norfolkwesternhenry
Lead Service Attendant
Me and my dad are taking a trip form MSP-SEA-VAC-Winnipeg, spending a few days in SEA, VAC, and Winnipeg, and I am doing my trip report on the EB and staying in SEA, while on the Cascades to VAC. We started by taking the 23 bus to the Blue line light rail station in MPLS, and rode it to the Green line station, where we rode the Green line to Union Depot, where the EB was waiting, we cut it a little tight, boarding five min after we got to Union Depot. Then we boarded, we were in coach, because this was a budget trip, to an extent, budget to VAC, then splurge in Sleeper Plus class on the Canadian, so as soon as we had our seats, (we had lower level, which was not "sold out" like the rest of the said "completely sold out" (words from the conductor) so I got two seats and my dad got two seats to sleep in. But I went to the SSL, where I spent a while, and eventually went back to my seat, where I watched some old Top Gear (the good kind, with Jeremy, James and Richard). When we slowed for Saint Cloud, I heard over the radio that some crazy drunk or high woman tried to climb into the cab of the lead P42, and the engineer called the cops. Because we got into St. Cloud, the assistant conductor let me and another guy get off, I listened to the cops talk to the crew, and they just caught the woman, who took off running down the street when the engineer started yelling at her to GET OFF THE ENGINE!! After SCL, I went back to my seat and fell asleep. I woke up in GFK, with about two hours of sleep, and went straight to the SSL, where people were starting to come in, but in North Dakota, where there is nothing to see, I kept falling asleep! We got into Minot very early, an were there for an hour and ten minutes, most of which I spent exploring the area around the Minot train station. I got some good pictures on my camera, which I will include when I get back home, because I forgot my micro-USB cable. Then as we entered Montana the scenery started to pick up a little bit, then at 4:30, we went for an early dinner, so I could spend more time socializing with CCC1007, I had the Steak (I had to give my dad a little extra for it), and it was excellent, with creamy mashed potatoes, string beans, and a delicious medium rare steak. Then our HEP started to go out on us. The second P42 decided it didn't want to work today! :angry2: NO HEP??? They transferred the HEP to the front engine and moved on, which delayed us a few minutes. Then we got to Shelby, MT, and things got better, CCC1007 got on, so I had someone who knew something about trains to talk to, we got into the mountains, so the scenery was better, there was a stalled freight train on one of the only bits on single track on Maria's pass, so we were doing the usual Amtrak thing, be fashionably (and very) late. The National Park Service volunteers started giving us info, and we were now in Glacier Nat. Park! Where there is better scenery than any other route. (you can challenge me to that, send me a link and I will beat you in scenery on any Amtrak route) We then passed the continental divide, and started our decent, and soon enough we were in WFH, and CCC1007 got off. So we went to bed chair seat and Woke up in Spokane, were I was really cold, I could hardly speak! My teeth were chattering so much! This was because it was about 50 degrees in the car and 40 degrees (F), and we had no blankets, and I was in shorts and a tee shirt! When we got back on the train, I put some proper pants on, and went back to sleep. I was planning on waking up at Wenatchee, but slept until Leavenworth! I immediately turned on my scanner, put my ear buds in one ear, woke my dad and headed to the dining car, where we had an OK breakfast, because the chef/waiter didn't include my BACON. :angry: . Then we entered the cascade tunnel, where I went to the back of the train with a powerful flashlight to light up the tunnel behind us, and watched until we exited and went back to my seat, where we sat until we got to SEA. Where we disembarked, and walked to our Air BnB condo. Will do a cascades review when we get to Vancouver. Hope to some of you! P. S. my spacebar is a little wonky, so there may be a few double spaces that missed while editing.
