posted
We're just home and nearly unpacked from our annual family vacation which included some 'train things' for me.
The trip began June 25th with a morning drive from our home to the Atlanta airport and an afternoon flight to Los Angeles. We landed at 4:15pm local time, collected our bags, and caught the Union Station Flyaway Bus where we walked over to the Metro Plaza Hotel.
A sidebar - Yes, the Metro Plaza Hotel. It has detractors here and on the various travel websites BUT in my experience it has always been acceptable.....kind of on par with a better Best Western. Clean. Polite front desk. Close to Union Station. Coming directly off a flight from the eastern time zone, we were all going to bed by 8:00pm pacific. We wanted beds and a working bath in a place that didn't smell funky and where we could walk to Union Station in the morning.
Wednesday morning we were up early (the jet lag thing) and took a leisurely three hours to rearrange luggage, shower, dress, have a bite to eat, and check out of the hotel. We took a leisurely stroll through the Olvera Street area and walked into Union Station about 9am. We wandered about taking in the sights for about 15 minutes before checking in at the Trax Lounge with other sleeping car passengers awaiting boarding for the Coast Starlight. The Amtrak attendant did tell us that the former employee gym above the Amtrak ticket counter is being renovated into lounge space and that by this fall LAUS will have a 1st class lounge for the first time. This is progress I am sure but waiting for a train just outside the Trax Lounge as the morning sun streams in is pretty pleasant. I doubt that a windowless Metropolitan Lounge will be able to match that atmosphere.
The Coast Starlight delivered a lovely trip. As mentioned in my Wi-Fi post there were a couple of on-board employees more like those one might encounter on the Silver Star or Lake Shore but they did not diminish the trip. We only had one meal at a table served by the crabby server with the wrong menu, the lounge car attendant (in PPC 39974 - Sonoma Valley) was pleasantly forthcoming with ice after we ran out in our sleeper though otherwise bland..... the meals were decent and the china was real. I have two relatively minor complaints and that's all - they are 1) our sleeper was getting a bit ragged and had had some 'non-factory' apparatus rigged up to keep it secure. The berth held my daughter (less than 60 pounds) OK but it would not have held an adult safely. 2) The new deserts in the diner..... what's with the cheesecake (and the brownie) coming in plastic containers shaped like hockey pucks. The texture and taste of these deserts from a different vendor perhaps is not an improvement.
The Parlour Car still offers a really pleasant experience and I hope that the first class lounge concept will continue on the Coast Starlight even after the 1950's Santa Fe Hi-Levels are no longer able to soldier on.
Our delay in Sacramento mentioned in the Wi-Fi thread was due to a pair of private cars being tagged on behind the coaches. I would bet that they had superior upper berths to the one we had.
Arrival in PDX was, however, only 5 minutes late. The Oregon crews did a much better job hustling out of station stops in a timely manner but there was also some schedule padding.
In Portland we visited with old friends for four days. Their large van was still 'in the shop' on our first day so they proposed renting a vehicle so that both families could be accommodated. I asked "Where are we going?" and the answer was "The zoo, the Rose Garden, and Powell's Books". I asked "How close is your house to the light rail?......" So this is how our group of 8 made it the first full day. The only inconvenience was that we made two trips with the one vehicle on the five minute drive to/from the light rail station.
In addition to sampling mass transit in one of the United States' most transit-friendly cities, we also made a quick visit to the Oregon Rail Heritage folks in their new building to visit the SP&S 700, the SP 4449, and some other assorted locomotives both diesel and steam. Their facility is very nice and visiting it without a vehicle is about to get easier.... a new light rail line is under construction just 75 feet from their front door.
One of our days involved a drive to and along part of the Oregon Coast where I had some sightings of the mostly dormant Tillamook Bay Railroad...... a line that I'll look into a bit more now that we're home.
Leaving Portland involved a morning ride up to Seattle on the Cascades, a couple of family tourist things, a light rail ride to the airport, and a flight home the following morning after a night in an airport hotel (Holiday Inn Express) that was substantially nicer than the Metro Plaza.
The Talgos are holding up nicely and still offer a pleasant ride with big windows. As a group of 3 we were assigned facing seats at the end of the car which was fine..... albeit a little bumpier as we went over turnouts.
