Mistertower Wrote:
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> I remember it well. It was in 1988, an extension
> of the LA-San Diego trains 574 and 583 to Santa
> Barbara. When that happened, Amtrak changed the
> numbers to 774 and 783 to indicate that these
> trains went outside the LA-San Diego territory. I
> don't remember the exact start date, but it seems
> to me to have been in April 1988? Amtrak did not
> have a separate or special name for these two
> trains, but SP and Amtrak Employees and local
> railfans alike nicknamed it something like the
> Santa Barbarian or Santa Barbarbaran, or something
> like that. It is a nickname that didn't last very
> long. There are a few, including a horrible
> female Opeator, who's name I can't remember to
> save my life, that worked at SP's Dayton Ave.
> Tower that nicknamed it, "The Commuter". I rode
> the first Eastbound run of this train and that was
> #774 from Chatsworth to LA with my best friend who
> is now an Engineer for UP in LA. Seems to me,
> that one way ticket cost me $5.75. The Amtrak
> Engineer was Mike Fleshman, who is now retired and
> living in Slidell, Louisiana. He was a regular
> Engineer on those trains when they first began.
> Thanks Charles, for reminding me about the past!


I think I found the start date, June 1988... as to the name, you have solved the mystery. Amtrak had no name for it but the fans called it the Santa Barbaran. Makes total sense and lets me know I'm not crazy (well, at least not on this issue).

Many thanks.