Don't take Amtrak

If you were thinking of a little holiday on the Coast Starlight that runs from Los Angeles to Oakland and beyond to Seattle, be aware that things aren't going too smoothly this summer. The San Francisco Chronicle reports today on trips spoiled by long delays. Alma Jones, who got home to Los Angeles almost eleven hours late, sums up her Amtrak joy this way: "Never again in my life will I get on another train." Amtrak doesn't even bother to pretend that the scheduled 35-hour run to Seattle works.

Once one of the most popular train lines in the world, the Coast Starlight is in jeopardy because it consistently runs five to 15 hours late due to neglect by Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad, said Gerald Cauthen, president of the Train Riders Association of California.

He said only die-hard passenger train enthusiasts who care more about the railroad experience and breathtaking views than when they arrive at their destination are happy to ride the Starlight, which critics have dubbed the "Star-late." Still, passenger train advocates say the rails offer an affordable alternative to high gas prices or airline tickets. (A one-way train fare from Sacramento to Los Angeles is $59, while an airline flight costs $127.)

Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham doesn't deny that trains are running far behind schedule.

"The Coast Starlight has dismal, disastrous on-time performance," Graham said. "The train that once had one of the best on-time records in the country now has one of the worst" because of increased freight traffic and disrepair of the track.

Last week, the scenic 6 pm passage along the Santa Barbara coast that riders look forward to occurred at 3 in the morning.