Leading Amtrak Pacific Surfliner 765 (San Diego to Goleta) is a visitor from northern California: California Department of Transportation (CDTX) Non-Powered Control Unit (NPCU) 90225 "Sacramento". This one, along with 90215, have been sent south to assist the Pacific Surfliners, which are down a few Cab Cars at the moment. CDTX "Cabbage" (the unofficial nickname for these former diesels converted to Cab/Baggage cars) 90225 was built by EMD in April 1976 as AMTK F40PH 225. After being deemed obsolete due to the arrival of the carrier’s P42DCs, several were rebuilt into NPCUs, with AMTK 225 being converted July 1996. At some point (2016?) these two received this retro CalTrain scheme. And with this being a five-car train, rather than the normal six-car consist, I assumed that the Cabbage was to replace a missing cab car. But the first car in train, just behind 90225, is Surfliner cab car 6901 "Point Hueneme" … which I found a bit odd, as this train could be operated from the CDTX 90225, AMTK 6901 or CDTX 2111 on the rear. And that orange-ish coach? It is one of two cars wearing a wrap promoting the recent X Games held in Ventura at the end of June. (Orange, California – August 24, 2024)
(Later, AMTK 765 will "turn" and become AMTK 784, then AMTK 595)
Stretching from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, the Surf Line has become Amtrak's second busiest route. See the Pacific Surfliner and San Diegan in action along with trains from predecessors Santa Fe and Southern Pacific.
