# Trip on the Coast Starlight



## Diane (Aug 25, 2003)

When I left to get on the train I was excited. We were running late and we thought we were going to miss our train but we didn’t. We were traveling to Oxnard, CA from Seattle, WA. That’s 2 days on the train.

My daddy got to see our sleeper car. Our train attendant, Jaime, let him on. My daddy thought it was really cool.

When the train started Jaime came by to introduce himself and tell us where everything was on the train. He was really nice.

I had so much fun that I was practically running on the train but I know I am not allowed to run on the train, I was walking fast.

I met lots of interesting people. It was fun talking to them. I liked the meals. I loved the chicken tenders and the Chocolate Bombe (desert cake).

My mommy and I got off the train at some of the stops and got some fresh air.

My daddy got me an izone camera; it’s a Polaroid that takes sticker pictures. So, I got to take pictures of everyone I met on the train. There are pictures that have fortunes on them and they were a big hit.

The train was very very late getting into Oxnard. It was 6 hours late and my grandma and grandpa had to pick us up at 1:30 in the morning. I tried to stay up that long but I finally fell asleep around Santa Barbara.

I made friends with the Parlor Car Attendant and the Dining staff. They liked to tease me a bit for fun. It was all right that they teased me. When we went to eat our last dinner all the dining car attendants were arguing over who was going to serve us our last meal. I thought they were being very silly. Here is the funny part. I finished my whole dinner and wanted the Chocolate Bombe as my desert and they ran out. I was sad, so I had cheesecake. Well about an hour or a little longer after dinner there was a knock on our sleeper door and it was one of really nice dining attendants and on a plate in his hand he had a piece of chocolate bombe cake. He found a piece especially for me. My mommy and I shared it.

Jaime our sleeper attendant gave me some of his origami. He had some hanging on the wall of the train. I liked that. It made it feel a little homier.

I loved the train. Here are some things that I brought with me and I would tell every kid to bring too; Crayons, pencil and pen, paper, camera (Polaroid is the best), a journal to keep all your pictures in, invisible ink pen book (we found ours at Longs Drug Store), fuzzy posters (Michaels has them), a special blanky (if you have one) and your favorite stuffed animal. Oh and don’t forget just a few snack for in between meals. My Mommy and Daddy bought a portable DVD player and that was good too because some of the movies in the Parlour Car were not appropriate for kids.

I had a really great trip. Everyone was so nice. Guess what? I get to do it again for Christmas. I am already starting to pack for that trip, so I don’t forget anything.

I have decided that I want to work on the train when I get older. Can girls be engineers?

Thanks for reading my travel log.

Ashley


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## AlanB (Aug 25, 2003)

Ashley,

Thanks for a wonderful trip report.  I'm glad that you had so much fun on the train. I hope that your mommy and daddy had just as much fun.

And yes, girls can be engineers too. In fact Amtrak has several female engineers.

Thank your mommy for helping you to type up your report.


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## P40Power (Aug 25, 2003)

Sweet report!!

Female engineers, of course there are!! The Boston Section of the Lake Shore used to be often piloted by two different woman engineers and I remember seeing one taking an Empire Service train out of Albany in 97. The women that used to be on the Lake Shore have been transfered elsewhere though, one went to the Downeaster.

But thanks for the neat report!


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Aug 25, 2003)

In fact, a lady engineer, named Gina works on the crescent between ATL- Meridan I believe. She is very nice, I met here during a station stop in Birmingham.


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## tp49 (Aug 25, 2003)

if you click here and then click on the engineers link, you will find two female engineers on the Downeaster service from Boston to Maine.


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## Amfleet (Aug 26, 2003)

P40Power said:


> Sweet report!!
> Female engineers, of course there are!! The Boston Section of the Lake Shore used to be often piloted by two different woman engineers and I remember seeing one taking an Empire Service train out of Albany in 97. The women that used to be on the Lake Shore have been transfered elsewhere though, one went to the Downeaster.
> 
> But thanks for the neat report!


It must have been Gina who worked out of Albany for a few years then went to the Downeaster. I think she was the engineer when I took the Downeaster from Boston to Portland last June.

Great report Ashley and good luck on living your dream as a locomotive engineer! B)


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## Amtrak Railfan (Aug 26, 2003)

I like you report.


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## gswager (Aug 28, 2003)

Great report, Ashley! It would be a good idea to have someone around your age and his/her parents to read your post and be prepare for the train ride, like camera, crayons, etc.

Sadly, I never rode on train when I was a kid, just on the platform as part of school tour. I had a fun time on train, acting like a kid, walking back and forth. Age doesn't matter!


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