As I mentioned recently, I've taken an interest of late in train travel, and Amtrak. I have some trips coming up, to San Jose in October, and Santa Barbara in December, and am beginning to plan a trip to Seattle for next year. But in planning all these excursions, there's an element of uncertainty, as I haven't been on an Amtrak train, or really any train that is not a theme park attraction, in about twelve years. So I was anxious to ride a train to gain the experience to plan additional and possibly longer trips, and also reading about various trains and planning future trips made me eager to hop on the train just for the fun of it. So when I recently found myself with a long weekend, having worked through the previous weekend, a train outing seemed the perfect way to spend the extra day off. And after a trip to Knott's Berry Farm was nixed because of the difficulties of getting there via public transportation quickly, and the fact that I'm a bit theme-parked out at the moment, Los Angeles seemed the next logical choice.
I booked round-trip accommodations for Thursday, leaving from the Old Town station at 8:30 AM, to arrive at Union Station around 11:15. The return train left Los Angeles at 7:30, to return to San Diego at 10:15 PM. My agenda was to explore Union Station and the surrounding area, and use the Metro to visit the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and the Museum of Jurassic Technology. It seemed to me a full schedule, but not too ambitious for someone not familiar with Los Angeles' public transportation. And I would say it worked well (I was rushed at the Museum of Jurassic Technology, but I've been there many times before, so I just focused on the newest bits).
I could have had a bit more time in Los Angeles had I booked the first train of the morning, but I just can't get up that early for a purely leisure trip. Getting to the 8:30 train meant getting up earlier than I would have liked, but I managed to have myself out the door by 7:40. I had booked the train for the Old Town Station, rather than the originating Santa Fe Station. This way I could easily park at Old Town, for free, no fuss, no muss. Or so I thought. But after circling the entire lot and verifying there was not a single spot free, I began to panic. I headed up to Old Town State Park, to park in their lots, but they were all posted "no transit parking," and I didn't feel like taking the risk of a tow (though how would they know I wasn't just a very thorough visitor to the park?). I saw signs for paid lots, at $5, which I would gladly pay, but they were all time-limited, the longest I saw being 10 hours, which wouldn't quite cut it. I kept driving around, again beginning to panic, when I found a spot in front of a church. I took it, looked around several times, lest I had missed a no parking or two-hour parking sign, and then walked down to the transit center, relieved that things had worked out. If I hadn't found that spot, I'm not quite sure what I would have done. So I learned, in the future, to take the trolley to the Old Town station, and save myself from parking worries while minimizing my carbon footprint (the Solana Beach station has free 14-day parking, which sounds tempting, though I don't know if it's any more plentiful that Old Town's).
Parking solved, I arrived at the station and waited for the train, which arrived right on time. For this trip, I purchased a business class ticket heading up, and coach coming down. I upgraded the first leg of the trip primarily to guarantee myself a seat. The Pacific Surfliner is unreserved in coach, and while I figured it was unlikely to be an issue, for my first trip I wanted the peace of mind of knowing a seat would be waiting for me (I needn't have worried, as it turns out). And the free coffee sounded appealing given the early departure time, as did the pastries. I also was curious to see just how the business class and coach experiences rate, and was also quite curious about the new executive lounge in Union Station, available to business class travelers (and those booked in sleeping cars). So upgrading the morning trip to business class seemed to be a good purchase. It was a tough call, because while the cost doesn't exactly break the bank, it is about a 50% premium over coach. I'll share my experience with each level of accommodations, but if you're wondering whether I thought it was worth it, I'll just say, it's certainly arguable, but shortly after I returned home, I upgraded my tickets to Santa Barbara to business class. So apparently I thought it was worth the cost.
So when the train arrived, I ran up to where I thought I would find business class, which is right behind the locomotive. So I ran to the front of the train, but was told business class was in the back. I sprinted to the rear of the train and just managed to board right after the "all aboard" last call was given (I realized I should have just boarded where I was, and I could have walked leisurely to the back through the trains). I figured sometime they must have moved business class to the back, but it just occurred to me as I write this that maybe the locomotive was behind the train pushing, instead of pulling. San Diego doesn't have facilities to turn a train, so the Pacific Surfliner is pulled in one direction, pushed in the other. So perhaps that's why business class wasn't where I thought (or rather was, but my orientation was off). But in any case, I made it onto the business class car, went upstairs, and found a seat.
