Amtrak's Coast Starlights Nos. 11 and 14 meet on the mountainside of Cuesta grade at Chorro, Calif. on Oct. 8, 1996 as southbound No. 11 exists Tunnel No. 11, the last of six tunnels on the descent down the Santa Lucia Range. With 8666 on the point Train 11 is led by three sooty SP EMD SD units, doubtlessly assigned to helper service at San Luis Obispo at the foot of the grade and hitching a ride on Amtrak, allowing the dispatcher to have one less train movement to govern.
