Rail travel between SF and LA

Looking at my timetable map of California there appears to be two
disconnected rail lines between SF and LA. One in the south goes from San
Diago through LA and onto San Luis Obispo, the one in the north goes from
Oakland/Emeryville to Bakersfield. There are then coach connections into the
main cities of SF and LA. I simply can not believe that at some stage these
two great cities were not connected by a railroad.

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 04:30:56 -0700, Icono Clast
wrote:


Azzure said:
As far as I know, the Amtrak station from which you get to San
Francisco has always been in Oakland, near Jack London Square.

Used t'be. The building is still there but its use is different.

Amtrak coaches take you into the city from there.

Used to. I think not now.

Not too long go Emeryville was the San Francisco station, but the
schedule for the Coast Starlight now indicates shuttle service to
both Jack London Square and Emeryville, so either could be
considered the "official" San Francisco station.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 19:09:24 +0100, "Stephen Clark"
wrote:

Looking at my timetable map of California there appears to be two
disconnected rail lines between SF and LA. One in the south goes from San
Diago through LA and onto San Luis Obispo, the one in the north goes from
Oakland/Emeryville to Bakersfield. There are then coach connections into
the
main cities of SF and LA. I simply can not believe that at some stage
these
two great cities were not connected by a railroad.

As has already been pointed out, at one time SF and LA were
indeed connected by train. If you stretch it a bit, they still
are.

As to LA-Bakersfield, drive the Grapevine sometime and see why
ther is no longer a train connecting them.


I'd be interested to know. Is the terrain difficult?

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 19:09:24 +0100, "Stephen Clark"
wrote:

Looking at my timetable map of California there appears to be two
disconnected rail lines between SF and LA. One in the south goes from San
Diago through LA and onto San Luis Obispo, the one in the north goes from
Oakland/Emeryville to Bakersfield. There are then coach connections into the
main cities of SF and LA. I simply can not believe that at some stage these
two great cities were not connected by a railroad.

As has already been pointed out, at one time SF and LA were
indeed connected by train. If you stretch it a bit, they still
are.

As to LA-Bakersfield, drive the Grapevine sometime and see why
ther is no longer a train connecting them.


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

"Stephen Clark" wrote in message
...
"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 19:09:24 +0100, "Stephen Clark"
wrote:

Looking at my timetable map of California there appears to be two
disconnected rail lines between SF and LA. One in the south goes from San
Diago through LA and onto San Luis Obispo, the one in the north goes from
Oakland/Emeryville to Bakersfield. There are then coach connections into
the
main cities of SF and LA. I simply can not believe that at some stage
these
two great cities were not connected by a railroad.

As has already been pointed out, at one time SF and LA were
indeed connected by train. If you stretch it a bit, they still
are.

As to LA-Bakersfield, drive the Grapevine sometime and see why
ther is no longer a train connecting them.


I'd be interested to know. Is the terrain difficult?



It is steep. Used to be an electric train from Oakland to Sacramento, that
used a barge to traverse the Sacramento River at Collinsville in the Sac
Delta. With branch lines to Danville and Wlnut creek.

"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 04:30:56 -0700, Icono Clast
wrote:


Azzure said:
As far as I know, the Amtrak station from which you get to San
Francisco has always been in Oakland, near Jack London Square.

Used t'be. The building is still there but its use is different.

Amtrak coaches take you into the city from there.

Used to. I think not now.

Not too long go Emeryville was the San Francisco station, but the
schedule for the Coast Starlight now indicates shuttle service to
both Jack London Square and Emeryville, so either could be
considered the "official" San Francisco station.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

My neighbor went to Oakland to pick up relatives.

Bill McKee wrote:
"Stephen Clark" wrote in message
...
"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 19:09:24 +0100, "Stephen Clark"
wrote:

Looking at my timetable map of California there appears to be two
disconnected rail lines between SF and LA. One in the south goes from San
Diago through LA and onto San Luis Obispo, the one in the north goes from
Oakland/Emeryville to Bakersfield. There are then coach connections into
the
main cities of SF and LA. I simply can not believe that at some stage
these
two great cities were not connected by a railroad.

As has already been pointed out, at one time SF and LA were
indeed connected by train. If you stretch it a bit, they still
are.

As to LA-Bakersfield, drive the Grapevine sometime and see why
ther is no longer a train connecting them.


I'd be interested to know. Is the terrain difficult?



It is steep. Used to be an electric train from Oakland to Sacramento, that
used a barge to traverse the Sacramento River at Collinsville in the Sac
Delta. With branch lines to Danville and Wlnut creek.

The Grapevine is no more steep than the routes of I-80 and the Amtrak
cross-country train over the Sierra Nevada.

"Carmen L. Abruzzi" wrote in message
oups.com...


Bill McKee wrote:
"Stephen Clark" wrote in message
...
"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 19:09:24 +0100, "Stephen Clark"
wrote:

Looking at my timetable map of California there appears to be two
disconnected rail lines between SF and LA. One in the south goes from
San
Diago through LA and onto San Luis Obispo, the one in the north goes
from
Oakland/Emeryville to Bakersfield. There are then coach connections
into
the
main cities of SF and LA. I simply can not believe that at some stage
these
two great cities were not connected by a railroad.

As has already been pointed out, at one time SF and LA were
indeed connected by train. If you stretch it a bit, they still
are.

As to LA-Bakersfield, drive the Grapevine sometime and see why
ther is no longer a train connecting them.


I'd be interested to know. Is the terrain difficult?



It is steep. Used to be an electric train from Oakland to Sacramento,
that
used a barge to traverse the Sacramento River at Collinsville in the Sac
Delta. With branch lines to Danville and Wlnut creek.

The Grapevine is no more steep than the routes of I-80 and the Amtrak
cross-country train over the Sierra Nevada.


The new Grapevine is not any steeper, but the older Grapevine was much
steeper. You can look at the old road in some parts. And you actually go
up about 4000' and down the same 4000' in about 40 miles. Takes many more
miles to climb the Sierras, And the Sierra trains all have multi engines.
With Amtrak they would have to couple another engine at the start of the
Grapevine. Bad logistics.

Icono Clast:
Azzure said:

As far as I know, the Amtrak station from which you get to San
Francisco has always been in Oakland, near Jack London Square.

Used t'be. The building is still there but its use is different.

There is (or at least was, in April 2004) a completely new station
building at Oakland used by Amtrak, where you can get a connecting
Amtrak coach to downtown SF. Amtrak timetables tell you to leave
northbound trains at Oakland and southbound trains at Emeryville
for San Francisco.

[Connecting coaches]
Used to. I think not now.

They did in April 2004 when I used one, and according to
www.amtrak.com they still do.

.... Martin

Stephen Clark wrote:
I have an old Amtrak timetable, fall winter 2004/05, which does not show a
direct rail service between these two cities (a coach connection is
required). I was told that there once was a direct service but due to a
landslide that happened many years ago the track is no longer there. Is this
so? Is there a "timetable" to have the track replaced?
Thanks.

There hasn't been a direct LA-SF connection since the days of the
"Lark" and
"Daylight" way back in the 50's-60's(?)....But now everything requires
a connection across from the East Bay.

You can also take the San Joaquin (requires a bus connection
LA-Bakersfield)
or Pacific Surfliner (requires a connection SLO-San Jose/San
Francisco...)