King Street Station is a real gem now. Every bit as stunning as the photos have indicated. We were helped with storing our excessive 'week-long vacation' luggage by the friendliest Amtrak baggage person (LaToya) that I have encountered anywhere.
One last sidebar - We flew Southwest Airlines both directions. It would be dishonest of me to suggest that price was not a major consideration, it was. However, in our case flying from Atlanta to Los Angeles and then back from Seattle, only Southwest had non-stop flights at the time we wanted a non-stop flight. Considering that we, a family of three, were also carrying luggage for an 8-day vacation and that Southwest still offers free checked baggage......well...... our airline choice was a no-brainer. Would have been nice to have had the outgoing SWA gate staff in Seattle working the Coast Starlight diner to be honest.
All in all - a nice vacation with more positives than negatives!
*some editing has taken place...... originally there were some pretty strange repetitions in my post - the result of numerous distractions mid-sentence!
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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Good report - thanks for writing that.
quote:Originally posted by notelvis: In Portland we visited with old friends for four days. Their large van was still 'in the shop' on our first day so they proposed renting a vehicle so that both families could be accommodated. I asked "Where are we going?" and the answer was "The zoo, the Rose Garden, and Powell's Books". I asked "How close is your house to the light rail?......" So day one this is how our group of 8 made it the first day. The only inconvenience was that we made two trips with the one vehicle on the five minute drive to/from the light rail station.
I picked up on this because I had a similar-ish issue with relatives attending Train Day in LAX. Though they have to drive to the station, they do have a choice of two rail lines to use - one heavy, one light rail. Despite being here in LA for something like 20 years, and dropping people off and picking up from the light rail station, these relatives had never actually ridden the train. So the novelty of taking a train was quite something. Free parking at the station, $1.50 each way on the train, compared to searching for a $10 parking space somewhere in LA - no brainer. And they actually enjoyed it. Would they go again? Might need to work on that one.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Geoff -
Our friends are well-educated (she a University Professor, he a medical technician) who are naturalized citizens having come to the United States from Romania where, in her words "It's acceptable here for a woman to have a Phd". They have been 'in-country' for 16-17 years and have lived now in three states..... just long enough to have become Americanized in that 'must drive car' kind of way.
They have been in Portland for two years and while they recognize that they are in one of the most transit friendly cities in North America...... still among educated and green-minded folks the idea of making a trip into town is considered first and foremost in terms of automobile logistics.
We bought the 'day-pass' ($5.00 adult, $3.30 child, and $1.60 senior for grandma visiting from Romania) and used it for three light rail hops, two bus hops, and a joyride on the streetcar stopping just outside Powell's books. It was a great day which the two dads and three kids loved. Not sure about the moms but that was partially because my daughter got a bit friendlier with the splash park in downtown Portland than my wife would have otherwise permitted! ("Hard to carry a change of clothes on the streetcar" huffed my wife. I responded with a mild "Yes'm Miss Daisy.")
notelvis Member # 3071
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For anyone not concerned about using Facebook, here are photos from our recent trip.
One note - these are amateur family vacation kind of photos...... not fantastic nothing but train photos!
I've taken this train an incredible number of times over the years, so I was pleasantly surprised to see some pictures that I've never seen/taken before. I was surprised to see that you had a FULL refurb sleeper and it's already falling apart---wow! I guess that's what happens when those cars are literally used 24/7.
One thing about Portland public transportation: Yes, they have a lot of it and the free zone is very nice. The one thing that does confuse me (and I think it confuses others as well) is the number of types of transit they have, and how to interconnect with all of them. They have: bus, light rail, street car, the new DMU thing, and I think I'm missing one more. For a "lay" person who isn't too familiar with how to work public transit, it just feels a bit "tricky" and foreign to figure out. I guess there's a method to the madness so to speak as to why they have so many different forms, and didn't just stick with one or two.
Glad you had a nice trip. I'm so itchy to go somewhere on the train but I just can't schedule the time just yet.
cubzo Member # 4700
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Great report and pics.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Hey Smitty -
I agree - Portland's mass transit options could be a bit overwhelming to the casual tourist or to a newcomer....... and in downtown the whole light rail vs. street car thing is sure to confuse as there is a street car route as well as 4 light rail routes on two separate rights of way.
