brought down for most of the July and August race season at the Del Mar Racetrack
. A full Surfliner set of the Alstom-built bi-level cars will be substituted for a set approximately nine cars in length consisting of a mix of the older Horizon and Amfleet cars, baggage car, and the Ocean View dome car with two locomotives (nearly all combinations of motive power have hauled this train set) for power. This is because Amtrak doesn't have any spare cab control cars for this single-level consist. When the Surfliner set is displaced by the "dome set", as it's commonly referred to, the displaced set is broken up. The cab control car and one of the coach cars get added onto other train sets for extra capacity. Meanwhile the Business Class car, Cafe/Coach car, and remaining coach car will float around together (along with a spare locomotive) and are added onto existing train sets that will carry the pre-race and post-race traffic between Los Angeles and Solana Beach (the Amtrak station nearest to Del Mar Racetrack). Once the season ends at Del Mar, the dome set is broken up and all other train sets return to their normal capacity.
In 2009, Amtrak put F59PHI #455 in an Operation Lifesaver
wrap. This wrap was orange with a surfer saying the Operation Lifesaver "Look, Listen Live!" slogan. It has been since taken off and the engine is now back in the normal Pacific Surfliner paint scheme.
In May 2010, the California Department of Transportation specially painted F59PHI #457 to celebrate 10 years of service from 2000–2010 and also the 25 million passenger boardings that have occurred since. However, this had to be pulled back quickly when it was discovered that the word "million" was spelled "millon".
, Buellton
, Atascadero
and Paso Robles
.
The Pacific Surfliner runs southbound as even-numbered trains and northbound with odd numbers. Trains with numbers beginning in 5 run only between San Diego and Los Angeles; numbers beginning in 7 are assigned to trains that run north to Goleta or San Luis Obispo (most continuing through Los Angeles to San Diego) and are known as Central Coast Pacific Surfliners. Some 700-series trains have numbers which echo their ancestor's numbers. For instance, trains 798 and 799 are so numbered in memory of Southern Pacific Railroad
trains 98 and 99, the Coast Daylight.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
regional passenger train route serving communities on the coast of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
between San Diego and San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
.
The service carried 2,613,604 passengers during fiscal year 2010, a 0.8% increase from FY 2009's total of 2,592,996 riders. Total revenue during FY 2010 was $49,523,433, an increase of 6.4% from FY 2009. The Pacific Surfliner was Amtrak's third-busiest service, and the busiest outside of the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
.
The Los Angeles-to-San Diego portion of the Pacific Surfliner route was once served by the Santa Fe's San Diegan
San Diegan
The San Diegan was one of the named passenger trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, and a "workhorse" of the railroad. Its 126-mile route ran from Los Angeles, California south to San Diego. It was assigned train Nos. 70–79 The San Diegan was one of the named passenger trains of the...
passenger trains (see "Operations" below); the Pacific Surfliner name was bestowed on the route on June 1, 2000.
Operations
On the northernmost part there are four trains per day in each direction; on the stretch from Los Angeles to San Diego they are more frequent. Thruway Motorcoach connections are available between Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
and Paso Robles
Paso Robles, California
Paso Robles is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Paso Robles is the fastest growing city in San Luis Obispo County: Its population at the 2000 census was 24,297; in 2010 it recorded some 29,793 residentsLocated on the Salinas River north of San Luis Obispo, California,...
during hours when that part of the Coast Line
Coast Line (UP)
The Coast Line is a railroad line from Burbank, California north to the San Francisco Bay Area, roughly along the Pacific Coast.The first version of the Coast line, via Saugus and Santa Paula, was completed by the Southern Pacific Railroad on December 31, 1900; the line via Santa Susana opened in...
track is in use by freight trains. The route is named after the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
's (now owned by Southern California Regional Rail Authority
Metrolink (Southern California)
Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
) Surf Line
Surf Line
The Surf Line is a railroad line that runs from San Diego north to Los Angeles along California's Pacific Coast. It is so named because much of the line is near the Pacific Ocean, within less than 100 feet in places...
. Over the years, the number of trains and passengers on the route has increased greatly; in the late 1970s there were only three round trips daily between Los Angeles and San Diego.
