Coast Starlight discussion 2023 Q4 - 2024

[Eric in East County]

A recently posted trip report mentioned Drawbridge, that odd assortment of long abandoned, weather-beaten shacks located on the San Francisco Bay mudflats and which the Coast Starlight goes passed. (Once a thriving community of railroad workers, bootleggers, and duck hunters, Drawbridge is now protected by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as the only “certified” ghost town in the Bay Area.)

The question was raised as to what Drawbridge looks like today. (The last time we saw it was in 2000 and it was pretty dilapidated back then.)

Can someone who has ridden the Coast Starlight recently give us an update on Drawbridge?

 

[desertflyer]

Wanted to share a small data point. I rode the CS 14 LAX-EMY on March 2nd and there was a baggage car but no transdorm. Two coaches and two sleepers on the rear, with 1431 being the last car on the train. 1431 was also used as the crew car.

Otherwise it was a really chill trip with an hour delay south of San Jose due to a car on the tracks and a necessary track inspection afterward, but everyone was in good spirits and they let us walk around on Caltrain's Blossom Hill platform as we waited to get the all clear to continue, which was thoughtful. Me and my wife were the only two people connecting on to the San Francisco bus at Emeryville, but they had the bus wait 15 additional minutes to catch the 8 connecting passengers from an hour late San Joaquins 719.

 

[JoeRids]

How is the baggage car then accessed? Does a crew member need to go outside every time to open doors, then climb back in and out again?

 

[trimetbusfan]

How is the baggage car then accessed? Does a crew member need to go outside every time to open doors, then climb back in and out again?

Yep. The Sunset Limited (which also runs a bag car, but no transdorm) has the same situation.

 

[TrainPerson]

Howdy folks,

Just got off a trip on the Starlight and I had a few random questions I know you'll have the answers to:

1. On the lower floor of the coach trains there are 4 bathrooms on either side and then at the end a door marked "lounge." What's inside?

2. On the upper floor of the observation car there is some sort of service kiosk that looks like at one point it could be used to serve something like drinks or ice cream maybe? What's the history behind it and when is the last time it was in use?

3. In the Family Bedroom the instruction panel calls it the "Superliner Economy Bedroom." When was that nomenclature phased out in favor of the current Family Bedroom? In that time, what was a Bedroom and Roomette called?

4. On the relatively straight track between Paso Robles and Salinas there are quite a few random slowdowns. Are those speed limits due to track conditions?

 

[drdumont]

Howdy folks,

Just got off a trip on the Starlight and I had a few random questions I know you'll have the answers to:

1. On the lower floor of the coach trains there are 4 bathrooms on either side and then at the end a door marked "lounge." What's inside?

IIRC, there were a couple of these on the Eagle. At one time this was the smoking lounge.

2. On the upper floor of the observation car there is some sort of service kiosk that looks like at one point it could be used to serve something like drinks or ice cream maybe? What's the history behind it and when is the last time it was in use?

I've never seen this in use. Would be a nice place to serve drinks and relieve some of the congestion in the snack bar.

3. In the Family Bedroom the instruction panel calls it the "Superliner Economy Bedroom." When was that nomenclature phased out in favor of the current Family Bedroom? In that time, what was a Bedroom and Roomette called?

Always saw it advertised as "Family Bedroom". Economy, it ain't, although sometimes it can be less expensive than an upstairs bedroom. It's my favorite ride.

4. On the relatively straight track between Paso Robles and Salinas there are quite a few random slowdowns. Are those speed limits due to track conditions?

Sorry, haven't been on that run since before they took the First Class lounge car.

 

[OmahaRoad]

Howdy folks,

Just got off a trip on the Starlight and I had a few random questions I know you'll have the answers to:

1. On the lower floor of the coach trains there are 4 bathrooms on either side and then at the end a door marked "lounge." What's inside?

I've gone in one of these once during a non-busy period onboard because I'm curious and nosy. However that was only briefly 5+ years ago, so my memory is hazy. It's an odd space but basically is an antechamber/vestibule area with a large mirror and a few padded bench-type chair(s) or something similar? And a sink or two?And a number of outlets etc., and then it leads into an additional toilet/sink the same as all the others. All in all a very odd/seemingly unused space today and feels like a piece of another era.

