posted
Thank you Mr. Toy. Wish I can get to ride the Coast Starlight as much as you do. But living on the east coast makes it more challenging. I rode it from Seattle To San Francisco in 1994, then from San Francisco to Santa Barbara in 1997 or'98. The Pacific Pacific Parlour Cars were not yet refurbished. If I rideit again I definitely will try the French toast. Also, have a slice of that apple pie which I tried already. And hopefully we'll have the right chef for it.
Posts: 498 | From: New Hope, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Fine report, Mr. Toy. Excellent photos, too.
BTW, I traveled aboard the 'Tennessee' on a Coast Starlight trip (between Emeryville and Portland) during the summer of 2002. At the time, the state name was still painted on the side of the car, and the blue upholstery was already in place.
Posts: 793 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Thanks for an up-to-date 'State of the Starlight' report. I'll be riding Los Angeles to Portland in a couple of weeks and have a pretty good idea of what to expect now.
David Pressley
Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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As always, a great read. Thanks for posting your trip report and the pics. For some reason I couldn't get the videos to open. All I got was a bunch of "code".
By all means venture further south sometime. Santa Barbara is a great place to visit and can easily be done without a car.
Frank in foggy SBA (June Gloom is in full force!)
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Mr. Toy - I too couldn't get the videos to open after the first one (first one opened and played fine) -- I too got a bunch of hieroglyphics when I tried opening it.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Which videos worked, and which didn't? I viewed them all successfully on a work computer, so I know they're there. However, another work computer also gave me the coded text. Not sure at the moment if the problem is in the videos or in the reader's individual computer settings.
Frank, we have been to Santa Barbara few times. My wife has family there. But it is only a 4 hour drive, whereas the train takes 6 by the schedule, not counting time waiting for late trains. We can drive half way to Santa Barbara in the time it takes to get to the station and wait for the train. I find that trains really work best for overnight trips, which eliminates the need for motel stops. Only then is it more economical than driving.
posted
Dang, the videos are not working on my work computer now. Nor are any of the other videos I posted in the past. Must be somehing wrong with the server, because they all worked just fine for the last two years.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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Thankyou Mr Toy for your travelogue on the Coast Starlight. Another lunchtime has flown by, reading your travels this time. Along with young Anton(CoastStarlight99)I'm sure getting itchy feet for another ride on my favourite Amtrak train. I just hate the 13 hours in Cattle class to get to the USA though. Mike in Australia. PS. the clips didn't open for me either, just hieroglyphics.
Posts: 60 | From: Ballan, Victoria, Australia | Registered: Oct 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Mr. Toy: we have been to Santa Barbara few times. My wife has family there. But it is only a 4 hour drive, whereas the train takes 6 by the schedule, not counting time waiting for late trains.
In March we traveled San Luis Obispo-Santa Barbara on the Surfliner (sb)/Starlight (nb). Sure it's way slower than driving...and there were still delays associated with repairing storm damage to the tracks...but you get to see a part of the coast unavailable by car or U.S. 101. But one doesn't always have the luxury of time...
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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-------------------- Heros get remembered, but Legends never die. Follow your heart and you'll never go wrong. Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Sorry, Mr. Toy. I get a message saying "The specified Stream Type is not Recognized." when I try to view the vids with Windows Media Player. Any other suggestions?
Frank in SBA (After a Chamber of Commerce Perfect Day)
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Frank, I don't know what the problem might be. They're still working for me on different computers. It may be a problem in your settings somewhere. It should work with any version of Windows Media Player 6.0 or higher. However, if you use a non-Microsoft media player, it may not recognise it. Try right-clicking on it and downloading it first. That might also help.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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Hey, I'm a Mac kind of guy. And that might be the problem although I'm using the Windows Media Player so that shouldn't be a problem. I'll check the version # later.
Frank in still sunny (Summer Solstice, you know!) SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Frank, I have two computers, one Mac and one PC, I got the random code on the MAC and I have windows media player, but it worked on the pc, so its probably an incompatability with the Macs.
-Anton
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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I beg to differ. This is the first time I've not been able to "see" video. I suspect it's not a question of Mac vs. PC but rather the version of Windows Media Player I have on this computer.
Frank in still gorgeous SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Great Travel Log. I living in New York City, and take trains daily (I don't own a car), but have never had to chance to sped the night on an Amtrak train. I take Amtrak often but the short-distance NE routes. I have expireced the joys and lateness of the Lakeshore Limited but only from Syracuse. Your report gave me a large erdge to get on a train.
By the way, the videos got an error message when I tried to open them in real player, I didn't try harder then that.
-------------------- Visit my trains and subways website: www.subwaynut.com (It has more then just subways!) Posts: 38 | From: Manhattan, NY/Colorado Springs, CO | Registered: Jun 2005
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Thanks for your trip report, Mr. Toy! Our one-way Southbound out of Seattle is coming up soon! August 8 to be exact. But, first I have to contend with my fear of flying. We'll be taking a flight out of SJC to SEA for our cruise to Alaska a little over a week earlier. It's always fun to be able to enjoy so many different modes of transporation. Of course, in this case I'm going to have to give the ship the blue ribbon. Can't beat the pampering and FOOD!
But, I do love to sit in a coach seat on the Coast Starlight and do nothing but relax and READ. I'll be bringing lots of books. And, this being our first overnight train trip, it will add a new element to our experience. And, in coach no less.
Well, I sure hope there aren't any major delays coming back down from Seattle. Fortunately, we're due to arrive in San Jose in the morning, so hopefully if it's late, it will still be daylight when we pick up our car at the lot near the airport and head back over 17.
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