Coast Starlight -> Empire Builder Connection

I'm booking a trip this summer from Los Angeles to Pasco, Washington which is serviced by the Portland leg of the EB. Amtrak advertised the 1 hour connection in Portland as legal, but I'm obviously concerned about making it. Will Amtrak stick us on a bus to Pasco if the CS is late? Or will we be able to just spend the night in Portland and take the train the next day (wouldn't mind this option).

35-40 years ago, I regularly made the 14 to 28 connection 6-8 times per year and never gave it a 2nd thought.  These days, I wouldn't do it.

Although another poster in another thread said it's about 20% of the time the connection is missed, that is far too risky in my opinion based on my own observations in recent years.  Just last April, I went to PDX on #14 and we arrived there only an hour or so behind schedule, so making #28 would not have been a problem.  When I boarded #28 the next day to CHI, I noted that #14 was still 2 hours shy of PDX. 

So, in my opinion, it's a matter of looking at the wrong end of Dirty Harry's 44 magnum....'Do you feel lucky?'

PS:  If you were on #14 right now, you'll be 5+ hours late into Portland!  Amtrak's site is presently quoting 8:53pm arrival!

What is the typical reaccomodation for those only going as far as Pasco when they misconnect?

It seems a few years ago that there was a regular practice of running a bus from some point on No. 14's route to allow passengers to make the connection with 28, perhaps at Pasco when 14 was running late.  Is this still done? 

Rasputin said:

It seems a few years ago that there was a regular practice of running a bus from some point on No. 14's route to allow passengers to make the connection with 28, perhaps at Pasco when 14 was running late.  Is this still done? 

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It depends on how #14 is running. You could be bused to Pasco,Portland or even Spokane or #28 could be held depending on #14s arrival into PDX.

I've experienced all of the above and have even been comped Hotel and Meal Money in Portland and Seattle both where I was booked onto the next days #28 or #8.

Luck of the draw!

Thanks for the info, hopefully if the Coast Starlight is running late they'll put us up for the night in Portland. I did purchase the trip insurance which would cover the overnight stay if the train is late. Really looking forward to riding along the Columbia River Gorge out of Portland and don't want to do it in a bus.  

If you don't trust your luck, the only way you can be 100% certain of seeing the Columbia River gorge from the train is to book a hotel room between trains in Portland.

 I did purchase the trip insurance which would cover the overnight stay if the train is late.

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Are you sure the insurance company will cover the cost of the hotel if the train is late and you turn down a bus connection offered by Amtrak?