Seat 2A

October 6, 2019
Amtrak Emeryville, CA to Seattle, WA 1000p – 830p+1 Coast Starlight ~ First Class

With its 10:00pm scheduled departure out of Emeryville, there’s not a lot going on onboard the train when it departs Emeryville. My car attendant was a nice lady named Vanessa who had already converted my roomette into its nighttime setting. She explained that the Sightseer Lounge was four cars back and that the downstairs café would be open until 11:00pm.

Thanks, Vanessa. I think I’ll call it night for now and read for a bit.

Had the Coast Starlight still included the wonderful Pacific Parlour Car, I likely would have headed up to mingle with any of my fellow loungers. The Pacific Parlour Car was a dedicated First Class only lounge car in addition to the Sightseer Lounge Car which was open to everyone. By the way – I’m not British. For some odd reason Amtrak chose to use the British spelling for parlor – probably because some higher up thought it sounded classier. We Americans seem to have a bit of an inferiority complex for this kind of stuff…

However you choose to spell it – these Pacific Parlour Cars were wonderful additions to the Coast Starlight, and for many people they were reason alone to pay the extra money for First Class accommodations. Each Parlour Car was outfitted with eight large swivel chairs, a small lounge area with sofas and cocktail tables and six four seat tables with buffet style seating. At one end of the lounge was a stand-up bar offering a full range of beer, wine and spirits in addition to coffee, tea and soft drinks. At the other end was a small library with a collection of used books and board games. Downstairs was a 21 seat movie theater. Full meals featuring a menu unique to the Pacific Parlour Car were also available upstairs in the lounge area. Honestly, aside from sleeping and showers, it’d be very easy to spend the entire journey in this car. Oh yeah – did I mention that it also featured complimentary Wi-Fi?



The Coast Starlight’s Pacific Parlour Car


The Coast Starlight’s Pacific Parlour Car


Between the Pacific Parlour Car and the wonderful scenery enroute, the Coast Starlight really epitomized the fact that train trips are about the journey, not the destination.

Alas, the Pacific Parlour Cars were retired about three years ago. They were approaching 70 years old and the costs of maintaining them finally made further operation untenable. I was hoping that with the popularity of these cars, Amtrak might consider refurbishing some of its Sightseer Lounges into a similar type car but with a rehabilitation cost approaching 2 million per car and a congress that’s loathe to provide Amtrak any more funding than it absolutely has to, this would seem unlikely to happen.

In any event, it was after 10 so I brushed my teeth, switched out to my usual nighttime outfit of boxers and a t-shirt and delved back into The Monkey Wrench Gang. We were just departing Davis, CA when I shut the curtains and called it a night.


* * * _  _ * * *


When I awoke the next morning, we were running about an hour late. I had no way of knowing this except that the folks across the hall were getting off at Klamath Falls and said we were still about an hour out. What? Really?!! Maybe we can get a view of nearby Mt. Shasta, at 14180’ one of the tallest and indeed prettiest volcanoes in America. And so we did. Unfortunately, despite the pretty day for some reason my photograph did not come out as well as I would have liked so I’m going to use a photo from an earlier trip. Nothing has changed except that the land on the other side of the San Andreas fault may have slipped a couple of inches farther to the north. Either way, this view is definitely a highlight of the northbound journey.



Mt. Shasta towers over the tracks


Meanwhile, the shower was occupied – with a waiting line no less – so I threw on some clothes, dragged a brush through what’s left of my hair and headed upstairs for breakfast. On this train I was assigned the 1432 car – two cars back from the diner – so I had a bit of a walk compared to the convenience of my last accommodations on the California Zephyr.

