UP 1111 leads a northbound passenger special through Santa Margarita

AMTK 510 passing the searchlight in Santa Margarita, CA

The "Tractors, Trains, and Planes" Memorial weekend event at Santa Margarita Ranch had a new addition this year- a giant American flag! Here the Seattle bound Coast Starlight passes by t... (more)

Crew members prepare PCRR #3 for another lap around the Santa Margarita Ranch on their annual Memorial Day run for the Best of the West antique equipment show.

I purchased this 1950s era photo in the early to mid 1970s at a Chicago area train show / swap meet event. The seller was not the photographer. Photographer unknown.

Searchlights At Blue Hour. Making the final push toward the summit of Cuesta Pass, UP 4385 streaks past the still active, ex-Southern Pacific searchlights at the south end of the Santa Marg... (more)

With a unique set of power on the point this afternoon, Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight races into Santa Margarita just a few miles from beginning its accent up Cuesta Pass.

Splitting the searchlight signals still guarding the southern end of the Santa Margarita siding, Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight approaches the summit of Cuesta Pass prior to the lengthy decen... (more)

Cuesta Conquered

Amtrak's Transcontinental Steam Excursion crests the summit of Cuesta Grade, just north of San Luis Obispo, California, on April 27, 1977. In the process of ... (more)

Running on its last trip prior to being renamed the "Redwood Empire," ATSF 33 looks sharp on the rear of the northbound Coast Starlight as it brings up the markers just north of Santa Ma... (more)

Having completed its battle up Cuesta Pass, AMTK 164 leads Amtrak 14, the northbound Coast Starlight, downgrade and into Santa Margarita. At this point on the Coast Subdivision, the railroad moves... (more)

Crossing the over 100 year old viaduct spanning the banks of the Santa Margarita river, Amtrak 11 hustles toward the river's namesake town as it approaches Cuesta Pass.

A Roger Puta Photograph

UP 7691 leads the detouring MWCRV-17 into Santa Margarita and past the still active ex-Southern Pacific searchlights here as it prepares to take the siding for the detouring QRVWCB-16. These two t... (more)

Turning its nose into the final glimpse of the late evening light, UP 7078 slows the southbound, loaded oil cans as they prepare to stop on the main to add the San Luis Obispo based helpers for th... (more)