# Sept 2012 Coast Starlight Trip Report



## comanchepilot (Oct 6, 2012)

We traveled the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle early September. Will not give date . . .

 

*The BAD first -*

We reserved a roomette out of LA. Trip started off great- sleeping car attendant came with Champagne as we left LA . That was the LAST time we saw him. The roomettes are small but livable for 2 people. Train left on time - and promptly got behind schedule and was 2 hours later into Emeryville - however - since we were going to Seattle - not a problem for 24 hours so we did not worry about it.

 

Our sleeping car attendant was horrible. We never saw the guy - we needed to find him to make our beds and to clean up. There was no coffee in the morning in our car and we needed to go to another - no coffee until 10am in our car. No news papers and to get our bedroom made we actually needed to complain in the dining car at 11am. The sleeing car atendant from the next car over was FANTASTIC - she came in and made coffee for our car at 11am. Our attendant had his hand out in Seattle for a tip - not a chance. Not much bad - a nice trip!

 

 

*The Good*

 

We got into Seattle 45 min early. Yeah! The train seems to make up time in Oregon and by the time you get to Klamath Falls at 8a you are back on schedule. The train is late about 1 day a week into SEA.

 

Anyway, the trip is very relaxing. We met another couple we became friends with - and exchanged contact info. The scenery is spectacular - most of the time - down by LA its ugly and then through Salinas its agricultural - you can see where your salad comes from!

 

Outside Salinas before we went for dinner we asked the Conductor if we could upgrade to a bedroom . This was because we wanted to have a private bathroom in the middle of the night - one was available for $100 and we took the upgrade. FYI - the upper bunk is hard as a rock - plan accordingly!

 

The meals are decent - the same food has a different sauce added to it and called something different - but - it is tasty enough and you gain weight the 2 days on the train!

 

The roomette is tight for 2 and very tight for 3 but the bedrooms are spacious and they ALL are VERY quiet - we slept through the night despite whistles and train noises - you can easily turn off the announcements in your cabin and have it be quiet!

 

Overall, as travelers who have been lots of places - this was about a trip to nowhere - get away without having to plan - we spent a night in seattle, had breakfast, saw the Museum of Flight and flew home. We got to pack really light.

 

Overall, I'd recommend it for that reason if you are looking for something like we did. I would NOT recommend it for travel from SFO to Portland or Seattle or even Los Angeles since the train is ALWAYS 2 hours late leaving OAK and Emeryville, and if the train is late you are boarding in the middle of the night.


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## Diecastaussie (Oct 7, 2012)

comanchepilot said:


> We traveled the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle early September. Will not give date . . .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


G'Day Comanchepilot,

Thanks for the report on your journey on the Coast Starlight; we will be making that journey in March next year.	We have also booked a Roomette, I hope that the Sleeping Car Attendant you mentioned has moved on by then.

Garry :lol:


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## RampWidget (Oct 7, 2012)

comanchepilot,

Thanks for the good & detailed report. It's too bad you caught such a miserable SCA on your trip, and I can pretty much guess who the SCA (the one you reported as fantastic) was in the next car. I hope you will send, or have already sent, a letter to Amtrak with details & names & dates, including the above and beyond service you got from the SCA who had to come over and take care of a car that wasn't even hers.

I hope your next trip is all good and no bad!


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