There are few sights more welcome in the morning than the sight of your dining car as you enter…



Amtrak’s Superliner Dining Car


Now imagine that view with a few more people, the wonderful aroma of coffee and eggs and a smiling dining car host waiting to show you to a table. I was led to a table already occupied by three other people – Jeff and Katie, a couple from Chula Vista, CA who were traveling up to Seattle on vacation, and Emily, a college student at Reed College in Portland who was returning to Portland after a weekend visit to see friends in the Bay Area. She’d flown down and would have liked to have flown back but the airfare was so much higher on the way back – perhaps because today was Sunday – that she’d ended up booking the train instead. This was her first ride on any train other than a light rail. Jeff and Katie had ridden the train before and liked the experience enough that they’d basically incorporated the ride into their vacation as part of the trip. This was their first time having sleeper accommodations and they were totally enjoying it – especially in the dining car where they no longer had to worry about the cost of their meals.

As usual, I stuck with the tried and true – the veggie omelet with chicken sausage. Okay, so I did change things up a bit and went with grits instead of potatoes but otherwise, another great omelet. I used to get the French Toast every once in a while but it’s no longer on the menu. I’ve also tried the Cheese Quesadilla with eggs but the tortillas tasted chewy, like they’d been microwaved. So nope, it’s the omelet for me. Every day. I’m reminded of that old Gary Larson comic strip called The Far Side where one of his comics showed a lady spooning out a can of dog food and the two dogs anxiously waiting while one of them thinks to the other “Oh Boy! Dog food again!!”



Oh Boy! Dog food again!


Rain clouds gathered as we rolled north through the fields and forests of southern Oregon. By the time we’d reached Chemult – the drop off point for passengers going up to Bend – we were in a steady rain. Shortly after Chemult the tracks head west and start a steady climb up into the Cascade Mountains. As we climbed, low clouds obscured our view even further. It was a good time to head back to my roomette for a bit of reading.

No reservations are required for lunch, though as I mentioned earlier when the dining car fills up they set up a wait list and call out your name over the train’s PA as table space becomes available. Having eaten a late breakfast, I wasn’t all that hungry initially, so with the wait list in effect I headed back to the diner and requested that I be the last one called or better yet, if they did a “Last Call” for lunch, I could come up then. No Problem.

And so it was that when a “Last Call for Lunch!” call rang out over the train’s PA, I headed up to the diner and ended up with a table to myself. Truth be told, I’ve always enjoyed the communal nature of dining on Amtrak, especially for a chance to meet and chat with my fellow travelers. For me at least, that really gets to the heart of what makes train travel such an enjoyable experience – the shared experience with fellow travelers. That and the fact that unlike an airplane where for the most part you’re confined to your seat during the flight, a train is like an entire place that’s going somewhere. Social interaction is a natural byproduct of time spent in the lounge or the communal seating at mealtimes and because of that I think of train travel as being a far more civilized way to travel as opposed to the impersonal nature of modern day flight where all too often we lower our window shades, throw on our Bose noise cancelling headphones and disappear into the artificially generated entertainment of music or videos.

That said, I’m not one of those needy types who wouldn’t know what to do with myself just because I’m seated alone. I’d brought my daypack along in anticipation of visiting the lounge after lunch. That daypack is kind of like a man purse. I’ve heard it said that amongst hip young professionals, day packs are considered in bad taste these days. Good thing I’m a crusty old bus driver from Alaska who could care less about such trivialities. That daypack has everything from my laptop to a camera to Kleenex to aspirin to you name it, so I pulled out a magazine and read that while enjoying lunch.

By the way, my favorite luncheon item is the Black Bean Chipotle Burger with Corn. It is considered a vegetarian entrée but I like to add cheese and a couple slices of bacon, effectively rendering it a Vegan Nightmare. Add a side salad and you’ve got a mighty fine lunch in my book.



Coast Starlight Luncheon Salad


The fabulous Black bean and Corn Burger with Bacon


By the time I’d finished lunch, we were about an hour out of Portland. Amtrak schedules are done in such a way that over some sections it’s possible to make up a fair bit of time. Where once we were running about an hour late this morning, now we were only about twenty minutes late with a chance to make up a bit more before we arrived in Portland.

Arrival into Portland by train is always worth having a seat by the window. The tracks parallel the Willamette River and include a view of an awesome manmade concrete waterfall. It’s really big, as in like twenty feet tall big. Finally, right before arriving into Portland’s distinctive red brick Union Station, the Coast Starlight crosses the 107 year old Steel Street Bridge. Its lower deck carries railroad and bicycle/pedestrian traffic, while the upper deck carries road traffic and light rail (MAX), making this bridge one of the most multimodal in the world. It is the only double-deck bridge with independent lifts in the world and the second oldest vertical-lift bridge in North America, after the nearby Hawthorne Bridge.