I've seen it in some cars marked as the "Ladies lounge" or some such (my girlfriend was with me when I went inside and I had her check first) but not everywhere. I am guessing that this was meant to be, at the time of building, a 'nicer' old-fashioned larger space for women to "get ready" on the long trips Superliners take. But others probably know more.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Howdy folks,

Just got off a trip on the Starlight and I had a few random questions I know you'll have the answers to:

1. On the lower floor of the coach trains there are 4 bathrooms on either side and then at the end a door marked "lounge." What's inside?

2. On the upper floor of the observation car there is some sort of service kiosk that looks like at one point it could be used to serve something like drinks or ice cream maybe? What's the history behind it and when is the last time it was in use?

3. In the Family Bedroom the instruction panel calls it the "Superliner Economy Bedroom." When was that nomenclature phased out in favor of the current Family Bedroom? In that time, what was a Bedroom and Roomette called?

4. On the relatively straight track between Paso Robles and Salinas there are quite a few random slowdowns. Are those speed limits due to track conditions?

3. They probably just replaced the tray table with one of the ones from the back-stock. I doubt that one is the original.

4. On certain parts of this subdivision the UP requires trains slow down at every grade crossing to ensure that the gates activate.

 

[Maglev]

3. When the Superliner I's first came out, the accommodations were called "Deluxe," "Economy," "Special," and "Family;" all with the suffix "Bedroom." The fixture you saw labeled "Economy Bedroom" in a Family Bedroom was undoubtedly a replacement using excess or salvaged stock. Also, the Family Bedroom was once labeled room "F" instead of "15."

 

[oregon pioneer]

I've seen it in some cars marked as the "Ladies lounge" or some such (my girlfriend was with me when I went inside and I had her check first) but not everywhere. I am guessing that this was meant to be, at the time of building, a 'nicer' old-fashioned larger space for women to "get ready" on the long trips Superliners take. But others probably know more.

Back in the '90s when I started riding, it was indeed the "ladies' lounge." It was a space where women could have a wash-up and change their clothes, do their makeup or use a sink without occupying the toilet room, and use a toilet that was not open to men. Since it privileged one *** over the other, the labeling was changed to unisex some time after 2000. Now the anteroom (which has no lock) is a pretty useless space, because no one would strip down to the skivies for a "wash-up" when a member of the opposite *** could walk in at any time.

 

[Willbridge]

Back in the '90s when I started riding, it was indeed the "ladies' lounge." It was a space where women could have a wash-up and change their clothes, do their makeup or use a sink without occupying the toilet room, and use a toilet that was not open to men. Since it privileged one *** over the other, the labeling was changed to unisex some time after 2000. Now the anteroom (which has no lock) is a pretty useless space, because no one would strip down to the skivies for a "wash-up" when a member of the opposite *** could walk in at any time.

Along with having the Ladies Lounge, the double-size restroom was marked as a Men's Dressing Room. In cars equipped with it, I still try to use it for washing up and shaving before breakfast in the dining car. That's considered weird behavior by Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari, who I've heard sneering at the idea that coach passengers might change clothes or wash.

 

[UserNameRequired]

... Now the anteroom (which has no lock) is a pretty useless space, because no one would strip down to the skivies for a "wash-up" when a member of the opposite *** could walk in at any time.

I have only inspected this area once, but I didn’t realize there is no lock on the door! I wonder why they would take the lock off?

 

[oregon pioneer]

I have only inspected this area once, but I didn’t realize there is no lock on the door! I wonder why they would take the lock off?

To my knowledge, there has never been a lock on the door to the "lounge," only on the inner toilet door. Putting the lock on the outer door would defeat the purpose of allowing up to two people (there are two sinks in the lounge part, I think) to do their makeup and hair, or just have a washup and clothing change, without having to keep others from using the toilet.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Back in the '90s when I started riding, it was indeed the "ladies' lounge." It was a space where women could have a wash-up and change their clothes, do their makeup or use a sink without occupying the toilet room, and use a toilet that was not open to men. Since it privileged one *** over the other, the labeling was changed to unisex some time after 2000. Now the anteroom (which has no lock) is a pretty useless space, because no one would strip down to the skivies for a "wash-up" when a member of the opposite *** could walk in at any time.

I'm curious what spawned this change. To the best of my understanding it is not illegal or against regulations to provide women more restroom space than men in the US. In a number of municipalities it's actually against new build code to not favor the women's restroom by a significant margin.

To my knowledge, there has never been a lock on the door to the "lounge," only on the inner toilet door. Putting the lock on the outer door would defeat the purpose of allowing up to two people (there are two sinks in the lounge part, I think) to do their makeup and hair, or just have a washup and clothing change, without having to keep others from using the toilet.

