A traffic less Sunday drive to LAUS, Â beating the jam coming up later today for the X Games.Â
Art decided I didn't need to drop him off in front so we headed to the MTA parking, $6 per day. This meant he had to walk the length of the tunnel to the ticket and food area. He did pretty well. Hot and humid in the station, no AC I guess.Â
Printed out our tickets at Quik Trak and headed to Starbucks for a snack. Ernie the Redcap stopped and asked if we were taking the #14. It was boarding an hour before departure. So he took the bags, put them in our car and came back for us with our expensive but delicious snacks. He even brought the hand luggage up the stairs to our roomette #4. Great service.Â
The station was its usual busy. Since Ernie took us from the central area we didn't make it to the "lounge" at Traxx. But it was in use. We picked up a passenger there who was very impressed with the beauty of the station. He was an east coast guy and we shared experiences with the good and not so good back east.Â
We settled in to 1430 with Bob attending to our needs. I cleverly gave him one correct and one wrong ticket so had to sort that out. Left right on time. This is the Superliner with the brown corridor  walls. You all know more than me which one that is.Â
Valeron announced the Dining Car menu which included Clam Chowder, I have never had soup on Amtrak. Then Debbie announced the PPC menu of Eggplant Sandwich and Chicken Salad.Â
 Bob used the local car intercom but the coach announcements came through everywhere. Valeron came by promptly and we made reservations for the dining car, late enough that we will be able to step out at SBA to see Frank and Norm.Â
We got our nice toiletry package with shampoo, lotion, soap, etc. Â Route guide in the room but no brochure with menus. And miracles do happen - I hooked up to wifi with no difficulty. Â Champagne and cider delivered by Bob.Â
Spoke too soon, the wifi starts to drift in and out at Van Nuys (which is not very far). Â Oh well.Â
On time stop at SBA for a brief but nice visit with Frank and Norm. Â Lunch was the Mac and cheese for me and Art convinced our waiter, Roman from Columbia, that he was 12 years old and had a hotdog. Then the best dessert ever, a cream puff with chocolate on it. It was terrific.Â
Ate with a couple from Phoenix. They are taking the train to Seattle then renting a car to tour the Canadian and US Rockies. Then train back to LA. The have a family group of parent, sister, mostly grown children. Left their car at the MTA garage with ours, stayed at the Metroplaza Hotel last night. They concurred that it was fine for one night. Told them about Phillipe and they noted it for the return trip. She had one of the complete online route guides and they were a great example of folks who make the train part of the destination.Â
Arrived SLO early but waiting for #11(30) to clear out. Announcement that all toilets in car #11 are out of order, will try to fix here in SLO. Crew change here. Wifi snuck back on but is agonizingly slow.Â
Met Smitty's friends, Ben and Bill. Nice conversation. Ben was fascinated with how a thread about the Vagabond Inn could culminate in us meeting.Â
Another rider was frustrated with the wifi and asked an Amtrak employee for a clue on how to get it to work. I warned him not to bother. The answer was "the wifi doesn't work when the movie is playing". Being a computer professional himself he just politely smiled. I said "I told you so".Â
Rails and Trails are on board in the lounge. I did not attend so can't comment on their program. Wine and cheese also happened. As of 6:15 pm those toilets are still out of action.Â
PPC for dinner, beef or chicken. Happily the same cream puffs for dessert. Some problem with the crossings here requires eight stops to verify the gates are down. Per the conductor this has been going on for six months. So it was very slow going for a while.Â
San Jose, illegal to smoke on the platform. Interesting. Big station, lots of tracks. Two Caltrains and one Amtrak California present. What are those? Finally dark at 9:00 pm.Â
Arrived Oakland about on time. Got into Ambus and, as usual, waited while the driver did mysterious things - wandered around, made phone calls. Everything except communicate with us and drive the bus. Finally hit the road. Upon the advice of an experienced passenger we got off at the first stop, the Hyatt Regency, rather than the Ferry Building. Better for a cab which proved to be true. Got to Le Meridien about 11:00 pm. Beautiful place. Paid $100 via Priceline. Ready for a real bed and kind of glad we're not in an Amtrak bed.Â
Overall, great trip, all staff excellent, food OK, new friends lots of fun.Â
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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I'm so glad you got to meet Ben and Bill. They are characters, that's for sure. They are very hardcore foamers, but of the airplane variety---I don't think there is anything they don't know. Ben works in a place that some might be familiar with as it dates back to the Cold War: "The Blue Cube". It's in Mountain View, CA next to Moffett Field and NASA. He does secret things with satellites.
