Round trip from Chicago to Eugene Oregon via PDX

[20th Century Rider]

Though food has not been as good enjoyable as normal, I AM enjoying my train ride. If you all look through posts I’ve made in other threads I was in the hell no I won’t go until I can eat pancakes, cheeseburger, and steak in the diner camp.

I always have an urge to move and ride trains. I’m not a sit at home person. i am wearing my mask and washing my hands.

Your trip ended with the amazing scenery of the Columbia River... I'm sure you will keep that in your memories. When the trains are gone there will be no more views as they can be seen now. Somehow I think this is what keeps the hope for our rail system positive and alive!

 

[Palmetto]

There's a great restaurant next to the EUG station, called the Oregon Electric Station. A little pricey, but quite enjoyable. And no, one cannot see the trains from there as far as I remember.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Your trip ended with the amazing scenery of the Columbia River... I'm sure you will keep that in your memories. When the trains are gone there will be no more views as they can be seen now. Somehow I think this is what keeps the hope for our rail system positive and alive!

You just completed one of the most beautiful rail trips in the entire world... and when you look at the scenery, how can you doubt that???

 

[Bob Dylan]

I had a choice of cereals for breakfast. Rice crispies, fruit loops and Raisin Bran. I took 2 cups of fruit loops. A blue berry muffin, and a cup of coffee. I saw some people order the Jimmy Dean breakfast bowl which looked gross to me.View attachment 18499View attachment 18500

Nice pics, but the Breakfast sucks!

 

[Steve4031]

That’s what I saw. I was surprised to see Amtrak cars on a freight. And one did look like a diner. Wish I could tell you exactly where I saw it because that would help others track it.

 

[Steve4031]

Portland is an interesting city. The food scene is not my scene. I went to pine street biscuits. My yelp review sums it up.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pine-state...qjczqptg&utm_source=ishare&utm_content=review

 

[Steve4031]

I rode the MAX to and from the biscuit place and over to stop near Bowery Bagels. By this point I had enough of walking. So I ordered a Lyft. The driver informed me I could have walked. I not so nicely explained that he did not know how much I had already walked or how far I was capable of walking so this was none of his business. He stated that some people don’t know how far something is. So I stayed, “So now you are telling me I don’t know what I’m doing. Every time you open your mouth you dig a deeper hole for yourself. So just be quiet.” It’s this smug I know better than you do attitude that just rubs me the wrong way. 3 stars and no tip. That will lower his 5 star rating.

 

[Steve4031]

The lounge in Portland does not have AC. So I switched to 11. I’ll ride the Talgo back tomorrow morning.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Nice pics, but the Breakfast sucks!

That's for sure! Meh!

 

[20th Century Rider]

The lounge in Portland does not have AC. So I switched to 11. I’ll ride the Talgo back tomorrow morning.

Talgo is a really great ride... when you sit at the window and look out you get an elevated feeling of speeding along on the rails that you can only get on a train... soon the Talgo will be gone. This is really sad!

 

[Steve4031]

The sca on 11was Sante’. She’s personable. Even brought a glass of ice for my coke that I purchased at the Bowery bagel shop. The bagels were delicious.

The AC worked well in the 1130 car. I’m in room 3 on west side of train. Sun has streamed in all afternoon and I’m still cool.

 

[Steve4031]

We arrived Eugene early. A first for me is getting off in Eugene. Been through many times.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Enjoying your report Steve. Been watching the rail fan cameras and wishing I was on a train again, but wife's medical issues preclude any trip until this Covid thing is under some control.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Talgo is a really great ride... when you sit at the window and look out you get an elevated feeling of speeding along on the rails that you can only get on a train... soon the Talgo will be gone. This is really sad!

View attachment 18512

View attachment 18513

Unable the comprehend that they are taking the Talgos away. Why! I've ridden them so many times and they are so connected with looking out the windows, feeling the speed, the scenery, and the euphoria of riding the rails. I am just so sad and don't realize the reason to take such a wonderful transit mode away from us. What's left?

 

[Willbridge]

Though food has not been as good enjoyable as normal, I AM enjoying my train ride. If you all look through posts I’ve made in other threads I was in the hell no I won’t go until I can eat pancakes, cheeseburger, and steak in the diner camp.

I always have an urge to move and ride trains. I’m not a sit at home person. i am wearing my mask and washing my hands.

Sorry I didn't catch your post sooner, but the attached may still be of interest for you or perhaps someone planning to make one of my favorite rail trips. The cover photo shows SP&S Train 6, the Columbia Mail. That tertiary train on the main line made all stops between Portland and Pasco till 1959. The SP&S used it in publicity into the mid-1960's! Even omitting some pages it's too big and colorful as a pdf to post the guide itself.



