unitedstatesfan
Train Attendant
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2016
- Messages
- 70
My August 2016 trip on 'Coast Starlight' from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon was an opportunity to see if things had changed since my previous trip about 15 years ago.
I enjoyed a brief time in the Amtrak lounge, which would be better if it served free alcohol (not that this is required at 0930 hours, but it would be for a night time departure).
I then chose to walk to the platform where at about 0940 the 'Coast Starlight' docked.
The consist was locos 41 and 505 heading 61051 (baggage) then sleepers 39019 (transition car)-32041-32075-32011 followed by lounge 33041 and diner 38055 then business class sitter 34512, lounge 33025 and finally 34064-34037-34039 bringing up the rear as the sitting cars.
I settled into my roomette that unfortunately was on the east side so it would lack views of the Pacific Ocean, but that was easily solved with a walk to the observation car.
Departure was at 1011, one minute late. At Van Nuys (1037-39), there was a car train with HLEX 1835 and 2103 heading the consist.
At MP439.4 we stopped in a siding to cross a southbound Amtrak train: this took 18 minutes, so the Simi Valley stop where seven passengers boarded was from 1120 to 1125, 14 minutes late.
By Oxnard we were 16 minutes late. After a six minute stop at Santa Barbara (1244 to 1250), I enjoyed the included lunch in the diner that was an excellent beef burger with chips, accompanied by a very pleasant Sierra Nevada pale ale (fairly expensive at US$7.50 for the beer, which was what in Australia we'd call a stubbie - a bottled beer of about 330 to 375 ml).
It was most enjoyable to watch the Pacific Ocean even if I did not think that the beaches were up to the high, white sand standards of those in Philippines. At times there were huge numbers of recreational vehicles parked in parking bays. The RVs were mammoth - only in America!
The San Luis Obispo stop was from 1529 to 1545 with an Australian orange flowering gum being noted in all its finery on the main platform.
Here we crossed the southbound 'Coast Starlight', locos 176 and 150 heading another impressive 11 car consist. It departed at 1543, 23 minutes behind schedule.
i walked through the sitting cars and found 130 passengers in total in the sitters, so they were by no means full but at least there were not just 20 people in the three sitters.
Due to a late running CalTrain, we then stopped at Gilroy for 19 minutes (1930 to 1949) making the San Jose stop 2020 to 2033 and Oakland 2126 to 2139.
Next morning I awoke briefly to note the train pulling out of Sacramento at 0015 hours so at least we were not badly delayed at this station, which from observation is often a constraint on punctuality for train number 14.
At Chico (0145 to 0155, a total of two stops), the conductor had to direct a passenger who was unable to get over a fence to use the correct entrance to the platform.
At 0700 I showered with the water thankfully being hot - an important morning ritual for Australians that I am not sure is followed by all other nationalities - but unfortunately one loco was having problems so we stopped south of Klamath Falls from 0720 to 0738: thankfully the engineers solved the problem, so the conductor informed me.
The Klamath Falls stop was from 0800 to 0817 with many passengers stretching their legs. The station ('depot' in USA-speak) was in the throes of being renovated.
I had bacon and other goodies for breakfast upon departure and spoke with a young female management consultant from London, United Kingdom who had booked her sleeper at short notice after endeavouring to drive elsewhere in the USA and allegedly being almost run off the road by a recreational vehicle driver. And little old me thought that all RV drivers were docile individuals who motored along at a slow 80 kilometres an hour (50mph)!
The scenery was pleasant with mountains visible.
We eventually arrived Portland, Oregon at 1526, one minute late where I detrained.
It was easy to sleep in the roomette.
While the Amtrak monthly performance report available under 'reports' on its website indicates that patronage on 'Coast Starlight' fell in August 2016 compared with August 2015, I thought the number of travellers was very good.
Many passengers on board expressed satisfaction with Amtrak: a number were repeat riders.
Perhaps one of Amtrak's biggest problems is that those who have never ridden it are the most hyper critical.
