posted
I did a quick trip to LAUPT on the Surfliners. The trip down on the 9:20AM (774?) on Friday (12/05) was uneventful. We were about 15 minutes late. Business Class was about 90% full although I had two seats to myself all the way. The car had not been redone and was really showing wear and tear. Great Pumpkin muffins, though. I think they are made in SLO.
Since I was staying near LAX (the airport) I took the Union Station Flyaway to downtown. I just missed the 8:30AM but caught the 9:00AM departure and was at Patsouris Plaza 28 minutes later for $4.00. There were 15 passengers which is pretty good for a Saturday morning.
The trip back yesterday (12/06) on the 12:30 train (769) was equally uneventful and ontime. Again, about 90% of the seats were taken and this was a car that had been redone. I didn't get the number but it was named Echo Park. Nice new dark blue upholstery and the TV monitors are gone. I don't know why they didn't replace the toilet seats while they were at it, though. This one (upper level) was stained and chipped and loose. It was nice to have a dedicated car attendant, too. He passed out the snack packs and took drink orders before we left LAUPT.
When I was checking the departure board yesterday a Red Cap came by in a cart and asked if I was going to SBA. I said yes, hopped on, and off we went. He didn't stop for anyone else! I suspect he'd been called out to pick up detraining pax.
Union Station is nicely decorated for Christmas with a large tree and wreaths and garland inside and out.
I had a couple of hours to kill yesterday before the train so rode the Metro Red Line as far as Universal City and back. I wanted to see how you get to City Walk from there. Apparently there is a free (??) shuttle.
There were quite a few USC supporters in the station headed to Pasadena and the Rose Bowl for the game against UCLA. (My poor Bruins!) Special announcements were being made.
And yes, I did go over to Philippe's for a "double dip Lamb" with cole slaw and a pickle. The current model train display, btw, features the Santa Fe "War Bonnet" paint scheme.
Frank in sunny SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
When you took the FlyAway, I'm curious if you can tell me what type of bus you had on your trip? Did you have a normal, large-sized Greyhound style bus that was painted in blue with the FlyAway logo on it? The last few times I've taken the FlyAway, it has either been a new mini bus (sort of like a hotel shuttle bus), or a large white Coach America bus. I haven't been on a regular, blue FlyAway bus in quite a while (although I have seen those on the other FlyAway routes for some reason).
For City Walk, here is how you would do it: When you get off the Red Line at the Universal stop, you would exit upstairs to street level just like normal. Once you are top-side, look across the street for the big high-rise building that says, "NBC UNIVERSAL" on the top of it. Walk across the street towards this building. Once you are there, look for the free shuttle stop in front of the side door of that building. This would be the side where the traffic light is, and where you see a street start to go up a very steep hill. Right there at the bottom of the hill, next to the side door of the NBC Universal building is the free shuttle bus stop. It comes roughly every 10 minutes or so, and it is an open-air tram with a few cars connected to the "tug" (sort of like a train pulling a few passenger cars). That free tram takes you up to City Walk (first stop), and Universal Studios (second stop). If you get off at the first stop (City Walk), you can wait for a few minutes and a mini-bus (not a tram) will come along and that goes back and forth between there and both the Sheraton Hotel and the Hilton Universal Studios.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
