# 3rd Amtrak in 3 years: CHI - SFC, SFC-PDX-CBS



## dvdapex (Jul 26, 2014)

Family is taking our third Amtrak trip in three summers. First two were westbound on Empire Builder starting from CBS, ending in PDX (with a stop at Glacier on the way).

This year is going to be California Zephyr CHI - SFC then on the way home going Coast Starlight from SFC - PDX and then PDX - CBS.

We left MKE this morning to go to CHI. A quick wait at the Metropolitan lounge for lunch and we were off at 2 pm.

Currently leaving Galeville, IL where a loss of power (while trying to fix a radiator) meant an hour or so delay and dessert before dinner (they couldn't cook anything w/o power).

So far the staff is super. Our sca is Scatman Crothers incarnate; Rebecca, the dining car manager is straightforward but efficient, the waitstaff has been full of smiles.

Steaks 3/4 with my wife having the mahi-mahi. Nothing like having steaks on a train.

It's only 7, but getting up early + meclazine means an early night.


----------



## dvdapex (Jul 27, 2014)

6 hours late arriving in Denver. The new Union Station allows for a close-up view of Coors Field as the train backs into the station.






Every crew member has been great. Roland is our sca. From what I've been told, he's done this so long they built the train up around him.


----------



## bobnjulie (Jul 27, 2014)

Sounds like a great trip so far - except for that pesky 6 hour delay... but for me that would just mean more time on a train!


----------



## dvdapex (Jul 28, 2014)

Woke up in Salt Lake City this morning. Based on the time and comments from sca, we lost another hour. So we'll probably get to SFC after midnight. I don't mind delays and more time on the train, but I prefer not to gather everone and detrain in the middle if the night (and then still be able to function the next morning).


----------



## dvdapex (Jul 28, 2014)

Few hours from SFC. Since the train is supposed to terminate before dinner they had to break out the emergency beef stew and rice. Rachel, Judy and the woman with a contagious smile and an 18 yo son (but who didn't wear her nametag) were all cheery even though it's a long trip for them too.

Still have another 4.5 hrs to Emeryville, but we're getting there.


----------



## dvdapex (Jul 29, 2014)

7 hrs late, but we're in San Francisco now. The Amtrak bus driver was taking people to the hotels if he was taken care of


----------



## dvdapex (Jul 29, 2014)

Learned an important lesson today: the day after being mostly idle on a train for 55+ hours is not the time to walk 12+ miles. By mid-day even the normally active kids were complaining of ailments like they were nursing home residents.











We walked down the Embarcadero to the Exploritorium where we spent 4+ hours. Tuesdays might not be the best day of the week to visit. They're closed on Mondays, we arrived shortly after opening and there was a line down the hall and out the door. Oh and having a city pass was no use skipping the line as you still have to go through as if you were buying tickets.

On the way back, we stopped at Aquarium by the Bay. I heard a lot of negatives and it's not the biggest aquarium by any stretch, but it was a nice hour or so.
















More walking and stopping to watch/listen to buskers.

Dinner at In-N-Out (we'd never been).

After 6pm, the homeless appear rummaging through garbage and eating disposed-of food. I could do without that view to end my day.

Early to bed tonight because we're headed to Alcatraz first thing tomorrow.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 1, 2014)

Yesterday was spent at Alcatraz. We walked the Embarcadero in the cool fog for the 9:10 departure. We stayed until 1:30. The kids enjoyed the movie, audio tour and the two guided tours. It was definitely a tour we'll never forget. Finished the day sitting next to the campfire at Ghirardelli Square sharing a sundae and walking around that area.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 1, 2014)

Today, we had breakfast at Boudin's Bakery, rode the trolley to Union Square (the kids both got to "hang on" to the side), walked through Chinatown (kids were a little creeped out by the alligator paws on ice at a fish shop) to Washington Square, up Filbert to Coit Tower, down 400+ steps through Telegraph Hill back to Boudin's for the sourdough tour, to Fishermans Warf where the kids danced with a busker, In-N-Out for a snack, then out again for a ride around the city on a Duck seeing many great sites including seeing Bay Bridge from the east and AT&T Park. Time to plan for what we're going to do tomorrow.