Considering how much time we spend on LD routes, how small Amtrak restrooms are, and how much they can can stink late in the trip, it would be nice to have a lockable changing area separate from the toilet. If it were up to me the lock would be moved to the outside so the full space would be usable again.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Rode the CS this past weekend and noticed some new things, and wanted to provide an update for those curious.

A trans-dorm car has been added back onto the consist (running as the xx32 car), but in exchange, the third coach (the xx12 car, which had been running through the spring) appears to have been removed. With this change, the sleepers are also back up at the front and coaches at the back.

This was also the first trip I have been on where every car in the consist (sleepers, diner, SSL, and coaches) all had the new upholstery.

 

[ecetera]

Wonder if the coach car reduction is why base pricing has gone up so much. We were looking at heading up to the Bay Area to visit the kids, and regardless of day (a month, 2, 3, 6 months in advance) the lowest fare is essentially double what we paid this past winter.

 

[BeeLady]

Hi, We'll be two ladies in our late seventies each with a airline sized roll aboard and a backpack. If we chose the upper level would there be someone to help us with our bags? (We can handle them but help would be great)
Are the views on that level Really Great. Or not that much better than the lower level? And where would we eat? We will have just gotten off the Zephyr the day before and may be a bit spoiled by that.

 

[PerRock]

Larger roller bags can be stored on shelves on the lower level by the door. So you only really need to haul up your smaller bags. You will need to use the upper level to access other cars, such as the Sightseer Lounge Car or the dining car. Views will be better in the lounge. Coach passengers have access to the cafe on the lower level of the lounge car; and if there is space access to the dining car.

In addition, select larger stations (LA, Portland, and Seattle) have Red Caps that can help you get to, on and off the train.

 

[Cal]

Technically there is an attendant and a conductor, but I don't think I've ever seen one help people with bags on the stairs. There are large luggage racks on the lower level that should have room in them (you may need to bring the bags up to chest/head level, depending on availability).

The views won't be that much better, but probably fairly less obstructed by small things like grass and rocks. I think the upper level is better, but I don't think it's a deal breaker. You can always go to the sightseer lounge (assuming there's room -- which there isn't always) to hang out on the upper level if you have lower level seats.

There is a cafe located on the lower level of the sightseer lounge car. Assuming you are in a low level coach, you will have to go up the stairs, down a car or two, and then down the stairs in the sightseer lounge. The menu can be found at the link below, and there are tables available on the lower and upper level of the sightseer lounge where you can eat (again, upper level can get very full, especially around the ocean).

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/...ts/menus/national/National-Cafe-Menu-0723.pdf

 

[Willbridge]

Hi, We'll be two ladies in our late seventies each with a airline sized roll aboard and a backpack. If we chose the upper level would there be someone to help us with our bags? (We can handle them but help would be great)
Are the views on that level Really Great. Or not that much better than the lower level? And where would we eat? We will have just gotten off the Zephyr the day before and may be a bit spoiled by that.

If you will be on the overnight portion (Sacramento to Klamath Falls), an advantage of the Lower Level is that it is usually quieter, due to not having people walking through. My experience over the years has been that about 1 out of 10 times there is someone who wants to chat after lights out in the Lower Level, but it's more likely in the Upper Level.

 

[BeeLady]

Thank you Willbridge. We will be going from Emeryville to LA so no overnight concerns.

 

[zephyr17]

As others have said, you should leave your larger bags on downstairs rack in any case. Anything you take upstairs you will probably have to handle yourselves.

Lower level advantages:
No stairs on boarding
No stairs to use the restroom.
Lower level disadvantages:
Stairs to go to the lounge or diner.

Just the converse on Upper Level.

Note, unlike sleepers, in coaches there are no restrooms upstairs.

 

[F900ElCapitan]

I’m surprised it wasn’t mentioned but you will also have access to the dining car. The sleeping car pax will get first choice, but there should be availability once their reservations are taken. The menu should also be the same, so there won’t be much difference from riding the California Zephyr.

 

[justinslot]

I was looking at the Coast Starlight on November 16th and 17th and it is listed as "sold out" in both directions between LA and Martinez, as far as I can tell. Could this be a track maintenance thing? I don't see something listed in the official service alerts section.

 

[Amtrak25]

The convention with the Coast Starlight is odd number is southbound - 11. Northbound has always been 14. At one time, the train was known internally as 12 & 13 south of Oakland.

Maple Leaf is VIA Rail 97 & 98, odd number west to Bayview and east to Niagara Falls, but generally south.