A few notes:
-the sleeper you were in I believe was the George M. Pullman? If so, that was the last car to ever come off the Pullman assembly line. Unfortunately, that car has not been refurbished (to my knowledge) since it was built in the 70's. The dirty brown carpet still goes up the walls, the orange formica is on the counters and doors, and it's a big step back in time. I was a passenger in that car in 1995 on train #35--the Desert Wind. I flew to Chicago, then took the combination Zephyr/Desert Wind/Pioneer to the west coast. I remember going through Vegas and being amazed at what was being built. I think Luxor had just opened and they were beginning on NY NY next. All different casino owners back then, but not any more! It's all MGM or Harrah's for the most part--they own the Strip.
-Route guides: There is a really nice Coast Starlight book that someone put together, and I was really impressed when I saw them. They had EVERYTHING in them---route guide, all menus in all three cars, hours of service, where the smoke stops were, etc. When I saw how nice they were, I thought "uh-oh", they're going to grow legs and walk away. I'll betcha that's what happened---they were really great with lots of train information.
-Cream puff with chocolate for dessert? I missed that one!
-San Jose train station: What you saw were the Amtrak California locomotives that haul the Capitol Corridor trains between San Jose and Sacramento. Think of them as Surfliners for the Bay Area. Caltrain is the local commute service, where, if you wanted to, you could have gotten off the Starlight and then boarded a Caltrain train for San Francisco. But their end of the line is near PacBell Park, and that is nowhere near your hotel. And the no-smoking thing....ugh...I have never been a smoker, but this new law is crazy. San Jose has always been a "smoke stop" (time permitting). But now they can't do it because it is a CRIME. That's just crazy.
Have fun on the cruise. I'll watch you depart SF this evening on the bridge cam.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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From what I could see in the vestibule of the "George M. Pullman" it must have been redone. It had the faux wood paneling.
I have to say that the exterior of the train looked great. Every car, with the exception of the Baggage car which was a patchwork of colors, looked cleaned and polished. Even the engine was clean. I only remember there being one. Can that be true?
As for the "typical, Amtrak'ish, non-sensical answer", Norm asked the conductor how many passengers were on board. The answer, "I don't know. I've never bothered to count." Surely he must have some idea of the capacity. Or of the number of tickets lifted.
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by HopefulRailUser: Coast Starlight 14(1) Upon the advice of an experienced passenger we got off at the first stop, the Hyatt Regency, rather than the Ferry Building. Better for a cab which proved to be true.
Better for a cab is an understatment. Our last time to get off at the Ferry Building, which was at about 9:30 on a Sunday night we finally gave up and walked two blocks to the origin point of the #14 bus route. We got a taxi there with wild waving after seeing him drop someone at a bar close to that point. His comment was that very seldom did a taxi wait anywhere near Amtrak's Ferry Building station.
Always go to the Hyatt unless you have some other specific destination.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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Isn't that neat when they cruise under the bridge? So beautiful...
Vicki: Ben emailed me the picture of you and he on the couch in the Parlour Car. I can email it to you when you're back from the trip.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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quote:Originally posted by HopefulRailUser: We are supposed to leave from the Ferry Building when we go home. I presume that will be fine as we are joining the bus then.
No problem at all. That is what we always do when going to Fresno. Gettign a taxi TO the Ferry Building station is no problem at all. Just remember, it is not in the massive Ferry Building, itself, but in a completely separate building about a block south of the end of it. Also, the wating room is on the back side of the building, that is the bay side, not the street side.
If you take the streetcar line that runs down Market Street and up the Embarcadero there is a stop at the transition between the two that is near opposite the Ferry Building Amtrak stop.
That is to say, if you are coming down Market on the streetcar, it will make two slow speed 90 degree turns, first right, then left. Just after the second turn, get off walk toward the Bay, and there you are.
If you are coming down the Embarcadero from Pier 39 and similar touristy areas, there iwll be a stop right in front of the main Ferry Building itself. Do not get off there. After this stop, the streetcar will make a sharp 90 degree right turn out of the Embarcadero and then stop. Get off there and walk back toward teh Bay, and there you are.
