# Amtrak Christmas



## WhoozOn1st (Dec 28, 2007)

In a late change of family holiday plans, me and my mom rode the Coast Starlight, Train 14, from Oxnard (OXN) to San Luis Obispo (SLO) on 12-24 to spend the holiday with my niece and her fiancee.

About the time the 14 shoulda been arriving at OXN, there was instead a UP unit tank train passing northbound. My mom (she's 80) wondered what the holdup was. Told her there was no holdup if she wanted to ride the tank train. She declined. I explained that the tank train was why our train was late, and that we would probably be stuck behind it and run even later unless the tank train went into the hole at either Ventura or Santa Barbara to let the Starlight pass.

We - Train 14 - departed OXN about 30 minutes behind. I'm guessing that the siding at Ventura is not long enough to have accommodated the UP unit tank train ahead of us; as it passed OXN I could see it was L-O-N-G. So we crawled north to Santa Barbara (SBA), made the stop, and by the time we departed Train 14 was running 45 minutes late. On departure from SBA I called the niece to inform her of our tardiness. Just north of Goleta (GTA) we did pass the UP unit tank train - waiting in the hole - and began to make up time.

With a 2 p.m. diner reservation, me and my mom were seated with two guys. One was nice enough; an army veteran disabled by a construction mishap. The other was a loony. Did I say loony? That's putting it mildly. Serious wacko. My mom - again, she's 80 - later told me that she thought the guy had a speech impediment. Her hearing is not so good. Fact is, the dude had a BRAIN impediment. As an example, as we passed through Vandenberg AFB I pointed out the never-used space shuttle launch complex. The wacko started talking about how our earth spawn could be used to infuse the mother ship - the launch complex - with the brains of crows who he had trained to reach out to the stars.

I ordered the turkey special for me and my mom. A turkey version of SOS. For those who don't know, that's creamed chipped beef on toast. It's known in the military as shirt (!) on a shingle - SOS. The turkey and gravy were okay, but the biscuits - shingles - were obviously stale.

Also stale was the rant from the wacko. He claimed that the multicolored iceplant beside the rails - which is really pretty - was the result of his close relationship with the local crows, who he had trained to deposit their droppings in certain patterns to achieve different colors.

Ex-squeeze me??

Made up about 15 minutes between SBA and SLO, and arrived about 30 minutes late. Niece had been instructed on how to track train progress online, so that worked out well.

Now the return: Pacific Surfliner, Train 798.

Following a fine family Christmas it was time to return home.

Train 798, a Pacific Surfliner, was quite possibly the worst Amtrak train I've ever experienced. Those who read my rants know well that I'm an Amtrak supporter, though somewhat cynical. This train, from SLO to VEC, was hideous. A lash-up of F-40PH cabbage leading, Horizon cars, and P-32 pushing. Multiple problems. Arrived at the station too late to check baggage, and I can't blame Amtrak for that. And it wasn't the southbound Starlight, so I knew there would be no diner. Made sandwiches to eat along the way.

When I went to the cafe car (Business Class in a section up front) to buy a bottle of water to wash down the peanut butter and jelly I was overwhelmed with the stench of old vomit. The Horizon car windows - the slits - were filthy, scratched, and water spotted. I understand the need to shift equipment around to take care of the peak holiday loads, but this? I mean, if this train revolted even ME, what impression did it make on first-time passengers?

Arriving an hour late didn't help.


----------



## AlanB (Dec 29, 2007)

WhoozOn1st999 said:


> When I went to the cafe car (Business Class in a section up front) to buy a bottle of water to wash down the peanut butter and jelly I was overwhelmed with the stench of old vomit. The Horizon car windows - the slits - were filthy, scratched, and water spotted. I understand the need to shift equipment around to take care of the peak holiday loads, but this? I mean, if this train revolted even ME, what impression did it make on first-time passengers?


I hear what you're saying Patrick and don't disagree, but personally I'd trade what Amtrak puts on the NEC for the Thanksgiving holiday for a set of Horizon cars. Out here we get trains that are made up of commuter cars borrowed from NJT and MARC. Sitting in those seats for one hour, not so bad. For three or more, bad. And those trains run with *no* cafe car. Now to Amtrak's credit the special timetable that's put out does mention these facts, but outside of railfans I'd bet that most people don't read TT's. So many people are very surprised to say the least.

