Planning Trip

[denmarks]

I am planning a trip next spring. Chico, CA - Seattle (1 night) - Chicago ( 3 nights) - Portland - Chico.

The only reason I am staying one night in Seattle is that it almost seems hopeless to make the connection between trains north and east bound in Portland since the scheduled time between trains is 1 hour. Coming home the connection is 4 hours and I'm willing to take a chance being closer to home. I'd rather stay overnight in Seattle than Portland.

I looked at the last 3 days and the CS was always a few hours late and the EB seems to leave on time.

Has anyone had experience with these connections? Any recommendations?

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

I sorta did this trip in 2001. We were 2 hours late to Tacamo. Empire Builder passengers were taken off in busses in Kalamath Falls to meet the Builder in (I think) Spokane. (UG a bus ride :angry: )

I had planed to meet friends in Tacoma and we had a great day. Took the "duck tour" visited the Space needle and much more. Your are welcome to look at my pictures in my galleries.

 

[Trogdor]

It's hard to tell what the timeliness of the train will be like next spring, but if you've already decided to spend the night in Seattle, you should be fine. I made the Starlight-to-Builder connection in January, and we were late into Portland. However, we were close enough that they just held the Builder an extra 15-20 minutes to get the connecting passengers/baggage (we pulled in just as the Builder was scheduled to leave).

The westbound connection should be no trouble at all, as it takes a major disaster for the Empire Builder to arrive 5+ hours late.

 

[Trogdor]

The only reason I am staying one night in Seattle is that it almost seems hopeless to make the connection between trains north and east bound in Portland since the scheduled time between trains is 1 hour.

Not only is the connection "hopeless," but as of tomorrow, the train-to-train connection is no longer guaranteed. Instead, tomorrow Amtrak is launching thruway bus 3014 between Klamath Falls, OR, and Pasco, WA for passengers connecting from the Coast Starlight to the Empire Builder.

 

[denmarks]

The only reason I am staying one night in Seattle is that it almost seems hopeless to make the connection between trains north and east bound in Portland since the scheduled time between trains is 1 hour.

Not only is the connection "hopeless," but as of tomorrow, the train-to-train connection is no longer guaranteed. Instead, tomorrow Amtrak is launching thruway bus 3014 between Klamath Falls, OR, and Pasco, WA for passengers connecting from the Coast Starlight to the Empire Builder.

An 11 hour bus trip!!!

 

[jccollins]

I know - I am sure Amtrak will have a lot of takers for that 11 hour bus ride! It will probably be cancelled after Amtrak drives away the rest of their customers trying to make a same day connection between the northbound Coast Starlate and the eastbound Empire Builder. The number of passengers trying to make this connection has dwindled from an average of 100 or so a few years ago to only 10-12 on most days now. I am sure it will drop significantly more with the 11 hour bus being the only option. You are definitely making the wise choice to make an overnight connection via Seattle, denmarks.

 

[jccollins]

Not only is the connection "hopeless," but as of tomorrow, the train-to-train connection is no longer guaranteed.

Here is the "official" release with additional information from August 12th's NARP News Hotline:

Amtrak has ended the connection at Portland, OR between northbound Coast Starlight train 14 and eastbound Empire Builder train 28, effective August 13, establishing instead a dedicated Thruway motorcoach connection between Klamath Falls, OR and Pasco, WA.  This was necessitated by Union Pacific Railroad’s continuing difficulties in getting the Coast Starlight across its route in a timely manner. Bus 3014 departs Klamath Falls at 9:15 AM (and will hold for train 14 if it is late). The bus also makes a receive-only stop at Chemult at 10:45 AM, and arrives into Pasco at 8:15 PM. Passengers will be provided bottled water, and a meal stop for passengers to purchase food will be made. Checked baggage will be handled and automatically transferred between trains.