New feature on the new Oregon Talgos

[EMDF9A]

From the AMTRAK CASCADES on Facebook

Here's your next chance to step foot on a new ODOT trainset: Come tour the Portland Express, this Friday at King Street Station in Seattle!

On December 13, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Amtrak Cascades and Travel Portland will unveil the “Portland Express” train car, the first-ever interior train car takeover of this kind in the Pacific Northwest, featuring the Portland, Oregon experience. You’re invited to join us for a tour of the “Portland Express” which will include custom Pendleton Woolen Mills upholstered seats, custom wallpaper and table coverings, stacked wood and oil paintings and antler hangings. Inside the Seattle station you can enjoy a free acoustic set from musician Luz Elena Mendoza and the band The Tiburones, and shop at a marketplace featuring Portland wares.

Portland is happening now! Tax-free shopping, 52 craft breweries (more than any other city in the world), and a culinary scene that includes restaurants, specialty shops and an entire month of $29 three-course menus in March, is just an Amtrak Cascades train ride away.


David
Seattle

 

[fairviewroad]

Sounds like this is the Lounge car? Based on the comment about the table coverings. (I know there is a table

in some of coach cars) Also, I don't know where you'd put an "antler hanging" in a coach car. Should be, uh,

interesting.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Another Example of why Portland is considered a "Happening City" and Good PR for Amtrak too! Will that car be in Regular Cascade Service for Passengers to Ride or is it just a Temporary Marketing Tool to Get Seattle Shoppers to Visit Oregon???

 

[the_traveler]

I know it's not yet in service, but it's kinda ironic that the ODOT Cascade and the Portland Express car is being unveiled at King Street Station!

 

[fairviewroad]

I know it's not yet in service, but it's kinda ironic that the ODOT Cascade and the Portland Express car is being unveiled at King Street Station!

Makes sense to me. People living in Portland don't need to be convinced to travel to Portland. By unveiling it in Seattle,

they'll get a publicity hit from local media there.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I wonder how the FRA is going to take to pointy pokey Antlers hanging in a car :blink: :unsure:

 

[fairviewroad]

I wonder how the FRA is going to take to pointy pokey Antlers hanging in a car :blink: :unsure:

Maybe they're Nerf antlers.

 

[the_traveler]

But why not unveil it in Salem, Albany or Eugene - all of which are in OR to the people who paid for it thru ODOT? :huh: These cities are not in Portland, but are cities this train will go to.

I lived in upstate NYS for 34 years, and hardly ever went to NYC. (Except to change trains of course! ) And to this day, I've never been to the Statute of Liberty or Ellis Island.

 

[PerRock]

I doubt any of those stops have an extra track for this trainset to sit at & allow people to tour.

peter

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Because nothing says 'enviornmentally-friendly 21st Century mode of transit' like a lounge car festuned with animal parts.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Win for ALC Rail Writer.

 

[fairviewroad]

But why not unveil it in Salem, Albany or Eugene - all of which are in OR to the people who paid for it thru ODOT? :huh: These cities are not in Portland, but are cities this train will go to.

Aside from the logistical challenges described by PerRock, the simple fact is that the biggest inbound travel market for Portland is Seattle/Tacoma, not the rest

of the Willamette Valley. Economic development types love to see out-of-state tourists because they bring revenue IN, not just shuffle the $$$ around. Not much

of a "win" for Oregon if someone from Salem goes out to eat in Portland. And another simple fact is that someone traveling by rail has many more options to get

to Portland if they are starting in Seattle versus starting in Salem, Albany and Eugene.

Because nothing says 'enviornmentally-friendly 21st Century mode of transit' like a lounge car festuned with animal parts.

This "environmentally-friendly mode of transit" kills plenty of deer each year. I don't see what the big deal is about hanging a pair of antlers in the lounge

car. Cheesy, yes, but I think that's partly the vibe they're going for. Will be interested in seeing photos.

 

[Blackwolf]

I, for one, love the classic "Pacific Northwest" hunting cabin theme of Pendleton wools, mounted animals/furs and use of warm colors and materials. Indeed, all three elements play a part in my own home.

Yes, PETA-types hate me.

 

[third rail 1200]

Oregon has a state income tax but no sales tax; Washington has the reverse. This is a big problem for Oregon because it is so easy to live in Washington and work in Portland.

This is a great opportunity to attract Seattle and other northern Washington xmas shoppers to come to Oregon to buy wonderful sales tax free Oregon and other products.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I'm not a Hunter and Don't Care for the Rugged Outdoor Look, But I do know that We have Way to Many Deer in Most Places and actually Hunting them for Meat and Horns and Deerskin is More Humane than Having Them Starve or get Hit by Cars and Trains!

A Classic Example has been the "Stars" (Beyonce and Aretha Franklin come to Mind) that Support Animal Rights and PETA and yet Wear Fur Coats and Accessories Made out of Animal Parts!!.

 

[fairviewroad]

Oregon has a state income tax but no sales tax; Washington has the reverse. This is a big problem for Oregon because it is so easy to live in Washington and work in Portland.

If you work in Oregon, your Oregon income is taxed the same regardless of where you live. So living across the river in VAN doesn't get you out of your

Oregon income tax bill.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Oregon has a state income tax but no sales tax; Washington has the reverse. This is a big problem for Oregon because it is so easy to live in Washington and work in Portland.

If you work in Oregon, your Oregon income is taxed the same regardless of where you live. So living across the river in VAN doesn't get you out of your

Oregon income tax bill.

