Patrick & Alice RailRiot 2009

[WhoozOn1st]

Repositioning For The Onslaught

Yes, valued reader, at long last the most momentous journey in your lifetime is about to commence...

With RailRiot personnel currently quasi-comfortably ensconced at the Metro Plaza hotel, just a wild pitch away from Los Angeles Union Station, there is time for a few introductory remarks. But let's skip those and get to the reporting:

The RailRiot Executive Assistant arrived in timely fashion at La Casa de Whooz (not operated by or affiliated with Chez Traveler). All the meticulous packing undertaken at the behest of the EA was almost immediately torn asunder by her in the driveway, under the stony gaze and disapproving scowls of nosy neighbors with nothing better to do on a fine and bright morning.

Following many arduous minutes of repacking to the overly-exacting specifications of the meddlesome Executive Assistant, the resultant 4 parcels were loaded aboard the MayhemMobile, carted to the Oxnard Transportation Center (OXN), and checked to Los Angeles.

The MayhemMobile was returned to La Casa de Whooz, where it will reside for the duration of the RailRiot, and Gold Coast Transit (nee SCAT) route 6B was employed for the ride back to OXN for departure.

With about an hour to kill before Pacific Surfliner 784 arrived to carry the RailRiot and baggage to Los Angeles, time was passed by programming a scanner and using the arrival of Pacific Surfliner 769 as a camera video test.

The ride in was uneventful save some initial scrambling for seats and space on the lower level. A 20-minutes-early arrival at Van Nuys became an unscheduled smoke stop, and LAX arrival was also early.

On check-in at the Metro Plaza all baggage and paraphernalia was unceremoniously dumped in the room in order to take up the first orders of business: Dinner at Philippe's and beer run on the Gold Line (brewski for the Coast Starlight run to Portland).

Philippe's was way too crowded, so the beer run was undertaken first to get most of it done in the little daylight left. Gold Line out to Fillmore stop - CVS store adjacent to station - then the return for beef French dip, potato salad, slaw, and the Angels-Yankees game at Philippe's.

Yankees 4, Angels 3 (13 innings), and tomorrow the RailRiot officially begins.

Photos:

RailRiot Minus One: Los Angeles (a measly 7 pics)

Video:

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Getting Underway

Inadvertently overlooked in the initial installment above was the RailRiot's first dustup - minor - over station platform photography. Setting up for the camera test video of Surfliner 769's OXN arrival, a security guy wanted to know why I was taking pictures. I wasn't just yet, just aimed and ready. I explained that I just like trains, and he said something along the lines of "You could have asked first," then tried to tell me that photography wasn't allowed. I responded that as a ticketed passenger waiting to board (Surfliner 784) I was within Amtrak's photo guidelines. Also explained that my copy of the photo policy was in baggage already checked. He was friendly enough about the whole thing, made no threats, and backed off pretty quickly when I cited Amtrak policy. He then, however, produced a printout of some kinda memo citing a nebulous elevated terrorist threat that he said everybody at OXN had received. Trying to focus on 769's imminent arrival I gave the thing a cursory scan, said "I see," and turned away to reframe the shot. He said "Okay, no problem," and that was that. Kind of a strange little encounter.

And we're off! Check out, schlep the bags over to LAUS, print tickets, Traxx Lounge, board, depart.

See you from Portland!

 

[the_traveler]

La Casa de Whooz (not operated by or affiliated with Chez Traveler)

Of course! Chez Traveler is a right coast company while La Casa de Whooz operates on the wrong (er - I meant left) coast! The upper management does not want to operate anywhere where you need to scrape the sky to see sunlight! :lol: Or where the hotel may move during the night - unless it's by train!

 

[GG-1]

Or where the hotel may move during the night - unless it's by train!

Aloha

Traveler my daughter Christine Lives on the "Middle Coast" which she calls the "Land of Shake and Bake" :lol:

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Greetings from Portland, OR. Way behind on written reporting, but maybe there'll be time to catch up while aboard the Empire Builder. Since it's two days to Chicago, and since we can't have the clamoring hordes of RailRiot Nation suffering a news drought during that time, here are some pics and video to tide 'em over:

Photos:

RailRiot Day One: Coast Starlight Train 14

RailRiot Day Two: Coast Starlight & Portland, OR

Video:



As a bonus (or penalty, depending on how you look at it), here's an initial snippet from the written reporting that's running way behind:

Composition of this rolling report installment is undertaken beginning 10-19-09 aboard Amtrak Coast Starlight train 14, while sitting in Pacific Parlour Car "Sonoma Valley" at 5:55 a.m., 50 minutes north of on-time departure from Dunsmuir, CA.

