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The Journey Home via Tacoma, the Sounder, Seattle and Coast Starlight 7/12/2005 to 7/15/2005

Following my last good night of sleep at the Days Inn in Portland, I enjoyed the final continental breakfast before using my last MAX ten-ride ticket from 82nd Street to Chinatown, where I walked to Portland Union Station to wait for Amtrak Cascades 500 to Tacoma.

I started the line for coach seat assignments for the Talgo that I was taking to Tacoma. Train 500 arrived at 8:11 AM and the conductor took my ticket and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan card, giving me Seat 7 in Car 5. I boarded and found I had a left hand window seat. Rush's "Live in Rio" would take me north as we departed Portland on time then at Willbridge, we crossed the Willamette River and minutes later, crossed the Columbia River on the Interstate bridge which was opened when we arrived, but in the process of locking back into place before we could arrive at Vancouver, Washington.

The movie this morning was "Guess Who" staring Bernie Mac. We stopped at Kelso-Longview before passing through the Rocky Point tunnel and minutes later, crossed the Toutle River then climbed the hill to Vader. Later, we were stopped before Centralia by a Union Pacific freight in the process of clearing the station. We did our station work there then ran by the Mima Mounds, a mysterious geological feature, before stopping at Olympia-Lacey then crossed the the Nisqually River before journeying along the shore of Puget Sound. Ketron Island was off to our left and we passed through Steilacoom then reached the Tacoma Narrows bridge, where construction was occuring to build a new bridge to the west of the present structure. We stopped for the southbound Coast Starlight with two private cars on the rear markers then proceeded through the Nelson-Bennett tunnel then the shorter Ruston tunnel before paralleling Commencement Bay, passing a northbound Union Pacific stack train. A few minutes later, we arrived at Tacoma where, I detrained twenty minutes late.

I checked into the Bay Motel about three blocks down Puyallup Street from the station and after putting my luggage in the room, walked over to the Tacoma Link Light Rail and made a round trip from the Tacoma Dome to the Theater District. Tacoma bought Skoda Streetcars from the Czech Republic, just like Portland. After an enjoyable ride, I went to the Sounder station to learn how to use their ticket machines and scouted out a few photo locations for after my Sounder ride before stopping at Dairy Queen for lunch. I returned to my room to wait for my next Amtrak train to Seattle and called Julie, Amtrak's automated agent, learning the Cascades was running twenty minutes late.

The Talgo from Portland had major CTC problems south of Tacoma so we departed 45 minutes late then crossed over at Reservation and we were off for Seattle. At Stewart, we crossed over before Puyallup and there were no views of Mount Rainier today. We sped through Sumner, Auburn and Kent on the way to our next stop of Tukwila then traversed Black River before passing Boeing Field as we made our final sprint to Seattle, passing the Union Pacific connection to their Argo Yard before arriving at King Street Station.

I crossed the tracks at King Street Station and walked along the train to find a Sounder ticket machine to purchase my fare for Tacoma. Our train had F59PHI 909, coaches 236, 410, 404, 228, 218 with cab cars 111 and 305. I boarded car 236 behind the engine which turned out to be the quiet car. This Bombardier coach was equipped with small overhead luggage racks with a pleasant purple decor. We departed on time passing the Empire Builder, two Amtrak Cascades and cars of the American Orient Express. In case you wonder why I was on a Sounder train, my reasons were two-fold. First, a story was needed about this service for Trainweb.com, and second, I needed the mileage from Reservation to the Tacoma Dome station at the Freighthouse Square.

Since I was sitting facing backwards, I was able to enjoy the receding Seattle skyline. Tickets were inspected as we ran by Boeing Field then stopped at Tukwila, where about a hundred passengers boarded. From here, for a few miles, I had an excellent view of the former Milwaukee Road line, now Union Pacific. At the next stop of Kent, we lost 30 passengers and gained about the same amount then at Auburn, a few joined and we lost over 100. As we entered Sumner, I saw the remains of the railroad-themed restaurant, K.C.'s Caboose, which had recently burned to the ground. A large crowd detrained at Sumner then minutes later at Puyallup, most riders detrained, leaving just twelve passengers upstairs in the quiet car bound for Tacoma.

