Railfan Madness, 2016 Edition

[ehbowen]

To recap...my Railfan Madness 2015 trip was, IMHO, a great success: HOS-NOL-CHI-FUL-ANA-LAX-HOS, with a 2-night layover in New Orleans and 2 nights visiting Mickey in Anaheim. I'm now looking towards what I can do when I accumulate some more vacation time, say by mid-May. I'm driven by the following considerations:

• I have never ridden any portion of the California Zephyr...well, save for the mileage it shares with the Southwest Chief immediately out of Chicago.
• I have ridden only the Seattle-Whitefish segment of the Empire Builder, in 2014...although my father and I did stay at the Izaak Walton Inn in 2011 (we drove).
• I have already ridden every other Western Amtrak route bumper-to-bumper, or nearly so.
• I've heard a great deal about Victoria in British Columbia. I made a port call in Vancouver in 1988 and visited the city again on a little day trip from Seattle last year, but I've never been out to the island.
• I have 28,000+ AGR points on account, which apparently will not be worth nearly as much under AGR 2.0.

What I'm thinking of right now: Pay cash from Houston to New Orleans, stay a night or two. Use AGR points from New Orleans to Seattle, via Chicago and the Empire Builder. Stay a night or two in Seattle, then take the Cascade to Vancouver and Victoria (pay cash). Stay two or three nights in Victoria, then return home via the Cascade, Coast Starlight to Sacramento, California Zephyr and Texas Eagle via the GBB-SPI and LVW-HOS bus bridges.

Some questions I have:

• When's the best time of year to visit Victoria/Vancouver? I normally prefer to travel earlier in the year, but I could go later (say Sept.-Oct.) if Fall would be preferable to Spring.
• Can anyone recommend a good Victoria hotel? (I Googled the classic Empress hotel just to check their rates...no way, sorry!)
• Likewise, does anyone have personal experience with any of the tours offered in Victoria? How about the transfer from Vancouver to the island and back?
• My current planned itinerary is based upon what Amtrak offered between city pairs, but does anyone think it worthwhile to try to rearrange things so as to take the CZ westbound and the EB eastbound?

Thanks in advance for any insights and recommendations.

 

[Chas]

Vancouver is sunniest in July, August and September, I would say, based on various trips there and to the Gulf Islands.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Great trip!

I'd go after Labor Day, it isn't as crowded, and the prices go down!

There's lots of Guest Houses and B&Bs in Vancouver and Victoria, as well as Hostels. Google em up. Canada is more expensive for everything, plus the Goods and Service Tax, but the US

Dollar has stayed strong vs. the Looney! ( CDN $)

If you're over 60 in Canada you're a Senior, and you get the discounts.

There are schedulrd buses, fairly cheap, that run from Vancouver via Tawassen to Victoria, ( they cross on BC Ferries to the Island)

There are also Ferries that run out of Horseshoe Bay ( West of West Vancouver)to the Upper part of the Island and to the Sunshine Coast North of Vancouver. Buses will take you there or you can rent a car! ( Dont drive in Vancouver or Victoria, there is excellent public transportation)

You can also fly on float planes but that is very pricey!

Washington State Ferries run from Anacortes ( North of Seattle) via the San Juan Islands to Victoria and there is a Hydrofoil that is expensive.

There are Beautiful Gardens in Victoria,and the BC Provincial Capitol and Legislature Buildings are nice sights to visit. And if you don't have "High Tea"

@ the Empress with the Grand Dames (dress up and pricey)its still worth a look!

BC has a large Asian Population and the Asian food and Seafood is world class.

For sure ride the Cascade between Seattle and Vancouver, not the Thruway Bus!!

Remember your Passports!

 

[ehbowen]

After taking another look at the city pairs, I'm thinking strongly about making the second leg NOL-PDX and catching the afternoon Cascade all the way to VAC...probably the next day, as I think the layover is too brief for a reliable same-day connection. I would need a frugal hotel near the station in Portland, and likewise one in VAC. Any suggestions?

 

[railiner]

Great trip!

I'd go after Labor Day, it isn't as crowded, and the prices go down!

There's lots of Guest Houses and B&Bs in Vancouver and Victoria, as well as Hostels. Google em up. Canada is more expensive for everything, plus the Goods and Service Tax, but the US

Dollar has stayed strong vs. the Looney! ( CDN $)

If you're over 60 in Canada you're a Senior, and you get the discounts.

There are schedulrd buses, fairly cheap, that run from Vancouver via Tawassen to Victoria, ( they cross on BC Ferries to the Island)

There are also Ferries that run out of Horseshoe Bay ( West of West Vancouver)to the Upper part of the Island and to the Sunshine Coast North of Vancouver. Buses will take you there or you can rent a car! ( Dont drive in Vancouver or Victoria, there is excellent public transportation)

You can also fly on float planes but that is very pricey!

Washington State Ferries run from Anacortes ( North of Seattle) via the San Juan Islands to Victoria and there is a Hydrofoil that is expensive.

There are Beautiful Gardens in Victoria,and the BC Provincial Capitol and Legislature Buildings are nice sights to visit. And if you don't have "High Tea"

@ the Empress with the Grand Dames (dress up and pricey)its still worth a look!

BC has a large Asian Population and the Asian food and Seafood is world class.

For sure ride the Cascade between Seattle and Vancouver, not the Thruway Bus!!

Remember your Passports!

Great tips!

I believe you meant the famous Butchart Gardens near Victoria.....http://www.butchartgardens.com/

 

[willem]

• My current planned itinerary is based upon what Amtrak offered between city pairs, but does anyone think it worthwhile to try to rearrange things so as to take the CZ westbound and the EB eastbound?

I would do it just as you described (Empire Builder westbound and California Zephyr eastbound). The only wrong answer, of course, is not doing it at all.

I would lean toward the Seattle destination rather than Portland, but again, there is no wrong answer. If you are looking for a cheap hotel, you might want to consider some place between Portland and Seattle.

 

[ehbowen]

I visited Seattle with my father in 2014, and saw the Museum of Flight and took the Underground tour. I also visited there on a U. S. Navy port call in 1988. We also took the Empire Builder from Seattle to Whitefish. I have never visited Portland, nor have I ridden the Portland section of the EB.

 

[jis]

Wile in Seattle, if you are into airplanes, it is worth trying to get to Everett for a visit to the Boeing Everett plant and the Future of Flight Aviation Center at the Paine Field in Mukiteo WA, and see 777s and 787s being put together in the huge assembly line. Hard to get there though without a car, but most tour companies do a half day or full day trip to it from Seattle for something like $60 - $70. Renting a car just to go there is worth it IMHO.

 

[greatcats]

If it is running at the time you visit, I suggest taking a ferry Victoria to Seattle.