Because neither San Diego, San Luis Obispo, nor Goleta is equipped with a usable wye
Wye (railroad)
A wye or triangular junction, in rail terminology, is a triangular shaped arrangement of rail tracks with a switch or set of points at each corner. In mainline railroads, this can be used at a rail junction, where three rail lines join, in order to allow trains to pass from any line to any other...
or a turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
, trains running on the Pacific Surfliner are arranged so that the last car of the consist (the Cab Control Car) is one equipped with engineer controls, so that the train can be operated in either direction, allowing for a quick turnaround. This is known as a "push-pull
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
" configuration. Before the cab cars were used on the line, the trains were wyed
Wye (railroad)
A wye or triangular junction, in rail terminology, is a triangular shaped arrangement of rail tracks with a switch or set of points at each corner. In mainline railroads, this can be used at a rail junction, where three rail lines join, in order to allow trains to pass from any line to any other...
in San Diego for their return trip. Los Angeles Union Station
Union Station (Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line...
is a stub off the mainline which means trains leave Los Angeles facing the opposite direction that they enter. The locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
is at the rear of the train, "pushing" the train from Goleta/San Luis Obispo or San Diego to Los Angeles. At Los Angeles, the train "backs into" the station, and, upon departing the locomotive "pulls" the train to San Diego or Goleta/San Luis Obispo, respectively. Currently a project is being prepared for run-through tracks at Union Station.
The 350 miles (563 km) trip from San Luis Obispo to San Diego usually takes eight and a half hours, for an average speed of 43 mi/h. The maximum track speed is typically 60 to 79 mph (96.6 to 127.1 km/h) in and north of Los Angeles County; in portions of Orange County and San Diego County, higher track speeds of 90 mi/h are afforded due to the usage of ATS
Automatic Train Stop
An automatic train stop is a system on a train that will automatically stop a train if certain situations happened to prevent accidents from happening....
. Future track improvements will raise the train's speed to 110 mi/h.
Much of the Pacific Surfliner's scenic route follows the Pacific coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
although trains travel inland through industrial backlots and expansive farmlands to traverse the Los Angeles Basin
Los Angeles Basin
The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the Peninsular and Transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs...
and San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
. The Pacific Surfliner operates 11 daily trains each way between Los Angeles and San Diego on weekdays and 12 trains each way on weekends.
The Pacific Surfliner is usually on time; however, train 796 may be held up to one hour if Train 11 (the Coast Starlight
Coast Starlight
The Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
) from Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, containing transferring passengers, is delayed. The on-time performance is usually above 75%. Due to increasing conflicts with other lines, train 784 holds the worst on-time performance record currently below 62% as of October 2011.
Though operated by Amtrak, the Pacific Surfliner is primarily financed through funds made available by the State of California Department of Transportation
California Department of Transportation
The California Department of Transportation is a government department in the U.S. state of California. Its mission is to improve mobility across the state. It manages the state highway system and is actively involved with public transportation systems throughout the state...
(Caltrans) and is operated under the Amtrak California
Amtrak California
Amtrak California is a brand name used by the Caltrans Division of Rail for all state-supported Amtrak rail routes within the U.S. State of California...
brand. In 1989 local agencies along the corridor along with the host railroads and other stakeholders formed the Los Angeles – San Diego - San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN) to improve the safety, reliability, capacity, and customer experience along the rail corridor. Recently there has been discussion regarding the local agencies take over administering the service (the SB 457 process much like the Capitol Corridor service has adopted). As of 2007, the route recovers
Farebox recovery ratio
The farebox recovery ratio of a passenger transportation system is the proportion of the amount of revenue generated through fares by its paying customers as a fraction of the cost of its total operating expenses....
63% of its operating expenses through ticket sales.
History
Beginning in March 1938, under the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, and later under Amtrak until May 30, 2000, this same service was called the San DieganSan Diegan
The San Diegan was one of the named passenger trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, and a "workhorse" of the railroad. Its 126-mile route ran from Los Angeles, California south to San Diego. It was assigned train Nos. 70–79 The San Diegan was one of the named passenger trains of the...
. The Pacific Surfliner name became effective on June 1, 2000.
Stations served
- San Diego, CA
- San Diego-Old Town, CA (seasonal/weekends)
- Solana Beach, CASolana Beach (Amtrak station)Solana Beach is a large railway station on Amtrak California's Pacific Surfliner passenger train and on North County Transit District's COASTER commuter rail route route located in Solana Beach, California. The Pacific Surfliner is the second most travelled railway in the United States, with only...
- Oceanside, CAOceanside (Amtrak station)Oceanside is a station on Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner passenger train route located in Oceanside, California. It is located at the Oceanside Transit Center, which is also the northern terminus of the San Diego Coaster, the southern terminus of the Metrolink Orange County Line and Inland...
