Crossing Santiago Creek just seconds away from crossing into the city of Orange from Santa Ana (I'm in Orange and the train is not ... yet), Amtrak Pacific Surfliner 777 is heading north (railroad west) to San Luis Obispo from San Diego. This train has a colorful jumble of equipment this day, as the train is led by California Department of Transportation Non-Powered Control Unit 90225. This is the former Amtrak F40PH 225, rebuilt into an NPCU in July 1996 by removing its diesel engine and converting that area into a baggage compartment, but retaining its locomotive controls to with which it can operate a locomotive on the other end of the train. (Many have playfully dubbed these "Cabbages.") Only two of this train's cars are Surfliner cars, built for these trains, combined with a pair of Amtrak "Superliners" (including a lounge, not normally found on Pacific Surfliners) and a single "California Car" sent south from northern California service. This train departed San Diego at Noon, is seen here at 14:15 (2:15 pm), seven minutes behind schedule, and will arrive in SLO at 20:46 (8:46 pm) and, true to the train's name, it runs along the edge of the Pacific Ocean much of its journey. (Santa Ana, California – April 24, 2025)
