The Coast Route is divided into the following subdivisions:
· Santa Barbara subdivision from Burbank Junction to San Luis Obispo
· Coast subdivision from San Luis Obispo to North Elmhurst
In Southern Pacific days, this line running geographically north-south for most of its route was nonetheless described as (railroad) east going away from San Francisco and (railroad) west heading towards San Francisco. UP has changed at least some of this usage to north/south, reflecting the actual geography, where appropriate. In SP days, following the end of Timetable & Train Order control once dispatcher-to-crew radio was universal, this line was largely operated using Direct Traffic Control (DTC), a system of fixed length blocks, permission to occupy which was given to a train by radio instructions from the dispatcher. In the nine years between the the UP takeover and 2005, UP has converted the line to operation using Track Warrant Control, by means of which the dispatcher gives radio permission to a train to occupy a variable length section of the tracks. A route description for 2005 will thus not include the starting and ending points for the DTC blocks.
West of Ventura (the Amtrak station a little to the east of the river is at MP 394.0), the single track CTC line runs alongside the ocean, or very close to it, for the next 100 or more miles. Immediately west of the Ventura River crossings, an SP branch line to Ojai once went north at Ventura Junction. The speed limit along here is 60 mph for passenger trains and 40 mph for freights. With Emma Wood State Beach occupying the strip of land between rails and ocean, the line curves northwest, under a road bridge carrying a connector between US 101 (on the north side of the line) and the old highway on the south side, and then occupies the space between the slightly lower old road along the beach front, to the southwest, a bike path on the northeast side, and the freeway further up the hillside on the northeast. There is the site of a former detector at MP 393.2, Dulah, where line and roads turns west to follow the coastline, a grade crossing, a bridge over drainage, a private grade crossing into "services north of the line (but south of US 101), a turn back northwest again, a 4,960 ft. north side siding at Seacliff (MP 386.3-385.3), where the highway crosses over the railroad on dual bridges, with two grade crossings in the siding.
There is a pier out to an artificial island containing oil rigs, bridges over Willow Creek, La Conchita Creek, and the road (Rincon Road) into La Conchita on the north side, and both line and road curve around the unstable hillside on the northeast side, the passenger speed limit drops to 55 mph while that for freight is unchanged, there is a detector at MP 383.1, a grade crossing, a private grade crossing, a bridge over a road, and US 101 bridges overhead on dual bridges, Intermediate Signals at Punta (MP 382.1), adjacent to Rincon Beach. There are places where there is barely enough space for the railroad and US Highway 101 (built to Interstate Highway standards) between the ocean and the mountains.
East of Carpinteria, the highway moves away to the north, as the line passes a petroleum facility on the north side, and a grade crossing, crosses Carpinteria Creek and passes Carpinteria State Beach, with a grade crossing to a campground between the line and the beach. There is a passenger station, with platform and shelters on the north side, at Carpinteria (MP 377.8), where the passenger speed limit falls again to 50 mph, grade crossings at Palm and Linden Avenues, a bridge over Franklin Creek, a grade crossing at Sandyland Cove Road, and two bridges over drainage, and the line returns to the south side of US 101, as it turns due west, turns northwest again, and then runs directly on the coast, past a grade crossing into a parking lot on the south side, a grade crossing at Padaro Lane, adjacent to a US 101 off-ramp and on-ramp, with Padaro Lane continuing along the coast side of the line. Lane, rail line, and highway turn due west following the coast, Padaro Lane crosses overhead ending the road on the coast side, there are Intermediate Signals at MP 374.8, and the line passes through Ortega (MP 374.0). There is a grade crossing at Wallace Avenue, Lookout Park on the ocean side as the line is now partway up a mud cliff, a private grade crossing and a grade crossing.
After Summerland, where there are Intermediate Signals, there is a grade crossing at Posilipo Lane, and the line bridges over Oak Creek, near the site of the (now demolished) erstwhile Miramar hotel complex, where retired streamlined passenger cars once served as snack bar and lounge, and moves away from the beach to pass through the Santa Barbara urban area. There is a grade crossing at Eucalyptus Lane, a bridge over Montecito Creek, a grade crossing at Olive Mill Road, US 101 comes alongside to the north again, the line crosses over a Cabrillo Boulevard (SR 225) on a deck girder bridge and passes the Santa Barbara Wildlife Refuge on the south side of the line.