An incidental item on San Francisco's pier numbering sustem: Think of the Ferry Building as zero. Piers to the north were given odd numbers. Hence the pier before 39 is 37. Piers to the south were given even numbers.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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There is a ferry that leaves from the SF Ferry Terminal to Oakland. Then it's about a 6 block walk from the Oakland ferry terminal to OKJ. The area between the ferry terminal and OKJ is safe during daylight hours. I don't think you'd have much luck getting a cab from the Oakland ferry terminal if you're hauling much luggage, however.
An incidental item on San Francisco's pier numbering sustem: Think of the Ferry Building as zero. Piers to the north were given odd numbers. Hence the pier before 39 is 37. Piers to the south were given even numbers. [/QB]
I live here and never knew that. I guess I've never really paid any attention to the numbering system! Thanks for pointing that out.
Excellent advice/directions on where to get off/on the Muni F line. And yes, those are some slowwww turns (especially if the "Occupy" idiots are out there protesting).
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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That's the difference between Texas and California. We do not have "Occupy" idiots blocking our roads. Of course, we are a well-armed population. And we have excellent gun control. You can see that every weekend at any shooting range in Texas. White, Black, Latino, Asian, and Mixed Texans, all out there practicing and complimenting each other on our gun control...
And I'm doing an Alaskan cruise next June 2, from Seattle, after a train ride from Houston to Seattle. (Keeping this on subject)
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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I just checked the webcam and it looks wet for Art and Vikki. According to another website I use to track ships (www.seascanner.com) they are off to the west of Vancouver Island just about even with Nainamo and Vancouver to the East. Juneau tomorrow, I believe.
Frank in overcast and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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I saw the George M Pullman sleeper on my ride on #14 EMY->DEA leaving EMY on June 27. It was the only refurbished sleeper of the 3 on the train. I was in "Illinois", I think. Also spent time in "Connecticut" on #5 and "New Jersey" on #28 - none of which had been refurbished. Ugh!
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by sbalax: From what I could see in the vestibule of the "George M. Pullman" it must have been redone. It had the faux wood paneling.
I have to say that the exterior of the train looked great. Every car, with the exception of the Baggage car which was a patchwork of colors, looked cleaned and polished. Even the engine was clean. I only remember there being one. Can that be true?
As for the "typical, Amtrak'ish, non-sensical answer", Norm asked the conductor how many passengers were on board. The answer, "I don't know. I've never bothered to count." Surely he must have some idea of the capacity. Or of the number of tickets lifted.
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
I really detest the baggage cars and can't wait for the Amtrak order for new cars including 50 baggage cars to start delivering.
Posts: 2 | From: Los Angeles | Registered: Jul 2012
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On the ambus from the ferry building issue - where do we ask the cab to take us to get that bus. We will be coming from a hotel near Chinatown with baggage so we are not taking the bus.
Not in sunny California but in cloudy but not rainy Juneau.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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quote:Originally posted by HopefulRailUser: On the ambus from the ferry building issue - where do we ask the cab to take us to get that bus. We will be coming from a hotel near Chinatown with baggage so we are not taking the bus.
Just tell them Amtrak Ferry Building Station. If they claim to not know that, the tell them "On the Embarcadero one block south of the Ferry Building."
Go to Google Maps and search "San Francisco Amtrak Station Ferry Building" and it wil show you the location. Go down to the street level view and move around some and you can see a couple of buses labeled "Amtrak California" in one of the views.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Vincent206: There is a ferry that leaves from the SF Ferry Terminal to Oakland. Then it's about a 6 block walk from the Oakland ferry terminal to OKJ. The area between the ferry terminal and OKJ is safe during daylight hours. I don't think you'd have much luck getting a cab from the Oakland ferry terminal if you're hauling much luggage, however.
One block or so during the business day and in the business area of downtown from BART to an office building is about my limit on walking in Oakland. Other than that, I would not walk amywhere in Oakland without a bulletproof vest and armed guard.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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I agree with George. I generally do not carry my gun with me except under certain circumstances. If I'm going to Oakland or even driving THROUGH Oakland, I will always be armed. That city has gotten insanely dangerous.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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May I presume that sitting in OKJ waiting for a probably late #14 in the morning will be safe? I don't really expect it to be on time. But the Ambus will take us at the assigned time no matter what. I will be unarmed.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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I think you mean #11? Yes, you'll be fine in the station. Since there are employees there and the place is open, there should be no problem. They've been pretty good lately at kicking out the bums who sleep on the chairs as well as the pan-handlers. Although a few months ago, during the hours that the station was open, thieves went into the restrooms and stole all of the brass! Can you believe that? Right there in the middle of the day, and of course after that, the restrooms could not be used.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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