A Walk Around of Bakersfield's Amtrak Station

[@jennyswartzbaugh9]

My young railfan friend and I were in Madera yesterday and shot the Madera Amtrak station. It was so tiny!! We got there about 6:15pm and saw that the next train would be in at 6:42 so we stayed around to shoot it. (My batteries died just as the train was coming in-fail). We are from the Fresno area and BNSF is my favorite RR-shot some good videos while we were evacuated down in the city.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I'm headed your way next week to finish shooting the Eastside branch history and a few other places.

[@jennyswartzbaugh9]

@@MarkClayMcGowan oh awesome, maybe we could meet up if you aren't too busy.

[@michaelwhite7275]

Nice video Mark!! Question for you Mr. Mark?? Would you be willing to do a chat on Tehachapi rail cam chat and share your experiences about the Tehachapi line. Great video as always!!!

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Sure. Just let me know when you want to set it up.

[@choochoo640]

Thank you great as always hope shoulder is better🙏😀

[@ohpoleez]

I'm surprised you didn't meet me. You hang around and wait long enough and you will. I'll be looking for you.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

This was in September 2020. Nothing is worth waiting that long for!

[@ohpoleez]

@@MarkClayMcGowan I was still out there doing my thing. Miserable? Yes. But still out there. As I am today. At the hotel waiting to go.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Give me a wave and a honk if you see me!

[@carlosm.3913]

Thanks for the video. A little info about the parking area would have been nice.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

It's just a medium sized parking lot. There is actually an overflow lot on the west side, but I've never seen the main lot anywhere near full. Thanks for checking it out!

[@carlosm.3913]

@@MarkClayMcGowan Great info. Thanks a big size lot!! lol.

[@markgilbertson4917]

Take it up to Emeryville & than catch California Zephyr to Chicago. Made that trip 2 years ago. Very nice and scenic.

[@waynejohnting2954]

Cool video Mark!! Its kind of funny, while watching your Bakersfield videos, seems like Dwight Yocum comes on the radio singing about the streets of Bakersfield.. Lol.. ( its happened twice)

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Maybe he's a subscriber! LOL! I'm glad you enjoy them and thanks for checking it out!

[@thomream1888]

OK, be honest: how many of you waved at the engineer at 8:46?!!? I find myself doing it all the time... then I look around to see if anyone saw me being silly. Who waves at a computer screen? Railfans, of course! Good Show, Mark. Looks like you're healing up really well from your run-in with a surgeon's blade. Hope the rehab continues to go well. Stay safe, and highball the rollby! Ghost of SP

[@tonycortez7743]

I used to live in Fresno California I move to Bakersfield California

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Well, Fresno's depot is MUCH cooler!

[@tonycortez7743]

Yes it is

[@k6usy]

You missed the library :-)

[@baldypalmsrailroad]

Mark - Nice video, I found your channel last week, and have been looking at a lot of your past videos. Great channel, I like the videos on the signal and track side equipment you did. I've been at the loop many times rail fanning and enjoyed watching your videos in the no access areas, it's nice to see those locations. The history lessons of the loop and Bakersfield area is also very interesting. Thanks for all the research and finding the old pictures of railroading past. Well done.. Skål! Ron//

[@drakbar5957]

Spend your travel dollars on the SW Chief. Much better scenery than the Sunset Limited, and fewer delays. UP runs a ton of freight between LA & Houston.

[@georgegong6813]

I noticed a barbecue restaurant I believe it's a block to the right as the Thruway bus exits this station onto the freeway heading south on the Grapevine. Any good? Just wondering should I bother if I had the time between transfer! LOL!

[@ANarrowEscape115515]

What frequency of service do you get at Bakersfield?

[@ictrains9731]

A Narrow Escape There are 16 trains in and out of Bakersfield to Sacramento, plus bus service to LA & Barstow

[@ziggyjuarez8544]

As modest as my social circle is out of never ran into a person that uses trains as transportation between towns I myself have only done it once because once you get where you going you're stuck

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

Yeah, it doesn't make sense for most people in this area, which is why the HSR is such a bad idea. Thanks for checking it out!

[@KUNYSZZ]

Nice video, Mark If you and your wife want to take a Amtrak trip, Take the bus to LA and go north on the Coast Starlight to Seattle. the Coast line is beautiful.

[@mdavid1955]

Nico video! Have you seen many of the Charger SC-44 locomotives in service yet?

[@ictrains9731]

mdavid1955 Yes they have been running on all the California Amtrak trains since introduction in 2019

[@Samanthareneeheart1]

Here in St. Louis area if I'm going to Kansas City area I start my trip on the UP main line at the Old Kirkwood Station very historic building in Downtown Kirkwood, MO . Still a train stop no real ticket service other than an electronic Kiosk to print your tickets. The KC Amtratk starts in Chicago goes through Downtown St.louis in the merchant Rail Road Yard to shared trackage I beleave skirts the BNSF Lindenwood yard there in St. Louis then on through Jefferson City& Sedalia on to Kansas City MO where it terminates then the Southwest Chief to LA across the northern route from St. Louis LA Via the Texas Eagle to LA Via the southern route

[@jangravemaker1785]

Pretty nice station too bad there are no trains every half hour or so. Understand it takes 5hours, 29 minutes to travel the 99 miles to LA by public transit.

[@MarkClayMcGowan]

I've never traveled to LA on the Amtrak connection, but I don't think it takes the 99. I see it in Tehachapi regularly. It's about 160 miles on 58/14/I-5 (as opposed to 105 miles on the 99/I-5). I can drive it in about three and a half hours even in traffic, but I don't have to stop anywhere, so 4-5 hours is probably a good estimate on the bus