The new DMU thing operates only in the western suburbs and seems to have been constructed mostly on an existing freight right-of-way. It wouldn't be hard to get the hang of things though if someone were in Portland for an extended period and needing to learn how to get around.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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I continue to hold that municipal mass transit systems throw up barriers for those from out of town and even locals that do not have occasion to ride frequently.
I noted this at my postings regarding my recent experiences on both the Atlanta and Miami systems. Even here, the Chicago Transit Authority has enough barriers with its fare cards that I will just as soon walk when in town (taxicab; what's that?). When I take my "poor man's way" to O'Hare, i.e. BNSF to CUS walk to CTA Blue Line Clinton St, there always seem to be CTA employees at both Clinton and O'Hare to help me out. I also had help from "angels" for both my Atlanta and Miami rides.
Even if outmoded in this day and age, whatever happened to "just pay the driver and board" can be a deterrent to infrequent users.
sbalax Member # 2801
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David--
Great report and pictures! Thanks for sharing them. It makes me look forward even more to our Starlight trip coming up in early September. Sadly, we'll miss King Street because we are only going as far as Tacoma.
We'll be taking the Light Rail from SEA-TAC to downtown later in the month. Did it work well for you? We rode SkyTrain in Vancouver both ways to connect with our recent Alaska Cruise and it was fantastic. I hadn't realized that the fare FROM YVR was $5.00 more than TO the airport. It's an airport usage tax. Lots of friendly folk at both locations to help with the ticket machines, etc.
Frank in overcast and cool SBA
P.S. I do have one question. Is that Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Ear Ring" on the wall behind your wife and daughter?
Vincent206 Member # 15447
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Great pictures--and judging by their smiles--it looks like your wife and daughter had a good time too. I think the transit mode you missed in Portland is the aerial tram/gondola between the waterfront and OHSU; but catching the Zoo train in operation is a nice bonus. Portland's $5 day pass is a fantastic deal and it's valid on everything except the gondola. I think the free zone in Portland is gone, but having your day pass is valid fare on any train or bus.
Most public transit systems are adopting electronic fare cards with an embedded chip that automatically charges riders for their trips. Visitors planning to use public transit in Seattle for more than a couple of trips should purchase an ORCA card from a TVM at any light rail station. There is an outrageous $5 fee to purchase the card, but ORCA allows transfers between the different modes. Cash riders can't transfer between light rail and the bus system for free, so the $5 fee is quickly recouped after a few trips. Seattle has also eliminated its free ride zone, so be prepared to pay for short trips downtown.
I'm happy to hear about LaToya at King Street Station and I hope she has a long and successful career at Amtrak. Some of the other staff at KSS--particularly the 2 pictured in your shot of the ticketing area--could use some of LaToya's charm.
I've lived in Seattle for 50+ years and I've only been to the top of the Space Needle 2 times: once as a 6 y.o. kid and once as a tourist guide about 10 years ago. There are a number of parks on Queen Anne Hill with panoramic views of downtown Seattle, Elliot Bay and the Olympics that are pretty spectacular. But the Space Needle/Seattle Center, the Pike Place Market and a ferry ride from the waterfront are mandatory for first time tourists in Seattle.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Unfortunately, I cannot access your photos, Mr. Presley. It appears you have a member to do so. Whether or not that includes your "friending", I know not.
GBN (Facebook member for three weeks during March 2011)
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: I continue to hold that municipal mass transit systems throw up barriers for those from out of town and even locals that do not have occasion to ride frequently.
I noted this at my postings regarding my recent experiences on both the Atlanta and Miami systems. Even here, the Chicago Transit Authority has enough barriers with its fare cards that I will just as soon walk when in town (taxicab; what's that?). When I take my "poor man's way" to O'Hare, i.e. BNSF to CUS walk to CTA Blue Line Clinton St, there always seem to be CTA employees at both Clinton and O'Hare to help me out. I also had help from "angels" for both my Atlanta and Miami rides.
Even if outmoded in this day and age, whatever happened to "just pay the driver and board" can be a deterrent to infrequent users.
