Revised Dates for CS Tehachapi Loop Detours

[infoguy]

UPDATED 9/1/2019. UP has moved the date window for its Chatsworth trackwork later by one week, and as of today, here are REVISED DATES for the Coast Starlight Tehachapi Loop rare mileage detours:

Train 11 Leaving Oakland 13, 14, 15, and 16 Sept 2019
Train 14 leaving Los Angeles 14, 15, and 16 Sept 2019​

Usual CS detour route of recent years, with no intermediate passenger stops between LA and Oakland. Lines traversed include Metrolink Antelope Valley line btw LAUS-Lancaster, UP Mojave Sub btw Lancaster-Bakersfield via Tehachapi Loop, UP Fresno Sub btw Bakersfield-Lathrop, at Lathrop a wye movement involving the Fresno, Tracy and Oakland subs, UP Oakland Sub btw Lathrop-Niles Jct via Altamont Pass, UP Niles Sub btw Niles Jct-Newark and normal routing north of Newark. Dates NOT guaranteed. Right now, plenty of coach space available on these trains with fares $50 each way btw LA and Oakland.

 

[Seaboard92]

And I now have a reservation on the 16th in the sleepers to Portland.

 

[Brian Rubino]

Do these dates look fairly solid at this point? I am looking to ride all 4 days and should make reservations soon.

Thanks so much for the updates!
BJR

 

[chakk]

Do these dates look fairly solid at this point? I am looking to ride all 4 days and should make reservations soon.

Thanks so much for the updates!
BJR

The dates have already been changed once. No guarantees that they won't change again.

I suppose the best you can do is test bookings for the CS on each date of interest to see if the train will be stopping at Paso Robles or Salinas. If no ticketing available for that date, then one can assume the train will be detouring that date -- until it doesn't actually detour that date.

 

[Seaboard92]

Amtrak out a PSN the other day. Which they didn’t do the first time. So this one is fairly likely. I have a roomette on the Monday train.

 

[railiner]

My booking strategy would be to try to book a date in "the middle" of the projected detour. That way, you might get more time to cancel, if the detour was pushed back, and conversely, if the track work ended 'early', and detour ended also....

 

[infoguy]

Tuesday night and everything still looks like a go for dates previously advertised. I am traveling south on 11 Friday the 13th and returning on 14 LA-Oakland Sunday the 15th. Passenger advisories are still up on the Amtrak website for both the Starlights and Surfliners as follows (Surfliner details omitted):
Track Work Affects Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight Service
Effective September 13 - 17, 2019

Service will be affected between Los Angeles and Chatsworth
Track work being performed from 10 pm on Friday, September 13 through 4 am on Tuesday, September 17 will affect Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight service on the dates indicated below.

Coast Starlight Train 11 September 12 - 15 and Train 14 September 14 - 16
These trains will detour between Oakland and Los Angeles and will not make stops at San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Van Nuys and Burbank. Passengers traveling to those destinations can use local travel services.

• Trains 11 and 14 may incur up to 60-minute delays on the detour route.
• Bus 4011 will connect with Train 11 and will operate between Oakland and San Luis Obispo, making intermediate station stops at San Jose, Salinas and Paso Robles.

However, please remember there are no guarantees. On detours of this type, never assume the trip will be a success until getting off your train at your desired destination!!

 

[Seaboard92]

I’ve wanted to retake the starlight for the better part of the year. Mostly northbound so I can see the Cascades. So either way it’ll be a success for me. The rare milage was just the final push needed to buy a ticket.

 

[dgvrengineer]

I will be northbound the 14th & southbound the 15th. Got my fingers crossed.

 

[dogbert617]

I’ve wanted to retake the starlight for the better part of the year. Mostly northbound so I can see the Cascades. So either way it’ll be a success for me. The rare milage was just the final push needed to buy a ticket.

You guys are so darn lucky, to be able to travel during that detour! Have fun, and be sure to take a lot of pictures and if you can, some vids of the Tehachapi detour route. And of course, be sure to post a trip report about that detour on the trip report board here! Couldn't do so myself during those dates, since I have to work myself.

 

[Agent]

Video from yesterday by John's Junction Railroad Videos of the detoured southbound Coast Starlight turning on the wye at Lathrop. #11 also had the private cars Birch Grove and Moonlight Dome.

 

[nti1094]

Wow I can’t believe I missed this rare mileage... I grew up on a ranch near the Fresno Sub north of Visalia and would love to have taken this trip... not to mention the loop has always had a special appeal.

 

[chakk]

Wow I can’t believe I missed this rare mileage... I grew up on a ranch near the Fresno Sub north of Visalia and would love to have taken this trip... not to mention the loop has always had a special appeal.

One day left for the northbound detour on Monday, Sept 16. Plenty of seats available from LA to Oakland.

 

[railiner]

Video from yesterday by John's Junction Railroad Videos of the detoured southbound Coast Starlight turning on the wye at Lathrop. #11 also had the private cars Birch Grove and Moonlight Dome.

Great video...thanks for posting the link!

Curious...why the coach between the lounge and diner?

 

[Seaboard92]

I’m so happy I did this detour. It’s awesome. If anyone ever gets the chance they need to do it. Five stars totally recommend.

The clash between the two food service cars is business class.