Sunday saw a fine running start to the Patrick & Alice RailRiot 2009. Hotel checkout, baggage schlepping, ticket printing, Traxx check-in, boarding, and departure all went very smoothly. Everybody's familiar with the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays in the military. When it comes to train boarding I employ a variant: "Don't ask, they don't tell you no." Once checked in and our tickets taken we headed straight for the track 10 platform, where the Starlight consist was just backing in. The morning's arriving Sunset Limited and Southwest Chief were already on tracks 11 & 12.

We boarded sleeper 1430 almost immediately - H room - and once reasonably well set up, with baggage (none checked) distributed and stowed, I returned to the platform to get some departure photos using the Executive Assistant's cellphone in addition to my camera.

Track 10 was lousy for photos - almost directly into the morning sun. My camera had trouble, and the cellphone was blinded. Even it it hadn't been, there was no way to see the screen for aiming in the bright light. Just as I called off the photo attempts and began walking to reboard for departure, what should I see backing to the platform on track 9 but some private varnish, tacked to a SURFLINER consist, of all things. Canadian National 93, an engineering car with observation platform out of Barstow, CA, and Burlington dome Silver Splendor, were on the tail of a consist apparently fresh from switching and preparation for later departure. So some decent pictures after all, and under more favorable lighting conditions.

Train 14's departure was on time, and shortly after getting underway our sleeper attendant, Anthony, was giving us the rundown and taking our lunch reservation. OXN is my typical Starlight boarding point, which virtually assures a dining car lunch north of Santa Barbara. Boarding at LAX meant first shot at lunch, we took the first seating at 11:30, and by OXN were working on the veggie burger (me) and creamed chicken & rice.

The main deal for me was to get lunch over with early and be free to walk the train to shoot pics and videos astern north of Santa Barbara. No problem. Table to ourselves, and outta there before...

INTERMISSION: The Snack Bar is OPEN. First smoke stop of the day, Klamath Falls, OR, is about 10 minutes away and an hour early. I'll be ordering breakfast in the PPC after the stop.

Actual stop sequence: Smoke, PPC breakfast with Executive Assistant (both had scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, croissant, orange juice), smoke and photos, on-time departure. Overcast, light drizzle at KFS, guessing 50-ish.

_______________________

Today we'll do some riding around Portland before boarding the Empire Builder. On to Chicago!!

 

[the_traveler]

Train 14 ... sleeper attendant, Anthony

So now he's not in BOS - he's on the CS! :lol: Or does he do that just during the RailRiot? :huh:

 

[GG-1]

Train 14 ... sleeper attendant, Anthony

So now he's not in BOS - he's on the CS! :lol: Or does he do that just during the RailRiot? :huh:

Aloha

they are racking up more miles than I getting to Boston. dang it.

 

[Phila 30th St]

Wow we just missed each other. I was on Train 14 leaving LAUS on Saturday and arriving Portland Sunday. Sounds like you had a great time... I only left the Pacific Parlor Car for meals and to sleep.

 

[Guest]

As always very enjoyable and good work Patrick and Alice!! Makes one want to be on the CS as I was this summer,

looking forward to the rest of the journey east, do you miss your dome car in Calif yet, I hear Amtrak might just keep it

in the East, as Ive said before you cant have all the trains and good stuff!!

 

[Long Train Runnin']

So far so good, keep it coming. Don't fall behind so early :lol: imagine day 24

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

I have one complaint about the RailRiot report, I am not with them. But I am 7 days 3 hours till departure to the East

 

[sportbiker]

Does this mean that Amtrak is better at OTP than the RailRiot staff?

 

[the_traveler]

I know that many times the EB arrives into CHI early, so I (as the RailRiot trip report managing editor) expect the 12-15-10 report on my desk by tomorrow morning! (You don't want to make me angry - do you? :huh: )

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Arrived at Chicago after a depressing day on the photo front aboard the Empire Builder to find that the CTA Yellow Line, the Skokie "Swift" final remnant of the legendary North Shore Line, is just another train since going from under the wire to third rail power. No longer a breathtaking high-speed run, so no point in ever going out there again.

Rotten connection at West Bestern River North hotel. Given overwhelming disinterest in photos guess I can assume nobody's in any hurry for written reporting either, and will slack off accordingly. I do have a pretty decent video of RailRiot departure from PDX aboard the Empire Builder. After boarding and settling in, went forward to the Sightseer Lounge - right behind the P42 - and shot foward through the slit view available as the train got underway; complete with annoying announcements.



Friday the Capitol Limited to Pittsburgh.

 

[Rob_C]

I love the trip reports, though the photos really make it hugely more entertaining to have the illustration to go along with it. Wish more people would caption their photos!

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Talk about excitement, and Cliff hangers.

