Through The Fields Of Bakersfield. On the scorching hot afternoon of July 23, 2020, Amtrak/Amtrak California Train 719 is seen underway on the 6 hour northbound run to Oakland, California. CDTX 2010 (F59PHI, EMD, 8/2001) leads a typical consist of a Viewliner II baggage car, an ex-New Jersey Transit Caltrans Comet IB and 4 bi-level California Cars (Morrison–Knudsen/Amerail, rebuilt by Alstom) through a fairly desolate looking area that is just outside of the downtown Bakersfield, California. The single level cars are present only for axle-count purposes, a requirement on some passenger routes to maintain speed while still activating all of the necessary railroad safety devices with its presence.
From one train each way in 1973 between Bakersfield and Oakland when it started up, this line as expanded to six trips daily; four to Oakland and two to Sacramento.