- San Clemente Pier, CA (selected trips)
- San Juan Capistrano, CASan Juan Capistrano (Amtrak station)The San Juan Capistrano Depot is a train station in San Juan Capistrano, California, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system, and Metrolink, a commuter railroad.-History:...
- Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo, CALaguna Niguel/Mission Viejo (Metrolink station)Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo is a station on the Inland Empire-Orange County and Orange County Lines of the Metrolink commuter rail system around Los Angeles, California.The station now serves as a limited Amtrak stop on the Pacific Surfliner route...
(selected trips) - Irvine, CA
- Santa Ana, CASanta Ana (Amtrak station)Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center is a passenger rail station and transportation center in Santa Ana, California. It is used by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink's Orange County Line and Inland Empire-Orange County Line trains...
- Orange, CA (selected trips)
- Anaheim, CA
- Fullerton, CA
- Los Angeles Union StationUnion Station (Los Angeles)Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line...
- Glendale, CAGlendale (Amtrak station)The Glendale Amtrak/Metrolink Station, often referred to as the Glendale Transportation Center, is an Amtrak and Metrolink rail station in the city of Glendale, California...
- Burbank Airport, CA
- Van Nuys, CAVan Nuys (Amtrak station)The Van Nuys Amtrak/Metrolink Station is an Amtrak and Metrolink rail station in the community of Van Nuys in Los Angeles, California.The station is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, Amtrak's Coast Starlight from Los Angeles Union Station to Seattle,...
- Chatsworth, CAChatsworth (Amtrak station)The Chatsworth Amtrak/Metrolink Station, sometimes referred to as the Chatsworth Transportation Center, is an Amtrak and Metrolink rail station in the Los Angeles community of Chatsworth, California, USA. It is served by both Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego and...
- Simi Valley, CASimi Valley (Amtrak station)The Simi Valley Amtrak/Metrolink Station is an Amtrak and Metrolink rail station in the city of Simi Valley. It is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, Amtrak's Coast Starlight from Los Angeles Union Station to Seattle, and Metrolink's Ventura County Line from Los...
- Moorpark, CAMoorpark (Amtrak station)The Moorpark Amtrak/Metrolink Station is an Amtrak and Metrolink rail station in the city of Moorpark, California.It is served by both Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego and Metrolink's Ventura County Line from Los Angeles Union Station to East Ventura. Five Pacific...
- Camarillo, CACamarillo (Amtrak station)The Camarillo Amtrak/Metrolink Station is an Amtrak and Metrolink rail station in the city of Camarillo, California. It is served by both Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego and Metrolink's Ventura County Line from Los Angeles Union Station to Montalvo...
- Oxnard, CAOxnard (Amtrak station)The Oxnard Transportation Center is an Amtrak and Metrolink rail station in the community of Oxnard, California. It is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, Amtrak's Coast Starlight from Los Angeles Union Station to Seattle, Washington, and Metrolink's Ventura...
- Ventura, CAVentura (Amtrak station)The Ventura Amtrak Station is an Amtrak rail station in the city of Ventura, California. It is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. Ten Pacific Surfliner trains serve the station daily...
- Carpinteria, CACarpinteria (Amtrak station)The Carpinteria Amtrak Station is an Amtrak rail station in the city of Carpinteria, California. It is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego...
- Santa Barbara, CASanta Barbara (Amtrak station)The Santa Barbara Train Station, sometimes referred to as the Santa Barbara Amtrak Station, is the passenger rail station in Santa Barbara, California. It is served by two Amtrak lines, the Coast Starlight and the Pacific Surfliner. The Coast Starlight runs once daily in each direction between...
- Goleta, CAGoleta (Amtrak station)The Goleta Amtrak Station is an Amtrak rail station in the city of Goleta, California. It is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. Ten Pacific Surfliner trains serve the station daily. Six of the daily trains run on Goleta-San Diego or San Diego-Goleta schedules,...
- Surf-Lompoc, CASurf (Amtrak station)The Surf Amtrak Station is an Amtrak rail station west of the city of Lompoc, California. It is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego...
- Guadalupe-Santa Maria, CAGuadalupe (Amtrak station)The Guadalupe Amtrak Station is an Amtrak rail station in the city of Guadalupe, California. It is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. Four Pacific Surfliner trains serve the station daily...
- Grover Beach, CAGrover Beach (Amtrak station)The Grover Beach/Pismo Beach Amtrak Station is an Amtrak rail station in the city of Grover Beach, California. It is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego...
- San Luis Obispo, CASan Luis Obispo (Amtrak station)The San Luis Obispo Amtrak Station is an Amtrak rail station in the city of San Luis Obispo, California. It is the northern terminus of Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo to San Diego and it also serves the Coast Starlight from Seattle, Washington to Los Angeles, California...