I'm not a big fan of fare cards - even for an infrequent rider like myself, this means leaving the card in a desk drawer until I go out and need it. Otherwise it takes up room in my wallet (and I like to keep it slim so I can slip it into a pocket). Of course I don't always remember to take it with me either.
But in general, the flat fare basis does make it very simple. This seems to be the case in most US cities. Compare to London where there are six concentric zones and you have to determine where from and to - and via - in order to buy the right ticket which costs anything from about $3 to $9 I think. London has the Oyster Card, a fare card, with a deposit like the US ones I've seen so in that respect it's the same. But London does have one advantage: paper tickets. A day pass - depending on the zones, day of the week, time of day, and phase of the moon - costs anything from $15 upwards. At least I think so because I can't even find a price on the Transport for London page.
Then there was a time when a friend and I were in Germany. Staring at the ticket machine, our smattering of German words was woefully inadequate. We walked: it was just too complicated.
Just let me buy a flat fare to anywhere! Maybe someone should invent a globally recognized symbol that all machines worldwide could use - though, of course, not everywhere uses a flat fare system.
Vincent206 Member # 15447
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Seattle has one of the most confusing fare structures that anyone could imagine. The light rail line and the Express buses are operated by Sound Transit, the local buses by Metro Transit and the streetcar and monorail are City of Seattle properties. And all 3 systems have different fare structures. A trip from International District station to Westlake station can cost $2.00, $2.25 or $2.50 depending on which train or bus you take and the time of day that you ride. Anyone who is planning to use public transit in Seattle for more than just a ride to the airport and back should buy an ORCA card.
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: Unfortunately, I cannot access your photos, Mr. Presley. It appears you have a member to do so. Whether or not that includes your "friending", I know not.
GBN (Facebook member for three weeks during March 2011)
I believe that being a member is enough to view my pictures. 'Friending' isn't required.
I would say that there probably is not anything there to warrant being a member if you otherwise prefer not to be.
See you in Chicago soon and hope to hear whether your joyride for the PRJ goes as scheduled.
A sidebar - on our SWA flight home I made a journey to the rear restroom about 3.5 hours into the flight. The rear attendant looked at me and said "Just an hour an twenty minutes to go." I asked "Is that until we reach the gate or just hit the ground?" He answered "At Southwest we prefer NOT to say 'Hit the ground'".
smitty195 Member # 5102
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I am not a "friend" and I could see the pics just fine, FYI.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Another random thought for GBN -
Do you feel that municipal mass transit systems are intentionally trying to throw up barriers to tourists (for whatever reason) or is this merely a by-product of trying to streamline their accounting procedure?
RRRICH Member # 1418
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David -- I too cannot access your photos, since I am not on Facebook. Is there a way to view them without being a Facebook member?
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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I'm certain the fare collection 'barriers' simply aries from the efficiencies that electronic collection provides, and I'm certain that if I were a regular rider of any system, I could learn the drill.
Be it assured, I am all in favor of any means to reduce the need for currency to effect financial transactions.
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by RRRICH: David -- I too cannot access your photos, since I am not on Facebook. Is there a way to view them without being a Facebook member?
Rich, I will email some of the better ones to you - we did that once before if I recall.
Would you PM your email address to me? I didn't save it last time.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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I'm on Facebook and loved your photos, David.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Thanks Henry - I appreciate the look and the kind words.
And Vincent - a good time was had by all. My daughter's expectation for an overnight train ride is getting an upper berth! We actually saw the Portland aerial tram while eating lunch at the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry I presume.) and the aerial tram, as well as another visit to Powell's Books, are enough to put Portland near the top for a future itinerary.
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: I'm certain the fare collection 'barriers' simply aries from the efficiencies that electronic collection provides, and I'm certain that if I were a regular rider of any system, I could learn the drill.
Be it assured, I am all in favor of any means to reduce the need for currency to effect financial transactions.
I've started a new thread about smartcards here to avoid taking this thread too far off-topic (which was probably my fault!).
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Notelvis -- I PM'ed you my e-mail address.
Thanks--
RR Rich
DonNadeau Member # 61606
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@ RRRICH @ Gilbert B Norman
You can sign up for Facebook with an "only me" setting without making your information public. That permits you to view the pages of those such as notelvis who do not restrict access to friends only.
