# Tehachapi Starlight FAST TIME LOG - Pres David Gunn 10-23-05



## daniel3197 (Jun 25, 2008)

This time log is from almost 3 Years ago but it does show the FASTEST credible run time from Sacramento to Bakersfield and LA.

These times were taken aboard what basically was a VIP PRESIDENTUAL train with regular Amtrak cars tacked onto the head end.

This data is from Coast Starlight Train 11 with former Amtrak President David Gunn riding in the "Beech Grove" Office Car on the rear end.

I rode this train from Sacramento to Los Angeles on October 23, 2005.

(train ride taken on Sunday 10-23-05)

On October 23, 2005 this train ran EXPRESS NON-STOP for the passengers from Sacramento to Los Angeles (WOW!!).

The ONLY stop enroute from SAC to LAX was a quick 5 minute Crew Change at the BNSF Freight Yard in Bakersfield (former ATSF).

NO PAX stop was made in Bakersfield on 10-23-05 Train 11

(on 6-22-08 trains 11 and 14 did make pax stops in BFD)

Train 14 Northbound was NOT detoured on this date of 10-23-05.

(6-25-08 reposting date)

I hope everyone finds this time log to be a very useful reference tool for a very fast run from SAC to LAX via Bakersfield !!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Here is a rather rough log of the Time Performance of

our detoured Thachapi Loop Coast Starlight train 11 of

sunday October 23rd 2005 in California.

These times are taken from my watch which

runs about 5 minutes ahead of the real, actual time.

(EDIT: I adjusted the Sacramento times back 5 minutes in my written log to the correct time as I did not start

my direct "clock to paper" log until Stockton. The Sacramento and Elvas times on here should be the real and actual clock times.)

A big--big--big THANK YOU to everyone at Amtrak and the freight railroads for

making this special trip possible!

--- Daniel

TIMES TEHACHAPI DETOUR Amtrak 11 of 10-23-05 in CA

725am SAC --DEPART = reverse SHOVE to Elvas Tower

(train stopped on American River Bridge)

740am ELVAS sac dp FOREWARD to Bakersfield (1st stop made)

operated via UP Fresno Sub and Lodi

Dan watch times + 5 min from Stockton:

845am STOCKTON ACE depot tower approach

850am Stockton on BNSF OFFICIAL radioed to Stockton sub DS

906am ESCALON Escalon

910am RIVERBANK

915am Modesto Amtrak

916am EMPIRE

924am DENAIR

935am WINTON

937am CASTLE AIR

941am MERCED

950a PLANADA

955 LA GRAND IN SDG down to 5mph

1001a E LA GRAND

1010a E SHARON

1024am Figarden

1034am mp 1000

1038am FRESNO **NO STOP ** ROLLED past Amtrak Depot at 45 mph - ONLY REVENUE PAX train to ROLL THRU Fresno NON-STOP???

1043am CALWA depot

1044am Calwa DIAMONDS SP XING

1049am Bowles

1103am Shirley

1107am Hanford

1111am Guernsey

1119am Highway 43 swings alongside

1122am CORCORAN –Meet at 45mph Amcal San Joaquin Train

1123am E Corcoran

1132am Alpaugh –24 hours after OLW cam

1140am ALLENSWORTH

1146am SANDRINI

1150am ELMO

1155am WASCO enter

1159am Shafter

1214pm Bakersfield ar BNSF yard - arrive rolling by west yd

1226pm Bakersfield depart BNSF yard

1231pm Bakersfield AMTRAK DEPOT passing

1237pm KERN JUNCTION

1243pm by UP detector 318.8 --56 axles at 58mph

1249pm Sandcut

105pm Caliente

108pm milepost 337

430pm eta for Lancaster given to UP DS 54 on radio

114pm Bealville X Over

121pm W Cliff -- INTO SIDING here and SLOWLY 5mph

133pm E Cliff

142pm by mp 344

149pm by DETECTOR 347.0

150pm West Woodford

156pm East Woodford siding

158pm T LOOP far West curve Road enter

LOOP Amtrak 11 on INSIDE track

201pm EAST T LOOP Walong

203pm T CAM BURTON CURVE

205pm West MARCEL

208pm East MARCEL

213pm milepost 356 west Cable

216pm 357.5

223pm Tehachapi Downtown

225pm SUMMIT -Highway 58 OVERPASS

227pm 363 DETECTOR trk 1 no defects

56 axles 70 MPH

228pm Cement plant Monolith

231pm 368 milepost

234pm Cameron (up hooded signals)

243pm at milepost 375

Pilot engineer planned to be dropped at Vincent (Soledad Canyon)

245pm 377 detector track 1 no defects-- 58 axles-- 34 MPH

250pm MOJAVE downtown

253pm milepost 381

303pm West ANSEL

305pm East ANSEL

306pm DS 54 says we will MEET frt at Denis siding

309pm --396.1 detector at 65 mph

312pm west OBAN

313pm east OBAN

316pm Lancaster

317pm ENTER SIDE by SIDE Metrolink at Lancaster

324pm West DENIS

328pm East DENIS –Air Plant east side of tracks

331pm – 412.0 UP Detector no defects 56 axles 23 MPH

334pm PALMDALE Metrolink depot

336pm PALMDALE JUNCTION - PALJCT

ENTER METROLINK at CP HAROLD

343pm VINCENT

353pm --mp 54 –CP KOCIAN

355pm Ravenna

359pm mp 56

403pm -- mp 48

410pm –CP Soledad

415pm by 41.5

416pm HONBY

Santa Clarita

423pm CP CANYON

426pm – 31.0 detector

427pm cp Hood

427pm— Newhall

431pm CP PORTAL–North Tunnel

434pm --South Tunnel

453pm DETECTOR 7.8 -track 2 FREIGHT MEET 49mph (South Burbank)

DETECTOR 7.8 TRACK 1 AMTRAK train 11 at 18mph

454pm GLENDALE DEPOT –PASSING ----(Glendale CA)

457pm CP ORMISTON

ON EAST BANK LINE

F40 diesels seen in Amtrak paint (3)

300, 256, 338 at Metrolink shops

504pm LAUPT TERMINAL TOWER

505pm LAUPT on platform at track 12.

END WONDERFUL TRIP at Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal

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