"Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome aboard the Coast Starlight!"
So began my 6th season as a Volunteer guide with the Trails & Rails program of the National Park Service and sponsored by the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle. My co-guide was also veteran and we've worked trips before, so we knew what sections of the program each of us liked to do.
Number 11 was full as we pulled out of Seattle and when we reached Tacoma another 100 or so folks climbed aboard. The weather was somewhat cloudy, so there were no views of any of the mountains, but of course we DID talk about them. There were good views of Puget Sound, the Nisqually Delta, The Mima Mounds, the Columbia and all the other rivers & streams in between.
An unusual occurrence... Jamison the LSA in the Café was open and serving BEFORE we left Seattle. In all my years of T&R volunteering, I have NEVER seen them do that. Usually they don't allow people downstairs until at least Tukwila.
The Diner was busy so out LSA James asked if he could serve us "to go" in the lounge. That worked for us... and whetted the appetites of the rest of the passengers. I had the Veggie burger with bacon & cheese. My companion had the pasta special (Meatballs Marinara over Penne) James himself delivered our meals. (This is unusual for most CS LSAs... they don't like us "Green shirts" too well)
Each of us did 2 walks of the coaches & stops in the lower levels.
Arrival into Portland was at 1:15 PM.
My companion had relatives in Portland so he went off to visit them. I hung around the Met Lounge and chatted with Frank, the attendant. I did manage a quick trip to VooDoo Doughnuts for a maple bacon bar. (YUMMMMM). Number 28 was parked on Track 1 in front of the Met Lounge windows. Its usually on #2. Shortly I found out why. The Locomotive on Cascades 516 (AMTRAK 175)wouldn't start so they moved #28 (AMTRAK #75) over to the nose of 175 to jump start her. And as soon as 516 departed #28 backed up to her spot in front of the Met Lounge.
Number 14 arrived at 3:00 PM pulled by two P32s. I unfortunately did not get the numbers. We departed on the Advertised at 4:12 PM with 297 onboard. 203 went all the way to Seattle. The PA was not working in the SSL so we had to do our trainwide announcements in the following coach. We also had to make the station arrival announcements in the SSL over our PA as people couldn't hear the conductor. There was quite a bit of running to get off the train in Kelso when people realized they were about to miss their stop!
The weather had cleared a bit. We could see downtown Portland from the Willamette crossing, but unfortunately Mount Hood was not out.
David the Dining Car LSA didn't know what to do when I went up to him in Portland & asked him for dinner reservations. He said he usually works the SWC and doesn't get too many T&R guides. After I and the rest of his crew filled him in, he decided that they were too busy to take us unless it was immediately after leaving Portland, Neither my fellow guide or I were hungry right them so we opted for "to go" again. About Woodland, David appeared with the order checks and other paperwork, and we ordered out dinner. My travelling companion had the "light Special" a Chicken Marsala with rice and the multi-colored carrot medley. I had the Tom Douglas Chipotle short ribs with mashed & the carrots. Before we were in Longview, David had our dinners in front of us.
Neither LSA was a CS regular, and I was SO PLEASED with their level of service and GREAT attitudes.
Michael was the LSA in the café car. He was pleasant, but both my companion guide and I thought it was strange that he took his one hour dinner break as we left Centralia. He came back on around Nisqually and promptly announced that the Café would close before arrival in to Tacoma. Although we both understand that he is entitled to his dinner break, we found it interesting that he would take his dinner and then close the café at such a time where he could be ringing up customer sales (and tips).
Wildlife was not very visible on this trip, but I did manage to see some Eagles & Osprey on the Columbia between Woodland and Kalama, and a couple Sandhill Cranes in the Ridgefield Wildlife refuge. I didn't see ANYTHING in Nisqually or in/on the Sound.
Greg, the Car Attendant in the first coach, came up to clean up the SSL as we were in Tacoma, but unlike many of the regular crews on #14 did not clear out the car, so we were able to do our full presentation all the way into King Street Station!
The sun was just setting over the Olympic Mountains as we pulled in the Seattle's King Street Station. We returned our " Travelling Trunk" and signed in at the ticket counter at 8:04 PM. We were a full 30 minutes early! (Yes I know the padding).
I took last season off because of health and work issues. It was SO NICE to get back aboard the train again. I do it all over again this coming Sunday along with one of the coordinators and his son (Our second junior guide from the Klondike) and three times in June. Also I'll be doing the 4th of July alone... So if you aren't doing something for the holiday.. Come join me aboard #11 & 14!
"This concludes our interpretive program today. On behalf of Amtrak, The National Park Service Trails & Rails Program, The Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park, and my fellow guide, we hope that you enjoyed the sights, sounds and service aboard the Coast Starlight today. If Seattle is your home... "WELCOME HOME" If you are just visiting or continuing on AMTRAK tonight, we wish you Safe Journeys and hope to see you aboard an AMTRAK train again soon!
Good Night!"
PS... The King Street Station refurbishing is INCREDIBLE! GOOD JOB SDOT!
