General Information

The Coast Starlight train is a long distance Amtrak-operated route traveling between Seattle, Washington and Los Angeles, California. Amtrak equipment and employees are used on this line, and equipment is maintained at each end of the system. Union Pacific and BNSF own all trackage on this line and therefore engineers and conductors must comply with Union Pacific and BNSF procedures if something abnormal were to arise. Union Pacific dispatch in Omaha, Nebraska is in contact with Coast Starlight engineers at all times between Los Angeles and Tacoma, Washington, where BNSF dispatch is in effect the rest of the way to Seattle. Traditionally, two P42DC locomotives are used (one P32-8BWH in the trailing position is common), with a single Viewliner baggage car directly behind the locomotives. The first car on the all Superliner set is a transition sleeper, for crew members and a lower-level vestibule door for access to the baggage car. The next two or three cars, depending on the season and passenger count, is customer sleepers. Then a dining car, an observation car, and two to three coaches. Occasionally, private cars can be attached to the end. Coast Starlight trains and engineers use the same radio frequencies as Union Pacific and BNSF (whichever host railroad they are operating). Coast Starlight trains are numbered 11 (southbound) and 14 (northbound).