Just as the anouncement was made that "this is a non-smoking" train the engine exhaust got quite dark , then You announce train # 8 on the left side, and the video ended. :lol:

Mahalo

Eric

Boy did I get it wrong as to the number, after a later comment I viewed the video again, you said the steamer number and I could see its exhaust, but it is still a cliff hanger as the engine wasn't visible. "more film at 11O'clock

 

[Rob_C]

Yeah, the video seemed to end right when we got to the good part! I was expecting to see a SP Steam train come by or something and... cut.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Nice eyes didn't see it until went back and watched it again to see what you were talking about. Im assuming u cut to grab a different angle?

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Im assuming u cut to grab a different angle?

Exactly. "Left side," then killed the forward shot for a side view of the meet with 4449, and the Executive Assistant got a clip as well. Here's another Builder PDX departure forward clip:



Between overnight trains and lame-oh hotel connections (not to mention near-total nonfunctionality of the in-house computer at the CUS Metro Lounge prior to Capitol Limited departure - 55 minutes late), RailRiot reporting has been severely hobbled of late. Hopefully this situation will begin to be remedied somewhat here at Pittsburgh this evening, and over the following days at Altoona.

Speaking of PGH, this afternoon we enjoyed lunch at Primanti Bros., a popular local sandwich dive recommended to the RailRiot by diesteldorf (Chris 1). Very good food, and the joint was packed. By splitting a Pittsburgher CHEESESTEAK!! we now have a comparison to make at Philly when we have CHEESESTEAKS!! there after the Gathering.

Sunday the Pennsylanian to Altoona. I'd never been to PGH before. We managed a pretty full day, including riding both inclines, a quick trip on the local light rail (like Boston also called "the T") and some general purpose exploring (means we didn't know where the hell we were sometimes).

CHOWDAH!!

 

[WhoozOn1st]

The RailRiot reporting catchup race is now well in hand, and what better way than steam to take up where we left off? Yeah yeah, not the best video in the world, but hey: it's STEAM (and a P42).



On the ground at Havre, Montana, while taking shots of a BNSF track measuring train that was sitting there (coming soon), I met a guy - fellow Builder passenger - who had been aboard 4449's run to Spokane a couple days earlier and was returning home. He later shared some fine video of 4449 and consist at speed through the Columbia River gorge in full daylight. EDIT: The guy's video was obviously from a different, earlier run.

Today the RailRiot boards the Pennsylvanian for Altoona, where in a nod to history 4 days will be spent doing laundry using stones down at the river, if one can be found. In addition to the obvious we expect a number of interesting activities in the area. "Altoona: It's not just horseshoe curve!" Last week I saw on the Food Network that Altoona is home to a candy factory that makes chocolate-covered marshmallow cups, so it appears the RailRiot's nutritional needs will be well met during our stay.

EDIT: Just as a BTW, the hotel here at Pittsburgh was booked by the RailRiot in March. In price checking later it was found that rates had gone WAY up for the date. This turns out to be the result of two factors: A wedding party that has 30 rooms, and NFL fans coming from far and wide for today's Steelers home game vs. the Minnesota Vikings. The hotel allows pets at an extra charge, and yesterday afternoon there was a dog barking incessantly. I was about to complain, but before I had the chance a guest even more irate than me shot the dog - a lab mix of some sort - and paraded the carcass through the lobby to cheers and applause; problem solved.

 

[AAARGH!]

The hotel allows pets at an extra charge, and yesterday afternoon there was a dog barking incessantly. I was about to complain, but before I had the chance a guest even more irate than me shot the dog - a lab mix of some sort - and paraded the carcass through the lobby to cheers and applause; problem solved.

Surely you jest?

 

[Rob_C]

Wow that's a long excursion train!!!

 

[the_traveler]

... and some general purpose exploring (means we didn't know where the hell we were sometimes).

Hey - that's how most of my travel is! (And some of my sightseeing, too! :lol: )

 

[WhoozOn1st]

The hotel allows pets at an extra charge, and yesterday afternoon there was a dog barking incessantly. I was about to complain, but before I had the chance a guest even more irate than me shot the dog - a lab mix of some sort - and paraded the carcass through the lobby to cheers and applause; problem solved.

Surely you jest?

No jest, just some wishful thinking. The dog was eventually silenced somehow. Next morning talked with a desk lady when she was also outside for a smoke, mentioned the dog thing, and she had plenty of horror stories. On more than one occasion the pound has been called to remove animals whooz owners were unresponsive and uncooperative with instructions to curb their damn dogs. A pair of mangy little rat dogs was also in residence, but no noise out of 'em.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Making Up Time: Starlight, Portland, Builder

Greetings from Altoona, PA where the RailRiot arrived Sunday afternoon and ran smack into Pennsylvania's weirdo booze laws. Where we come from you can buy beer at just about any market, convenience store, what-have-you. Nothing doing here, nosiree, so I was cruelly deprived of my evening brewski during AU weekly chat and later work on the day's photo results. Grrrrr.

