Uploaded June 2017 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
In August 1967, I rode in the Southern Pacific Coast Daylight's parlor observation car from Los Angeles to San Jose. In June 2017, I rode AMTRAK’s Coast Starlight from Oakland to Los Angeles, in the former California Zephyr dome car Silver Lariat, now owned by California Zephyr Railcar Charters. This movie combines 8mm and video footage of each trip. When I made that trip in 1957 passenger rail service was on its last legs, and I never dreamed that I would be able to ride over that route again half a century later.
Update, April 2, 2018: I just learned that AMTRAK has said they will no longer handle private cars such as the Silver Lariat on their passenger trains. Sad, but probably inevitable.
In August 1967, I rode in the Southern Pacific Coast Daylight's parlor observation car from Los Angeles to San Jose. In June 2017, I rode AMTRAK’s Coast Starlight from Oakland to Los Angeles, in the former California Zephyr dome car Silver Lariat, now owned by California Zephyr Railcar Charters. This movie combines 8mm and video footage of each trip. When I made that trip in 1957 passenger rail service was on its last legs, and I never dreamed that I would be able to ride over that route again half a century later.
Update, April 2, 2018: I just learned that AMTRAK has said they will no longer handle private cars such as the Silver Lariat on their passenger trains. Sad, but probably inevitable.