At South Santa Barbara (MP 368.6), the line angles west-southwest, Two Main Tracks start, and the passenger speed limit drops to 45 mph. There is extra track on the north side, a grade crossing at Milpas Street, an extra track on the south side of the line, once used for Amtrak trains terminating and originating here, the line crosses ??, Santa Barbara Street and then State Street at grade crossings, to reach the Santa Barbara station (MP 367.4), where the handsome mission-style depot is on the north side of the line, and there is one platform on the north side of the tracks, and one between the tracks. On the west side of the depot is the famous pepper tree, with its spreading branches covering almost the entirety of a small park area. The line then crosses over Castillo Street on a concrete bridge and turns northwest, on the north side of a bluff separating the line from the ocean, and on the south side of a long line of tall trees separating the line from US 101, under a pedestrian bridge at Ortega Street, bridging over Carrillo Street, under pedestrian bridges at Anapamu Street and Micheltorena Street, and over Mission Street.
The line reverts to single track and the speed limit rises to 79-60 at North Santa Barbara (MP 365.0, elevation 118 ft.), with the line angling west-northwest, under Las Positas Road, under La Cumbre Road, past a detector at MP 363.0, and then west at Hope Ranch (MP 362.9, el. 161), away from US 101 for one of the few short stretches through this area. After bridging over Hollister Avenue, the line comes back along the south side of US 101 again, passing under Turnpike Road, over Ygnacion Creek, under Patterson Avenue and then under Ward Memorial Boulevard (SR 217) as the latter separates from US 101. There is a bridge over San Jose Creek, a grade crossing at Kellogg Avenue, adjacent to the old SP Goleta location at MP 359.4 (el. 42 ft.), Fairview Avenue bridges overhead just west of the closed grade crossing that it formerly used, there is a spur at La Patera (MP 358.3, el. 23 ft.), used by Amtrak trains on layover, and the Amtrak station at Goleta (MP 358.2), where most of the Pacific Surfliner service terminates and originates in 2005. UC Santa Barbara is south of the line at this point, occupying all the land between the line and the coastline.
The western edge of the Santa Barbara built-up area is followed by a line segment which has a number of scenic trestles over beach-access ravines, as the line runs right along the coast line at the top of unstable earthen cliffs, maintaining its generally westerly heading but locally curving along the coastline, with the US 101 freeway running directly along the north side of the line the whole way. Los Carneros Road bridges overhead, the line bridges Tecolotito Creek, the line passes through Colomar, and Glen Annie Road bridges overhead. There is a 9,369 ft. siding at Ellwood (MP 357.8-355.8, el. 88 ft.), where CTC ends and Track Warrant Control with Automatic Block Signals begins, and Hollister Avenue bridges overhead again. There are Intermediate Signals at MP 354.0, two grade crossings over access roads to the beach west of the Sandpiper Golf Course, the line reaches the shore again, passing Intermediate Signals at MP 352.x and through Naples (MP 351.7, el 95 ft.), where the passenger speed limit drops to 75 mph, crossing over Dos Pueblos Canyon/Creek on a trestle, over the access roads to El Capitan State Beach and Cañada del Capitan Creek (El Capitan Canyon) on a trestle, and through a 4,964 ft. siding at Capitan (MP 346.5, el. 80 ft.—TWC does not need separate control points at the end of sidings, as are used by the current CTC system further east/south, so this is the location of the marker in the middle of the siding).
The line crosses over two more creeks on bridges or trestles, passes Intermediate Signals at MP 344.0, Refugio State Beach, where there are access roads to the shore, and Intermediate Signals at MP 342.6, crosses over Tajiguas Creek adjacent to Tajiguas (MP 342.4, el. 52 ft.), where the speed limit drops to 50-40, crosses two more creeks (Arroyo Quemado, Cañada de la Pita, passes a detector at MP 341.3, where the speed limit is 65-60, and Intermediate Signals at MP 341.2, crosses over five more creeks (Arroyo Hondo (on a trestle), Cañon de Guillermo, Cañon de la Posta, Cañon del Molino, Cañon San Onofre), Alcatraz Beach, a trestle over Cementerio Canyon, the 3,747 ft. siding at Gaviota (MP 336.3, el. 96 ft.), where the speed limit is 79-60, and the trestle over Gaviota Canyon at the west ("north") end of Gaviota (MP 335.4), with the road access to the beach campground at Gaviota State Park passing beneath the trestle. The speed limit is 55-50 across the trestle, becoming 60-40 along the cliffs thereafter.