@ RRRICH Facebook memberships cost nothing.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Good to see you again DonNadeau.....
For my next trip I'll be attending what some are calling the 'Big Do in Dubuque'. A reunion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps. Several hundred former members and adult staff will be in town.
I'm looking forward to my first excuse to visit Iowa (other than riding through on the train) since 2005. Just a pity that arriving in Dubuque by train is still not yet an option.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Thanks, Don -- I just don't have any interest in being on a social media network, even though my wife, stepdaughter, and everyone else I know is on Facebook, it seems.
Thanks for the info--
RR Rich
Vincent206 Member # 15447
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quote:One of our days involved a drive to and along part of the Oregon Coast where I had some sightings of the mostly dormant Tillamook Bay Railroad...... a line that I'll look into a bit more now that we're home.
The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad has been restoring parts of Port of Tillamook Bay trackage for tourist train operations. Some of the photos on their Facebook page are fascinating.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Yes Vincent -
Saw their train in Garabaldi. It had just returned from it's last trip of the day when we passed.
Sounds like the work to restore that line over the mountain to reconnect with the rest of the US rail network is unlikely but the coastal portions may survive as a tourist pike. I'm rooting for them.
yukon11 Member # 2997
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I'm going to have to reserve time, one of these days, for the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. I think it would provide a lot of really fine photo opportunities. I am interested in taking some photos of vaious lighthouses along the Oregon coast. Would there be some in the vicinity of the railroad excursion? Also, a reason to see the Tillamoook Air Museum and the Tillamook Cheese Factory which, I understand, has great ice cream.
Richard
sbalax Member # 2801
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I was in Carpinteria for my teeth cleaning this morning and headed to "The Spot" afterwards for a burger. I got to see the NB Starlight whizz through with four sleepers, 1 PPC, 1 diner, 1 lounge, 4 coaches and three private cars bringing up the rear.
It's about a month and a half until out trip north and I'm more than ready.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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FOUR sleepers? Does that mean three sleepers plus one trans/dorm, or four sleepers plus 1 trans/dorm?
I'm looking at the end of August to try to take my #14 trip. That would be funny if we're on the same train. I have nothing booked yet.
sbalax Member # 2801
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It looked like a regular sleeper to me but, as I said, it was whizzing through blowing the horn at all the kids on bikes trying to beat it across the crossing at Linden Avenue.
Frank in dark but still warm and humid SBA
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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RRRich, you ARE on a social media network. It's called Railforum.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Henry -- I guess so, but it's SO much esier to be on Rail Forum than on Facebook and Twitter -- I don't understand how to even sign up for those, and at least Rail Forum targets specific types of people -- those being people who have an interest in trains and railroading, not 3 million people from all over the world.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mr. Kisor; disagree:
Where on this Forum will one see the likes of as I did on Facebook:
"Derrick is cranky today; he is teething"
"Now he's stopped, maybe I can get the house cleaned now"
Or more foreboding:
"Well those protestors have their First Amendment rights; but they'd better remember if they somehow set foot on my property, I have my Second Amendment rights"
Three weeks of that stuff, plus the endless bombardment from advertisers (which I understand have now become even more targeted and invasive), and it was time to say what I always did to Lucky if I wanted to rest and he wanted to rassle; "ENUF".
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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GBN, I do not plan to get into a slinging match with you over this issue. It is too trivial to bother with, and besides, I agree with you about a lot of it.
But I must point out that plenty of unnecessary nutwing political comments are bandied about on TrainWeb. ("Nutwing" is defined as the side one disagrees with, whoever you are.)
smitty195 Member # 5102
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quote:Originally posted by sbalax: It looked like a regular sleeper to me but, as I said, it was whizzing through blowing the horn at all the kids on bikes trying to beat it across the crossing at Linden Avenue.
Okee dokee, thanks. That's awesome---four sleepers plus rev space in the dorm. Excellent!
smitty195 Member # 5102
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: But I must point out that plenty of unnecessary nutwing political comments are bandied about on TrainWeb. ("Nutwing" is defined as the side one disagrees with, whoever you are.)
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