I don't necessarily agree with their listing. They say that their ranking was based on train routes important in expanding the western frontier. I think the list should have included the VIA Canadian and the Empire Builder.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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Agreed on the Canadian. But what trip would have to be knocked off the list for this one?
Another candidate for the list might be the VIA Skeena from Jasper to Prince Rupert. That's on my bucket list along with the Copper Canyon.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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I would say that the Silver Service is scenic, but not like the Canadian
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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I have never been on the branchoff that goes to Rutland, but as I belive it misses Lake Champlain, I'd think the Adirondack might be more scenic!
I thought the scenery on the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff (did not go all the way to Calgary, alas) was absolutely splendid.
Rather than the Silver Service, Palmetto, or Crescent, I'd list the Capital Ltd from Pittsburgh east. Very lovely scenery.
And what about the Empire Builder? I think it's pretty nice, esp to PDX.
Also, why not list the whole Coast Starlight LA to Seattle? The whole ride is great.
I've heard that ride to Gaspe is also very nice.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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The Durango & Silverton fine Ethan Allen no Adirondack is better Cascade maybe Pacific Surfliner yes Cass yes Csalifornia Zephyr Yes Rocky Mountaineer Yes Copper Canyon yes Southwest Chief No Via Canadian Yes Coastal Classic Yes Grand Canyon No Potomac Eagle Yes
I would also add the Cardinal Eastbound Empire Builder eastbound Coast Starlight Sunset Limtied Via Gaspe Train
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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I think the Cascades from Seattle to Bellingham is spectacular, but the Seattle to Portland journey will lose its most interesting scenery when the route moves inland from Pt. Defiance. Nevertheless, the journey north of Seattle along Puget Sound and into Samish Bay is something that I would recommend to everyone. The Empire Builder and Sound Transit's Sounders also run on the Seattle to Everett portion of that trip.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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Looking forward to the Empire Builder departing Seattle in June......
Agree that Adirondack should be there instead of the Rutland train.
At some point someone's personal favorite gets left off the list and in my case that would be the Cumbres & Toltec.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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The Lake Shore(Chicago-New York) eastbound across the Mohawk and down the Hudson valleys, the Cardinal eastbound, and the Crescent.
Posts: 24 | From: Connecticut | Registered: Feb 2011
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The only problem with the eastern trains (including the Lake Shore, Cardinal, and Crescent) is that, during the summer, you can't see much scenery along the rivers due to the excessive foliage cover along the rail line
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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RRRich, no matter the season, you see the scenery from about Utica south to NYC because the good scenery is right along the water--provided you are looking out the best side (west/north bound would be the left side facing forward, east/south would be right). Some times of year you do get darkness northbound or setting sun in eyes on Hudson southbound, however--depends on if train is on time too. But foliage problem, not that part. The problems on that line are when you get past Buffalo and scenery gets nice again in winter only. However, that is not the really good scenery on the line anyway. Although of course much of the really good scenery (NY to Albany) is on the Adirondack (or even Ethan Allen) too.
And the Lakeshore between Albany and Boston (Boston spur) suffers very much from the foliage problem you name.
I just realized I should not malign the Crescent, though, because I've never been ON it south of Atlanta. Must do that soon.
Question to Vincent: What's happening with the Cascades line, is it changing? What a terrible pity if all that lovely scenery between Portland and Seattle is lost.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Sojourner: between Tacoma and Olympia the Cascades will be moving off the Pt. Defiance route and onto an inland route that doesn't follow the shoreline. The move is a requirement by BNSF in order to run more trips between Portland and Seattle. The tunnels on the shore route limit track capacity, so the passenger trains will have to move. The inland route is now owned by the State of WA and it's being upgraded to allow for faster trip times, but at the expense of sightseeing. The switch will likely occur in late 2013 or 2014.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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Thanks for that alert..... well this route change affect Amtrak's current station facilities in Tacoma? (Wondering if getting trains back into Tacoma's classic Union Station would be possible.
Sojourner, the Crescent's route between Atlanta and Birmingham..... while not Rocky Mountains scenic.... is interesting. Lot's of stout little hills and curves. Kudzu. Beyond Birmingham it's a lot like South Carolina.... flat, hot, sand giving way to swamps.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Well that would be a fine Federal Court House in my opinion!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Sojourner, When you see kudzu you will thank God that it apparently doesn't thrive in areas colder than Georgia. It covers EVERYTHING. You will see lumps of kudzu in the shape of the houses, cars, trees - everything that doesn't move out of its way. But I found the Crescent's payoff scenery to be the approach to New Orleans. Leaving Slidell, the train takes a century - old causeway across Lake Pontchartrain. You can't see it from the train window, and it gives the illusion that the train is gliding over the lake! Having crossed, it passes some New Orleans cemeteries with their above - ground graves. They are necessary in a city that's below sea level and an instant reminder of its precarious position.
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Amen about the kudzu. It is a scourge. As to the scenery from the Cardinal...years ago it was beautiful but now with the trees grown up along the river there is not much to applaud imo
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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That's a pity about the change in route, Vincent. However, I did find the whole trip up from Portland pretty scenic, not just north of Olympia.
