The Coast Starlight enters the horseshoe curve on cuesta grade. Departing San Luis Obispo it is already an hour behind schedule. Nikon E995

The southbound Coast Starlight stops at San Luis Obispo. Back in '98 this train ran much closer to on time than in 2006.

Coast Starlight #14 closes in on the city limits of Salinas from the south, approaching the junction with the now-truncated Spreckels Industrial lead.

Northbound Amtrak Coast Starlight #14 nears the small town of Chualar (just south of Salinas) on the former SP Coast Line.

The North bound "Coast Starlight" running a bit late climbs to the summit at Grass lake, Mnt Shasta makes a very senic backdrop!

Smokin' Coast Starlight over Tehachapi Pass.

The southbound Coast Starlight passes the Santa Clara depot and will soon arrive in San Jose.

The Coast Starlight rolls past the C&H Sugar refinery.

A nine-hour late southbound Coast Starlight (broken rail the night before in Oregon) meanders underneath Mount Shasta, a landmark usually only seen by moonlight (if at all).

A little over an hour out of Los Angeles, Amtrak's Coast Starlight passes through the rural farmland near Moorpark on the former SP Coast Line.

Amtrak's rerouted Coast Starlight departs Bakersfield at 12:25pm to begin its historic journey up and over the Tehachapi Mountains.

An extremely rare movement, Amtrak's Coast Starlight is seen at Bealville, CA, passing a stopped UP Z train. Nikon D70, 70-200mm. www.bayarearailroading.com

A Rare Movement of Amtrak 11 , the Coast Starlight passes through Vincent Grade

A once in a lifetime event: the southbound Coast Starlight diverted through the San Joaquin Valley between Sacramento and Bakersfield. Here she is charging through Fresno at track speed.

One of the Coast Starlight's conductors trys to get some paperwork done, as baggage is being transfered from the "stub train" to the regular CS consist. Nikon D70, 18-70mm. www.bayarearailroading.... (more)