The narrative below was partially posted above, which part is reposted here for continuity with the addition of an abbreviated entirety:

Composition of this rolling report installment is undertaken beginning 10-19-09 aboard Amtrak Coast Starlight train 14, while sitting in Pacific Parlour Car "Sonoma Valley" at 5:55 a.m., 50 minutes north of on-time departure from Dunsmuir, CA.

Sunday saw a fine running start to the Patrick & Alice RailRiot 2009. Hotel checkout, baggage schlepping, ticket printing, Traxx check-in, boarding, and departure all went very smoothly. Everybody's familiar with the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays in the military. When it comes to train boarding I employ a variant: "Don't ask, they don't tell you no." Once checked in and our tickets taken we headed straight for the track 10 platform, where the Starlight consist was just backing in. The morning's arrivingSunset Limited and Southwest Chief were already on tracks 11 & 12. We boarded sleeper 1430 almost immediately - H room - and once reasonably well up, with baggage (none checked) distributed and stowed, I returned to the platform to get some departure photos using the Executive Assistant's cellphone in addition to my camera.

Track 10 was lousy for photos - almost directly into the morning sun. My camera had trouble, and the cellphone was blinded. Even it it hadn't been, there was no way to see the screen for aiming in the bright light. Just as I called off the photo attempts and began walking to reboard for departure, what should I see backing to the platform on track 9 but some private varnish, tacked to a SURFLINER consist, of all things. Canadian National 93, an engineering car with observation platform out of Barstow, CA, and Burlington dome Silver Splendor, were on the tail of a consist apparently fresh from switching and preparation for later departure. So some decent pictures after all, and under more favorable lighting conditions.

Train 14's departure was on time, and shortly after getting underway our sleeper attendant, Anthony, was giving us the rundown and taking our lunch reservation.

OXN is my typical Starlight boarding point, which virtually assures a dining car lunch north of Santa Barbara. Boarding at LAX meant first shot at lunch, we took the first seating at 11:30, and by OXN were working on the veggie burger (me) and creamed chicken & rice.

The main deal for me was to get lunch over with early and be free to walk the train to shoot pics and videos astern north of Santa Barbara. No problem. Table to ourselves, and outta there before

INTERMISSION: The Snack Bar is OPEN. First smoke stop of the day, Klamath Falls, OR, is about 10 minutes away and an hour early. I'll be ordering breakfast in the PPC after the stop.

Actual stop sequence: Smoke, PPC breakfast with Executive Assistant (both had scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, croissant, orange juice), smoke and photos, on-time departure. Overcast, light drizzle at KFS, guessing 50-ish.

_______________

Okay, to pick up from there, while currently aboard the Empire Builder eastbound, somewhere west of Nothing There, Montana:

Finished with lunch aboard the Starlight in time to get some video astern north of Santa Barbara. Thought we were nearing the bridge over the beach at Gaviota State Park and started shooting. Too soon, but liked video well enough to post above (Fast Running), then got the pass over the bridge later.

We'll start compressing some of the action now in an effort to get current on the written reporting:

BraisedbeefshankfordinnerfellasleepafterEmeryvillewokeupatDunsmuirbreakfastinsta

tionatKlamathFallsoverthemountainssmokestopatEgenearrivedatPortlandearly.

Simple, effective story compression, and who needs details?

At PDX the GPS unit said the RailRiot lodging was right across the Willamette River from the station, but recommended a long and circuitous route when we could see a very short option right in front of us: the Broadway bridge. Cyclists and pedestrians could be seen crossing, but the approach looked really steep from the street side of PDX. Then I considered the photo potential of walking the bridge and it magically transformed from difficult task to golden opportunity. We walked the bridge, checked in at a hotel whooz owner/manager is an early favorite for Rotten Innkeeper of the Year dishonors, and rewalked the bridge - newly unencumbered by baggage - to return to PDX. A little light rail riding to Pioneer Square and back before calling it a day.

In the interest of trying to get current on the RailRiot reporting front we'll largely skip Portland and let the pics and captions do the talking. Suffice to say that we passed the Tuesday prior to Empire Builder departure out and about, riding light rail, the Portland Streetcar, and taking in interesting sights, especially including seeing (but not riding) a gondola lift up a hill adjacent to the waterfront loop end of the streetcar. Hadn't known of its existence, so a pleasant surprise and on the list for next time.

_________________________

Photos:

RailRiot Day Three: Portland, OR, & Empire Builder

Video: