posted
I just wanted to give a heads-up in case you are interested in riding the Coast Starlight as it detours through Tehachapi and Altamont Pass. Here is the blurb from Amtrak: ______
Train 14 Operates Nonstop Los Angeles - Oakland: February 1 - 8, 2012 From February 1 through February 8, Train 14 will travel on an alternate route from Los Angeles to Oakland and will not stop at any intermediate stations. Passengers may contact Amtrak for other trains or Thruway motorcoaches serving stations between Los Angeles to Oakland. ______
They have detoured via Tehachapi in the past, but this time they are FINALLY playing it smart by not bypassing all of the Bay Area stops. In the past, they have run non-stop from Los Angeles to Sacramento, but now they will be coming into the Bay Area via Altamont Pass which will take the train through Livermore, Pleasanton (my town!), Fremont, and up into Oakland that way. This sounds like a pretty fun trip.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
I know at least one sometime poster here who has booked this trip!
There are also a huge number of changes to the Surfliner schedules north of Los Angeles in the next three or four weeks. If you have any trips booked during that time it would be well worth it to double check your train's status. Many of them will terminate or originate at Oxnard.
Frank in sunny but cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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I don't understand what's going on with the Coast Starlight. Looking at the new timetable, I see the Starlight now leaves LA 2 hours later, at 12:15 PM. That means it gets into Emeryville, and the Bay Area, around midnight.
To board in Martinez, the stop closest to me, would mean a 12:49 AM boarding. That just about eliminates the possibilty, to my thinking, of a trip on the CS up to Portland or Seattle. The arrival time, in Seattle, is now 10:45 PM. Maybe it would be easier to drive up to Dunsmuir and pick up the train at 7:00 AM. ***************************************
PS- I see the posted schedule is temporary...until Jan 29th. Hopefully it will change back to the old schedule with the Starlight leaving LA at 10:15 AM.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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I was just going to let you know that it was temporary, but I see in your PS that you found their service advisory. It's only temporary from what I understand, and will revert back to it's normal schedule after the work is completed.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I wanted to this but my wife and I have too much on the docket at present. Maybe next time.
Posts: 229 | From: Long Beach CA | Registered: Jan 2007
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I've booked the trip and will be in a sleeper all the way to Seattle. I'm giving Amtrak another shot after 3.5 years of not riding them. That's the longest AmGap in my life (riding since age 12).
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Ay yi yi. Too much already scheduled on my calendar, so I can't make the Train Travel Group trip - thought I might finally make one! But I am really going to enjoy reading your trip report, Smitty.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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I am likely going, but if i do, i wont be staying at the jack london inn, per where your group is staying. ive seen the reviews online--i think ill pass on staying at the 2nd dirtiest hostel in america! Should be a fun train ride though. Jim
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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Jim---DO NOT STAY at the Jack London Inn. If your budget can handle it, you should absolutely stay elsewhere. That place is horrible and dangerous. Even Amtrak pulled their crews from there it was so bad.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I have a friend who used to work the Zephyr, and he told me stories about what went on there (drug dealers, prostitutes, and gangs). When I checked on Trip Advisor, people say the same thing. I guess you've been lucky!
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I hope it runs---yesterday's detour didn't happen! And they had two PV's on the rear too. Whooops! (Not Amtrak's fault of course, just one of those things that happens).
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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The problem in the Valley has supposedly been taken care of. I feel sorry for the folks who paid for those special excursions though yesterday. A friend is riding it tomorrow -- hopefully I won't be going down to the Santa Barbara station to do a meet and greet!
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
14(2) took the detour today under very clear skies. We're approaching Fresno now and have the very personable Phil Sloan as our conductor this afternoon.
Posts: 46 | From: Playa Del Rey, CA | Registered: Jan 2011
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posted
My friend who is scheduled to ride tomorrow is currently sitting on a plane at DEN with a mechanical delay and a major snow storm coming in. Hopefully he will get out. Tomorrow will be ugly there.
Frank in dark and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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ColdRain&Snow: Have a great trip! Your engineer right now (as of 8:45PM) is a good friend of mine. He came from the freights, but now runs the San Joaquins out of Bakersfield. He should be giving you a smooth ride. If not, let me know and I'll bug him!