The pdf is to show how the better off slogged through the Great Depression without frozen food.

 

[Willbridge]

There's a great restaurant next to the EUG station, called the Oregon Electric Station. A little pricey, but quite enjoyable. And no, one cannot see the trains from there as far as I remember.

It really WAS the Oregon Electric Railway station. The 'OE' as it was called was an ICC Class 2, descended from one of the greats of the interurban era: sleeping cars, parlor-lounge observations and plans to link up with the Sacramento Northern. Their trains loaded in the adjacent street, intercepting customers headed to the SP station. My dad's family were customers and he must be one of the last who can recall riding the Willamette Valley Route electrics. The railway cars at the restaurant were the well-maintained standby heavyweights for the OE's parent, the SP&S, made surplus in 1971.

 

[joelkfla]

I rode the MAX to and from the biscuit place and over to stop near Bowery Bagels. By this point I had enough of walking. So I ordered a Lyft. The driver informed me I could have walked. I not so nicely explained that he did not know how much I had already walked or how far I was capable of walking so this was none of his business. He stated that some people don’t know how far something is. So I stayed, “So now you are telling me I don’t know what I’m doing. Every time you open your mouth you dig a deeper hole for yourself. So just be quiet.” It’s this smug I know better than you do attitude that just rubs me the wrong way. 3 stars and no tip. That will lower his 5 star rating.

Sounds like you were rather rough on him. He was trying to be helpful, and from your description nothing was intended to denigrate you personally.

 

[caravanman]

Quite amusing to read of the menu options in Portland. Here in the UK our biscuits are your cookies, not a great mix, cookies and gravy, with or without "red bits"
I noticed something called a "Reggie", again, I have no idea what that is?
I have visited Portland a couple of times, staying in the HI Hostel. One advantage of hostels is that you can cook your own meals, and there is a wholefoods type shop quite near that hostel. One of my favourite US cities!
Enjoying hearing about your trip, so few folks travelling these days!

 

[Steve4031]

I’m not sure what a Reggie is. If I typed it, it was a typing error. If it was on the menu then there might be a local meaning to it.

The roomette on the Coast Starlight was much cleaner. Since I booked this at the last minute I was moved from room 2 to 3. The Ticket agent in Portland lounge explained that room 2 was occupied from Seattle to Portland. She dashed out to the train to tell the sca. Then explained to me that this was necessary because the sca was required to do a cleaning protocol between passengers. I did not observe or hear about this on 7.

 

[Steve4031]

Success!! A Talgo pulled into the Eugene station. I decided to check my bag. My joy was mitigated by the absence of food service. Snack packs were provided. So I won’t starve enroute to. Portland. Departed 1 minute early.

 

[Steve4031]

The seats on the Talgo are poorly designed. They do not extend far enough to support the back of the legs. After 20 minutes I was already tired of them.

 

[Barb Stout]

Portland is an interesting city. The food scene is not my scene. I went to pine street biscuits. My yelp review sums it up.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pine-state...qjczqptg&utm_source=ishare&utm_content=review

I stopped going to restaurants a few years ago because there were too many dishes that were unexpectedly spicy. You know it's a bad perversion when even cheesecake is spicy. They put a strawberry topping on the cheesecake, but didn't bother to reveal that it also had chile in the strawberry mix. I had attributed all the spice to living in NM, but it seems that the fire has spread.

 

[Maglev]

The seats on the Talgo are poorly designed. They do not extend far enough to support the back of the legs. After 20 minutes I was already tired of them.

Yes, although worn, the Talgo VI's were more comfortable. Also, the Talgo VIII seats do not rotate, so half of them face backwards. The only good thing about the VIII's is that the single seats in Business Class are on the view side for Puget Sound.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I stopped going to restaurants a few years ago because there were too many dishes that were unexpectedly spicy. You know it's a bad perversion when even cheesecake is spicy. They put a strawberry topping on the cheesecake, but didn't bother to reveal that it also had chile in the strawberry mix. I had attributed all the spice to living in NM, but it seems that the fire has spread.

Hatch Chilis are taking over the World!

 

[Dakota 400]

The pdf is to show how the better off slogged through the Great Depression without frozen food.

Very interesting to read what was available as well as the prices. I never knew that valet service was available. Never saw that on a menu in a Lounge Car on PRR's overnight trains between Chicago and Columbus, OH in the 1950's and in 1960.

Collar buttons were available--front and back? What's that about? Maybe some kind of fashion accessory that has gone by the wayside?