I just spotted a message from the head of LOSSAN, which agrees w previous posts (more seats! yay!), and provides additional info. The message is at:
http://pacificsurfliner.com/Service-Alert/

The message implies that people have been asking LOSSAN to provide additional *trains*. LOSSAN says that's not practical. Here's the relevant part:

"The LOSSAN Agency has also worked with Amtrak, Union Pacific Railroad
and Metrolink to review options for providing additional service to
Ventura and Santa Barbara during the closure of Highway 101. However,
due to the ongoing emergency relief efforts and significant cleanup
efforts on both the rail corridor and the adjacent highway and local roads,
it is not possible to operate additional trains at this time. Many of the
areas impacted by mudslides remain inaccessible to service vehicles,
making cleanup difficult as equipment has to be brought in via rail and
in between the operation of trains. Additionally, the highway cleanup
efforts are in some instances pushing additional debris and water onto
the rail corridor."

The work-window problem would be especially serious if extra trains ran at additional times of day. But suppose instead, extra sections were to run, say, 10 minutes behind existing schedules. That wouldn't be as useful for passengers as running trains at different times of day; but at least there would be more seats, and it wouldn't cause as many issues w work windows, etc. To do this, LOSSAN would have to find the necessary cars, engines, crews, and $. Also, crowding on station platforms might be a problem. Might require extra humans on station platforms to direct who gets to ride on the 1st section & who has to wait for the 2nd section.

But even if there aren't *more* trains, I'm glad there are at least *longer* trains.