This is Interesting! There are only 7 States Without Income Tax and all seem to have Strong Economies! (Co-Incidence??) Wonder if our Resident Tax Attorney, Yoga and Beer Afficinado and Train Buff from Florida has to Deal with this when doing Out of State Returns?(Lots of Northeasterners in Florida! ^_^ ) I know in the Case of NYC (Lots of Our members from that Area) if you Live in Jersey or Connecticut or Pennsylvania and Work in the City you Pay New York City Income Tax! The Washington DC Area has it Covered since Maryland and Virginia and DC All have Income Taxes so You Can't Avoid the Tax Man! In the Case of Oregon and Washington, does it Matter if your a Permanent Resident of Washington (Non-Income Tax State) since Portland doesnt have a City Income Tax???? ( No Income taxes are taken out of Military Retirement, Most Pensions or Some Social Security Checks No Matter where you Live!)

 

[fairviewroad]

In the Case of Oregon and Washington, does it Matter if your a Permanent Resident of Washington (Non-Income Tax State) since Portland doesnt have a City Income Tax???? ( No Income taxes are taken out of Military Retirement, Most Pensions or Some Social Security Checks No Matter where you Live!)

I'm not sure if I understand the question entirely, but the state of Oregon taxes income earned in Oregon the same, regardless of where the earner lives. So someone living in Washington state who works in Oregon would be taxed on their Oregon salary. Oregon cannot and does not tax the Washington resident on income earned via capital gains, interest, pensions, social security, etc, since that income would not have been earned in Oregon. For the average middle-class person, the bulk of their income comes from wages/salary. The slight benefit of not paying tax on the interest you earn from your mutual funds is more than offset by the cost of commuting back and forth to Portland each day. For retired people, of course, the equation changes dramatically.

Guess this is turning into something rather off-topic. Sorry!

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Thanks! And AU threads going Off Topic, Nah, Never Happens!! :lol:

 

[Ispolkom]

But why not unveil it in Salem, Albany or Eugene - all of which are in OR to the people who paid for it thru ODOT? :huh: These cities are not in Portland, but are cities this train will go to.

Aside from the logistical challenges described by PerRock, the simple fact is that the biggest inbound travel market for Portland is Seattle/Tacoma, not the rest

of the Willamette Valley. Economic development types love to see out-of-state tourists because they bring revenue IN, not just shuffle the $$$ around. Not much

of a "win" for Oregon if someone from Salem goes out to eat in Portland. And another simple fact is that someone traveling by rail has many more options to get

to Portland if they are starting in Seattle versus starting in Salem, Albany and Eugene.

Because nothing says 'enviornmentally-friendly 21st Century mode of transit' like a lounge car festuned with animal parts.

Your "environmentally-friendly mode of transit" kills plenty of deer each year. I don't see what the big deal is about hanging a pair of antlers in the lounge

car. Cheesy, yes, but I think that's partly the vibe they're going for. Will be interested in seeing photos.

Bucks shed their antlers every year, so you certainly wouldn't have to kill a deer to get the antlers. Given the overpopulation of whitetails in much of the US, though, killing them probably is the environmentally friendly option. At least if you like hemlocks...

To tie the thread off, if I worked in Oregon, but lived in Washington state, and traveled to Idaho by a very-late Empire Builder to collect shed antlers which I then sold in Montana, where would I report the income?

 

[fairviewroad]

To tie the thread off, if I worked in Oregon, but lived in Washington state, and traveled to Idaho by a very-late Empire Builder to collect shed antlers which I then sold in Montana, where would I report the income?

If you were paid in cash, then probably nowhere.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Because nothing says 'enviornmentally-friendly 21st Century mode of transit' like a lounge car festuned with animal parts.

Your "environmentally-friendly mode of transit" kills plenty of deer each year. I don't see what the big deal is about hanging a pair of antlers in the lounge

car. Cheesy, yes, but I think that's partly the vibe they're going for. Will be interested in seeing photos.

"My" mode of transit? I'm merely trying to reconcile Amtrak's public image and the image of the lounge car, I never said anything about not believing in the well-documented challenge to our econology known as "railkill".

Back on topic, I think SEA is the logical place to show off the new toys for Oregon... Amtrak might sell a few more seats PDX-SEA

 

[fairviewroad]

Because nothing says 'enviornmentally-friendly 21st Century mode of transit' like a lounge car festuned with animal parts.

Your "environmentally-friendly mode of transit" kills plenty of deer each year. I don't see what the big deal is about hanging a pair of antlers in the lounge

car. Cheesy, yes, but I think that's partly the vibe they're going for. Will be interested in seeing photos.

"My" mode of transit? I'm merely trying to reconcile Amtrak's public image and the image of the lounge car, I never said anything about not believing in the well-documented challenge to our econology known as "railkill".

Okay, I still don't quite follow your concern but I'm happy to replace the word "Your" with "This".

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

It sounds gaudy and inconsistent with Amtrak's own (not my) brand-imaging, those are my principle concerns.

 

[fairviewroad]

It sounds gaudy and inconsistent with Amtrak's own (not my) brand-imaging, those are my principle concerns.

Okay, I hear you. It's definitely not what you'd use to market the Acela, or to a first-class sleeping car passenger. But Portland

is a place that thrives on quirky. In this case, antlers in the lounge car speak less of a hunter vibe and more of a "Keep Portland

Weird" vibe. And as I speculated upthread, I suspect they won't be real antlers (though I could be wrong).