West of Gaviota, the highway veers away to the north, and the railroad is alone alongside the ocean, with earthen cliffs on the south side and grassy hillsides useful for grazing cattle on the north side. The line passes a detector at MP 333.7 and Intermediate Signals at MP 333.6, crosses trestles over Cañada del Agua Caliente and Cañada de Alegria, passes a spur at Sacate (MP 331.4, el. 77 ft.), crosses over Cañada de la Cuarta, Cañada del Sacate, passes Drake (el. 51 ft.), crosses over Cañada de Santa Anita, Cañada de las Panochas, passes a grade crossing and crosses Arroyo El Bulito, passes San Augustine (el. 53 ft.) and Intermediate Signals at MP 329.x, crosses over Arroyo San Agustin and Cañada de la Lluega, passes Gato, crosses over Barranca Honda and Cañon del Gato, passes a grade crossing and a detector at MP 327.6, el 55 ft., crosses over Cañada del Cola, passes Intermediate Signals at MP 325.x and a dirt road grade crossing, crosses Damsite Canyon, passes Intermediate Signals at MP 323.6 and MP 322.6, crosses Wood Canyon, and passes a 6,126 ft. siding at Concepcion (MP 321.4, el. 110 ft.).
At Point Conception, the coast, and thus the railroad, turns geographically northward from its heretofore east-west alignment, with the line specifically running north-northwest, passing Intermediate Signals at MP 320.6, crossing Black Canyon, with a road alongside to the north, passing Intermediate Signals at MP 319.2, crossing Jalama Road at grade, and Jalama Creek at Jalama Beach County Park on a trestle, with a dirt track alongside to the north, turning northwest, past Intermediate Signals at MP 316.x or 317.x, crossing Long Horn Canyon and Cañada del Jolluro, passing a 5,818 ft. west side siding at Sudden (MP 314.0, el. 78 ft.), crossing Sudden Canyon, Cañada del Morida, Cañada de los Sauces, another canyon, and Cañada del Rodeo, passing Intermediate Signals and a detector at MP 309.0, where it turns due west, crossing Cañon Aqua Viva, to Arguello (el. 108 ft.), past a grade crossing on a gated road, crossing Oil Well Canyon, and then curving around the bluffs at Rocky Point, past a grade crossing, Arlight (el. 203 ft.) and Point Arguello, until it is heading slightly east of due north, past a dirt track grade crossing, at South Vandenberg (MP 305.8).
Here, the line runs through Vandenberg Air Force Base, site of the launch facilities for the Pacific Test Range and polar-orbiting satellites, crossing Red Roof Canyon and Grey Canyon, passing Destroyer Rock, site of one of the worst peacetime US Naval disasters when a southbound fleet of ships turned east before reaching point Concepcion and sailed right into the cliffs in 1924, and Point Pedernales, crossing Cañada Honda on a trestle, and passing Intermediate Signals at Honda (MP 304.6, el. 109 ft.). There are two extra tracks on the east side at about MP 303, a road alongside to the east, Titan 2 and Shuttle launch facilities on the east side, a road alongside to the east, Intermediate Signals, a dirt track grade crossing, a spur heading away on the east side, and the south signals for Surf.
The line crosses Spring Canyon, passes a 5,550 ft. east side siding Surf (MP 299.4, el. 50 ft.), where there is a passenger station with depot on the east side of the line, replacing the former SP depot that had been here prior to Amtrak dropping service here on its takeover from SP in 1971, extra track on the east side, and a wye junction with the branch east to Lompoc and White Hills, followed by the bridge over the Santa Ynez River, a dirt road grade crossing, Intermediate Signals at MP 297.0, a turn to the north-northwest, Intermediate Signals at MP 296.3, crossing Cañada Tortuga and two more small canyons, and then turning to the north-northeast, past the 5,511 ft. siding on the east side from which the wye leaves, to reach the wye junction at Tangair (MP 293.9, el. 212 ft.), with a spur east to Vandenberg AFB, where the speed limit drops to 50-40 as the wye ends on that siding on the east side.