We came to Reservation and found a red-over-yellow signal then at TR Junction under Interstate 5, we diverged onto new trackage and climbed a grade, crossing Bay and Puyallup Streets before passing the overnight storage area, going under a wooden road bridge before crossing the 0.65 mile former Milwaukee Road wooden trestle bridge that ended at the Tacoma Dome station. My ride on the Sounder had been a complete success.

I detrained at the Tacoma Dome station walked to the rear then at the driveway to the street, waited for the reverse move to the overnight storage area across what was known as the S-Turn trestle or Tacoma Trestle, the single-track span first built for the Milwaukee Road in 1908 and rebuilt in 1937. It was part of a passenger and freight line that ran from Western Washington to Chicago. After that I walked to a closed overpass to wait for the next Sounder train from Seattle.

The 5:10 PM departure from Seattle passing the overnight storage yard before making its way across the trestle to the Tacoma Dome station, after which I returned to the Bay Motel.

I visited a Union 76 petrol station for some chocolate donuts and milk for a quick breakfast in the morning, dined at Dairy Queen then called a few people and watched the Major League Baseball All-Star Game before walking over to Amtrak and saw Cascades 708 arrive, followed by the northbound Coast Starlight, running two hours late. Since this consist would be my train home, I wanted to see if it had a Pacific Parlour Car, which it did then returned once more to the motel.

Up at 5:00 AM and after I had my breakfast, I walked over to the Tacoma Dome station, bought my Sounder ticket and boarded the 5:45 AM departure for Seattle, sitting back to let this train take me north to Seattle on a mostly cloudy morning. At Puyallup is a "welcome" in the platform's cement and the passengers queue in a single file line to board the train, which alleviates pushing, shoving or crowding while boarding. This "welcome" is at most of the Sounder stations. I listened to more of Rush's "Live in Rio" as we continued to Seattle, arriving five minutes early. After a round trip on the Sounder, I have nothing but praise for the service they provide.

I checked my luggage with the Red Cap, Louis, and now was free to walk around Seattle so went over to the Waterfront Trolley for a round trip on their line and car 512 was passed on the passing track. I rode car 272 and on the way back, we were passed by Sounder's 6:40 AM departure for Everett on its way to the underground tunnel beneath Seattle. I went to Kinko's to check my e-mail, which was a chore, then walked across the street to Seattle Union Station.

I walked inside the Great Hall and found a table to just look around and felt as though I was here to board Milwaukee Road's Olympian Hiawatha for Chicago forty years ago. I can dream, can't I! The second of Seattle's two great passenger railway stations, Oregon and Washington Station (later renamed Union Station), opened May 20, 1911. It was designed for grandeur, to announce that Seattle was a rival of New York and Chicago. Designed by architect Daniel J. Patterson, Union Station was built to the east of King Street Station, on the opposite side of the tracks. It serviced the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, as well as the Union Pacific Railroad.

King Street Station had opened only a few years prior, in 1906. The two stations operated side-by-side for much of the 20th century. At the architecturally striking Union Station, travellers could do far more than just sit and wait for a train. The station included a small hospital, a separate ladies' waiting room, restaurants and a barber shop. But as fate would have it, Seattle's grand station was short-lived. The Milwaukee Road discontinued service on May 22, 1961, just over 50 years to the day from the station's opening. In 1971, Union Pacific also quit the station, and it was shuttered for nearly 30 years.

Renovated in 2000, the building now houses offices for Sound Transit, which operates Sounder trains, buses and Link Light Rail. The Great Hall is open to the public during business hours.

I returned to King Street Station to wait for the Coast Starlight to board and read USA Today, while relaxing and waiting for my bags to arrive from Louis, the Red Cap, which they did.

The conductors took my Sleeping Car ticket as well as my Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan card before giving me my boarding pass and asking me to wait by Door Two. The train reversed in at 9:25 AM and I boarded sleeping car 32099 "New Mexico", being given Room 4 on right side. After photographing our train and recording its consist, I went to the Parlour Car for the on-time departure. Our train had P42DCs 116 and 117, baggage 1708, transition 39019, sleepers 32104 "Oklahoma, 32085 "Kentucky" and 32099 "New Mexico", Pacific Parlour Car 39973, diner 38046, lounge 33049 and coaches 34061, 34515 kiddie car, 34034 and 34015. Garret Nelson was the Parlour Attendant and my Sleeping Car Attendant was Hak To. On this journey, I just relaxed and again, no Mount Rainier views, then after Tacoma, I enjoyed Puget Sound before I napped to just north of Vancouver.