Crossing the Steel Street Bridge


Looking downriver from the Steel Street Bridge


As we eased to a stop at Union Station, I paused to thank Vanessa for a job well done and also say so long to my breakfast companions Jeff and Katie who were also traveling in my car. The Coast Starlight stops for about a half hour in Portland, more than enough time for passengers to wander inside and check out the 123 year old station. A small general store inside sells everything from souvenirs to newspapers to hotdogs.



Portland Union Station Interior


Just a short two block walk from Union Station is a stop serving the yellow and green lines of Portland’s TriMet light rail system. As such, you can travel from Union Station to Portland International via a single connection at the Rose Quarter stop in about 50 minutes time all-in.

From PDX, I caught the complimentary hotel shuttle back to the Howard Johnson’s where a comfortable room awaited me. Just across the parking lot from the hotel is an Indian restaurant called Namaste Indian Cuisine. It offers a full and nicely varied buffet for both lunch and dinner. Following a good meal, I showered and slept well in preparation for phase two of this adventure.


October 8, 2019
Horizon Airlines Economy Class ~ DHC-8-400 ~ Portland, OR to Seattle, WA ~ 1230p – 130p
Alaska Airlines Economy Class ~ 737-900 ~ Seattle, WA to Boston, MA ~ 350p – 1210a ~ Dinner

Despite being a lofty Million Miler with Gold 75K status in Alaska’s Mileage Plan, I was shut out of a First Class upgrade on the flight to Boston. Oh well. These things happen sometimes…

I should add that while transcons are the flights you definitely look forward to being upgraded on, the fact that I must suffer five hours in an economy seat is no great imposition. As a Gold level flyer in Alaska’s Mileage plan, I am able to confirm Premium Class seating at the time of booking so long as I’m not booking the least expensive and thus more restrictive Saver fares. For those of you not familiar with Alaska’s terminology, “Premium Class” is a group of seats – typically four or five rows – where passengers enjoy extra legroom (35” pitch), complimentary cocktails and early boarding.

Additionally, I have been upgraded on approximately 75% of all my Alaska flights this year. Alaska has always treated me as an honored guest – even before I was a Million Miler - so while I’ve heard some 75Ks grumble about not getting the upgrade they seem to feel entitled to, I have nothing but love and gratitude for Alaska Airlines and the fine service they’ve always provided me.

And so it was that I took my seat at 7D, said a quick hello to seatmate at 7F and settled in for the five hour flight across the country to Boston.

Prior to boarding, I stopped by the Bambuza Vietnamese Bistro on the north satellite where I employed my Priority Pass benefits to “purchase” the Saigon Combination rice bowl, a tasty and filling collection of nicely seasoned grilled chicken and pork accented with mixed greens, carrots, fried onions and peanuts. Since my Priority Pass benefits allow me to purchase up to $28.00 per visit, I also added a side of crispy spring rolls which I shared with an appreciative seatmate.

Our arrival into Boston was ten minutes early, but it was negated by a long taxi into the terminal that included a long hold assumedly the result of waiting for the ground crew to ready themselves for our arrival. Making my way out into the cool night air outside the terminal, I was met by a friend and fellow Denali driver who whisked me off to Cape Cod in his new Subaru sports car.

This was my first visit to the Cape. I’d always heard of Cape Cod in conjunction with the Kennedy’s or some other scions of eastern wealth, none of whom lived in mere houses or “cottages” but rather resided in “compounds”. In the case of my friend Peter, I use the term “compound” in jest as his accommodations were a bit more basic – a nice one bedroom condo on the beach complete with balcony. You could see the Kennedy Compound down the beach a ways, though. He gave me the bed while he slept on the couch out in the living room. And, as an added bonus, before bed we even polished off a 375ml bottle of Jack Daniels. What a host!