Turning north, north of MP 293, and bridging across Los Alamos Creek, and then north-northeast again, past Intermediate Signals at MP 291.0, and through the 6,218 ft. west side siding at Narlon, (MP 289.9, el. 131 ft.), where a spur curves away on the east side and the speed limit is briefly 60-40, past MP 289, before reverting to 50-40 near MP 288, as the line then turns sharply inland, up Shuman Canyon, on the south side of the valley, with grass covered hillsides, past a detector at MP 286.8, Antonio (MP 286.7, el. 246 ft.), a road bridge overhead, a curve southeast and then northeast, Intermediate Signals at MP 284.9, Casmalia (MP284.5, el. 285 ft.), where the line crosses Lompoc Casmalia Road at grade and the speed limit falls to 40-40, MP 284, a road bridge overhead, Devon (MP 283.2, el. 332 ft.), where there is a grade crossing, and signals at MP 282.8, after which the line turns north again and extra track or a siding starts on the east side. There are two grade crossings, signals at MP 281.9 (Intermediate or the north end of the siding), Shuman (MP 281.5, el. 405 ft.), where the speed limit falls to 40-35, Intermediate Signals at MP 281.0, a detector at MP 280.7, where the line turns northeast, past an old mine on the east side, then the line on a ledge with the Santa Maria Valley to the east, with Intermediate Signals at MP 279.9, makes a sweeping turn to the northwest under the Black Road bridge and past Intermediate Signals at MP 278.x.
The line passes through the west side siding at Waldorf (MP 277.4, el. 203 ft.), where the speed limit rises to 60-40, on a ledge above fields to the east, with the north end of the siding at MP 276.7, and the line turns north, under Cabrillo Highway (SR 1), crossing Black Road at grade with SR 1 alongside to the west, passing Intermediate Signals at MP 275.x, a dirt road grade crossing, MP 274, the junction with the Santa Maria Valley shortline, which once served the Betteravia beet sugar plant, at SMV Junction (MP 273.6), where the speed limit falls again to 50-40, crossing Main Street (SR 266), passing Guadalupe (MP 273.2, el. 87 ft.), where there is a former SP depot on the east side of the line and a platform with stucco depot on the west side of the present station,, followed by four sidings on the east side, after which the speed limit rises to 70-60, and crossing Simas Street.. The line turns northeast as it crosses the Santa Maria River and then gradually curves north-northwest, crossing Division Street at grade, past Intermediate Signals, and bridging over SR 1 (Cabrillo Highway), as both bridge over Oso Flaco Creek, passing agricultural fields on the east side, a detector at MP 269.7, crossing Flaco Lake Road at grade, passing Intermediate Signals at MP 269.x and Bromela (MP 269.0, el. 51 ft.), and crossing a small creek, after which the line curves north, past a 5,850 ft. east side siding at Callender (MP 267.0, el. 97 ft.) where there is a rail-served petrochemical coke plant on the east side of the line that receives trainloads of coal by rail, and removes sulfur from the coal, shipping it out by rail.
SR 1 is alongside to the east, as both line and road bridge Black Lake Canyon, past MP 265 at the top of the grade, and there is a detector at MP 264.4 as the line heads north-northeast and drops down the northwest side of a coastal bluff, past Intermediate Signals at the bottom of the grade, onto the flatland behind the coastal dunes below and then turns northwest across that flatland, crossing Arroyo Grande Creek, passing a two-track spur with an old freight house on the east side at Oceano (MP 262.5, el 20 ft.), and two grade crossing, under the bridge carrying SR 1, which then comes alongside to the west, where the line turns north with various coastal campgrounds just east of the coastal dunes on the west side of the line, a 6,000 ft. east side siding at Grover (MP 260.9), where the route brushes the shore again at Grover Beach (which has a platform and stucco depot to the west), a grade crossing at Grand Avenue, and Pismo (MP 259.4, el. 38 ft.), where there is a street alongside to the east and the speed limit drops to 60-40 as the coast turns away to the west and the line crosses Meadow Creek and passes under the US 101 freeway dual bridges.
The line then turns inland to head for San Luis Obispo, turning northeast, across a through truss bridge, through Price Canyon, a valley with grassy hillsides past a through truss bridge and detector at MP 256.7, where the speed limits drop to 40-35, Intermediate Signals at Hadley (MP 255.6 or .1), turning north again as the speed limits rise to 60-40, bridging over Ormonde Road, turning northwest under Price Canyon Road and then north past Edna (MP 254.6), crossing SR 227 and Biddle Ranch Road at grade, and turning northwest, across Tank Farm Road, to South San Luis Obispo (MP 251.5, el. 217 ft.), where the speed limit drops to 35 mph and Two Main Track CTC starts (extended south in 2005 from its former end at North San Luis Obispo), then with Bullock Lane on the east side of the line, crosses Orcutt Road at grade. There are Intermediate Signals near Orcutt. There are extra tracks on the east side of the line (one through track and two spurs, one of them named for "Chuck Johnson"), but the former locomotive depot on the west side has now completely disappeared under light industry and gentrified housing. The line turns north-northeast just past where it once crossed the narrow (3 ft.) gauge Pacific Coast Railway, under a pedestrian and bicycle bridge built in the 1990s, into San Luis Obispo (MP 248.7, el. 240 ft.), where the speed limit is 25 mph, there are two low-level platforms serving two tracks (the second in between the two passenger tracks), and the depot is on the west side of the tracks.