Rolling stock
A typical Pacific Surfliner consist is as follows:- F59PHI (locomotive)
- Pacific Business Class Car
- Coach-Cafe Car
- 2-3 Coach Cars (Often including a SuperlinerSuperliner (railcar)The Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
Coach car borrowed from Amtrak's mainline fleet, or Superliner coach with Pacific Surfliner colors.) - Coach/Baggage (Cab) Car
Pacific Surfliner trainsets usually consist of an EMD F59PHI locomotive, a business class car, a cafe car with coach seating, two coach cars, and a Cab Control Car equipped with coach seating, a checked baggage space, and engineer controls. During holiday seasons or days of heavy ridership extra cars may be added. At least one Superliner
Superliner (railcar)
The Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
Coach or Coach/Baggage car will often be added to the Surfliner trainsets just before the Surfliners Cab Car.
All but one of the Pacific Surfliner trains consist of double-decker California (II) Cars which are similar to, but not the same as, Superliner
Superliner (railcar)
The Superliner is a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak on long haul trains that do not use the Northeast Corridor. The initial cars were built by Pullman-Standard in the late 1970s and a second order was built in the mid 1990s by Bombardier Transportation...
cars; the remaining trainset, which goes from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Union Station to San Luis Obispo and back (#799 northbound, then #798 southbound on weekdays or #792 on weekends), uses four or more of Amtrak's older single-level Horizon Fleet or Amfleet
Amfleet
Amfleet is a series of intercity railroad passenger cars built for the operator Amtrak by the manufacturer Budd Company in two series during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, Amfleet cars are used extensively throughout the Amtrak system outside the western United States...
cars, either a GE P32-8WH (Dash 8)
GE Dash 8-32BWH
The GE Dash 8-32BWH, also known as the P32-8WH or B32-8WH, is a modern diesel-electric passenger train locomotive used by Amtrak. It is based on GE's Dash 8 series of freight train locomotives....
or P42DC (Genesis) locomotive, and one of Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's old F40PH locomotives which has been converted to an NPCU.
Most cars are equipped with 120v power outlets for laptops or other electronic devices. Pacific Surfliner trains use cars whose design is very similar, but not identical, to those on the other Amtrak California trains, the San Joaquins
San Joaquins
The San Joaquin is a passenger train operated by Amtrak as part of the Amtrak California network in California's Central Valley. Twelve trains a day run between its southern terminus at Bakersfield and Stockton, where the route splits to Oakland or Sacramento...
and Capitol Corridor
Capitol Corridor
The Capitol Corridor is a 168-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in California. Because it is fully supported by the state, the Capitol Corridor operates under Amtrak California. It runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Sacramento, roughly parallel to Interstate 80...
. The Pacific Surfliner trains are painted in a blue and silver livery that is unique to this line.
Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner webpage, as well as its timetables, suggest that all trains use a Surfliner trainset; as a result, passengers occasionally become upset due to the fact that the Amfleet
Amfleet
Amfleet is a series of intercity railroad passenger cars built for the operator Amtrak by the manufacturer Budd Company in two series during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, Amfleet cars are used extensively throughout the Amtrak system outside the western United States...
/Horizon Fleet cars lack many of the services typically found on Surfliner bi-level cars, do not provide as smooth a ride as the Surfliner cars, and have small windows, making it difficult to view the scenery.
During some holiday periods, the number of cars is increased and reservations are required even for coach seats. In addition, strong ridership has recently led to an increase in the number of trains using six passenger cars; some trains will have as many as ten. The resulting shortage of Surfliner equipment has forced Amtrak to assemble a second trainset of as many as eight Horizon Fleet and/or Amfleet cars, in addition to that mentioned above. Metrolink and/or Coaster railcars might also be used on rare occasions, particularly during the Del Mar horseracing season (i.e. July and August).
On very rare occasions and for special holidays, this train set might include Amtrak's last remaining full-dome car, #10031. This car (named Ocean View) normally is brought down for most of the July and August race season at the Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the seaside city of Del Mar, California, 20 miles north of San Diego. Operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is known for the slogan: "Where The Turf Meets The Surf." It was built by a partnership...
