# Surfliner baseball game trip + my first bustitution



## thully (Sep 8, 2012)

Even though this was a short trip, I figured I'd write up a short trip report since it was not your typical Surfliner trip.

Anyway, it's been a month since I moved from Ann Arbor, MI to San Diego and I've finally gotten around to doing my first Amtrak trip since moving. The event was a baseball game between the Angels and Detroit Tigers in Anaheim - being a Tigers fan (and having done a few ARB-CHI trips for Tigers games this year already), I figured this was a great reason for a Surfliner trip. Anyway, to go to the game I ended up boarding #785 in SOL - since I work closer to that station than SAN, it made sense to just board there. Ended up meeting up with our own Johnny there - he had told me he was going to be on #785 SOL-VNC, so we met up on the train. Was nice to see him in person, and the ride was enjoyable as Surfliners always are (I'd nominate this for best non-LD Amtrak train). Train started out somewhat light on the load, but began to accumulate standees as we got closer to ANA (mostly game traffic). Several announcements were made over the PA about bustitutions being in effect for this weekend as well as Friday's #796. They also announced that no trains were stopping in Anaheim all weekend - which contradicted the information on the website which said Anaheim would be bypassed on Saturday only. As I have a reservation SAN-ANA roundtrip for Sunday, this concerned me - though I think the PA announcement was wrong since the station agent at ANA said the closure was just on Saturday.

The game was fun, though the Tigers lost. Ended up taking barely any time at all to walk between the stadium and the station, which is literally in the back of the stadium parking lot! I was concerned that perhaps I'd miss #796 - in which case I'd have to stay in Anaheim or find later transportation (the only option I knew of being to take Metrolink to LAX and catch the 2:30am Thruway bus to LA - ick!). However, it turns out I got there with 30 minutes to spare even though I stayed for the postgame fireworks! Once I got to the station, I quickly found out all the restrooms were closed because they were flooded. However, I didn't stay in the station long because the agent closed the station and forced everybody to go outside - why they close 40 minutes before the last train leaves, I dunno.. Ended up going to track 2 and saw two Metrolink Angels Express trains iined up on the same track - one pointing northbound to LA, and another pointing southbound to Oceanside. At that point, an announcement was made that Amtrak would be on track 1 (instead of 2, as the agent had said previously) and that Amtrak passengers should move there to wait for the Amtrak train, which would be leaving after the Metrolink trains depart.

Got over to the right track (that being track 1), and got to see both Metrolink trains depart on the other track going opposite directions - that was a bit weird. Noticed a few confused people who apparently had Metrolink tickets, but had mistakenly gone to platform 1 to wait for Amtrak. The 5 trains leaving in a span of an hour (Angels Express to LA, Oceanside, and Riverside, as well as northbound and southbound Amtrak) seems to have been quite confusing to some. The announcement maid by #796 upon arrival seemed to support that theory - on arrival, they announced several times "WE DO NOT TAKE DAILY METROLINK TICKETS". I've never heard a Surfliner announce that before - must be the confusion generated by the multiple departing trains has led some Metrolink riders to inadvertently get on Amtrak. Once on, the train ride was fairly routine, though wehad a 10-20min delay in Camp Pendleton to wait for a freight. I did meet a few Tigers fans on the train - they, like me, were from Michigan, living in San Diego, and going up for the Tigers.

As previously announced, the train terminated in Oceanside, where all the passengers got off (most headed for buses to serve their final destination). They had two buses - one for Solana Beach and one for Old Town and downtown San Diego. Buses were some generic charter - not Amtrak California buses as I had thought they would be. I eventually made my way to the San Diego bus, which filled up quickly. Waited a LONG time between getting to the bus and actually departed - I'd say it was nearly a half hour! Once we got going, it was smooth sailing down the 5, and actually somewhat interesting given that I've seen the train route from OSD-SAN more than the vehicular route! Made our stop at Old Town, and eventually arrived in downtown SD at around 1:30 - 20 minutes behind the bustitution schedule (and 40 minutes behind the normal train schedule). From there, it was a brief walk back to where I live. Not too bad for a bustitution, though I'd prefer to stay on the train to SAN and arrive on time (12:50AM is already pretty late...).

Anyway, I'll be doing this roundtrip again tomorrow - figure I won't write anything unless something interesting happens. Will have to do the bustitution both ways - hopefully there's not a long wait in transferring between the train and bus. Will get to do an actual Amtrak thruway come next weekend - doing the Surfliner+San Joaquin to San Francisco via the Bakersfield bus. Will probably do a trip log for that one - never been on the SJ, and interested in seeing what an actual Ambus is like...