At the north end of San Luis Obispo station, the line bridges over Johnson Avenue and San Luis Obispo Creek, turns north-northwest, the number of tracks falls to single track, CTC at North San Luis Obispo (MP 248.5), and the speed limit rises to 30-25, with a signal bridge south of Johnson Avenue, and a street briefly alongside to the north. The line crosses Marsh Street at grade, bridges over Monterey Street, passes beneath Mill Street, and bridges over US 101. California Boulevard comes alongside on the east/north side of the line, there is a bridge over drainage grade crossing at Foothill Boulevard, and the line passes through the campus of California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo, with a stadium on the north side of the line, student housing on both sides of the line, and bridges over Highland Drive.
Once outside the town, the line begins the climb over the coastal mountain range using the Cuesta Grade, through savanna-style countryside (grassland and California Live Oaks), past a dirt track grade crossing, Hathaway, where the line turns northwest, across the Stenner Creek Trestle over a road and a seasonal stream bed in the hillside to the northeast side of the line curving along it, past a petrochemical facility on the west side, a detector at MP 248.2, the former location of a wye at Goldtree (e. 502 ft.) that once served a spur to a National Guard camp off to the west, a dirt track grade crossing, Intermediate Signals at MP 246.0, the California Men's Colony also on the west side of the line, turning through a clockwise semi-circle (the Goldtree horseshoe curve) to run south-southeast along the hillside, past a detector at MP 244.8, making a counter-clockwise semi-circle around the curve of the hillside, to head almost due north, at 5,100 ft. east side Chorro siding (MP 243.8-242.8, el. 674 ft.), where the speed limit falls to 25-20.
The line passes through 722 ft. tunnel 11 (MP 242.5), turning due east along the hillside, then southeast, passing a detector at MP 241.5 and Intermediate Signals at MP 241.4, then northeast, with curves along the contour line, making another clockwise semi-circle back to the southwest through the 5,750 ft. east side siding at Serrano (MP 240.0-238.8, el. 943 ft.), turning southeast along the hillside for some distance, and then making a counter-clockwise semi-circle around the curve of the hillside to the north, coming alongside the cleft in the mountains east of the line through which US 101 makes its much steeper climb over the pass, and heading back northwest along the curving hillside, past Intermediate Signals at MP 237.8, through 525 ft. tunnel 9 (MP 237.5), 481 ft. tunnel 8 (MP 237.2), turning northeast in 1,354 ft. tunnel 7 (MP 236.7) and north at the Intermediate Signals at Thyle (MP 236.x) to 3,610 ft. tunnel 6 (MP 235.9) to reach Santa Margarita Pass (elevation 1,320 ft.) in the middle of the tunnel.
Past the north end of the tunnel, US 101 crosses overhead on a pair of concrete bridges, and there is extra track on the east side, a spur at Cuesta (MP 234.0, el. 1285 ft.), where the line speed rises to 30-25, after which the line descends into the Salinas Valley. The south end of the Salinas Valley, at a higher elevation than further north, is mostly savanna with valley oak trees fairly widely spaced. (There are also blue oaks in the hills, and cottonwoods and willows along the creeks and river.) The line turns east-northeast, then north-northeast, all the while with US 101 on the west side, as it descends past a detector at MP 233.5 (dragging equipment, talk on defect only) to the end of CTC at South Santa Margarita (MP 233.1), south end of a 19,015 ft. west side siding (to Santa Margarita), where the speed limit rises to 35 mph on the now TWC ABS single track (with a passing siding at this spot), and finally east-northeast again, now with SR 58 (El Camino Real) alongside to the north/west, crossing Wilhelmina Avenue, MP 232, Encina Avenue and Estrada Avenue (SR 58) at grade, past Intermediate Signals at MP 231.9, and Santa Margarita (MP 229.6, el. 998 ft.), the former location of the depot, where the speed limit is 55-40, and the line turns north, with El Camino Real (no longer SR 58) alongside to the west.