I really have to get in that stretch of the Crescent one of these days! When I went to New Orleans, I took the CONO both ways.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Comment concerning scenery on the Crescent line -- "if you've seen one kudzu vine, you've seen them all!"
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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....... Beyond Birmingham it's a lot like South Carolina.... flat, hot, sand giving way to swamps.
First GBN and his pine trees, and now you, David. Our poor little state can't get no respect. Unfortunately you are right, for most of the state. Although portions, like the coast/Charleston in the Low Country, some of the lake areas of the Midlands, and Blue Ridge foothills in Upstate make up for the rest of it. But in the summer - it's best to head for the Rockies or Vermont/Maine -which many residents do.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Palmland-- No call to feel defensive: the combination of Low Country, Blue Ridge foothills, lake area and wonderful old cities: Beaufort, Charleston and Columbia outclasses so many other states that you can afford the kudzu. As for seasonal migration, what's wrong with heading elsewhere for respite? I love Connecticut, but am sure happy that Amtrak can take me south this time of year.
Posts: 24 | From: Connecticut | Registered: Feb 2011
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quote:Originally posted by chrisg: Trains will never return to Tacoma Union Station as it is now a Federal Court House.
Chris
Recycling buildings can run both ways - the notion of converting the 34th Street General Post Office building in New York to access to Penn Station, while on hold, is still alive. Hopefully I will live to see the powers that be rectify the barbarian levelling of the old Penn Station.
Posts: 24 | From: Connecticut | Registered: Feb 2011
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No offense Palmland - my carpool partner is a native of the Upstate and I have an appreciation for Palmetto things...... though I am going to miss the opportunities for jest at the expense of your recently departed governor...
(example - "Want South Carolina to fund passenger trains? Just figure out how to run one to Argentina!")
But I digress - my opportunities to ride trains are normally limited to three or four days here and three or four days there. Having already spent much time driving automobiles and riding trains in the Carolinas.....
well.....
I'd rather fly to Denver or Seattle or Kansas City and spend those railroad days tackling the Front Range or Raton Pass or gliding along the Pacific Coast.
Heck - I'm excited with Southwest Airlines coming to GSP next month because I know that eventually I will take their quick non-stop hop to BWI or MDW where I can catch a train without squandering a full day looking at pine trees from the Carolinian.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Tacoma Union Station is cut off from the tracks by an expressway and the plans are to reroute train traffic off of those tracks in a few years to improve speed thus they will never retuurn.
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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Amtrak will be moving to Tacoma Freighthouse Square--currently the terminal for Sounder service--when the trains move inland. It's not as grand as Tacoma's old Union Station, but it's a big step up from the current Tacoma Amtrak station. Passengers in Tacoma will be able to walk out of Freighthouse Square and catch the streetcar to Union Station.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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I've checked out the website for the Tacoma Freighthouse Square. Is green the original color for that building? Aside from that, it looks like a nice area for a train station.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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That location sounds great, Vincent. When I went down to Tacoma from Seattle, I went by bus because the train station seemed so unpleasantly located (I had seen it when passing by train on the Cascades). The bus went right to all the museums and was inexpensive and easy to use. I went in the old train station (it's the reason I went down to Tacoma!) and was sorry to see the interior main hall not being used as much as it could be; the federal courts and offices, btw, all seem to be in a new section at the back. There were some Chihuly pieces on display (mainly in the new wing), however. Chihuly is also big in the glass museum in the back, just across what I believe is the highway of which Chris speaks--which you access easily on foot by crossing a bridge with glass displays on it (looked like there was also an elevator). It's a small museum, too much abstract modern (glass) art for my taste, but interesting building and setting, water, boats, bridge, and some neat glass displays outside.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: No offense Palmland - my carpool partner is a native of the Upstate and I have an appreciation for Palmetto things...... though I am going to miss the opportunities for jest at the expense of your recently departed governor...
(example - "Want South Carolina to fund passenger trains? Just figure out how to run one to Argentina!")
SC really is the source of many late night laughs - some of it richly deserved. Perhaps our new governor will find a way to insert foot in mouth. But, she seems to have gotten off to a surprisingly good start - even making nice with the more powerful legislature. that's a source of much conflict in the past. But you can be sure no train funding even a remote possibility.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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I did a Seattle to Portland roundtrip today. The trip down passed through the scene of last weekend's freight derailment near the Chambers Bay Golf Course. Quite interesting to roll through an accident scene at 10 mph and see about a dozen wrecked freight cars laying upside down or on their sides. There also was a full roster of cranes, track repair teams, hazmat personnel and railroad vehicles attending to the accident aftermath.
The trip back to Seattle was a bustitution, due to another mudslide between Kelso and Vancouver. The bus was about as nice a bus as one could ever hope for, but the trip back was miserable. Portland was drizzly all day, so everyone on the packed bus was slightly damp as we pulled out into Portland's rush hour. By the time we arrived in Seattle the bus was starting to smell downright moldy. My bus was an express (no stops) from Portland's Union Station to King Street Station and the trip took 3.5 hours--the same as the train's timecard. So I'll stick with the train and avoid the bus in the future.
The Cascade's WiFi seems very popular with riders. On the trip down I saw quite a few laptops open for surfing.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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