L.A. Times tries Coach travel LAX>SEA

[Eric in East County]

Reporter experiences Coach class food and restrooms on Train 14, discovers the joys of food delivery from local restaurants. (Pay wall limits number of free reads.)

https://www.latimes.com/travel/stor...ride-los-angeles?utm_id=78099&sfmc_id=1978139

A most interesting article which, if nothing else, went a long way towards extolling the advantages of having sleeping car accommodations on a long-distance train trip. (The writer should consider doing a follow up article describing what it was like to make this same trip, but in a bedroom or roomette.)

Years ago, the Southwest Chief used to offer “just for you” hot meals that were prepared in the dining car and delivered to coach passengers at their seats. Apparently, these are no longer available, or at least not on the Coast Starlight.

The article described what was involved in calling ahead and arranging for “take out” food item deliveries at the next service or fresh air stop, trusting to luck that the order would be there in time. It would seem to me that some entrepreneur could take this idea and develop it into a lucrative business: setting up a system for providing menus and people to take orders from coach passengers ahead of time and then having these orders ready for delivery at the station when the train pulls in.

 

[Willbridge]

We did the same trip earlier this year. It was a totally full spring break train, and honestly, it would have been an unpleasant experience if we had been in Coach. By day two, the coach cars and the observation car were noticeably stinky, and people camping in the observation car was an issue. It's really unfortunate that Amtrak can't tack on a few more coach cars, especially during busy travel periods. Allowing coach passengers to spread out a bit more, and getting more seats out there to sell. The demand is clearly there.

Also, it was a bit laughable that they noted a "17 hour" drive time between LAX and Seattle. That would be the absolute fastest time you could expect, driving straight through in what would be the worst day of your life as a driver. A more realistic drive estimate would involve a stop in Ashland for some sleep, with a total travel time of 18-20 hours plus 8-10 hours for dinner, sleep, breakfast in Ashland. VERY few people can do a straight through trip from LAX-SEA. I've done LAX to PDX once, and it was horrible.

In addition to extra cars, an extra train has long been needed, except for the period between mid-January and mid-March. In the meantime, at peak periods a Thruway bus between Eugene and Sacramento would fill up.

The fastest ever Greyhound schedule between SF and PDX was 13 hours, including a driver change at Redding. The fastest Greyhound schedules between PDX and SEA non-stop were 3½ hours. A 'hot' Greyhound trip from LAX to SEA in 1981 departed LAX @ 11:00 a.m. and arrived SEA @ 2:40 p.m. the next day, with the longest stops being an hour in Sacramento and 55 minutes in Portland, both of which had station restaurants.

To drive at the speed limit straight through from LAX to SEA would require a driver change or drugs. It also would need some study to avoid rush hour traffic in spots. Google Maps says 17½ hours LAX to SEA without traffic, which is probably where she got 17 hours.

 

[Rambling Robert]

In 1972 I did 11,000 miles cross country and the drive from Los Angeles to Seattle was one of my highlights. I drove mainly on North South interstates but enjoyed side trips on the 101 and 1 which are coastal roads. This added a few hundred miles to the trip.

In 2022 fifty years later, I kinda repeated the road trip on Amtrak - also 11,000 miles - in June and October.

As a early baby boomer I like the Z-ers. Very funny “Wild West” comment ... and for newbies they got onboard delivery twice! I enjoyed their writing style and hope they and partner had a happy return to LA.

Come to think of it when in 1972 I drove into LA there was a beautiful glowing sunset and unlike any other place - BOY did LA stink!
.... bra ha ha.

 

[johnmiller]

I wouldn't call any trip on Amtrak "dreamy," except maybe my first on the National Limited in 1974.

On any long-haul trip, it always seems to be a good Sleeping Car Attendant and a grouchy Dining Car staff, or a grouchy Sleeping Car Attendant and a good Dining Car staff. Every once in a while, I got a balanced crew, but only every once in a while.

Last year on my first trip on the California Zephyr, the Sleeping Car Attendant was probably the best ever. But, the kitchen's grill blower didn't work, so just reheated food like on the Flex Meal trips. And, even with that, the Dining Car crew was inhospitable.

I would travel Amtrak WAY more often, but things have to change.

 

[jpakala]

Trollopian: I was surfing this thread today I was reminded of this little bit of information. This service, of course, does not exist today, but back in the early 1970's AFTER the beginning of Amtrak but BEFORE the Southern Railway joined Amtrak there was a through sleeper LAX-NYP via NOL. One would stay in the sleeper for four days/nights (2 days on the Sunset LAX-NOL, 1 night stay in the sleeper while parked in NOL, then another night on the Crescent NOL-NYP. I actually did this once. Do any other readers of the AU thread remember this??

I remember and actually think it went from Boston to L.A. because I knew someone who had a roomette on that sleeping car.

 

[Amtrak709]

I wouldn't call any trip on Amtrak "dreamy," except maybe my first on the National Limited in 1974.

On any long-haul trip, it always seems to be a good Sleeping Car Attendant and a grouchy Dining Car staff, or a grouchy Sleeping Car Attendant and a good Dining Car staff. Every once in a while, I got a balanced crew, but only every once in a while.

Last year on my first trip on the California Zephyr, the Sleeping Car Attendant was probably the best ever. But, the kitchen's grill blower didn't work, so just reheated food like on the Flex Meal trips. And, even with that, the Dining Car crew was inhospitable.

I would travel Amtrak WAY more often, but things have to change.

johnmiller: Just surfing the AU this morning. I probably would agree with your assessment of "dreamy" on Amtrak. I would, however, comment that--just before Amtrak--my closest to "dreamy" would be The Super Chief LAX-CHI in a Heritage drawing room sleeper in April 1971. What made the trip even more memorable "dreamy" was I had to get back to Los Angeles quickly: flew a United 747 first class ORD-LAX with the ENTIRE L A Lakers basketball team (including Wilt Chamberlain).
My passenger experience only goes back to February 1966.
I know that VIA Rail Canada doesn't necessarily count but my trip VAC-TWO (again in a drawing room) in the year 2000 was
darn close to "dreamy".