Frank: Oh boy, I hope your friend gets out of Denver okay. I can't imagine being stuck there with that storm that's coming. Fingers are crossed for him!
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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The "New" United has already pre-cancelled flights for tomorrow to/from DEN and has tried to get as many aircraft as possible under cover or out of town. Pax are being given lots of change options without fee.
Frank in dark and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Thanks for the pics, C,R&S. And yes, we need rain! We drove over San Marcos Pass to the Chumash Casino and were struck by how dry everything is. Lake Cachuma, or major domestic water supply, is still quite high from last year, though.
Frank in sunny and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
I finally got to see the Coast Starlight in Pleasanton! I had a conductor friend on-board last night (as a passenger), and he kept me updated with text messages as to where the train was. It finally came through my fine city at around 2115 last night. The gorgeous PV "Bella Vista" (Rail Ventures--dome car) was bringing up the markers. I took video of it, but I don't know how to post it here. Maybe I'll put it on YouTube and then post a link.
I have to wonder, when the crossing gates came down and all of the cars were stopped for the Starlight to cross Main Street,did anyone get excited about seeing a long-distance train in a location where we don't have them? Or did they just sit there, totally unaware of anything unusual going on??
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Well, today is the day. My first return to Amtrak after my personal ban on them after the failed "relaunch" of the Coast Starlight in 2008. I arrived in Los Angeles last night on my favorite airline, Virgin America, after a bump-up to first class at the last minute. It was a beautiful flight down here and I took photos of the amazing sunset over the ocean. I wish I knew how to put pictures up here.
I'm at my favorite downtown LA hotel (Omni), and the hotel has undergone a major refurbishment since my last visit--it's really nice now. I noticed on the drive in on the FlyAway bus that there is a new Ritz Carlton high-rise and JW Marriott near Staples Center. I'm glad to see that, because I always felt it was odd for such a major city to not have any fancy hotels in the downtown area--you had to go fairly far away from downtown in order to find a true 5 star property. On my next trip down here, I'll have to give the Ritz a try.
I saw that "my" trainset (which departed LA on Thursday) had a Parlour Car, so I'm hoping my luck holds out and that the 8th Street yard did not remove it from the consist last night or this morning before sending it back out on the road. I'm traveling with a buddy who has never seen that car before--I hope he gets to experience it. I'm also wondering if they still do the wine tasting on-board the Starlight, and if so, do they still allow coach passengers in? (I never liked that idea, since a sleeping car ticket includes the PPC).
I'll try to give an update from the road sometime later today or tomorrow.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Great photos as always Chris. It was almost like being aboard for the ride.
-------------------- 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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Chris, thank you for the great pictures. They were greatly enhanced by your descriptions with very complete knowledge of the sites and of the railroad operations. Your devotion to Amtrak and to the railroads over which Amtrak operates lets you tell the story of your travels in a way seldom , if ever, duplicated.
Posts: 467 | From: Prescott, AZ USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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Great photos and trip report, Chris. Do you ever take video clips for youtube? Looks like you were sitting towards the rear of the train. Were you in Tioga Pass or get a chance to check it out?
I'd love to take a trip on this route, but I suspect the coast route is more scenic?
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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How are conditions at the Jack London Inn these days?
I stayed there once about 7 or 8 years ago and found it to be a little seedy at that point. Nothing like the various online reviews it gets nowadays.....
Still, all things considered, next time I'm on the west coast I would probably try to arrange the trip so that I would use the Vagabond Inn in Sacramento instead.
-------------------- 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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posted
Our room was fine. No drinking glasses. extra small towels and a smaller one. no bath mat, interesting light switches and interesting Oakland sounds out the east windows. Every trip or hotel room is an adventure!
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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posted
Hello from Emeryville on board the Starlight!
Just a super quickie report:
I am happy to say that we are having a wonderful trip. All equipment is cleaan and in very good working order. Both sleepers are Superliner I with the complter refurb. This one must have been done very recently as it has that "new car smell" to it.
