Hanno
OBS Chief
Does the CS use the same tracks as the Cascade? Is there a sightseer lounge?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Coast Starlight Questions
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zepherdude
OBS Chief
Yes, there is a sightseer lounge for coach passengers, plus, a private lounge car for sleeper passengers only. Meal and beverage service in both cars.
johnny.menhennet
Conductor
From Seattle to Eugene, it is all shared track. Since you will be going to somewhere between Sacramento and Emeryville, most of your daylight will be on this portion too
johnny.menhennet
Conductor
The private lounge zepherdude referenced is called the Pacific Parlour Car. It is an ex-Santa Fe Hi-Level converted into a sleeper-class only lounge. On the bottom, there are chairs and a screen for two daily movies, and extra diner seating, more comfy lounge seating, and a full-service bar. This is the only train on Amtrak to have a sleeper-only lounge
Hanno
OBS Chief
Great! Looking forward to the trip already!
Blue Marble Travel
Service Attendant
Just one warning concerning the Pacific Parlor Car: mechanical reliability of those cars, among the last "Heritage Fleet" cars in operation, is not great. In recent years, I have often see one or another consist operate without one. Even when it is on the train, there is often a mechanical failure of one sort or another: on my trip a few days ago, the cinema was out of action. A nice bonus if you get it, but you can't absolutely count on it.
johnny.menhennet
Conductor
I'm not so sure about a diner/lounge (CCC) being substituted. Although they could replace it with another diner or another Sightseer, I doubt a CCC would be put on. No trains that run into either Seattle or LA have CCCs
gn2276
Service Attendant
It would depend on if there was a spare lounge car in LAX, in Seattle if the car gets set out there is no replacement.
For a short while, I believe a CCC was the most common replacement. Whether that car came from SEA or LAX, I don't know. Wherever said car came from, it was likely positioned there as a protect diner.
ColdRain&Snow
Lead Service Attendant
CCCs do sub for PPCs from time to time, much to the chagrin of some pax. Though I'd rather have a PPC in the consist, I've had a few nice trips with the subbing CCC.
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rrdude
Engineer
I'm traveling from LAX to San Jose later this month on the CS, with the two hour delayed departure out of LAX, sometime around 12:!5pm, is it fair to assume that lunch will be served on board? I'm guessing "yes".
Kind of a dilemma though, as I plan on eating a lunch at Philippe's too.
Man, were the AU posters correct about this place for having the best French Dip in the world. It's one of the few places I'd go way out of my way for to eat a meal. One other on the opposite coast that comes to mind is Ferraro's Italian Restaurant, in Westfield, NY. Although a fire burned the place down last year, they are operating at a sister location in Summit, NJ.
Kind of a dilemma though, as I plan on eating a lunch at Philippe's too.
Man, were the AU posters correct about this place for having the best French Dip in the world. It's one of the few places I'd go way out of my way for to eat a meal. One other on the opposite coast that comes to mind is Ferraro's Italian Restaurant, in Westfield, NY. Although a fire burned the place down last year, they are operating at a sister location in Summit, NJ.
johnny.menhennet
Conductor
I'd say 95% yes. Dinner for sure, seeing as you won't be in until 10:30P, but I'm pretty sure lunch too (but they may only give it to sleeper pax if they don't have much time).
The first trip I took on the CS, three years ago, a CCC was substituted for the PPC. It was disappointing, of course, but the flip side was that very few passengers used it. I practically had the car to myself.
ColdRain&Snow
Lead Service Attendant
Yessir, lunch will be served after your 12:15P departure from LAUPT.
Last year, February??, 14 was leaving two hours late due to track work - similar to what's happening this month. We boarded, got into our bedroom, and were sitting in the diner before the train pulled out of the station. I presume it it would be the same this year.
As far as your dilemma with Phillippe's -- ah, if only all my problems could be like that
fairviewroad
Engineer
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This pretty much describes my same experience on the CS about 2 years ago with a substituted CCC. Since we had an ocean-facing roomette
we found little use for the "PPC." When we wanted to stretch our legs we headed to the "PPC" and had it mostly to ourselves. We took our lunch
in the "PPC" the next day and it was marginally better than eating in the diner due to the general peace and quiet...practically alone in there. But
overall the real PCC (as we experienced on a later trip) is vastly better.
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