The 'Coast Starlight' is not fast, but it is an excellent way to see great scenery and enjoy the pleasure of a sleeping car plus dining car meals. Book at least three months in advance for the cheapest fare bucket.
I enjoyed a brief time in the Amtrak lounge, which would be better if it served free alcohol (not that this is required at 0930 hours, but it would be for a night time departure).
I then chose to walk to the platform where at about 0940 the 'Coast Starlight' docked.
The consist was locos 41 and 505 heading 61051 (baggage) then sleepers 39019 (transition car)-32041-32075-32011 followed by lounge 33041 and diner 38055 then business class sitter 34512, lounge 33025 and finally 34064-34037-34039 bringing up the rear as the sitting cars.
I settled into my roomette that unfortunately was on the east side so it would lack views of the Pacific Ocean, but that was easily solved with a walk to the observation car.
Departure was at 1011, one minute late. At Van Nuys (1037-39), there was a car train with HLEX 1835 and 2103 heading the consist.
At MP439.4 we stopped in a siding to cross a southbound Amtrak train: this took 18 minutes, so the Simi Valley stop where seven passengers boarded was from 1120 to 1125, 14 minutes late.
By Oxnard we were 16 minutes late. After a six minute stop at Santa Barbara (1244 to 1250), I enjoyed the included lunch in the diner that was an excellent beef burger with chips, accompanied by a very pleasant Sierra Nevada pale ale (fairly expensive at US$7.50 for the beer, which was what in Australia we'd call a stubbie - a bottled beer of about 330 to 375 ml).
It was most enjoyable to watch the Pacific Ocean even if I did not think that the beaches were up to the high, white sand standards of those in Philippines. At times there were huge numbers of recreational vehicles parked in parking bays. The RVs were mammoth - only in America!
The San Luis Obispo stop was from 1529 to 1545 with an Australian orange flowering gum being noted in all its finery on the main platform.
Here we crossed the southbound 'Coast Starlight', locos 176 and 150 heading another impressive 11 car consist. It departed at 1543, 23 minutes behind schedule.
i walked through the sitting cars and found 130 passengers in total in the sitters, so they were by no means full but at least there were not just 20 people in the three sitters.
Due to a late running CalTrain, we then stopped at Gilroy for 19 minutes (1930 to 1949) making the San Jose stop 2020 to 2033 and Oakland 2126 to 2139.
Next morning I awoke briefly to note the train pulling out of Sacramento at 0015 hours so at least we were not badly delayed at this station, which from observation is often a constraint on punctuality for train number 14.
At Chico (0145 to 0155, a total of two stops), the conductor had to direct a passenger who was unable to get over a fence to use the correct entrance to the platform.
At 0700 I showered with the water thankfully being hot - an important morning ritual for Australians that I am not sure is followed by all other nationalities - but unfortunately one loco was having problems so we stopped south of Klamath Falls from 0720 to 0738: thankfully the engineers solved the problem, so the conductor informed me.
The Klamath Falls stop was from 0800 to 0817 with many passengers stretching their legs. The station ('depot' in USA-speak) was in the throes of being renovated.
I had bacon and other goodies for breakfast upon departure and spoke with a young female management consultant from London, United Kingdom who had booked her sleeper at short notice after endeavouring to drive elsewhere in the USA and allegedly being almost run off the road by a recreational vehicle driver. And little old me thought that all RV drivers were docile individuals who motored along at a slow 80 kilometres an hour (50mph)!
The scenery was pleasant with mountains visible.
We eventually arrived Portland, Oregon at 1526, one minute late where I detrained.
It was easy to sleep in the roomette.
While the Amtrak monthly performance report available under 'reports' on its website indicates that patronage on 'Coast Starlight' fell in August 2016 compared with August 2015, I thought the number of travellers was very good.
Many passengers on board expressed satisfaction with Amtrak: a number were repeat riders.
Perhaps one of Amtrak's biggest problems is that those who have never ridden it are the most hyper critical.
The 'Coast Starlight' is not fast, but it is an excellent way to see great scenery and enjoy the pleasure of a sleeping car plus dining car meals. Book at least three months in advance for the cheapest fare bucket.
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