I wanted to ride the last Amtrak Great Dome in Pacific Surfliner service and since it had run after Christmas, had to find what train it was on. A morning walk and a return from an errand ruled out both Pacific Surfliner 763 and 564, so the only other train possible was 565, whose consist was the low-level trainset and Great Dome in its consist. I therefore knew it would run today on Pacific Surfliner 572.
I drove to the Santa Ana station and parked then checked with the Amtrak agent who gave me the good news that it was a low-level train, so bought a Business Class ticket for my return trip on Pacific Surfliner 579. The train was announced as being fifteen minutes late so good train meets were guaranteed.
The rear of the Santa Ana sign in the station courtyard.
Metrolink 635 in Orange County service.
Pacific Surfliner 572 arrived and I boarded the Great Dome for my trip to Solana Beach.
The top level of Great Dome 10031 "Ocean View", ex. Amtrak 10031 19999, exx. Auto Train 9300:2 "Ocean View" 1985, exxx. Amtrak 9361 "Ocean View", exxxx. Burlington Northern 1391 "Ocean View" 1970, nee Great Northern 1391 "Ocean View", built by Budd Company in 1955.
The train departed and I was on my way to Solana Beach.
The front of the Santa Ana sign.
Rounding the restricted curve south of Santa Ana after which the engineer opened it up to 90 MPH.
One of the two remaining blimp hangars in Tustin.
We sped through the Tustin Metrolink station on our way to Irvine.
The Big Orange Balloon at the Great Park in Irvine.
At Irvine, we met Pacific Surfliner 573 on its way to Los Angeles.
The train then departed Irvine.
Later we passed the highest point in elevation between Los Angeles and San Diego, just south of Oso Creek.
Rolling south to Laguna Niguel.
Metrolink 804 departing Laguna Niguel for downtown Riverside.
The manger scene on the hillside above the Rancho Capistrano Church complex.
The original bell tower of the San Juan Capistrano station building.
Crossing San Juan Creek.
CP Capistrano.
The curve on the siding.
The large curve at CP Serra that takes the train to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
Now for the best part of any trip on this line, the run along the Pacific Ocean.
Work was underway on the pedestrian bridge south of CP Serra.
Running below the cliffs.
My favourite American Flag was limp today.
Leaving that American Flag behind.
The hiking trails are visible on the hillside.
Metrolink's San Clemente North Beach station. Now for the run along the Pacific surf.
On the way to San Clemente Pier station.
The San Clemente Pier.
San Clemente Pier station.
The journey to County Line.
The County Line signpost.
The ride to CP Songs.
Passing through CP Songs.
The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, also known as Dolly Parton by old-time railroaders.
Intermediate signals between CP Songs and CP Don.
Going underneath a tank bridge on the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton.
CP Don.
Crossing Las Pulgas Road.
We next ran through CP Las Pulgas.
Rounding the large curve south of Las Pulgas.
Going underneath the second tank bridge at Camp Pendleton.
CP Stuart.
The Coaster facility at Stuart Mesa.
We met Pacific Surfliner 777 at CP Puller.
CP Puller.
We crossed the Santa Margarita River to reach CP West Brook.
Intermediate signals.
CP East Brook.
Crossing the San Luis Rey River.
Passing through CP Shell to reach Oceanside.
We stopped in Oceanside.
CP Escondido Junction.
Proceeding to CP Longboard.
CP Longboard.
Crossing Buena Vista Lagoon.
CP Carl.
Traversing Agua Hediondo Creek.
CP Farr.
CP Ponto.
Crossing Batiquitos Lagoon.
Rounding a curve and proceeding through the Encinitas Coaster statiom.
CP Swami.
Another curve south of Encinitas.
Looking back to Swami Point.
The construction zone for the future double-tracking at CP Cardiff.
We crossed Escondido Creek where the double track project ended.
The train ran through CP Craven and continued on to Solana Beach, where I detrained after a fantastic experience riding the Great Dome.
The Great Dome at Solana Beach. I watched the train leave then walked over to the doughnut shop before returning to Track 2 to wait for Pacific Surfliner 579. Once it did, I chose a seat in the Superliner Business Class car for the 66.6 mile journey back to Santa Ana.
Pacific Surfliner 579 departing the station, after which I returned home.
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