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Pacific Surfliner



         


The Pacific Surfliner is a designator for Amtrak passenger trains serving communities on the coastline of southern California between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. On the northernmost part there is one train per day in each direction, on the Los Angeles to San Diego section a little less than one train per hour. Bus services are available between Los Angeles and Goleta during hours when that part of the track is in use by freight trains.

Because neither San Diego nor Goleta is equipped with a roundhouse or a turntable, trains running on the Pacific Surfliner are arranged so that the last car is one equipped with engineer controls, so that the train can be operated in either direction, allowing for a quick turnaround. The design of Los Angeles Union Station causes the train leave Los Angeles facing the opposite direction that it entered. The locomotive is facing forward from San Diego to Los Angeles (northbound) and from Goleta to Los Angeles (southbound). The entire trip from San Luis Obispo to San Diego is 371 miles (597 kilometers), and takes eight and a half hours. Much of the Pacific Surfliner's scenic route follows the Pacific coast.

The Pacific Surfliner trains usually consist of a EMD F59PHI locomotive, a business class car, a cafe car, 2 coach cars, and a baggage car equipped with engineer controls. During holiday seasons or days of heavy usage extra cars may be added. Except for one train, all the trains that run the Pacific Surfliner route consist of double-decker Superliner cars. Most cars are equipped with 120v power outlets for laptops or other electronic devices.

The Pacific Surfliner is usually on time. The last train south (Train 796) may held up to one hour if Train 11 (Coast Starlight) from Seattle is delayed.

Though operated by Amtrak, the Pacific Surfliner is primarily financed through funds made available by the State of California Department of Transportation.

Under the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, and later under Amtrak until the late 1990s, this same service was called the San Diegan.

Stations Served:

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