There is a grade crossing (known as "oil crossing") over a road to the Concord-Phillips pumping station east of the line, crossovers in the middle of the long Santa Margarita siding, another grade crossing with a quarry road at Cushing, the dry bed of the Salinas River comes alongside to the east, and the line reaches the north end (MP 229.x) of the long siding from South Santa Margarita. El Camino Real moves away on the west side, there is a grade crossing at Asuncion Road, the line turns north-northwest at Eaglet, a through truss bridge over Santa Margarita Creek, another (private) grade crossing as Sandoval Road comes alongside to the west, a grade crossing at Santa Clara Road, where the road alongside ends, a dirt road alongside to the east, another private grade crossing, a detector at MP 226.9, where the speed limit is 40-35, a grade crossing at Halcon Road, behind the state hospital, with line speeds of 50-40 through Henry, where Cortez Avenue is alongside to the west and Gabarda Road to the east. There is a grade crossing at Curbaril Avenue, the line turns northwest, at Atascadero (MP 223.3), there is a spur on the southwest side, with Miramon Avenue alongside to the east and Traffic Way to the west, and Mercedes Avenue (SR 41) bridges overhead and Capistrano Avenue passes beneath with the line on an embankment.
There is a detector at MP 221.7 (dragging equipment, talk on defect only), Asuncion, the US 101 freeway and then Main Street alongside to the west, a grade crossing, a new (in 2005) overcrossing (road bridge overhead) leads to a new housing development on the east side, between tracks and river, with a street alongside to the east, a curve to the northeast following the course of the Salinas River, two private grade crossings with MP 219 between them, a road bridge overhead, a grade crossing at Templeton Road, adjacent to the Templeton south switch, a 4,700 ft. east side siding at Templeton (MP 218.4), a curve north, still following the west bank of the river, a bridge over a creek, private grade crossings at Cow Meadow Place (within the siding) and Marquita Avenue/Creekside Ranch Road/Phillips Road at the north end of Templeton, another bridge over a creek, a grade crossing at Volpi Ysabel Road (MP 217), Intermediate Signals at MP 216.5, two dirt road grade crossings, a detector at MP 214.6 (dragging equipment, talk on defect only), Intermediate Signals, and a private grade crossing adjacent to the north end of Ramada Drive. US 101 passes overhead at an acute angle on two concrete bridges, Niblick Road bridges overhead, the south end of Pine Street passes beneath, Pine Street runs alongside to the west and Riverside Avenue to the east, and the line reaches the passenger station at Paso Robles (MP 212.9), where the speed limit is 55-40, with extra track and a spur on the east side. The Paso Robles depot, a former SP structure, is on the west side of the line, with a small freight station and yard to its south on the same side of the line, with Riverside Avenue businesses on the east side at this point.
After passing through Paso Robles, where 10th, 12th, 13th 16th and 21st Streets cross at grade, and 24th Street bridges overhead, the line continues past Intermediate Signals (MP 212.1), Hot Springs Road crossing at grade, Spring Street coming alongside to the west, and a detector at MP 210.7 as US 101 bridges overhead on dual deck-girder bridges, and the line regains the west bank of the river. Monterey Road comes alongside to the west, there is a private grade crossing to a house/farm on the east side, a private grade crossing to a ranch on the east side, a grade crossing at the Intermediate Signals at Wellsona (MP 207.6), adjacent to Helen Moe's Antique Doll Museum, where the speed limit is temporarily 50-40 before resuming 55-40, Intermediate Signals at MP 208.4, a bridge over an arroyo, Intermediate Signals at MP 206.2, and a private dirt road grade crossing to a farm on the east side, and the line passes through San Miguel, where the Rios California Adobe is on the west side of the line, Mission Street comes alongside to the west, the restored mission is directly across that street on the west side of the line, and grade crossings at 11th Street and River Road.
