Amtrak Cascades Service discussion

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west point said:
Why not just unload passengers at Vancouver ( or Portland ) bus to Kelso and let them re board. Train can pass without passengers unless track(s) are blocked. Opposite direction as well. Can anyone give us a detail report of these slides and does it appear that there are more locations slide prone in the same area?
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West Point's question is a good one. I'm just afraid Amtrak has become way too willing to use buses to the max, even when it's not fully necessary, and no one's calling them on it.
 
west point said:
Why not just unload passengers at Vancouver ( or Portland ) bus to Kelso and let them re board. Train can pass without passengers unless track(s) are blocked. Opposite direction as well. Can anyone give us a detail report of these slides and does it appear that there are more locations slide prone in the same area?
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Somewhere in this thread I've posted an old newspaper clipping discussing slides and flooding from the current location (Felida) up to the Lewis River. The segment from Kalama to Vancouver was built in a hurry and has been problematic ever since.
 
I forgot to mention, I had my first ever ride in a Talgo a few weeks ago. I rode in Horizon's from Vancouver to Stanwood, but a day later rode a Talgo from Stanwood to Tacoma.
I'll take a Horizon anytime over a Talgo.... ;)
 

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railiner said:
I forgot to mention, I had my first ever ride in a Talgo a few weeks ago. I rode in Horizon's from Vancouver to Stanwood, but a day later rode a Talgo from Stanwood to Tacoma.
I'll take a Horizon anytime over a Talgo.... ;)
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The withdrawn Talgo Series VI had very comfortable seats, and most of the seats faced forwards (they could be rotated at endpoints). I've never been a fan of the surviving Talgo Series VIII trainsets.
 
ST Saint said:
The new train wash in Seattle coming along. I cannot wait for it to be functioning so they can clean all of the Cascades, and Sounder trains because everything is in dire need.
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So SEA, a major facility, just doesn't have a car wash? Or the current one is broken?
 
daybeers said:
So SEA, a major facility, just doesn't have a car wash? Or the current one is broken?
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It was broken for some time, they ripped it out, and its getting a new fully enclosed one that is nearing completion. If I remember to grab a pic the next time I'm on Sounder or walk around Holgate, I'll throw it up here.
 
ST Saint said:
It was broken for some time, they ripped it out, and its getting a new fully enclosed one that is nearing completion. If I remember to grab a pic the next time I'm on Sounder or walk around Holgate, I'll throw it up here.
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Hey I remembered (Google maps screengrab of the original included for reference):

original_58a4b8a7-b33a-442e-92c7-5d300436e2d0_PXL_20240507_140113585.jpg original_896cab5c-96c6-4653-861c-7728231fe209_PXL_20240507_140121855.jpgOriginal wash as of 2023.JPG
 
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I haven't heard anything about Washington DOT requesting more Horizon coaches for the Cascades, but by my count of Horizon coaches, after the Borealis and the New Orleans-Mobile trains are added, there will be no more equipment of any kind available for expansion until the Airos get here, still supposedly starting at the very end of next year, and then just for testing. As near as I can tell, Amtrak is reviving the entire remaining Horizon fleet for these current expansions, not something they originally wanted to do. So give them credit.
 
There is a 'minor' schedule change starting on June 10. Schedules and tickets sales are already live.
  • The biggest change is that the early morning southbound train (503), leaving Seattle at 5:52 AM will no longer exist.
  • While train number 503 will still exist, it will essentially take over 505's current schedule (SEA-EUG)
  • Train 505 will be a new train SEA-PDX which appears to leave Seattle closer to 9 AM
  • Minor changes to other southbound times.
  • The northbound schedule appears to be the same as present, except 502 is 10 minutes later.
Screenshot 2024-05-20 at 5.27.27 PM.png
 
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I was wondering how the pre-7 a.m. departure was doing. This seems to answer that question. And reliable Train 11 was too attractive, so new 505 will run interference for it.

Regarding Train 502, AORTA was pressing to have the two park-n-ride stops (Tualatin and Woodburn) deleted on Bus 5502, because it was running into traffic delays. I've been told that northbound bus to train connections are supposed to be no less than 30 minutes.
 
Train 11, as a long-distance train, is also apparently going to be permanently short of capacity. So I think the new 8:55 a.m. Seattle departure will help with that problem. I think also that business travel, the original reason for the extra-early departure back in December 2017, has slipped some post-pandemic.

I'm wondering how trimetbusfan managed to get that southbound schedule posted in perfect order. It looks like it's from Wanderu, but I had to print the Wanderu northbound schedule and do an old-fashioned cut-and-paste with paper and scotch tape to do what he did on the computer with he southbound schedule.
 

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