Amtrak California for Business Travel

OK, not a giant fan of Southwest Airlines and I love trains.  Fly most of the time on Southwest Airlines but every once in a while; I just want to Silver Streak.  However, when I traveled from Los Angeles CA to Chicago IL; I didn't have the adventure that Gene Wilder had in the movie "Silver Streak.  It was a fun ride but no adventure and not as scenic as the California Zephyr.  You just gotta ride the Amtrak California Zephyr as it the most scenic Amtrak train.

I live in Claremont, CA which has a Amtrak bus stop at the Metrolink Train Station for the Amtrak San Joaquin train that goes from Bakersfield CA to Oakland CA.  I  rode on a unmarked bus but typically the bus is Amtrak bus marked.  There was about five stops between Claremont CA and Bakersfield CA.

I could have switched to BART (San Francisco heavy rail train) at Richmond BART station; but I decided to get off at Martinez CA and take a County Connection Bus ride to the Pleasant Hill BART station.  I cannot say this method was any faster in getting me to Walnut Creek BART station; but I desired a bus ride.   You meet the most colorful persons on County Connection Buses on a Saturday Night and I know this from experience.  This bus ride was no exception meaning things have
not changed much.

Enjoyed the long journey even if the BART train between Pleasant Hill to Walnut Creek must have been one of the original 40 year old BART trains and belonged in a repair shop due to electrical issues with the car doors.

The San Joaquin is not the Surfliner; but you do get a view of agriculture and oil wells which is a change from views of the Pacific Ocean.

A refreshing change from crowded Southwest Airlines Boeing 737s if one has the time for a long train ride.