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Silver Splendor Luncheon-by-the-Sea Trip 11/12/2011 Part 2



by Chris Guenzler



The train ran through San Clemente North Beach before we started our surf running through San Clemente.





























That was our trip through San Clemente.





County Line.









The train crossed the San Mateo Creek trestle.





It was a stormy early afternoon out on the Pacific Ocean.







Proceeding to San Onofre Creek.





Crossing San Onofre Creek.





CP Songs just before the rain started. I returned to the dome for the crossing of Camp Pendleton in the rain.





Dark and wet as we crossed the San Onofre Bluff, after which I returned to the rear door.





The Burlington emblem on the rear door.





CP Puller as it is today.







The old truss bridge across the Santa Margarita River with a new double-track bridge being built to the south of the existing one, after which we stopped in Oceanside.





Leaving Oceanside with the Sprinter tracks on the east side of the mainline.





CP Longboard with the Longboard sign post.





The train crossed Buena Vista Lagoon.





The Carlsbad Coaster station.





The former Santa Fe station blocked by trees.





The future control point at CP Carlsbad; this project is to connect this point with a second track to CP Farr.













As you can see, this project is progressing well.













The future double crossover at CP Farr.





The Carlsbad Poinsettia station.





A northbound Coaster train.





This poster was in one of the restrooms aboard the "Silver Splendor".







We crossed the Basquitos Lagoon as the heavy rains started again and would be with us the whole afternoon. I returned to the dome as there is nothing like being in a dome car in a storm.





One of the pictures in the "Silver Splendor". I then went to the vestibule for a pair of pictures.





I got wet but it was worth it for these views of our train climbing the Miramar grade. I returned to the dome for the rest of the rainy trip to San Diego where we detrained for our four-hour layover and bought Trolley day passes as we waited under cover for the next Blue Line trolley, which we took south to Bayfront/E Street in Chula Vista. The three of us walked through the rain to Black Angus where we stayed dry and watched the second half of USC and Washington football game while I enjoyed a Top Sirloin then ice cream with hot fudge. After the game was over, we walked back to the Trolley station in the pouring rain.





I arrived there to see a Blue Line trolley on its way to San Ysidro.





Not a dry spot in sight.





Here came our trolley back to the Santa Fe Depot. We boarded and sat where we found the trolley had leaks. Watching some interesting characters made the trip go quickly then back at the Santa Fe station, we walked back out to the "Silver Splendor" where we sat in the dome for the rest of the trip. It finally stopped raining and the wind started just before Pacific Surfliner 580 arrived to take us home.

A northbound BNSF departed San Diego led by ten locomotives. The Amtrak crew hooked us up to the Pacific Surfliner then pulled us clear of the crossing with us on Track 2 and all the regular passengers had to walk past us. We departed as Pacific Surfliner 591 with the private car behind the engine heading north.

Cheesecake was served which was excellent. The dome lights were then turned off and we enjoyed the night time views from the dome, passing Pacific Surfliner 582 which was the last train we would pass. Later, at MP 238.0 just north of CP Ponto, I passed my 1,328,000.0 rail mile then at Stuart Mesa, we did pass that BNSF freight train switching. Most of our passengers detrained at San Juan Capistrano and then I had an idea for a picture and CP El Toro would be that spot.





I took this at CP El Toro just before we stopped at Irvine. From there it was a quick trip to Santa Ana and I thanked John for the excellent journey aboard the "Silver Splendor" before detraining at Santa Ana.





The "Silver Splendor" at Santa Ana before it continued to Los Angeles. I said goodbye to Winston and Christy then drove home, ending another great day of train riding.



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