Coast Starlight, Seattle to Bay Area

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Phase Two of my railway training for the Trans Siberian Railway is a rail trip from Seattle to Martinez on the Coast Starlight on Tuesday, June 29 and 30. I flew to Seattle on Monday from SFO on a really cheap ticket, since United gave me a $150 credit for some previous mishap on my way to Indy last month. I snagged a free hotel room, since they previously gave us a room with a step up bathroom. Needless to say, very dangerous for nocturnal urination.

So here are the basics for the trip. Amtrak #11 leaves Union Station in Seattle at 9:15am, PDT on Tuesday. Here are the stops, with a few of the times:

Tacoma
Olympia (give me some beer)
Centralia
Kelso (wasn't he on "That 70's Show?"
Vancouver (which one?)
Portland (1:50pm, welcome to Oregon)
Salem (menthols?)
Albany (the Patroons?)
Eugene (5:10pm, cocktail time)
Chemult (bedtime)
Klamath Falls
Dunsmuir (12:35am, welcome to California)
Redding (Hi to Mike and Gail)
Chico (Christine's old stomping grounds)
Sacramento
Davis
Martinez (7:34am, Wednesday)

The trip covers a total of 881 miles, and just short of 24 hours. I reserved a sleeping car, which is described as "enhanced Superliner sleeping accommodations. Amenities include newly refurbished Pacific Parlour Car, featuring complementary Amtrak Connect wireless internet access, coffee, bar service and afternoon and evening alternative meal service, wine tasting, night time sweet and onboard theater. Newly enhanced dining service features complete meals served on china." Smoking is prohibited!!!!!!!

More from the Amtrak website:

Sleeping Car passengers can experience a full range of exclusive services and amenities on the Coast Starlight, including complimentary onboard internet access via Amtrak Connect and an exciting alternative meal service, both available in the Parlour Car. Each Sleeping Car passenger will receive complimentary meals (with the exception of alcohol) in the Dining Car or the Parlour Car, a special Welcome Gift and a Personal Amenities kit that includes shampoo, soaps and lotions. A daily tasting of local wines and artisan cheeses is available for a nominal fee in the refurbished Pacific Parlor Car. This "living room on rails" is the perfect place for Sleeping Car passengers to relax, celebrate or socialize. With a specialty coffee bar, onboard theater and alternative dining venue, the Pacific Parlour Car will make your Coast Starlight experience. I just might enjoy this!

More:
Our Superliner Roomette is ideal for one or two passengers, with two comfortable reclining seats on either side of a big picture window. At night, the seats convert to a comfortable bed, and an upper berth folds down from above. Roomettes are located on both upper and lower levels of our double-decker Superliner train cars.

Meals included
Picture window
Two reclining seats which convert to a bed; upper berth which folds down from wall
Available on both upper and lower levels of the Superliner
No in-cabin toilet or shower; restrooms, showers nearby in same train car
Electrical outlets
Climate control
Individual reading lights
Garment rack
Fold-down table
Fresh towels and bed linens
Soap and shower amenities
Personal service (turn-down, coffee, paper, make-up bed)
Bottled water
Daily newspaper

The scenery along the Coast Starlight route is unparalleled: snow-covered mountains, dense forests, fertile valleys and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provide a gorgeous backdrop for the journey. I can only hope for a full moon to disclose the more nocturnal features of the coast line. Maybe some wildlife, two and four legged.

I imagine there will be several rivers and even more woods. The Cascades, the Columbia River, Mount Rainier, Klamath Falls, and the Pacific Ocean are some of the highlights. I will be awake for most of Washington, and part of Oregon. After nightfall in Oregon, and until I land in Martinez, it could be "lights out" for me.

The sleeper car should be quite interesting. I have roughed it on the European trains, through Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, and France. As night approached, we spread our stuff out so no one would enter our compartment. We pretended to be asleep even if we were not. Three people was the maximum for each compartment. It worked about 99% of the time, and saved a hotel room for the night. Showers and meals were another story.

The sleeper roomette that I reserved is rather small, with a fold down bunk overhead. The two single seats that face each other, collapse into yet another micro bed for the skinny or extremely young, under age 6 or so. Actually, it was not too bad.
But for two people in a small space, I imagine it would be quite cramped. The bathroom is down the hall. I never did find out where the shower is located. The larger sleeper rooms have an en suite bathroom and shower combo, much like a small motor home or RV.

The Parlour Car for those of us in First or Sleeper Class is quite nice, as you see above. Many nice conversations are going on. The clientele is much superior to air and bus travel. Most are retirees, well heeled, and easy to converse with. The few singles are either people who left their spouse at home, a few widowers, and some out and out train buffs, headed into oblivion. I had my meals in the Parlour Car, and joined up with some of the other single travelers. They also had a 3pm wine tasting, that seemed more social, than enologically elegant. But I did get a nice TAZ Pinot Gris from Santa Barbara, that was featured on the now famous movie, "Sideways".

Internet service was just okay, and cell service was very spotty, especially through the mountains of Oregon and upper California. After the porter turned my seats into a bed, it took me a good hour or two to settle and finally fall asleep. The train arrived around 6am in Sacramento, where most people debarked. Most importantly, coffee would be ready at 6:30am, not a minute too soon. The last hour back to Martinez was uneventful, as I looked forward to removing my own bark. Though the food was just okay, the service was pretty good. Most employees on the train are 10 and 20 year employees and love the rails.

So here I am safely home, ready for Phase 3 of my train preparation, which is Chicago to Martinez, perhaps this fall. Most people on the train enjoyed hearing about my goal of taking the Trans Siberian Railway from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg. I am sure others thought I was crazy. Perhaps I will joining the latter group.

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Photos

Seattle Amtrak Union Station
Old, ornate, totally restored, classy

Seattle Ferry
Too bad the ferry does not go all the way to San Francisco

Seattle corn vendor
The bbq corn vendor from Turkey located in Westlake Plaza has the best corn EVER!!!!

Amtrak Antics
Ready for the trip, where is my champagne?

Comments

[Will Walker]

Great Info
Perfect! I was wondering if a train connected from MTZ to Seattle, so the information was perfect. I appreciate the observations of the different types seating/sleeping arrangements.