Thirty-three years ago today, Pat and I celebrated Valentine’s Day by taking an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train from downtown San Diego up to San Juan Capistrano to have lunch. Just north of Del Mar, our train suddenly came to a stop. After about 15 or 20 minutes, it started moving again but at 25 miles per hour. An announcement was made that an earthquake had just occurred and that our train was required to travel at a reduced speed until the tracks ahead of us could be inspected for damage.
From Del Mar to San Juan Capistrano, the tracks run mostly right next to the shoreline and, since it was a beautiful, sunny day, we got to enjoy some spectacular scenery while our train crept along. Fortunately, we were not on a tight schedule and were not inconvenienced by the late arrival at our destination.
After an enjoyable lunch, we caught a southbound Pacific Surfliner for the trip back to San Diego. By then, our train was running at its usual speed. It seems like yesterday. Happy Valentine’s Day.
You had good luck. Last week, part of the Pacific Coast Highway, near Big Sur, suddenly broke away and plunged into the ocean. Reports did not include cars going with it, but that's just for this time. I lived in Lancaster CA for 14 years, directly astride the San Andreas Fault. I left in 2017, and the Big One had not hit--yet. Here in Yuma AZ, we are on the tail end of that fault, and feel earth movement to some lesser degree--at least, for now. But we never forget where we are.
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Thirty-three years ago today, Pat and I celebrated Valentine’s Day by taking an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train from downtown San Diego up to San Juan Capistrano to have lunch. Just north of Del Mar, our train suddenly came to a stop. After about 15 or 20 minutes, it started moving again but at 25 miles per hour. An announcement was made that an earthquake had just occurred and that our train was required to travel at a reduced speed until the tracks ahead of us could be inspected for damage.
From Del Mar to San Juan Capistrano, the tracks run mostly right next to the shoreline and, since it was a beautiful, sunny day, we got to enjoy some spectacular scenery while our train crept along. Fortunately, we were not on a tight schedule and were not inconvenienced by the late arrival at our destination.
After an enjoyable lunch, we caught a southbound Pacific Surfliner for the trip back to San Diego. By then, our train was running at its usual speed. It seems like yesterday. Happy Valentine’s Day.
You had good luck. Last week, part of the Pacific Coast Highway, near Big Sur, suddenly broke away and plunged into the ocean. Reports did not include cars going with it, but that's just for this time. I lived in Lancaster CA for 14 years, directly astride the San Andreas Fault. I left in 2017, and the Big One had not hit--yet. Here in Yuma AZ, we are on the tail end of that fault, and feel earth movement to some lesser degree--at least, for now. But we never forget where we are.
On a totally different subject, the San Diego Zoo is open again or soon will be. You have to make reservations in advance to get in.
I'm a life long train rider both
domestic & many foreign travels
Amtrak is a poor replacement for
the many passenger railroads it
became the default nationwide
partial service replacement
I'm on Amtrak's Silver Star
(a name it glommed from the
long defunct Seaboard Airline
Railway) this Friday headed
South in a very nice bedroom
The train ends up in Miami
but it does a side detour
to Tampa where they provide
a full size dedicated coach
to Sarasota
I take this train a few times
each year to break up flying
For a short time I had an
incredible stateroom on
the Blue Train in the 70s
When the Monte Carlo Tour Train
was being assembled there was a
plan to have the Hickory Creek
as the end car that I would have
shared with a senior staff guy
(he turned out to be a phony)
Feld sold the car to a New Jersey
railroad club that restored it
As it turned out the train left
Venice before the plumbing was
insulated so upon arrival up in
Providence for our premiere the
whole shebang froze up & we all
were sent to a very nice hotel
A very bad omen as it turned out
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