I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but the food has been outstanding. I have NEVER--ever---had "great" food on Amtrak. The last time I rode in 2008, the food vendor was Gate Gourmet and I have no problem saying that the food was awful. But it is not like that any more. The new vendor is producing some really great food. For lunch, I had a ham and pepperjack sandwich on pretzel roll bread and it came with chips and fresh strawberries. The berries were large, fresh, and very sweet and juicy. For dinner, I had the beef selection but I can't remember what they call it. It's a very tender beef selection that almost has the consistency that you would find in beef stew. It came with rice pilaf and fresh vegetables. My dessert at lunch was chocolate mousse cake, and for dinner I had a VERY delicious chocolate-peanut butter ice cream scoop. I now have absolutely no problem recommnding the food on Amtrak to people. The difference between now and 3 years ago can't even be compared---they are world's apart.
The PPC is actually using the movie theater, and the movie at 3PM was some kids thing (Smurfs). The 8PM movie was Cowboys and Aliens.
I give Amtrak two big thumbs up so far. I don't have a single complaint.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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PS: Sorry for the typos. I'm on my iPad and it's difficult not to make mistakes with this bluetooth keyboard I'm using.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Wow, Smitty, are you sure you are feeling alright?...LOL...Seriously, I am glad that Amtrak is back to meeting your expectations. Please enjoy the rest of your trip!
Posts: 332 | From: Long Island, NY USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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From Swearing AT Amtrak to swearing OFF Amtrak to swearing BY Amtrak.
Now would be a good time to float a HSR proposal in DC because there are some strange things going on!
Seriously - I'm glad that you are having a good trip.
-------------------- 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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posted
I have been eagerly awaiting your report. And I am really pleased to hear that you are having a great time. And the food! As you know that is my biggest criticism of Amtrak. Very glad to hear this news.
Keep us posted and have fun.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Things are still moving along beautifully. We departed KFS about 20 minutes ago---on time. We left SAC 90 minutets late, but made up all of that time overnight wiith the schedule padding.
The only bummer so far (and it is minor and not Amtrak's fault) is that I went to the diner for breakfast becuase I wanted to eat off of their menu, as opposed to the PPC menu. I really wanted my grits! They sat me down next to a guy who STUNK very badyl of marijuana. For those who know my background, I ain't about to sit there and chit-chat with someone who is stoned. And he was VERY stoned. He obviously smoked it at KFS because we had just left the station. So I am now in the PPC eating a very good breakfast. It is a toasted bagel filled with scrambled eggs and a spicy chicken thing and pepperjack cheese. It sounds weird, but it actually works---it's very tasty!!!! As for the grits, I told the attendant what happened and asked if he could deviate from policy and go in and grab me a bowl of grits--and he did! This guy is getting a great tip. The Amtrak of the past would have given me a rude "We can't do that!".
I continue to be very pleasantly surprised on this trip. I've been riding Amtrak LD trains since 1980 (I think) and I have to say that this is the best one yet. There is no way that this all happened magically and on it's own---someone at Amtrak made changes, and those changes are quite noticeable. They even have a really neat booklet in each room that describes the entire train, lists menus for the lounge, PPC, and diner--and the wine tasting. Oh---I almost forgot--the wine tasting! They eliminated two things, which are WONDERFUL: 1) Coach passengers are no longer allowed in the PPC for the wine tasting, and 2) They no longer charge a fee for the wine tasting.
posted
One thing that I have noticed on this forum over the past three years or so is that a number of our veteran riders have commented about service being 'better' in the dining cars.
Of course 'better' is relative and while I can't say that the outstanding service you're experiencing Smitty is the gold standard system-wide, it has been my experience that dining car service has been consistently competent and acceptable going back to about 2009 or so.
Compared to some trips before that, the 'absence' of outright rudeness qualifies as 'better'.
And yes, I agree that this has not been an accident. Someone somewhere has clearly made an effort to improve the product.
-------------------- 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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It was a great trip. Arrived SEA 30 minutes early. Got a quick taxi ride to my hotel, and it's time to get some sleep. Long day tomorrow with a morning tour of the Boeing Factory in Everett, then the ferry system in the afternoon and maybe to a museum to check out the display of real Battlestar Gallactica props!
The Seattle train station (King Street) is still not completed yet. At this rate, I think I'll be in a rocking chair at Shady Acres by the time they finish. At least the false ceiling has been completely removed and you can see the gorgeous original ceiling (but it has all of the metal hooks hanging from it, as well as the fluorescent lights--yuck!). That building has so much potential.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Welcome to Seattle! We've just had 4 days of spectacular weather--sorry to say, things are returning to normal tomorrow. Enjoy your stay.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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