The car wasn't particularly full, but the best seats, coast-side window seats facing forward with unobstructed views of the ocean, were taken. I settled for a window seat facing forward with a slightly obstructed view due to a support beam between windows. I was impressed with the legroom, and the seats in general were nice. I waited for the attendant to take my ticket, and then went to the back of the train car to see the complimentary refreshments. I got a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll, along with a copy of the USA Today. I skimmed the paper, enjoyed my cinnamon roll, and drank the first of many cups of coffee. The most intrepid reportage I read in USA Today was a major story about the popularity of pretzel buns (it reminded me of a headline from an old paper--USA Newz--from the '90s featured in an episode of Gravity Falls: "Cheese Crust Pizza Declared Delicious"). But I enjoyed the cinnamon roll very much, tasting much fresher than it looked in it's cellophane packaging. I wasn't quite as impressed with the muffins I had later, but they weren't bad. And the coffee was fine, nothing amazing, but it was good, perfectly drinkable coffee, and I drank a lot of it. I certainly recouped a goodly portion of my business class fee on the refreshments. Walking the train a bit, though, I saw that booking business class for a seat was not necessary on this trip. In fact, the other cars were far less populated than business class. Spread out over several cars, the coach customers actually seemed to have a quieter environment than business class customers. Though that's mainly due to one loud-mouth in the back of the car talking politics. I was very disappointed to realize I forgot my earbuds, so I couldn't drown him out with my music. But it wasn't too bad, and the soothing rocking of the train and the beautiful views out the window soon let me tune him out and relax in my own little world.
Overall, I really enjoyed the train trip North (and coming back, I might as well add now). It's relaxing to not have to drive, be able to just sit back and relax. It takes about the same amount of time as driving (a bit longer, if traffic is good), but it's not dead time, it's part of the vacation. I enjoyed a treat and some coffee, took in some coastal scenery, read a bit, and was in Los Angeles a few minutes early. When things go right, as they did on this trip, it's a great way to travel. A shame it's not always reliable, but given the resources they have, and the fact that they have to share the tracks with freight trains, Amtrak does a good job. At least from what I've seen so far.
First thing I did in Los Angeles was check out Union Station. It seemed the logical choice, since that's where I was. It is a sharp looking place, I loved the waiting room and some of the mosaic work and signage. But it wasn't so much the building that impressed me as the crowds. It reminded me of airports years ago, bustling but not quite unbearable. A lot of people in a hurry, but not too many people about to collapse under the stress. The energy of the crowd was mostly rather pleasant, feeling like a well-oiled machine. With some 15 tracks, plus the Metro subway and bus terminal, there's a lot of movement going on here, but it seemed to accommodate it well, at least on this Thursday after rush hour. But with everyone else bustling to reach their destination, it almost seemed perverse to just stand there, especially when my time was somewhat limited, so I head out of the station and into Downtown Los Angeles.
My main goal was to get something to eat, while reconnoitering for a possible future visit to Chinatown. So I headed to a place you hear about often on train websites when Union Station is mentioned: Philippe's, supposed inventor of the french dip sandwich. I must say, having heard people rave so enthusiastically about the sandwich, I just didn't quite get it. It was fine, but nothing remarkable, certainly nothing I'd crave. But I'm still glad I came here for the atmosphere and the energy of the place. Just a bit ahead of the oncoming lunch rush, it was still pretty hopping, with lots of people milling about the counter. But I was quickly beckoned to the counter to order, choosing the basic sandwich and an iced tea, which was already poured in small glasses with lemon (had I not consumed so much on the train, I would have got the 45-cent coffee, just to say I purchased a 45-cent coffee in this millennium). I sat at one of the communal counters and quickly consumed my sandwich, while taking in the charming surroundings. There was even a bank of telephone booths. It's close to Union Station and has a lot of character, so it's certainly worth trying, but just don't set your expectations too high.
After Philippe's, I walked around the area, and checked out the sites, mainly Olivera Street and Chinatown. I was particularly interested in Chinatown, as my mom expressed an interest in going up to Chinatown for lunch for her birthday (she thought that sounded like a good excuse for a train trip), and so she wanted to know if there was anything close enough for her to walk that looked good. I wasn't too impressed with the options. It seems like the heart of Chinatown is just a little too far for her, and a little too hilly. But there was a Chinese restaurant across the street from Philippe's, and while it hardly screamed authenticity, that's not really what my mom likes, so I think it might be up her alley. As I told her, though, it's not far from the entrance of Union Station, but the outside of Union Station is itself far from Union Station; it's a long walk out from the trains. But I told her I thought she could manage (and I'm sure we can get a wheelchair or something to help her at least part of the way). I also suggested Hollywood as an alternate destination, as the subway seems to get us right around the corner from the Hollywood Museum in the Max Factor Building, which she has long wanted to see. So hopefully we'll go up and see some sights soon.