----------



## Bob Dylan (Sep 9, 2012)

Hope the Tigers can help beat the Angels and A's as Im a Ranger fan! ^_^ Its really nice to live in SoCal and miss the Northern Winters, plus to have so many Sports events and Trains to choose from! Hoping youll enjoy the trip on the SJ and the AmBus, most Cal Busses are pretty good rides!


----------



## thully (Sep 9, 2012)

Yeah - it is definitely nice having all these trains to choose from and things to do! It's great to have 11 daily Surfliners (plus all the Coasters/Metrolink/light rail) - easier to do day trips such as this one that way. I'm used to 3 daily trains each direction in Michigan (which probably sounds great to you in TX) and very scant transit options (there's NO commuter rail or light rail in the entire state, unless you count the Detroit People Mover). Its kind of funny to hear people talk about SoCal's lack of transit - it may be that way in the more outer areas, and it's definitely not East Coast/Chicago/SF level, but it's definitely better than most parts of the US. And that's not even mentioning the weather...

In any case, I'll be back on the Surfliner tomorrow (and bustitution) - next weekend the SJ/bus, and in December I'll be doing a sleeper roundtrip back to Michigan (will be taking the Texas Eagle eastbound and SWC westbound, so I'll be in your neck of the woods on the way there...)


----------



## trainman74 (Sep 9, 2012)

thully said:


> Got over to the right track (that being track 1), and got to see both Metrolink trains depart on the other track going opposite directions - that was a bit weird. Noticed a few confused people who apparently had Metrolink tickets, but had mistakenly gone to platform 1 to wait for Amtrak.


I've taken the Metrolink Angels Express from/to L.A. several times over the past couple seasons, and every time there's been at least a few confused people at the Anaheim station. Usually I've heard the station agent make good PA announcements, but, of course, some people just don't listen.


----------



## thully (Sep 10, 2012)

They definitely emphasized the "WE DO NOT TAKE DAILY METROLINK TICKETS", so I would think they got the point across. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people just using the gameday trains haven't a clue of the difference between Metrolink and Amtrak and just thought every stopping train was for the Angels Express.

Anyway, just finished my second roundtrip - it went fairly smoothly, though the SAN-OSD bus on the northbound got to OSD some 40 minutes before the train departure. Seems like they timed that bus schedule for weekday peak travel, not Sunday morning. Also, today's buses used a different charter operator, and they had separate buses for San Diego and Old Town (on Friday, they had served both with one bus). The train did stop at Anaheim (contrary to what was announced on the Friday train, and in line with all other information from Amtrak).

One thing I will note is that there were several automated announcements made on-board the train of station stops (as well as a generic "Welcome aboard the Pacific Surfliner" announcement) - these were made in addition to the normal manual announcements. The small LED panels which normally just show "En Route to <terminus>" instead showed the next station stop (or "Arriving at <station>" on arrival). Also, there was a hilariously funny (though perhaps a bit TOO goofy) cafe car announcement - among other things, it spoke of "delicious DiGiorno pizza and ice cold Dr. Pepper", and was also repeated in Spanish! I don't recall all of the content of the announcement, but it seemed the cafe car operator decided to have a little fun...

Also, I did see Johnny on #784, but not until after we deboarded in OSD. In any case, looking forward to my trip next weekend via the Surfliner, San Joaquin, and connecting Thruway buses - should be interesting, given that I haven't gone north of LAX on Amtrak in California...


----------



## trainman74 (Sep 10, 2012)

thully said:


> One thing I will note is that there were several automated announcements made on-board the train of station stops (as well as a generic "Welcome aboard the Pacific Surfliner" announcement) - these were made in addition to the normal manual announcements. The small LED panels which normally just show "En Route to <terminus>" instead showed the next station stop (or "Arriving at <station>" on arrival).


That's how things are _supposed_ to work, as far as I know (if for no other reason than ADA compliance, with the LED displays showing the next stop for the benefit of the hearing-impaired). But it's hardly ever active. I wonder if Johnny is keeping statistics...


----------



## AmtrakBlue (Sep 10, 2012)

trainman74 said:


> thully said:
> 
> 
> > One thing I will note is that there were several automated announcements made on-board the train of station stops (as well as a generic "Welcome aboard the Pacific Surfliner" announcement) - these were made in addition to the normal manual announcements. The small LED panels which normally just show "En Route to <terminus>" instead showed the next station stop (or "Arriving at <station>" on arrival).
> ...


Yeah, it would be nice if they worked. I was on a NER recently and when I noticed there was an LED display, it appeared to be just "garbage" flashing. It was the first LED that I had noticed on my few trips an Amtrak. I also have not seen a reliable LED on the Washington Metro.

People in charge of installing and maintaining ADA compliant equipment should be required to put themselves in the "shoes" of the handicap person they're supposed to be helping. For deaf/HofH people, wear sound deafening earplugs and ride the train, go to a movie or a live show, etc.


----------