We arrived at Vancouver and I found the draw span open for ship travel. Remember, water traffic always has the right of way over rail traffic. I spent the rest of the time looking at the pre-Amtrak railroad timetables that I had bought during the National Railway Historical Society convention then we arrived at Portland Union Station a few minutes early and I detrained.

We were brought into Track 4, so to enter the station, passengers had to walk around the front of the Coast Starlight and the rear of the Empire Builder. I bought hot tamales and some postcards. Problems with the Steel Bridge, a lift span, delayed our departure, as did "Getting a splash of fuel!" We departed at 3:08 PM {2:25 PM} as I stood at the rear door watching us leave and crossing the Steel Bridge. We had no delays to Salem, where we departd at 4:20 PM {3:37 PM} on what turned out to be a beautiful sunny afternoon and the Coast Range stood to the west across the Willamette Valley. At Renard, we found a Union Pacific piggyback train, with a local in the same siding, hanging out onto the mainline which delayed our passage for five minutes. Approaching Albany, I saw Doyle McCormack's Nickel Plate RSD-5 324 and other Willamette and Pacific Railroad locomotives. We departed there at 5:05 PM {4:10 PM} and went into the siding at Alford for the northbound Coast Starlight, running three-and-a-half hours late. After that, I had a 5:00 PM dinner reservation with Richard, and at 5:15 PM, was joined by Winthrop and Gail. I had Prime Rib and a chocolate sundae off Menu 1. I wish Amtrak would not use the pre-prepared Prime Rib and returned to cooking it onboard as was done on my first Coast Starlight trip in December 1980. That was fantastic restaurant Prime Rib, not this poor version.

After dinner, I enjoyed the fresh air stop at Eugene, departing there at 6:08 PM {5:10 PM} and we pulled into the siding at Natron for Union Pacific 4291 West, which was also too long for the siding. Lookout Point Reservoir was absolutely beautiful in the late afternoon light and we rolled east through Oakridge and started the climb to Cascade Summit.

Rooster Rock before we crossed the Salt Creek trestle to reverse direction to climb the middle level. Once we went through the curved 180 degree tunnel, we met Union Pacific 4852 West at Fields then at Cruzette, we met another eastbound Union Pacific freight, but this time he was in the siding as we kept climbing. We crested Cascade Summit and rolled by Odell Lake. With that, I decided to make up my bed and call it a night.

7/14/2005 I awoke at the south end of the Chico siding, meaning we were two-and-a-half hours late. It was a beautiful clear California morning with the Sutter Buttes to the southwest. I enjoyed an early tea in the Pacific Parlour Car before going to the dining car for French Toast and sausage and dined with Paul from San Jose and Andrew going to Imperial Beach. After breakfast, we crossed the Feather River and Coast Starlight made the turn onto the former Western Pacific at Binney Junction. We then ran through Marysville and crossed the Bear River with good conversations in the Parlour Car until we crossed the American River.

We arrived at Sacramento at 8:05 AM and during the servicing, I spoke briefly with my brother Bruce, the Amtrak agent, who was working baggage. We departed at 8:29 AM {6:35 AM} as I read USA Today, learning that the National Hockey League strike was over, so professional hockey can be played once more. We paused at Davis as I sat at a table in the Parlour car then crossed the Carquinez Strait lift bridge and made our way to Martinez, departing there at 9:30 AM {7:34 AM} for our run along the Carquinez Straits and San Pablo Bay. After Crockett, just right before we entered the lone tunnel, the California Zephyr blasted out of it on its way to Chicago. At CP San Pablo, we were delayed by an eastbound Union Pacific freight with a westbound Union Pacific train in front of us. Union Pacific 2551 West finally crossed over before we flew through Richmond and Berkeley, then arrived at Emeryville.