Thanks for the trip report!


----------



## RailFanLNK (Dec 29, 2007)

I know the Sex Pistols took to the River Thames to release "God Save The Queen" but maybe they also used that Horizon car too! :lol: I know Sid Vicious was puking on the boat (musta been seasickness) so maybe he has motion sickness as well! I remember being on a 12 hour late CZ last October and I thought it had been invaded by homeless. The Sightseer Lounge Car had been turned into a "shelter" full of "loonies" and there was so much trash in coach I thought maybe garbagemen had gone on strike in the whole US. That was the one real "strange" trip I had on Amtrak. All the others have been good other than a dining car employee...or two!

Al


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Dec 29, 2007)

AlanB said:


> WhoozOn1st999 said:
> 
> 
> > When I went to the cafe car (Business Class in a section up front) to buy a bottle of water to wash down the peanut butter and jelly I was overwhelmed with the stench of old vomit. The Horizon car windows - the slits - were filthy, scratched, and water spotted. I understand the need to shift equipment around to take care of the peak holiday loads, but this? I mean, if this train revolted even ME, what impression did it make on first-time passengers?
> ...


When I got home, 12-26, I tried to do some research on the Horizon cars. Couldn't find much, but a Wikipedia entry said their design was based on the NJT and Metro North "Comet" equipment. The 798 consist was cabbage (#90208), vomitmobile (with Business Class forward - how could they stand the stench?), coach, coach, coach, P-32 pusher unit. I was in the first coach behind the puke-O-rail. At first I went back to the second coach to try to take pics. Apparently that Horizon car had been refurbished, because the seats appeared to be fairly new, and there was far greater room. The third Horizon coach was closed off until SBA, where many people boarded. The tobacco-chewing conductor told boarding passengers to go to the (newly opened) last car because mine was full. Not true, but I said nothing. All seats in my car had electrical outlets, but I didn't use 'em.


----------



## Guest (Dec 31, 2007)

"Fact is, the dude had a BRAIN impediment"

Whooz,

The signature injury from this war is brain trauma/injury from IEDs and other explosions.

Jody


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Jan 4, 2008)

Guest said:


> "Fact is, the dude had a BRAIN impediment"
> Whooz,
> 
> The signature injury from this war is brain trauma/injury from IEDs and other explosions.
> ...


I fully realize that, and believe that not enough is being done to care for veterans of the current, or any other, war.

"Support the troops" is an easy and cheap political slogan. I believe you can support the troops without supporting the war (which I don't), and that real support of the troops includes taking good care of them and their families, at any expense, under all circumstances. The current administration talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk.

Our troops deserve much better, but they won't get it from an administration that from the outset decided to try to wage war on the cheap.

Sorry this is so far off topic.

Lastly, that loony in the dining car was a true loony tune. Not a veteran. A mental goner, apparently from the word GO. Daffy Duck woulda been appalled. HAHA!!


----------



## Guest (Jan 4, 2008)

Sorry, Whooz.

I reread and see where you were talking about 2 individuals, one a veteran and one assumed not.

As far as the war, there is much more awareness of the afteraffects of war than there was in previous wars. My husband will be evaluated psychologically before he is released to me and followup will occur down the road. That didn't exist (AFAIK) for the Vietnam vets and some are still on the streets today. I actually met a WWII vet with "shell shock" in the early '90's. It can be a lifelong situation if not treated early.

As far as the families... There are far more OFFICIAL resources available to us than at any time in history. My support is coming from my neighbors.... unfortunately, not my silent church, not the VFW, not the American Legion, not all these dot.coms espousing that they help, not my relatives. It's my neighbors, an occasional stranger and service people, including my letter carrier and grocery store cashier. This is one of the first wars where the majority of Americans aren't personally connected to a service member. That concerns a lot of us. Digressing.

Oddly enough, these boards and the trains have been a diversion and in general a destressor....


----------



## battalion51 (Jan 6, 2008)

As far as what you saw on 798/799, that is their normal consist. The state wanted to add that frequency, but there was not enough Surfliner sets to accomplish it, so a set of Horizon equipment has been permanently shifted out there along with 90208 to make that trip. I personally wish they could pull a Surfliner BC Car and a few Superliner I's to make up the set, rather than the Horizons, but what do I know...


----------