I would have liked to walk around Downtown on the other side of Union Station, see City Hall and Angel's Flight, but I decided I didn't have time (I didn't know it at the time, but Angel's Flight had derailed shortly before my train arrived in Los Angeles). But time being somewhat at a premium, and not really knowing just how much time my travels on Los Angeles' public transportation would really take, I decided to head to my next destination, The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. My initial plan had been to take the Metro light rail, but I saw I could also get there by the Metro Silver express bus, so I decided to give it a try instead. I would recommend you go with the Metro Expo Line instead (you have to transfer from the subway to get there from Union Station, but still is the better way to go). I thought the Silver line would work well, because it had dedicated lanes and could just drive right past the traffic. Unfortunately, this isn't so in Downtown Los Angeles. By the time it got to these dedicated lanes, I was at my destination. So for the route I took, the express bus was just a bus, albeit with a few less stops. It worked okay, but based on my experience heading back to Union Station, the Expo Line seems the way to go.
Still, though, I was impressed by the public transportation in Los Angeles, a city not exactly known for it. The light rail and subway won't get you everywhere, but if it goes where you want to go, it seems to work quite nicely. The new Expo Line, which serviced my destinations this trip, worked well, and once it is extended to Santa Monica, it will open up even more destinations. I didn't go there this trip, but the Red Line subway seems an easy way of getting to Hollywood. Not all destinations the daytripper like myself would seek out are easily reached by public transportation (getting to Griffith Park seems a tough nut to crack--there is a shuttle to the Griffith Observatory, but only on weekends). I've long wanted to return to the Huntington Library, and it is reachable by transit, but it's over an hour from Union Station, and even then it's about a 1 1/2 mile walk from the Metro station, which is a long way to go to take a walk in their garden. But just the fact that it's possible challenges some of the preconceived notions of Los Angeles transit. I look forward to learning the ins and outs of the Metro system on future day trips.
But leaving behind us the journey and the transportation, now I was finally at the destination of the voyage; after a brief walk from the transit stop, I arrived at the Natural History Museum. Well, first, I arrived at the Rose Garden, which was very nice. Despite the recent heat, there were many healthy roses in bloom. I took my time walking amongst the flowers, before seeking out the entrance of the museum.
I bought my ticket, dodging some minor dust storms being kicked up by the wind on this blustery day. Given the wind, I skipped the outdoor gardens for the time being, and went inside. I started my visit in the Gem and Mineral Hall, expecting to quickly check this off my list before going to something more interesting, but was surprised to find this perhaps my favorite part of my visit. I think it's the scale of the thing, the way the shelves just seem to keep going and going with more and more specimens, of every color you could want, broken up here and there with exhibits of meteorites or gems, and a video narrated, I believe, by Orson Welles (I didn't actually stop to watch it, but it made a nice aural backdrop to the exhibit). A good mix of the mundane and the bizarre, the warm and the imposing, the darkened exhibit hall was a very peaceful, relaxing space, and I could see it becoming a sort of sanctuary from the everyday if I lived in Los Angeles (there are a lot of places in Los Angeles I would pretty much be a fixture at if I lived up that way, and I think the Natural History Museum could easily make that list).
The Gem and Mineral Hall was certainly not the only aspect of the museum I enjoyed. I did eventually make it out to the gardens. The Edible Garden was a neat idea, and while there wasn't a lot bearing fruit at the moment, there were still things to enjoy in the area, like the pot of plants that all smell and taste like lemon. There wasn't a lot of activity in the Pollinators Garden, but I did see a few butterflies. (The signage in the gardens and other outdoor areas was excellent, playful and useful, pointing out little things you otherwise would miss, the indentations where squirrels had buried their acorns, for instance)
Inside, I enjoyed the dioramas, as I knew I would, though perhaps my expectations were a tad too high. It is nice that these exhibits survive and thrive in a modern world, and I hope they always have a home here.
The Los Angeles History exhibit was interesting. I enjoyed seeing some Chumash exhibits from the Channel Islands, after my recent visit there. And the WPA model of Los Angeles in the '30s was very nice. It's an unusual exhibit for a Natural History Museum, but I think it works.
I ended up seeing all the exhibits on the main floor. I also briefly went through the hands-on exhibits downstairs. I was impressed, they had a lot for kids to do, and they really encouraged them to get out into their own community and see what they can discover. I briefly went upstairs, but decided I didn't have enough time, and would save that for another trip (I almost bought a membership, but I can't see me coming again until sometime next year, and decided it wasn't a wise investment). And coming across this little freak show upstairs surely encouraged me to turn back:
(But hey, if this is what it takes to get kids excited about birds and stuff, who am I to judge?)