The line turns northwest, past a private gated grade crossing and Intermediate Signals, with US 101 on its west side and the river on its east side, enters Camp Roberts, passes through the east 3,770 ft. and west 5,000 ft. east side sidings at McKay (MP 202.3-200.5), a gated grade crossing, and Intermediate Signals at Nacimiento (MP 196.4), after which the railroad turns north, bridges (with a through girder bridge) over the river and a road to a military gate in Camp Roberts, where two stub tracks on the east side trail in, and moves to the eastern side of the still narrow valley (where it remains until well north of King City), and then turns west-northwest, crossing Mare Canyon Road at grade. There is a road alongside to the east, to a gravel facility, a bridge over drainage, a detector at MP 192.8, a 5,150 ft. east side siding at Bradley (MP 192.5), where Sargents Road crosses at grade right at the south switch, the line turns north, past Intermediate Signals at MP 191.6, crosses Sarah Canyon on an embankment with a culvert, turns north-northwest, with a slide fence on the east side, past a grade crossing, Intermediate Signals (MP 190.0), a detector at MP 187.9, and north again through the 4,700 ft. west side siding at Wunpost (MP185.7), where there are three dual-ended spurs on the east side of the line for loading the oil tank car unit trains ("oil cans"). The line crosses Sargent Creek, as a road comes nearby on the east side, and crosses Deadman Gulch in the middle of the oil field, runs through an active oil extraction field on both sides of the line, past Intermediate Signals, a road alongside to the east, fields on the east side, and Intermediate Signals (MP 181.7), and turns north-northwest, past Intermediate Signals, and a bridge over an arroyo, to the 5,780 ft. east side siding, with a grade crossing in the siding after which the street alongside to the east has gone, at San Ardo (MP 179.5), where the speed limit rises to 60-40, and then runs generally between north-northwest and northwest, following the contour of the hillside on the east side of the much wider valley.
There are two grade crossings, a detector at MP 175.4, the speed limit rises to 70-60, a grade crossing, a dirt road grade crossing, Intermediate Signals, a dirt track grade crossing, Intermediate Signals at MP 170.3, a road alongside to the east, a bridge over a road, the road alongside to the east ends at the south end of town, and the line passes through San Lucas (MP 169.1), a dirt track grade crossing, Intermediate Signals, a road alongside to the west, a detector at MP 166.7, a gated grade crossing to a business on the east side, a dirt road grade crossing, Intermediate Signals at Welby (MP 163.7), Intermediate Signals, a grade crossing, two sets of Intermediate Signals, a grade crossing, a bridge over an arroyo, and a 6,300 ft. east side siding at King City (MP 160.3), where the small town is on the west side of the line, with a grade crossing in the siding, a former SP depot, a spur from a facility trailing in on the east side, a street alongside to the east, a grade crossing in the siding, and the speed limit is temporarily 60 mph before reverting to 70-60 north of the town, with the road on the east side moving away to the east side of a field at the north end of the siding.
The northern part of the valley is one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the world, and the valley floor is completely given over to agriculture. Much of the produce (tomatoes, green beans, etc.) grown in this area is snapped up by the major food suppliers, such as Birdseye and Hunt-Wesson. The line continues, with the same side road alongside to the east and the hillside just beyond that, past Intermediate Signals and a dirt track grade crossing, Elsa, a grade crossing, Coburn, the road coming alongside to the east, a detector at MP 155.5, a grade crossing, two dirt road grade crossings, Intermediate Signals, and through 1,305 ft. tunnel 5½ (MP 152.0) in a bluff projecting from the hillside to the east, where the road on the east side runs up the hillside and runs up the hillside on the north side of the bluff, past a dirt track grade crossing, Intermediate Signals at MP 150.5, a grade crossing, Metz, a bridge over an arroyo, a dirt road grade crossing, Intermediate Signals, three dirt road grade crossings, a dirt track grade crossing, a bridge over a gulley, Intermediate Signals at MP 146.6, a dirt road grade crossing, and Intermediate Signals at Harlem (MP 144.9), where the speed limit falls to 45-40 for the turn west, alongside the river that is not adjacent on the south side of the line, and rises to 70-60 as the line turns northwest again, now in the middle of the valley but still east of the river, past a dirt track grade crossing, a bridge over a road in town, and a grade crossing, to the MP 142 south end of the 7,450 ft. west side siding at Soledad (MP 140.2). The rest of the way into Salinas, the rails follow alongside US 101 again, first with the road to the east and later with the road to the west. The coastal mountains follow the west side of the valley all the way along here, several miles west of the line. The state prison at Soledad is on the east side of the line (and across the highway), north of Camphora.
The line passes two dirt road grade crossings, Camphora (MP 137.4), a petrochemical facility on a south-facing spur on the east side (but west of US 101), two dirt road grade crossings, a detector at MP 136.3, a spur at Molus (MP 135.5), a grade crossing, a road alongside to the east (not US 101), Canandaigua (MP 132.4), two grade crossings, a 7,475 ft. west side siding at Gonzales (MP 131.2), a grade crossing, a bridge over drainage, US 101 alongside to the east again, a grade crossing at Fulleta Road (MP 130.1), a bridge over a culvert, Intermediate Signals at Chualar (MP 125.7), a detector at MP 123.7, a grade crossing, Intermediate Signals at Spence (MP 122.1), two dirt road grade crossings, a bridge over drainage, a detector at MP 119.1, Intermediate Signals at MP 118.7, US 101 moves away, and a grade crossing.