David
Seattle
So began my 6th season as a Volunteer guide with the Trails & Rails program of the National Park Service and sponsored by the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle. My co-guide was also veteran and we've worked trips before, so we knew what sections of the program each of us liked to do.
Number 11 was full as we pulled out of Seattle and when we reached Tacoma another 100 or so folks climbed aboard. The weather was somewhat cloudy, so there were no views of any of the mountains, but of course we DID talk about them. There were good views of Puget Sound, the Nisqually Delta, The Mima Mounds, the Columbia and all the other rivers & streams in between.
An unusual occurrence... Jamison the LSA in the Café was open and serving BEFORE we left Seattle. In all my years of T&R volunteering, I have NEVER seen them do that. Usually they don't allow people downstairs until at least Tukwila.
The Diner was busy so out LSA James asked if he could serve us "to go" in the lounge. That worked for us... and whetted the appetites of the rest of the passengers. I had the Veggie burger with bacon & cheese. My companion had the pasta special (Meatballs Marinara over Penne) James himself delivered our meals. (This is unusual for most CS LSAs... they don't like us "Green shirts" too well)
Each of us did 2 walks of the coaches & stops in the lower levels.
Arrival into Portland was at 1:15 PM.
My companion had relatives in Portland so he went off to visit them. I hung around the Met Lounge and chatted with Frank, the attendant. I did manage a quick trip to VooDoo Doughnuts for a maple bacon bar. (YUMMMMM). Number 28 was parked on Track 1 in front of the Met Lounge windows. Its usually on #2. Shortly I found out why. The Locomotive on Cascades 516 (AMTRAK 175)wouldn't start so they moved #28 (AMTRAK #75) over to the nose of 175 to jump start her. And as soon as 516 departed #28 backed up to her spot in front of the Met Lounge.
Number 14 arrived at 3:00 PM pulled by two P32s. I unfortunately did not get the numbers. We departed on the Advertised at 4:12 PM with 297 onboard. 203 went all the way to Seattle. The PA was not working in the SSL so we had to do our trainwide announcements in the following coach. We also had to make the station arrival announcements in the SSL over our PA as people couldn't hear the conductor. There was quite a bit of running to get off the train in Kelso when people realized they were about to miss their stop!
The weather had cleared a bit. We could see downtown Portland from the Willamette crossing, but unfortunately Mount Hood was not out.
David the Dining Car LSA didn't know what to do when I went up to him in Portland & asked him for dinner reservations. He said he usually works the SWC and doesn't get too many T&R guides. After I and the rest of his crew filled him in, he decided that they were too busy to take us unless it was immediately after leaving Portland, Neither my fellow guide or I were hungry right them so we opted for "to go" again. About Woodland, David appeared with the order checks and other paperwork, and we ordered out dinner. My travelling companion had the "light Special" a Chicken Marsala with rice and the multi-colored carrot medley. I had the Tom Douglas Chipotle short ribs with mashed & the carrots. Before we were in Longview, David had our dinners in front of us.
Neither LSA was a CS regular, and I was SO PLEASED with their level of service and GREAT attitudes.
Michael was the LSA in the café car. He was pleasant, but both my companion guide and I thought it was strange that he took his one hour dinner break as we left Centralia. He came back on around Nisqually and promptly announced that the Café would close before arrival in to Tacoma. Although we both understand that he is entitled to his dinner break, we found it interesting that he would take his dinner and then close the café at such a time where he could be ringing up customer sales (and tips).
Wildlife was not very visible on this trip, but I did manage to see some Eagles & Osprey on the Columbia between Woodland and Kalama, and a couple Sandhill Cranes in the Ridgefield Wildlife refuge. I didn't see ANYTHING in Nisqually or in/on the Sound.
Greg, the Car Attendant in the first coach, came up to clean up the SSL as we were in Tacoma, but unlike many of the regular crews on #14 did not clear out the car, so we were able to do our full presentation all the way into King Street Station!
The sun was just setting over the Olympic Mountains as we pulled in the Seattle's King Street Station. We returned our " Travelling Trunk" and signed in at the ticket counter at 8:04 PM. We were a full 30 minutes early! (Yes I know the padding).
I took last season off because of health and work issues. It was SO NICE to get back aboard the train again. I do it all over again this coming Sunday along with one of the coordinators and his son (Our second junior guide from the Klondike) and three times in June. Also I'll be doing the 4th of July alone... So if you aren't doing something for the holiday.. Come join me aboard #11 & 14!
"This concludes our interpretive program today. On behalf of Amtrak, The National Park Service Trails & Rails Program, The Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park, and my fellow guide, we hope that you enjoyed the sights, sounds and service aboard the Coast Starlight today. If Seattle is your home... "WELCOME HOME" If you are just visiting or continuing on AMTRAK tonight, we wish you Safe Journeys and hope to see you aboard an AMTRAK train again soon!
Good Night!"
PS... The King Street Station refurbishing is INCREDIBLE! GOOD JOB SDOT!
David
Seattle
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