The Coast Starlight departed at 10:21 AM {8:20 AM} after San Joaquin 714 left then passed the old 16th Street station in Oakland, which had been closed by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and was now badly graffitied before going by the new Amtrak maintenance facility then running down the middle of Embarcadero Street to the Oakland Jack London Square Amtrak Station. We departed at 10:56 AM {8:50 AM} and took the Capitol Corridor Train's routing via Hayward towards San José. Once we were back on the Mulford line, we passed the Drawbridge Ghost Town, Great America and the San Francisco 49'ers training facility then continued to Cahill station in San José, departing there at 12:07 PM {10:07 AM}. With that, I had a short nap and woke up just before the Pajaro Gap then were stopped in Watsonville waiting for a Union Pacific westbound freight to arrive. I went to the lounge car to see Larry, the always- wonderful attendant, to buy a hot dog for lunch.

The Elkhorn Slough, a seven-mile long tidal slough and estuary on Monterey Bay in Monterey County. It is California's second largest estuary and the United States' first estuarine sanctuary. The community of Moss Landing and the Moss Landing Power Plant are located at the mouth of the slough on the bay. The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve and Elkhorn Slough State Marine Conservation Area are in the area. Elkhorn Slough harbours the largest tract of tidal salt marsh in California outside the San Francisco Bay and provides much-needed habitat for hundreds of species of plants and animals, including more than 340 species of birds.

Just south of Castorville, we stopped to get new block authority prior to our train reaching Salinas.

Southern Pacific 0-6-0 1237 built by Baldwin in 1918. Retired in 1956, it was donated to the City of Salinas the following year and was placed on display immediately to the east of the Amtrak Depot. We departed at 2:00 PM {11:48 PM} and I walked to the back door to enjoy the view as the Coast Starlight made its way up the Salinas Valley.

Running out of Salinas to near Soledad, the tracks follow US Highway 101.

As we passed the automatic block signal, it changed from red to green.

Passing some of the rich agriculture that has made this valley the lettuce bowl of the nation.

The Coast Starlight ran along the east valley hills.

The lone tunnel in the Salinas Valley is at Metz and was built in 1923.

Oil interests come into play near San Ardo.

The Salinas River off to the left.

Rolling further south up the Salinas Valley.

Crossing the Salinas River. At McKay, Union Pacific 5830 West was in the siding but the crew had to re-line the east switch for our continued movement. We arrived at Paso Robles and departed there at 4:23 PM {1:38 PM} then met the northbound Coast Starlight at Santa Margarita a little late after the removal of a passenger by the police at San Luis Obispo. I talked with Hak To, my wonderful Sleeping Attendant, as the train descended Cuesta Grade and we arrived at San Luis Obispo for a fresh air break then departd at 5:39 PM {3:20 PM}. I had a 5:45 PM dinner reservation and went into the parlour car to wait, being called into dinner at 6:05 PM. Tom O'Conner, celebrating thirty years of Amtrak service today, was our server and I was joined by Judy and Don from Boerne, Texas. We all had the chicken fried steak as we neared the very foggy California coast. I enjoyed a chocolate sundae for dessert then at Sudden, we met Pacific Surfliner 775 before stopping to align the east switch.

Exiting the dense fog which produced a beautiful view of the California coast.

A different view of the coastline. I returned to my room before Point Conception and turned east along a beautiful shoreline in the last light of the day then at Gaviota, we paused while Union Pacific 3929 West cleared into the siding all the way and was off the mainline. After we realigned the east switch, we continued eastward then knowing I had a bus ride ahead of me to get home, I napped from east of Gaviota to Van Nuys, where at 11:15 PM, I packed the room before I using the railphone to call home to let my mother know my plan to take a taxi home whenever we arrived in Santa Ana. I talked with Hak To for the last few miles into Los Angeles and we arrived at 11:35 PM {9:00 PM} on Track 10 under a crescent moon.

I walked down that long tunnel into Los Angeles Union Station and had to make a wide detour around floor-cleaning to reach the bus, which I boarded at 11:40 PM. It has always amazed me that Amtrak would not have the buses at the end of the platform to make life easier for all of the transferring passengers. Baggage could go straight from the train to the bus and it would speed up departure. The same goes for bringing the train connecting San Joaquin buses straight to the platforms.

I listened to ABBA as I knew this would take a while. Midnight came and went during the mass confusion of loading and we waited for a few more late arrivals before departing LAUPT at 12:28 AM, 51 minutes after we had arrived. We went to Fullerton, leaving there at 1:05 AM, Anaheim at 1:26 AM and myself off the bus at Santa Ana at 1:35 AM. A waiting taxi took me home, ending a fantastic trip to the 2005 NRHS convention and so much more.

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