Cuesta Pass is definitely a scenic highlight on that route. (And there is certainly no need to apologize!)

My favorite Coast Starlight stretch though is Redding to Eugene, past Mt. Shasta and through the Willamette Pass down the Willamette Valley. I think the views through that are better overall on the non-coast side of the train (and there are a couple of amazing horseshoe curves descending in to the Valley from the Pass, or climbing if you are southbound) but unfortunately a lot of that can be at night, depending on direction / season / how late it is.