----------



## Railroad Bill (Aug 1, 2014)

Enjoying your trip report and the scenes in San Francisco. Wife and I walked the "mountains" of SF one day and although we had a good time, we will take more public transportation next time


----------



## Bob Dylan (Aug 1, 2014)

Sounds like y'all are having a great time in the City by the Bay! This is what Memories are made of, look forward to reading future episodes of your Families Excellent Adventures!


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 2, 2014)

Thanks for the comments. When we return home and I can use the non-mobile site, I'll post photos.

Yesterday we ate at the Hollywood Cafe for breakfast. HUGE portions and decent prices (for the area).











The plan for the day was to visit the California Academy of Sciences. The concierge at the Courtyard suggested we take the F line all the way to Market and Haight. Met some helpful locals who pointed to the hidden bus stop. Waited there with some German tourists while multiple #6 busses came and went while we waited for #71. Once it finally arrived about half the city was on it. We were packed so tightly that I think I am now married to the little Chinese woman that was smashed up against me the whole time.

The Academy of Sciences was really neat. It was a PITA to get there, but worth it. Watching the butterflies and birds fluttering and zooming by in the Rainforest was cool. And the entire family was impressed by the living roof, aquarium, planetarium (you need to get passes, but they're free but 1st come...), penguin feedings.
















After the CAoS we walked along the park to catch a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge Plaza. Too much of this path was too close to cars rocketing by. As usual my wife (who has NO sense of direction) questioned my direction. It turned out (as it usually does) that we were headed in the right direction. But I probably should have looked for a different way.

We walked across the GGB and back (at least I think that's what we did but it was too foggy to be certain).

A other bus home, which gave my wife several opportunities to question my bus and stop selections. It bugs me at the time, but sets me up for my smug "I-told-you-so" face at the end.

Dinner at Knuckleheads at 9. A little unhappy that their menus online were old and the fish-n-chips were $16 instead of $11. Also not happy to pay the "SF healthy tax". But the food was fine and the service was there (mostly).

Late start today (we're all dragging after walking about 12 miles per day the last 4 days. Plus we're switching hotels, so that's the excuse I'm going with.


----------



## Bob Dylan (Aug 2, 2014)

What's SF's "Healthy Tax?"

It sounds like SF's politicians went to the same Seminars on how to gouge the tourists as Austin's fearless leaders!*

*Austin specializes in fees and hidden charges that are actually taxes by another name!


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 3, 2014)

Yesterday started late. We all slept in a bit and switched hotels so we didn't get started until after 11:30. Still, we managed to walk over 9 miles (much uphill).

We started by having luch at Boudin's. 1/2 grilled cheese on sourdough and chili in breadbowls took care of us since we'd skipped breakfast.

We were then going to take a cable car to the cable car museum, but since it was a weekend, the wait was too long. We'd already ridden one so we decided to walk. My son must still have been tired from the previous day since he suggested we wait (the previous night after waiting just 5 minutes for a bus, he wanted to take a taxi). We walked up into the sky where the cable car museum is.

After that we went to Chinatown and found the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. It's a neat little place. We were going to stay in Chinatown for lunch but after walking around and finding a spot, the wait was going to be 45 minutes. Since we weren't that hungry and we didn't want to slow down, we kept walking.

Up Filbert we walked. Then down Lombard along the crooked path. Then right nack up Lombard (the views aren't nearly as good at the top of the street as they are from the bottom). My son and I wanted to see what was on the other side of Hyde (?) at this point. The wife and daughter were too tired to be curious so they waited. My son and I discovered a park with basketball and tennis courts. There was a bikini top basketball game going on and I nearly had to leave my son behind as he didn't hear me repeatedly telling him it was time to go back to rejoin his mom amd sister. I'm sure he wouldn't have minded if I had left him...

We made our way the Ghirardelli Square for a sundae while my wife and daughter had cupcakes instead. There was a clarinet player which we listened to for quite a while before calling it a night.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 4, 2014)

Wow. What a day. After getting an Irish coffee at Buena Vista Cafe, we started walking, found ourselves on the Bay Trail and didn't stop walking until we were in Sausalito. We walked past Fort Mason, Crissy Field, Fort Point, the marina district, over the Golden Gate Bridge down the Coast Trail to downtown Sausalito where we took the ferry back to Fisherman's Warf for dinner at The Crab House. My wife loved her whole dungeoness crab. Finished the night at Ghirardelli Square (again). 18.5 miles walked today and we are all feeling it!


