Passenger Trains > I had To Work For This Photo

I had to work for this photo.

A 6-car set of Siemens' Venture cars on San Joaquins 717 approaches Hughson, in Stanislaus County, moments before sunset yesterday.

I was staying in Davis when I got the bright idea to snap a Venture set while I was here. Off I went at noon on a 100-mile adventure to Modesto, where I figured I would see them if I just waited. And wait I did. The first three San Joaquins I saw had California Cars. Disappointing, but that only increased the odds the Ventures would be on 717, the last train expected during daylight.

But, the train was late, and catching it in daylight at Modesto, let alone sunset, wasn't looking hopeful. South I went, settling on this spot along Service Road, south of downtown Hughson.

When the crossing bells started ringing, and the lights flashing, I wasn't positive it would be Venture cars. There was still a bit of sunlight, and I maintained hope.

I got what I was looking for. I just had to work for it.

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How many Venture train sets like this are in operation in California? LONG over due! Awsome pic and setup by the way!
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/24 13:26 by jp1822.

food on board?

There’s just one set operating that I know of.

Posted from iPhone

Nice picture, definitely worth the work.   The Golden Hour offers a nice glow to the colors

What's the early info on comfort and seating, etc on these cars?

Thumbs up!  Sometimes your patience is rewarded.  Great pic.

-John

Nice work! Reminds me a bit of the last days of Caltrain diesel. Hard to set up at any particular spot for a long time without knowing what was coming--EMU or diesel--but later learned that the live map online showed only diesels and that made a huge difference. Also, there was a genius who had set up a daily turn prediction table that showed which trains were diesel and what type and what trains they would turn as. But before I got turned on to that it was all a waiting game which is also a lot of fun, too. 

Nice looking but seats don't recline much. No food other than "snack packs" (chips, cookies) and bottled water supplied free. 
The San Joaquins are a low-priority corridor. Planned are vending machines ala the North Carolina model. However, SP's Automatic Buffet Cars were better than that- at least they had an attendant who would sell beer, wine, alcohol, where it was legal to do so.
Also, the Venture sets are hard to predict as to which train will feature them. Station agents can look that information up on the day of operation. The schedule listing on the California San Joaquins website is often not correct as to which trains will only have snack packs and water (i.e. Venture train sets).
Best advice is to bring your own food and drink. If the train has the older California bi-level cars, then there will be a cafe car attendant. In my opinion, the Amtrak California authority for the San Joaquins should have ordered cafe cars. It is a 6 hour run for those traveling the entire train route- plus added time on the buses headed for the LA area- too long not to offer cafe car service. Unfortunately, priorities are placed on the high speed rail project between the Bay Area and LA. I probably won't live to see it but the Brightline West project to Vegas will likely be finished so I can ride it instead.


 

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Nice picture, definitely worth the work.   The
> Golden Hour offers a nice glow to the colors

Second that.

> What's the early info on comfort and seating, etc
> on these cars?

I rode it almost 3 months ago, and while the seats sit more upright than older Amtrak California car seats, I got my "train nap" easily, so sufficiently comfortable for me:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5901844

jeffgeldner Wrote:
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> Nice looking but seats don't recline much. No food
> other than "snack packs" (chips, cookies) and
> bottled water supplied free. 
> The San Joaquins are a low-priority corridor.
> Planned are vending machines ala the North
> Carolina model. However, SP's Automatic Buffet
> Cars were better than that- at least they had an
> attendant who would sell beer, wine, alcohol,
> where it was legal to do so.
> Also, the Venture sets are hard to predict as to
> which train will feature them. Station agents can
> look that information up on the day of operation.
> The schedule listing on the California San
> Joaquins website is often not correct as to which
> trains will only have snack packs and water (i.e.
> Venture train sets).
> Best advice is to bring your own food and drink.
> If the train has the older California bi-level
> cars, then there will be a cafe car attendant. In
> my opinion, the Amtrak California authority for
> the San Joaquins should have ordered cafe cars. It
> is a 6 hour run for those traveling the entire
> train route- plus added time on the buses headed
> for the LA area- too long not to offer cafe car
> service. Unfortunately, priorities are placed on
> the high speed rail project between the Bay Area
> and LA. I probably won't live to see it but the
> Brightline West project to Vegas will likely be
> finished so I can ride it instead.
>
>
>  

When the San Joaquins got the California bi-level cars in late 1990s, the seats were comfortable and the "cafe" car came with "at seat tray meal service." A far cry from what is being offered today. The leadership then knew the trip was 6 hours long end point to end point (or thereabouts), and they treated it like a train with people going the distance. 

Fantastic shot, Brian!

Brody Wyrick
Reno, NV