I still had flight benefits through my father on Texas International Airlines in 1981, even though he had retired from the airline in 1980. So, I flew from DFW to MSP on March 10, 1981. The cost for the non-revenue flight was $2.50.
I took a taxi from the MSP airport to the train station. I'm guessing I arrived at the station around 4pm, so I had some time to kill before the 8:45pm departure on the #7 to SEA. This was my very first Amtrak / train ride. I was 25, single, and traveling alone for this adventure. My Amtrak ticket stub said Reserved Coach - Car 6. The price for this one-way service to SEA was $140.00. I had one checked bag, and a carry on bag.
A woman in the same car as me said she had been visiting family, and was traveling to SEA and then on to Alaska, to be with her native Alaskan husband.
Once day broke on March 11th, I remember seeing the hills, the many strange small treeless hills, that was the landscape of N.D.
I remember stepping off the train in Minot, ND to get some air and stretch my legs. It was a bright and sunny morning. Once, back on the train, I remember overhearing someone say that an an Amtrak official was aboard the train. And that the reason (that he thought) the official was on the train, was because there had been a derailment recently, and that the official wanted to be sure everything was running okay on this route. I thought, if it's safe enough for an Amtrak official, it's good enough for me!
I remember being disappointed that the East Glacier Park stop wouldn't be open for this trip. (The current schedule says that stop doesn't open until April 30th).
I remember the stop in Spokane, at night, to unhitch the cars going on to Portland.
Before we got to SEA the next morning, March 12th, I remember seeing a man under a bridge with stuff, that made it look like he was probably living there.
Once in Seattle, my plans were to buy a couple of postcards to fill out and mail there, before leaving on the Coast Starlight for LAX. But.... the gift shop was closed, because there had been robbery there that morning. So, I stressed for a short while, until the gift shop opened about 20 minutes later. I bought the post cards and hurriedly filled them out, so that I could mail them at the SEA station. The cost for the #11 SEA-LAX in Reserved Coach was $109.00, again in Car 6. I think we left on time at 11:50am.
It was at the Portland stop that the train picked up some number of San Francisco hippy types. No judgement here, I'm just describing what I saw. That made the overnight journey to SFO (Emeryville/Oakland) interesting. They stayed up late into the night talking and playing cards. The Club car was like a party car. We had a stop at Klamath Falls, Oregon that lasted for about 30 minutes. It was surreal to be out in the country late at night, in the Crater Lake area. I think I heard someone say we took on a private car. Anyway, it was nice to get to stretch my legs there.
The next morning, March 13th, it was nice to begin to get to see the views of the Pacific Ocean, on the way to LAX. It was on this segment, that I believe that I had the best cheesecake that I ever have had, then, or since. It was heavenly, divine. The afterglow of it stayed with me for several days.
Arriving at Union Station, that was fun. Blade Runner had not come out yet (1982), so I can't remember if I had a movie reference for Union Station.
A friend picked me up at Union Station. I stayed in LA for a couple of days, and then I flew back to Dallas, on Texas International.
I took a taxi from the MSP airport to the train station. I'm guessing I arrived at the station around 4pm, so I had some time to kill before the 8:45pm departure on the #7 to SEA. This was my very first Amtrak / train ride. I was 25, single, and traveling alone for this adventure. My Amtrak ticket stub said Reserved Coach - Car 6. The price for this one-way service to SEA was $140.00. I had one checked bag, and a carry on bag.
A woman in the same car as me said she had been visiting family, and was traveling to SEA and then on to Alaska, to be with her native Alaskan husband.
Once day broke on March 11th, I remember seeing the hills, the many strange small treeless hills, that was the landscape of N.D.
I remember stepping off the train in Minot, ND to get some air and stretch my legs. It was a bright and sunny morning. Once, back on the train, I remember overhearing someone say that an an Amtrak official was aboard the train. And that the reason (that he thought) the official was on the train, was because there had been a derailment recently, and that the official wanted to be sure everything was running okay on this route. I thought, if it's safe enough for an Amtrak official, it's good enough for me!
I remember being disappointed that the East Glacier Park stop wouldn't be open for this trip. (The current schedule says that stop doesn't open until April 30th).
I remember the stop in Spokane, at night, to unhitch the cars going on to Portland.
Before we got to SEA the next morning, March 12th, I remember seeing a man under a bridge with stuff, that made it look like he was probably living there.
Once in Seattle, my plans were to buy a couple of postcards to fill out and mail there, before leaving on the Coast Starlight for LAX. But.... the gift shop was closed, because there had been robbery there that morning. So, I stressed for a short while, until the gift shop opened about 20 minutes later. I bought the post cards and hurriedly filled them out, so that I could mail them at the SEA station. The cost for the #11 SEA-LAX in Reserved Coach was $109.00, again in Car 6. I think we left on time at 11:50am.
It was at the Portland stop that the train picked up some number of San Francisco hippy types. No judgement here, I'm just describing what I saw. That made the overnight journey to SFO (Emeryville/Oakland) interesting. They stayed up late into the night talking and playing cards. The Club car was like a party car. We had a stop at Klamath Falls, Oregon that lasted for about 30 minutes. It was surreal to be out in the country late at night, in the Crater Lake area. I think I heard someone say we took on a private car. Anyway, it was nice to get to stretch my legs there.
The next morning, March 13th, it was nice to begin to get to see the views of the Pacific Ocean, on the way to LAX. It was on this segment, that I believe that I had the best cheesecake that I ever have had, then, or since. It was heavenly, divine. The afterglow of it stayed with me for several days.
Arriving at Union Station, that was fun. Blade Runner had not come out yet (1982), so I can't remember if I had a movie reference for Union Station.
A friend picked me up at Union Station. I stayed in LA for a couple of days, and then I flew back to Dallas, on Texas International.
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