Northbound Starlight questions ...

[Montanan]

I'm tentatively planning a trip on the northbound Coast Starlight for later this winter, from Los Angeles to Seattle ... and I have a couple of questions about the Los Angeles departure, now that the train's schedule has been pushed back two hours. If anyone has recent experience with the train and can fill me in on the following, I'd appreciate it.

1. I'm assuming the Traxx facility is no longer used as a departure lounge for sleeping car passengers, since the later departure would interfere with Traxx's lunchtime business?

2. Is lunch still being served on the train after departure?

Thanks!

 

[gswager]

I only can answer #2- yes.

 

[sportbiker]

1. I'm assuming the Traxx facility is no longer used as a departure lounge for sleeping car passengers, since the later departure would interfere with Traxx's lunchtime business?

It's a separate bar facility that Amtrak uses for a lounge, so that probably doesn't have much effect on Traxx's sit-down lunch business.

 

[SP&S]

The last time I was on the Starlight (this spring) we weren't in the restaurant proper but rather in a little bar area. Towards one end of the station down by a bagel shop?? It didn't seem the type of area that was used for much else. I have a bedroom booked to PDX on Feb 14th and I hope this area is available again. It's nice to have a comfy spot to gather where the staff comes to you. Being taken to the train by one of the Redcaps with an electric cart is pretty cushy too and worth a tip. If not, it's certainly not the end of the world, the big seats at LAUS are some of the nicest I've seen in any facility.

 

[JoelG]

Just as an historical note, the area of LAUS now being used as a CS "departure lounge" was originally the location of banks of pay telephone booths and Western Union (telegraph) services-two anachronistic communication technologies.

 

[gregoryla]

When is your trip? It appears that the schedule reverts to the old 10:15 am LAX departure as of MARCH 1, 2011.

As for the lounge area, that is indeed the Traxx bar. I would think that Traxx would want that area operating as a bar during lunch time, rather than being used as the Amtrak lounge.

 

[the_traveler]

When is your trip? It appears that the schedule reverts to the old 10:15 am LAX departure as of MARCH 1, 2011.

The 2 hour later time goes until APRIL 1, 2011!

(I have reservations in late March returning, and need to reserve mid March on the outbound.)

 

[Montanan]

Thanks, folks.

The trip will be at about the end of the month, if I decide to go for it ... I have a business appointment in the Bay Area, and I thought I'd try to incorporate an Amtrak journey into the trip. So after my San Francisco stay, I'm thinking about catching an early-morning flight to LAX, riding the bus to the train station, and taking the Starlight all the way to Seattle. I'll fly home from there. It's the sort of itinerary that makes my friends' eyes roll, but it seems perfectly logical to me.

It's been 20 years since I've ridden the Starlight, and for several reasons it seems like a great time to do the trip. The later departure means I wouldn't have to overnight in Los Angeles beforehand, and I'd see more of the Cascades in daylight. There are lots of low-bucket fares available this time of year. And finally, I'd hopefully be able to enjoy the Pacific Parlor Car ... something that most likely won't be around (at least in its current form) for too many more years.

 

[ora 32]

I just travelled from Los Angeles to Seattle. The Traxx area is opened and sleeper travellers are transported via carts to the train from the Traxx area. Also, an Amtrak employee will ask you what time you would like to eat and will give you a little sheet of paper indicating your choice time.

 

[pebbleworm]

Overnight in LA is not expensive- I spent 109.00 for three of us at the Miyako. If you can spare the time, take the San Joaquin to LA. It's a well-run, well-patronized train, and the(short) bus leg to LA is pretty painless. Just a suggestion, and not necessarily a good one. I agree that the later departure is a plus for scenery. If you can catch Redding to Klamath Falls in daylight it's a pretty spectacular trip.

 

[LA Resident]

Overnight in LA is not expensive- I spent 109.00 for three of us at the Miyako. If you can spare the time, take the San Joaquin to LA. It's a well-run, well-patronized train, and the(short) bus leg to LA is pretty painless. Just a suggestion, and not necessarily a good one. I agree that the later departure is a plus for scenery. If you can catch Redding to Klamath Falls in daylight it's a pretty spectacular trip.

Well, the scenery issue seems a tradeoff of sorts. If the train is on time out of LA, you'll still be able to catch the magnificent ocean views between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, though missing most, if not all of the beautiful vistas from San Luis Obispo north, including the horseshoe curve and trek through wine country. If the CS runs late for any reason, you may miss some of the Pacific panoramas as well.

On the other hand, an on-time run for the temporary schedule means Mount Shasta in full daylight instead of at dawn, and the terrain around the northern California trackage in Redding/Shasta is beautiful.

No matter the precise schedule, it's still no. 1 or no. 2 on the Amtrak system for scenery in my book, along with the Zephyr.

 

[Montanan]

I confess I've always liked the east-west transcontinentals more than the Starlight, but I'm definitely looking forward to riding it again.

One thing I've definitely become aware of as I consider itineraries is that for scenery-watching on the Starlight, northbound is the only way to go ... especially this time of year, and especially with the current timings. For most Amtrak long-distance trains I could make a strong case for the scenery either direction, but the southbound Starlight misses both the Cascades and the coast, and Cuesta Pass just doesn't make up for that.