. A full Surfliner set of the Alstom-built bi-level cars will be substituted for a set approximately nine cars in length consisting of a mix of the older Horizon and Amfleet cars, baggage car, and the Ocean View dome car with two locomotives (nearly all combinations of motive power have hauled this train set) for power. This is because Amtrak doesn't have any spare cab control cars for this single-level consist. When the Surfliner set is displaced by the "dome set", as it's commonly referred to, the displaced set is broken up. The cab control car and one of the coach cars get added onto other train sets for extra capacity. Meanwhile the Business Class car, Cafe/Coach car, and remaining coach car will float around together (along with a spare locomotive) and are added onto existing train sets that will carry the pre-race and post-race traffic between Los Angeles and Solana Beach (the Amtrak station nearest to Del Mar Racetrack). Once the season ends at Del Mar, the dome set is broken up and all other train sets return to their normal capacity.
In 2009, Amtrak put F59PHI #455 in an Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver is an organization originally started in Idaho in 1972 as a six-week, one-time public awareness campaign sponsored by the office of Governor Cecil Andrus, the Idaho Peace Officers and Union Pacific Railroad after years of increasing grade crossing accidents.As a result of...
wrap. This wrap was orange with a surfer saying the Operation Lifesaver "Look, Listen Live!" slogan. It has been since taken off and the engine is now back in the normal Pacific Surfliner paint scheme.
In May 2010, the California Department of Transportation specially painted F59PHI #457 to celebrate 10 years of service from 2000–2010 and also the 25 million passenger boardings that have occurred since. However, this had to be pulled back quickly when it was discovered that the word "million" was spelled "millon".
Route notes
Amtrak's Thruway Motorcoach bus service connects passengers from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo to SolvangSolvang, California
Solvang is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. It is one of the communities that make up the Santa Ynez Valley. The population was 5,245 at the 2010 census, down from 5,332 at the 2000 census...
, Buellton
Buellton, California
Buellton is a small city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city of Buellton is one of the communities that make up the Santa Ynez Valley...
, Atascadero
Atascadero, California
Atascadero is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, about equidistant from San Francisco and Los Angeles on U-S Highway 101. Atascadero is farther inland than most other San Luis Obispo County cities, and as a result, usually experiences warmer, drier summers and cooler winters than...
and Paso Robles
Paso Robles, California
Paso Robles is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Paso Robles is the fastest growing city in San Luis Obispo County: Its population at the 2000 census was 24,297; in 2010 it recorded some 29,793 residentsLocated on the Salinas River north of San Luis Obispo, California,...
.
The Pacific Surfliner runs southbound as even-numbered trains and northbound with odd numbers. Trains with numbers beginning in 5 run only between San Diego and Los Angeles; numbers beginning in 7 are assigned to trains that run north to Goleta or San Luis Obispo (most continuing through Los Angeles to San Diego) and are known as Central Coast Pacific Surfliners. Some 700-series trains have numbers which echo their ancestor's numbers. For instance, trains 798 and 799 are so numbered in memory of Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
trains 98 and 99, the Coast Daylight.
Track hosts
- San Diego Northern Railroad, San Diego-County Line (Metrolink uses trackage rights Oceanside-County Line)
- Metrolink: Orange County Line, County Line-Fullerton
- Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Fullerton-Los Angeles
- Metrolink: Ventura County Line, Los Angeles-Moorpark
- Union Pacific Railroad, Moorpark-San Luis Obispo
See also
- AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
- Amtrak CaliforniaAmtrak CaliforniaAmtrak California is a brand name used by the Caltrans Division of Rail for all state-supported Amtrak rail routes within the U.S. State of California...
- San Diego Public Transportation
- Transportation of Los AngelesTransportation of Los AngelesThe intercity transportation system in Los Angeles serves as a regional, national and international hub for passenger and freight traffic. The system includes the United States' largest port complex, an extensive freight and passenger rail infrastructure, numerous airports and an extensive highway...
- Rail transport in California
- San Diego CoasterSan Diego CoasterThe San Diego Coast Express Rail, or Coaster , is a commuter rail service that operates in the Central and Northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States. The service is operated by TransitAmerica Services on contract with North County Transit District . The service has...
- Metrolink (Southern California)Metrolink (Southern California)Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
- Southwest ChiefSouthwest ChiefThe Southwest Chief is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 2256-mile BNSF route through the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. It runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, passing through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California...
- Coast Starlight (Coast)Coast StarlightThe Coast Starlight is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States. It runs from King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, to Union Station in Los Angeles, California. The train's name was formed as a merging of two of Southern Pacific's train names, the Coast...
External links
- Pacific Surfliner
- Amtrak California--a partnership of Caltrans and Amtrak
- LOSSAN Board
- Amtrak's January 2006 Monthly Performance Report, which lists the ridership of each Amtrak route on page 26