----------



## CaliforniaMom (Aug 4, 2014)

jimhudson said:


> What's SF's "Healthy Tax?"
> 
> It sounds like SF's politicians went to the same Seminars on how to gouge the tourists as Austin's fearless leaders!*
> 
> *Austin specializes in fees and hidden charges that are actually taxes by another name!


It's a mandatory tax in SF restaurants. Goes to help pay health insurance for restaurant workers.


----------



## CaliforniaMom (Aug 4, 2014)

Wow, you are really a family of walkers!


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 4, 2014)

Last day in San Francisco. We didn't manage to leave the hotel until noon when we went to "breakfast" at Hollywood Cafe.

We then visited the Musée Mécanique at Fisherman's Warf. It's an playabe arcade museum. It rekindled my obsession with arcade machines.

We then watched sea lions that have just come back.

Some shopping and listening to music at Ghirardelli Square (no dessert this time).

At the Amtrak station next to the Ferry Building and just found out that the Coast Starlight is already running 4 hrs late which means we won't get on until 2 am or later. Geebus these trips can be frustrating!


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 5, 2014)

CaliforniaMom said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> > What's SF's "Healthy Tax?"
> ...


This was the only restaurant that called out this charge on the receipt.


----------



## CaliforniaMom (Aug 5, 2014)

dvdapex said:


> CaliforniaMom said:
> 
> 
> > jimhudson said:
> ...


Not consistently applied or followed by the restaurants:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/healthy-sf_n_2567446.html

http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2013/01/25/the-city-cracks-down-on-restaurant-surcharge-fraud-with-amnesty-program-sends-letters-to-offenders/


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 5, 2014)

Currently on the Coast Starlight. Had to sit in Emeryville station 4.5 hrs until 2:30 AM to board.

I don't know who the agent was at the Amtrak Station next to the Ferry Building (he had a jacket on over his ID lanyard) but he was a complete prick. Only 3 people said anything to him the hour we were there and he rolled his eyes, mocked their questions, made fake announcements so that others in the station could hear him mock the questioner. For example, when the bus was running a few minutes late and he was asked if he'd announce when the bus arrived he rolled his eyes, made a loud, slow sigh and said "what do you think? yessss."


----------



## Rail Freak (Aug 5, 2014)

LMAO! 18.5 miles???? I dont like riding that far!!! :wacko:


----------



## Bob Dylan (Aug 5, 2014)

Please let Customer Relations know about that jerk @ the Ferry Terminal Station when you get home! These are the kind of staff Amtrak needs to re-train or de-train!

Hope y'all don't have to walk too far to/ from the PPC, those swivel seats are habit forming!


----------



## SarahZ (Aug 5, 2014)

Definitely report that guy. That is unacceptable.

Your trip sounds like a lot of fun! I can't wait to see pictures.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 5, 2014)

Arrived at Union Station in Portland. Quick taxi ride to Shilo Inn Rose Garden to find out the don't have our room. :|

Bunch of excuses from front desk person until I put and end to that approach and get a room which will work for us to get some sleep tonight.

I grew up in service industries and work in IT Service Management today. I get that many of times the person responsible for delivering the message is not the one who caused the issue, but giving excuses instead of working towards an acceptable solution will boil my blood about as quick as anything.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 6, 2014)

CaliforniaMom said:


> Wow, you are really a family of walkers!


Two things:1. I spend a few weeks in London each year and actually just got back a few days before leaving on our San Francisco trip. So, I had to double-check that you didn't call us a family of "wankers" 

2. Our first trip on the Amtrak was in 2012 and the first leg was to Glacier National Park. There was a ton of walking on theat trip and my daughter (who'd just turned 6 at the time) did NOT do well with all of the early mornings and the long walks. This year as we walked acriss the Golden Gate Bridge on our way to Sausalito, I said to her, "you've done a great job walking on this trip. You've done more walking on this trip than wheb we went to Glacier. I think you're ready for a return trip."

