Сиэтл мен Лос-Анджелес арасындағы Amtrak қызметінің тарихы

Amtrak service between Seattle and Los Angeles

The Coast Starlight originally used the Southern Pacific West Valley Line between Tehama and Davis. That route included a stop at Orland, but bypassed Sacramento. On April26, 1982, the train was rerouted via Roseville on the Southern Pacific Valley and Martinez Subdivisions, with stops added at Sacramento, Chico, and Marysville, per request from the state. Ridership declined by 26% between 1999 and 2005 as freight congestion and track maintenance on the Union Pacific Railroad reduced the Coast Starlights on time performance to 2%, which Amtrak characterized as "dismal." By mid summer in 2006 delays of 5–11 hours were common. Critics dubbed the train the Star late. During early summer 2008, the Coast Starlight was relaunched with new amenities and refurbished equipment. In July 2008, refurbished Pacific Parlour cars returned to service as part of the relaunch. This was much anticipated, due to the success of Amtrak's relaunch of the Empire Builder. Between FY 2008 and FY 2009, ridership on the Coast Starlight jumped 15% from 353,657 passengers to 406,398 passengers. Operating conditions on the UP improved as well; by May 2008 on time performance had reached 86%. Service was suspended north of Sacramento for a month in 2017 after a freight derailment damaged a bridge near Mount Shasta, California. On February24, 2019, the southbound Coast Starlight struck a fallen tree near Oakridge, Oregon after a rare heavy snowstorm. The train was stranded for 36 hours before tracks could be cleared for a Union Pacific locomotive to tow the train back to Eugene–Springfield. From October1, 2020, to May24, 2021, daily service was reduced to three trains per week due to the COVID 19 pandemic. On May24, 2021, as part of its post COVID service restorations, Amtrak restored the Coast Starlight frequency to daily service in both directions. In late June 2021, the Lava Fire seriously damaged a Union Pacific trestle on the Black Butte Subdivision between Klamath Falls, Oregon and Dunsmuir, California. As a result, the Coast Starlight was initially split into two segments: Seattle to Klamath Falls and Sacramento to Los Angeles with a bus replacement service filling the gap between Klamath Falls and Sacramento. However, on July2, 2021, it was announced that service would be discontinued between Seattle and Sacramento until July14, 2021, with Amtrak Cascades replacing service for passengers booked between Seattle and Eugene. Through service resumed on July15 using overnight buses between Sacramento and Klamath Falls, and full route train operation resumed on August23. A resurgence of the COVID 19 virus caused by the Omicron variant caused Amtrak to reduce the frequency of this route to five weekly round trips from January to March 2022. Trains began running over the Point Defiance Bypass between Tacoma and DuPont, Washington starting on November18, 2021. The plan was updated in 2023. In 2022, the California Transportation Commission approved $7.5 million for the construction of a new station in King City to improve access to the region, including nearby Fort Hunter Liggett and Pinnacles National Park. There is also a proposal in the Capitol Corridor Vision plan to improve the right of way shared by the Capitol Corridor and Coast Starlight between Oakland and Martinez. The proposal would re route the train from along the shores of San Pablo Bay and the Carquinez Strait to a new tunnel through Franklin Canyon and a right of way next to California State Route 4 that would reduce the trip time by several minutes.

+ Traffic by Fiscal Year (October–September) Ridership Change over previous year Ticket Revenue Change over previous year 2007343,542 $29,171,278 2008444,205 2.69% $37,404,114 14.6%2011454,443 6.53% $40,826,562 2.07%2013459,450 4.18% $42,150,907 1.48%2015453,131 0.59% $40,534,262 1.4%2017439,000 3.11% 2018417,819 4.82% 2019258,200 37.2% 2021189,593 26.57% 2022352,72586.04% 2023338,0174.2%

The Coast Starlight uses double decker Superliner I & II equipment, including a Sightseer Lounge car that has floor to ceiling windows to view the passing scenery. Baggage is placed in one of Amtrak's new Viewliner II single level baggage cars or in designated coach class cars. The Coast Starlight typically uses two GE P42DC or Siemens ALC 42 locomotives. While the length of the train varies, in 2011 the "peak" consist comprised a baggage car, Transition sleeper, three sleeping cars, Pacific Parlour Car, dining car, Sightseer Lounge, and four coaches. Prior to February 2018, the Coast Starlight was unique in that it included a first class lounge car called the "Pacific Parlour Car". The cars were Budd Hi Level Sky Lounge cars, built in 1956 for the Santa Fe's El Capitan service. Called a "living room on rails", the Parlour car offered several amenities to first class sleeping car passengers including wireless Internet access, a full bar, a small library with books and games, an afternoon wine tasting, and a movie theater on the lower level. Sleeping car passengers could also make reservations to dine in the Parlour car, which offered a unique menu not offered in the standard dining car. In February 2018, in a cost cutting measure, Amtrak retired the Pacific Parlour Cars, citing the move as "part of Amtrak's ongoing work to modernize its fleet of equipment."