At Firestone (MP 116.9), nee Spreckels Junction, a branch from Spreckels trails in from the southwest. On the west side of the curve from the branch is a spur where several private railroad passenger cars are stored. The speed limit is now 60-40, as the town of Salinas now surrounds the line on both sides, with agricultural plants on both sides of the line, as a spur trails in on the east side and a road bridge passes overhead. A main road passes underneath a concrete bridge carrying the line, from south-southeast to west-northwest, and there is extra track on the east side, a spur trailing in on the east side, a bridge over a divided road, and the south end of the 9,895 ft. Salinas east side siding. Former Southern Pacific 0-6-0 1237 and a reefer are on the west side, followed by the stucco Salinas depot on the west side at the passenger station at MP 114.9, with a small (two track) freight yard on the northeast side of the line, beyond the siding, with an additional spur beynd that, and then three or four tracks in the yard northwest of the station. There is a road bridge overhead with a permanently-closed grade crossing immediately north of the bridge..
North of Salinas, the speed limit rises to 70-60 and CTC begins again at North Salinas (MP 113.0), where the siding ends. The line turns north-northwest at Graves, as the Salinas valley falls away, past two dirt road grade crossings, a detector at MP 111.9, four dirt road grade crossings, Cooper (MP 110.8), two dirt road grade crossings, a grade crossing, a 6,300 ft. east side siding at Castroville (MP 108.1-106.8), where the line from Seaside, formerly the Monterey branch, trails in from the southwest, with a bridge over drainage, and a rail-served factory on the east side of the siding, and north past dual road bridges overhead to Moss Landing (MP 104.0), where a spur from the Moss Landing power plant on the shores Monterey Bay, less than a mile to the west, trails in from the west, the line turns northeast and then generally north again, and the speed limit falls to 50-40 as a road bridge passes overhead, followed by extra track on the wes tside and Intermediate Signals at MP 103.x.
The railroad runs through the beautiful nature reserve at Elkhorn Slough, mostly to the west of the line along the tidal inlet at this point, past Intermediate Signals at the north end of the slough, a road alongside to the east which then ends, a detector at MP 99.1, and a road bridge overhead, to the end of CTC at Watsonville Junction (MP 97.4) where there is a small (8-track) yard on the west side of the line, with the yard offices on the west side, and the Santa Cruz branch cuts off to head north, a grade crossing, and then a road alongside to the east. Then the Double Track (for a short distance only), TWC, ABS line turns due east through market gardens along the south side of the Pajaro River, past the road alongside to the east turning away Intermediate Signals, two dirt road grade crossings, Eaton, a dirt road grade crossing, Intermediate Signals, a grade crossing, Aromas, Intermediate Signals, a dirt road grade crossing, a road alongside to the south, and a grade crossing, turns north with a rock plant ("Granite Rock") on the east side of the line, with a road alongside to the east into the plant, extra track on the east side, to Logan (MP 89.7), where there are extra tracks to the east and the speed limit falls to 30-25, the Double Track reverting to single track, and CTC resumes (MP 89.6), then turns southeast, with the extra tracks following, and then east and bridges over a river and crosses the San Andreas Fault from the Pacific Plate onto the mainland (North American Plate), crossing Chittenden Pass alongside the Pajaro River as it does so.
There are Intermediate Signals at MP 88.6, a dirt road grade crossing, a road alongside to the south, a bridge over a road, and Intermediate Signals at MP 86.7. Turning north, the line passes Intermediate Signals at MP 84.5, Sargent (MP 83.6), where the speed limit increases to 50-40, a detector at MP 83.3, Corporal (MP 83.0), where CTC ends and Double Track, TWC, ABS begins and the speed limit is 60-40, and US 101 bridges overhead on two bridges of very different vintages, and comes alongside to the east, and Carnadero (MP 79.7), where the Hollister branch trails in from the southeast, the speed limit falls to 55-40, and in 2008 there is still a wooden beet loader adjacent to the track on the east side. The line turns north-northwest, past dual road bridges overhead (US 101), a grade crossing, and rail-served warehouses on the east side (with the spur trailing in), to the end of Double Track and beginning of CTC at Luchessa (MP 78.4), where the speed limit falls to 35 mph, South Gilroy, the south end of the passenger track on the west side, a bridge over drainage, a rail-served plant on the east side, and Gilroy, south end of Caltrain service, with the passenger train storage tracks and depot on the west side of the line.