"A return trip? To where?"

"To Glacier."

"We're going to walk all the way to Glacier?!? How long is THAT going to take??"


----------



## Green Maned Lion (Aug 6, 2014)

That arcade musuem is free, but it cost me a fortune. I loved it.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 6, 2014)

Got to have breakfast with my wife's cousin in Portland (we were going to meet for dinner last night but couldn't due to the delay). The train leaves in 35 minutes and I'm bricking it because we're at the Salt & Straw and not yet at the station. If Amtrak is on time and we miss this train, I'm never going to forget it!


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 6, 2014)

Amtrak PDX eastbound left on-time with us (barely) on-board. First long-distance Amtrak train we've been on that's been on time!


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 6, 2014)

After the first few hours, the Empire Builder already has better views than any part of the Coast Starlight. To be fair, there were visible signs of the drought's toll on the landscape in CA.


----------



## CaliforniaMom (Aug 7, 2014)

dvdapex said:


> CaliforniaMom said:
> 
> 
> > Wow, you are really a family of walkers!
> ...


1. :blink:

2.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 7, 2014)

Just under a day into our return trip on the EB and:

1. We're only 15 minutes behind schedule.

2. Our SCA is like the Loch Ness monster. Some claim to have seen her, but I dont have any evidence that's convinced me she exists.

3. Quality Service is not high on any of the employee's priorities on this train. This morning at GPK we heard that there was a waiting list for breakfast. My son went down the six cars to put us on the list. After 45 minutes we realized that not only had we not heard our name called, we hadn't heard any announcements. I went hunting for our SCA (who was likely hanging out with bigfoot as I couldn't find her) while I sent my son to another car to see if he could hear announcements in that car. After a couple of minutes he came back saying they "last-called" us for breakfast.

When we went to the dining car, I told Carlo (didn't see the title on his badge, but he was wearing a suit coat and was likely "in charge" of the dining car) about not hearing any announcements in car 2830. "I'm sorry." was his reply. "No you don't understand. Those still in the car waiting to hear their names being called for breakfast won't hear it because the car is getting NO announcements." He said, "I'm really sorry." and walked away.

Our server got about 1/2 of our orders wrong and my wife had to remind him multiple times to bring stuff that cane with her order. When he'd had enough of that, he sat down next to another table and chatted with them until after we left the dining car.

When we got back to our rooms, the beds were put up even though we had the doors and curtains shut. So I guess our SCA does exist (at least at times we'd prefer she didn't).

My son said of this, "If the train gets us home on time for once it's worth the lack of service." My reply: "Well, you're certainly being conditioned to the new American Way, but why should a customer have to choose between the two?" "I don't know, dad."


----------



## Bob Dylan (Aug 7, 2014)

Sounds like y'all got one of the few bad crews on this Builder! 

Please call Customer Relations when you get home and report these slackers and indifferent clods! And tip accordingly!(the Invisible SCA gets zip and incompetent/ uncaring Diner Crew the same!)


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 7, 2014)

For lunch, we were told by the SCA (over the loudspeaker) 15 minutes before the dining car opened to make our way down there and line up because the train is boring and as soon as the dining car opened, people would rush there and we'd not get lunch. I knew this was bs and we'd get waitlisted at worst, but my wife was panicking as she actually trusts people so down we went.

Of course when the dining car saw the line before they'd announced they were open, they were not pleased.

Our server said to us (as part of his small talk patter) that the train is boring as there's nothing to do but eat, sleep and look out the window. I was feeling extra sarcy so I replied, "boy you guys are selling the hell out of rail travel today." He looked confused. As confused as when he brought our meals and I pointed out that my son's burger was the only one without chips. "How did that happen?" "I don't know, but could you be a doll and get him some." I admit that at this point I was being a bit of a jerk since 1) our server was a man, 2) I recognize that calling any server "doll" is a bit much.

My minimum tip for breakfast is $5, lunch $5, dinner $10 and SCA $5/day. I've given $3 total in tips so far on this EB.

Oh I overheard my friend dining car Carlo speaking with a coach passenger regarding her bill.

She: I said I didn't want bacon for the burger. He brought it anyway and charged me for it.

