Favorite Amtrak Route

[steve_relei]

While I chose the Empire Builder as my favorite, I have strong feelings for the Coast Starlight and the California Zephyr. I have written about the Builder numerous times in these pages. You can also reread my description of seeing Cascade peaks for some of the reasons for enjoying the Starlight so much. From Los Angeles (movie stars, desert, glamour) through Santa Susanna Pass along the Pacific Ocean (for 111 miles) over the mountains along the east side of San Francisco Bay through historic Sacramento along the base of Mount Shasta through the Oregon Cascades--known as "The Hill"-- through the Willamette Valley along the Willamette River through the City of Roses (historic Portland Union Station--opened in 1896 and still going) crossing the Columbia River and then riding alongside along the Puget Sound into Tacoma and finally into Seattle. Deserts, fertile valleys, mountains, cosmopolitan cities, quaint little towns, ocean fronts, showsheds, tunnels, etc. What more could one want?

The Zephyr, too, is highly scenic and historic. Many remember the California Zephyr as operated by the Burlington, Rio Grande, and Western Pacific Railroads. It was "the most talked about train in America" and rightfully so. The climb out of Denver along the Front Range--it's like being in an airplane--through the Moffitt Tunnel (more than 9,000 feet above sea-level) through numerous canyons (Gore, Byers, Glenwood, etc) past high mountains as posh resorts (Glenwood Springs), Soldier Summit, the crossing of the Sierrn Nevada Mountains (the route of the first transcontinental railroad--still a marvel).

I have been on the Southwest Chief and Sunset Limited and City of New Orleans--they are all fine trains with lots to enjoy also.

I also ride the Cascadian trains (the Talgo trains) to and from Seattle frequently.

 

[thedude]

My favorite by far is the Capitol Limited (mabey because I've rode that the most) but, yes, I also enjoyed the Southwest Cheif.

 

[steve_relei]

How about the Southwest Chief? It, too, has a storied past, as Santa Fe's Super Chief was the pre-eminent choice for Hollywood stars. It travels close to "Route 66." Another song, from "The Harvey Girls," told about the virtues of "The Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe." The desert southwest has its own sort of beauty, different from the more lush forests of northern Montana and the Sierras of California. Amtrak continues that tradition. Tru, it will probably never be as good as the Super Chief as run by the Santa Fe, but as long as it still exists, there is the prospect of future betterment. Besires, those were different times, people, and circumstances.

I have also read about the possibility of rerouting the train through Amarillo, Texas, when the BNSF abandons the Raton Pass line. That would be both sad and interesting.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Steve, I remember the Super Chief days well, and that song "On The Atchsion Topeka and the Santa Fe" was current when I was a child. It is my favorite railroad song to this day, as I have mentioned before on here. I second what you say about the scenery...it has to be sort of understood to be appreciated but it is truly beautiful in its own way, as is the scenery on the Sunset Limted route.

 

[jccollins]

Not the Starliaght because it is always too late. The California Zephyr (Bay Area to Reno - this is the only portion I have traveled) is my favorite L.D. train that I have been on.

I like the California San Joaquins because they represent modern, efficient, rapid passenger rail and are successful in attracting passengers concerned with getting to their destination quickly, something that most Amtrak lines cannot offer. These seem to represent what needs to be the future of passenger rail. Their on time performance is usually very good on most days (this route is mostly on BNSF tracks). If there is any delay, it is usually on the small Union Pacific portion of the line between Martinez and Oakland Jack London Square Stations.

 

[tp49]

Too bad the Capitol's OTP isn't as good...but at least the service is. The only remotely LD route I've been on is the Adirondack which was a wonderful ride.

 

[jccollins]

Too bad the Capitol's OTP isn't as good...but at least the service is. The only remotely LD route I've been on is the Adirondack which was a wonderful ride.

The Capitols' OTP will always suffer as long as UP operates the railroad they run on. My two most recent trips on the Capitols had me arriving 70 minutes late into San Jose from Martinez (the mid-day weekday train) and 45 minutes late into Sacramento (mid-morning 8:37 dep. from MTZ). These trains seem to always run 5-15 minutes late en route although they often look better on paper because of the 15 minutes buffer time at the end of each route, thus 30 minutes late to the end dest. looks like only 15. Thanks, UP! We love ya... :lol:

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Too bad, how the Union Pacific is causing so many headaches these days. To think, at one time they were one of the most pro-passenger systems in the country. They had a series of beaufiful trains.....

 

[jccollins]

Too bad, how the Union Pacific is causing so many headaches these days. To think, at one time they were one of the most pro-passenger systems in the country. They had a series of beaufiful trains.....

U.P. & pro-passenger rail... in the same sentence? Wow! That is hard for me to imagine! It just doesn't make sense why they couldn't be more cooperative, like BNSF is, and supportive of Amtrak. If passenger trains ran on time, as the Empire Builder and San Joaquins that run on BNSF mostly do, more people would ride them, the government would see the greater need to subsidize them, the money from government could be used for rail expansion and improvement, and it would be a domino effect which would greatly improve the efficiency and OTP of both freight and passenger operations. Why, why, why can't they see this and work with Amtrak instead of trying its best to be Amtrak's enemy???

:angry: :blink:

 

[steve_relei]

That the Coast Starlight is constantly late doesn't really bother me, as long it isn't too bad. The one to two hours that it usually is isn't too bad. At least it is fairly consistent. Northbound, with the train a little late, it allows passengers to see the train climbing the Cantara Loop and along the base of Mount Shasta--segments for which it usually is too early and too dark to see. Southbound, it is dark in that area, anyway, but there is the crossing of the Oregon Cascades, which can be enjoyed this time of year, and there are the other scenic delights in mid- and southern-California, the ride along the eastside of San Francisco Bay (with its namesake city in the distance), the Salinas Valley, the climb over the mountains, the 111-mile ride along the Pacific Ocean, etc. Besides, it is still a nice ride and remains popular and well-used. There are still lots of reasons why it could still be someone's favorite.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

jc collins, to help make my statement about UP formerly being pro-passenger seem a little more realistic, you need to realize my time frame. I am speaking of the 40's, 50's and 60's. They operated some of the most beautiful trains in the country, they were mostly "City" trains, like City of LA, City of SF, City of Portland, City of Denver,City of St. Louis, etc. They had rich color ads in publications like the National Georgaphic, as I recall. They had beautiful dome lounge cars and dome dining cars, in a day when "domes" were normally just on top of coaches(very few sleepers, lounges and almost no diners).

Today, with Superliners, we are spoiled with having coaches, sleepers,diners and lounges all on a second floor level.(NOT to confuse domes with superliners or hi-levels) Even EL Capitan and the San Francisco Chief,(from whom Amtrak got its older hi-levels) only had hi-level coaches diner and lounges.No sleepers.There were no high level sleepers until Amtrak came along.

I am rambling and getting into Santa Fe, also a good operator. I am just saying that UP (and, also, Santa Fe) were among the tops!

Iin fact it is just possible that my all-time favorite pre-Amtrak moment was being seated for dinner in a UP dome diner.

 

[amtrakadirondack]

I would have to chose the Cascades, but I also like the Both Lake Shore Limited routes, the Adirondack, the Maple Leaf, and the Sunset Limited, I like all the trains though, there all good. Bye!