After about three hours, I left the museum, very glad I went, and headed West on the Metro Expo Line, until I reached it's terminus, in Culver City. I grabbed a bite to eat, and walked the three blocks to my next stop, the Museum of Jurassic Technology. I love this place, but it doesn't change much, and so doesn't often justify the trip from San Diego, once you've seen it. But having been away for a few years, it was nice to be back. And things had changed. A new exhibit on Russian Cosmist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky nicely complements the paintings of Laika and other dogs of the Soviet space program in the adjacent room. Most impressive, though, was the rooftop garden, populated with finches and doves. Given the dark and confining nature of much of the museum, this is a nice escape. I didn't have a whole lot of time left to explore here, so I saw much of the permanent collection only in passing. I did take some time to review the exhibit on Athanasius Kircher; I just checked out his biography from the library, and am looking forward to getting some more context on this odd individual. If you've never been here, you should check it out. I just wish I had more time here. It made for an odd juxtaposition with the Natural History Museum, as the Museum of Jurassic Technology really seems like a conceptual art project about the role of museums like the Natural History Museum in human understanding. Other than it's size, the exhibit on the Stink Ant of Cameroon would not be out of place in one of the diorama halls of the Natural History Museum (I think--the exhibit was broken, so I'm going by memory; one fault I would have with the Museum of Jurassic Technology is that every visit there seem to be several broken exhibits).
Leaving the museum, I took the Metro back to Union Station. Earlier, I had seen set up being done for Station to Station, an art/music exhibition that has been traveling across the nation by rail. I was familiar with it, but didn't realize this last minute trip had me in Union Station the same day as Station to Station. I hoped to see or hear a little bit of it before boarding my train home, but nothing much seemed to be going on while I was there. I did see Beck wandering Union Station with a camera, but things didn't seem to be underway while I was there. Once I arrived, I checked on my train, and found it was two hours delayed. After I read that, the batteries on my phone finally died out (they had been low for some time, my phone does not seem to hold a charge very well anymore). So I decided to head to the new executive lounge that recently soft-opened. My understanding was that my business class ticket from that morning entitled me to access all day. But I was told your departing ticket needed to be business class. I don't think that is right, judging from Amtrak's website, but there is no mention of this particular executive lounge on their website yet, so maybe it has special rules. So I didn't fight it, I just decided to upgrade my departing ticket to business class, so I could charge my phone and relax in the lounge. I went downstairs to do that, when I thought I should just stop by information and check on the train status first. And I was told my train was two hours delayed in arriving, but a new train had been dispatched, and I would depart on time on that train. So that meant I had no need of the executive lounge after all. So I waited in the beautiful Union Station waiting room, until the platform of my train was announced. Opposite my train on the platform was the Station to Station train, made up of various classic traincars (several pictures that are better than what I took are here). After taking a moment to check out the Station to Station train, I boarded the already-fairly-full Pacific Surfliner (had the people from points North not been delayed, I think the train might have been quite full indeed), took my seat on the coastal side, and waited to depart.
Coach wasn't bad. The chairs themselves are the same, roomy and comfortable. There is less legroom, though it's hard to notice by sight. But once I put my feet up on the footrest, I could definitely tell the difference, my knees feeling a bit more cramped. As a tall person, this is one more reason for me to consider business class; I was certainly comfortable, but was more so in business class, and had the seat next to me be occupied, I might not have felt as comfortable (I didn't use the footrest much in coach, stretching my legs out in the space next to me instead). On the trip down, I did stop off at the cafe car, getting a cheese and crackers platter and a bottled water. The prices were not outrageous, but certainly not a good deal. There were a lot of people in my car, but it was quiet. Some cell phone conversations here and there, but people kept their voices low, and past Irvine or so, it was very quiet, as several people were napping, even though it wasn't that late. I got off at Old Town, surprised how many people on the train were heading to the end of the line (though a lot of them got on after LAX), walked to my car, which was mercifully still there, and drove home.
All in all, it was a very nice trip. As you've probably gathered, this trip was an excuse to ride the train as much as anything. And I had a good time on the train, both ways (had they not been able to get a new train, and I'd been delayed two hours, I might have had a different opinion, but for me, the train was punctual in both directions). It really is the civilized way to travel. I'm looking forward to my upcoming trips even more than I was before, especially riding the Coast Starlight when I go up to my sister's. I was also impressed by Los Angeles' public transportation system. Unlike Amtrak, I wouldn't describe it as fun, but it did get me where I was going in a reasonably efficient manner. And once I got to my destination, I had a lot of fun, experiencing a classic Los Angeles museum and revisiting a museum that presents a quirky postmodern take on the classic museum. It was a long day, and I was on my feet a lot at the museums, but thanks to the fact that I was relaxing on the train instead of driving myself home, I came home from my trip relaxed and refreshed. I'm pretty sure this won't be my last train daytrip to Los Angeles.
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