Carlo: so the total is $3#.## minus 2.50 for the bacon. Wait. You did eat the bacon, though didn't you?

She: (stunned silence at the question)

Carlo: I guess I will take it off anyway.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 7, 2014)

How is it that Amtrak knows how long a crew has been on duty, knows the rules for how long they can be on duty, and knows about where that crew will be when it reaches that limit abd yet atill have a train full of passengers sitting still for hours waiting for the replacement crew??

The first time we took the EB we had to sit in Minot, ND for 6 hours in this situation. Hopefully, it won't be that long this time but there is no excuse for this level of poor planning.


----------



## SarahZ (Aug 7, 2014)

Maybe you should ask Nessie.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 8, 2014)

Already 5.5 hrs late. Stuck outside Minneapolis / St Paul waiting for ANOTHER crew change.

The Phantom of the Sleeping Car struck again by putting our beds up again even though we had the doors and curtains closed.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 8, 2014)

Currently rotting outside of M/SP due to an investigation into "an alleged crewmember violation." That quote was announced by a manager over the PA. I personally heard specifics which, given the source, seem reliable, but I'm not going to post at this point.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 8, 2014)

Good or bad when it's announced that there's a sing-a-long in the lounge car to kill time.


----------



## Rail Freak (Aug 8, 2014)

dvdapex said:


> Good or bad when it's announced that there's a sing-a-long in the lounge car to kill time.


It depends on whether or not you go!!!


----------



## SarahZ (Aug 8, 2014)

dvdapex said:


> Good or bad when it's announced that there's *a sing-a-long in the lounge car* to kill time.


I consider that the tenth concentric circle of Hell, but your mileage may vary.

(The sing-a-long, not the delay.)


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 8, 2014)

Turns out the issue outside M/SP (confirmed) was twofold: 1) an elderly woman (with Alz) tried to open the door. 2) while the conductor was assisting with that situation and on the phone to 911, the engineer ran through a red signal. Luckily, there wasn't anything coming from the cross direction... Anyway, since this was a violation of rules, the conducting crew had to be drug tested and the new crew was ordered so that we could move while waiting on the testing and results.

Once we got going, the very next stop, a "doctor or nurse onboard" was summoned to the dining car. Yay!


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 8, 2014)

SCA has been around a bit this afternoon. I didn't actually realize who she was. Turns out I'd seen her hanging around the dining car every time we went for lunch or dinner.

Staff has been a little better today. I don't know whether it's "put on an extra happy face to deal with all of the frustrated travelers" or "there are several Amtrak managers who have joined the train due to the issues earlier" sort of thing. We had a "limited menu" for dinner, but still had steak as a choice (in contrast when we were similarly late going to SFC we had canned stew and rice). I went back to my normal tipping routine today.

Looks like the train will be 8 ish hours late. 6.5 of that has been in the last 24 hrs.

One story to tell: for our family of four, we get two roomettes across from each other. During the day we rotate who sits where, but at night, the kids sleep in the bunks and the adults sleep below. Last night my wife apparently had a hard time sleeping because it was too hot and had the door open and curtain partially open. This allowed her to witness - at around 1 am - a couple sneak in from coach into the bathroom to make the beast with two backs.

Kind if funny until one thinks of the condition of the bathroom at 1 am. *shudder*


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 8, 2014)

Very ironic to see a Scott Walker campaign poster at the LaCrosse Amtrak station.


----------



## dvdapex (Aug 10, 2014)

I tried to put pictures in the appropriate post, but just tiny thumbnails appear. So, I've shared my Flickr collection from this trip. I've got comments on each picture. I'm not really happy with doing it this way, but I've already spent a great deal of time trying to figure this out. 

Here is the link to the collection: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk1GqLAn


----------



## trainman74 (Aug 11, 2014)

Unfortunately, Flickr has made some things less intuitive than they used to be. I take it you got to this point, but could only get the tiny thumbnails from it?







The portion that says "Square 75 x 75" is actually a pulldown menu that allows you to select a bunch of different sizes at which to share a photo. Here's one of your photos at "Large 1024 x 576":





20140727_150622.jpg by dvdapex, on Flickr


----------

