Probably dumb question about placement of engine

[mitako]

Yesterday, hubby and I rode the Pacific Surfliner home from a three-day holiday in San Diego. We had a great time in San Diego seeing the usual tourist attractions: Seaworld, San Diego Zoo, Midway Museum.  However, several minutes after the taxi driver dropped us off at the train station for our trip home, I realized we were at the wrong place....... our tickets were for the Santa Fe downtown station, and he took us to the Old Town station instead. I placed a frantic call to Amtrak's 800 number, and luckily was able to quickly modify my reservation, although I had to pay $4.50 more for reasons I don't quite understand.

Anyway, my question: Leaving Old Town, the engine was at the back of the train, so I assume it was pushing the train, correct? We had to take seats riding backwards, as there were no open pairs of seats facing forwards in the business class car. Once we reached and left Los Angeles Union Station, however, we were suddenly facing forward for the rest of our ride to Van Nuys. So I assume that now the engine was pulling the train from the front. What are the logistics of this? Probably a very simple and dumb question to the many train experts here, but it was confusing to me.

 

[ehbowen]

The Surfliner carries the locomotive at one end and a cab car, from which the locomotive can be controlled in push mode, at the other end of the train. There are currently no through tracks at L.A. Union Station (a couple are planned and may be under construction), so trains currently have to come in one way and reverse out the other way. Since the Surfliner is already set up for push-pull operation and the seats, as you noted, are split both ways the simplest solution is just to have the engineer change ends and change the direction of the train leaving LAUS.

 

[cpotisch]

As ehbowen said, the Surfliners basically make a 3 point turn into and out of LAX, in which they switch from pushing to pulling and vice versa.

 

[Maglev]

Somewhat related to this--on which side of the train do I want to sit to be on the ocean side from LAX to SAN?

 

[ehbowen]

Somewhat related to this--on which side of the train do I want to sit to be on the ocean side from LAX to SAN?

You want to be on the side of the train closest to the main terminal building. That will put you on the west (scenic) side for the trip up the coast. Bonus points if you can snag a forward facing seat. If you're getting on at, say, Anaheim when the train is in the reversed direction, snag a rearward facing seat on the inland (east) side of the train.

Edit: Oops. See three posts down.

 

[CCC1007]

Somewhat related to this--on which side of the train do I want to sit to be on the ocean side from LAX to SAN?

If you are facing the locomotive, sit on the right hand side of the car. North of LA, sit on the left side of the car.

 

[cpotisch]

Somewhat related to this--on which side of the train do I want to sit to be on the ocean side from LAX to SAN?

Right side because it's southbound.

 

[ehbowen]

Sorry, I was thinking LA to Santa Barbara northbound. Cpotisch is right; if you're headed southbound to San Diego take the reverse of my advice.

 

[Maglev]

So the locomotive is always in front LAX-SAN?

The Cascades trains that I have ridden always  have Business Class at the south end.  But apparently one cannot count on Acela trains always facing the same direction.

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, the locomotive always heads into SAN first and always pushes north to LAX being in back.

 

[CCC1007]

So the locomotive is always in front LAX-SAN?
The Cascades trains that I have ridden always  have Business Class at the south end.  But apparently one cannot count on Acela trains always facing the same direction.

As long as the train is in a standard configuration, yes the locomotive is on the front when outbound from LAUPT.

 

[mitako]

Somewhat related to this--on which side of the train do I want to sit to be on the ocean side from LAX to SAN?

We sat on the right side of the train on the way down. Business class car was at the rear of the train. There is actually less time along the coast than I expected, but some pretty views. I took this shot around Solano Beach. I like the way it came out looking kind of like an expressionist painting.

 

[BCL]

Yesterday, hubby and I rode the Pacific Surfliner home from a three-day holiday in San Diego. We had a great time in San Diego seeing the usual tourist attractions: Seaworld, San Diego Zoo, Midway Museum.  However, several minutes after the taxi driver dropped us off at the train station for our trip home, I realized we were at the wrong place....... our tickets were for the Santa Fe downtown station, and he took us to the Old Town station instead. I placed a frantic call to Amtrak's 800 number, and luckily was able to quickly modify my reservation, although I had to pay $4.50 more for reasons I don't quite understand.

Anyway, my question: Leaving Old Town, the engine was at the back of the train, so I assume it was pushing the train, correct? We had to take seats riding backwards, as there were no open pairs of seats facing forwards in the business class car. Once we reached and left Los Angeles Union Station, however, we were suddenly facing forward for the rest of our ride to Van Nuys. So I assume that now the engine was pulling the train from the front. What are the logistics of this? Probably a very simple and dumb question to the many train experts here, but it was confusing to me.

View attachment 10947

The fare difference is supposed to be $1.  Not sure why you were charged $4.50.

Push-pull configuration is done for convenience.  Otherwise a wye would be needed to turn around the entire train, or at least the locomotive decoupled and hooked to the other end.  Most trains for this purpose have a "cab car" at the other end which the engineer can operate the controls.

 

[leemell]

The Surfliner carries the locomotive at one end and a cab car, from which the locomotive can be controlled in push mode, at the other end of the train. There are currently no through tracks at L.A. Union Station (a couple are planned and may be under construction), so trains currently have to come in one way and reverse out the other way. Since the Surfliner is already set up for push-pull operation and the seats, as you noted, are split both ways the simplest solution is just to have the engineer change ends and change the direction of the train leaving LAUS.

The run-thru tracks at LAUS (not LAUPT) are in engineering design and should start construction in about 18-24 months.