Search results

Likewise... It's encouraging to see more trains, especially the after-work times. However, the route still needs after-dinner service, at least SEA <-> PDX on Fridays and Saturdays.

If any trains run to San Diego, then long-distance trains can run to San Diego. Setting aside Cal's HSR for a moment, I think another western north-south route would be worthwhile -- but instead of running along the ocean, it would sneak out of SoCal to the Central Valley and run up the line of...

A new main line tunnel to Oakland will cost those billions, but it's encouraging that somebody is talking about it. It would probably require electrification of any route using it (or solve one hell of a ventilation problem), so even more hurdles. BART has a non-standard rail gauge, so its...

The Lark ran into SF proper, so it terminated near the end of the SF peninsula, which means that extending it to points north and or east would require billions of dollars of new RR bridge / tunnel. If I were going to make the Lark longer, I'd extend the other end to San Diego.

When I saw reports of the project restart, I spent half a day looking for the new tunnels dimensions. My Google-fu failed me, because I wasn't able to turn up anything except a 2017 Gateway "Fourth Plan" that said at least one tunnel should be tall enough to handle double-stacked containers (21'...

I think NYC's restarted Gateway Project is going to yield 19' vertical clearance, which will allow Amtrak to standardize on two-level cars :)

Indeed -- The inbound car attendants start the turn-around process, especially in empty rooms. They already need to turn over rooms that change hands mid-journey, so prepping for the terminal is more of the same (a lot more). Of course, there are other turn-around steps like repairs...

If you're in a sleeper for either train, then adding padding in LA means having access to the Cosmo Lounge there :) If you go for the tight connection, then you'll probably tunnel from one platform to another without ever seeing the main part of the station, much less the 1st-class lounge...

Recent Experience: In late July, I booked a late-October round-trip saver coach for 2 on Empire Builder, almost the entire length of the line (VAN <-> GLN = 2 nights + 6 meals). I finished the booking with bid-up, offering $520 each way on both roomette and bedroom. Having two travelers to...