Departed Albany 2 hrs 55 late. I looked up status on amtrak website and my train is in service disruption mode.
The saga continues: pdx-lax-nol
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Arriving Eugene. This will be the last update tonight. There is no cell service after Eugene.
Thanks for the updates. I hope things go smoothly overnight.
Glad you got to help Nina, it sure is a Small World! Pleasant dreams thru the Cascades, looking forward to updates from California tomorrow!
We left Chico 2 hrs 20 late. If we can make up an hour I'm not sweating this connection.
I'm standing at the door in ppc waiting to go into the diner. 2 walked in at 6:24 from sightseer and had to do the walk of shame back into sight seer.
I'm standing at the door in ppc waiting to go into the diner. 2 walked in at 6:24 from sightseer and had to do the walk of shame back into sight seer.
The coast starlight no longer goes through Roseville before arriving Sacramento. I'm tracking my gps app on my phone. Should be about 1 hr 30 late out of Sacramento.
Shoot. The conductor just announced that I have to get off in Sacramento to connect to sunset limited.
The SSL goes to Sacramento?
I dashed into the station and got reticketed. Then went back to the bus. Once again people who didn't know better got to the bus and were asked for a ticket. They had to go in and get there ticket.
I'll be riding the bus to Stockton and then the train to Bakersfield and another bus. I should get to lax by 8 pm.
I'll be riding the bus to Stockton and then the train to Bakersfield and another bus. I should get to lax by 8 pm.
Sorry about your bad luck with the Coast Starlight. Glad you will make your connection to the Sunset Limited.
I'm on the same equipment that I had the other day. Should be in lax by 5. I can salvage this day with a nice dinner and a ride on the expo line.
Glad you'll make the connection even though a Bus and Train through the Valley isn't the same as kicking back in the PPC as we know!
Since you're on an AGR Trip I forsee a Voucher for future travel for the missed meals and loss of your room!
Hope the Sunset gets back on track, the OTP has been terrible lately! ( along with All of the Western Trains!) But I know you don't really care since you're going thru on #2, not switching on #422 in SAS!
Wouldn't it be something if they decided to hold the Sunset for the Starlight and other connections in LAX tonite?
And Rush Hour @_LAX, youll get to compare it with Union Station in CHI!! Lots of great places to eat and sites to see in LA, have any ideas???
Since you're on an AGR Trip I forsee a Voucher for future travel for the missed meals and loss of your room!
Hope the Sunset gets back on track, the OTP has been terrible lately! ( along with All of the Western Trains!) But I know you don't really care since you're going thru on #2, not switching on #422 in SAS!
Wouldn't it be something if they decided to hold the Sunset for the Starlight and other connections in LAX tonite?
And Rush Hour @_LAX, youll get to compare it with Union Station in CHI!! Lots of great places to eat and sites to see in LA, have any ideas???
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I'm in Bakersfield. Learning the bus game a little bit. That first seat on the left has no legroom. It's worse when somebody fat sits next to you. So on the Bakersfield to LA bus I sat a couple of rows back. The legroom is actually better. Should get to LA by 5.
Jim, I am going to call once i get to New Orleans. I'm not so annoyed about today's delay. Amtrak cannot control somebody walking in front of their train. I heard it was a suicide. I knew this coast starlight to sunset limited is tight, and figured that amtrak might send me up the valley if there was a delay.
Once I get to LA I will check into the lounge. Then I will ride the expo line to culver city. There is an in and out burger near the station in culver city.
The ride is 45 minutes each way. So this should use up 2 or 3 hours of the layover. I'll be back by 8. It would be great if there was an early boarding of the sunset limited sleepers.
Jim, I am going to call once i get to New Orleans. I'm not so annoyed about today's delay. Amtrak cannot control somebody walking in front of their train. I heard it was a suicide. I knew this coast starlight to sunset limited is tight, and figured that amtrak might send me up the valley if there was a delay.
Once I get to LA I will check into the lounge. Then I will ride the expo line to culver city. There is an in and out burger near the station in culver city.
The ride is 45 minutes each way. So this should use up 2 or 3 hours of the layover. I'll be back by 8. It would be great if there was an early boarding of the sunset limited sleepers.
Sounds like a good plan Steve!
But every time I've ridden the Sunset out of LAX since the Lounge has been open, I used a Red Cap so we were among the first to board.
IIRC the consist was brought from the yard about 9:15pm and we were taken to our Sleeper @ 9:30.
You might ask when you check into the Lounge, I've found the staff there to be very informative and friendly, on a par with the guy in PDX and the friendly attendant in PHL!
If you have time I'd recommend "Pinks" (709 N. LA Brea) over "In and Out Burger", Best Dogs I've ever had, even better than Gold Coast!!
But every time I've ridden the Sunset out of LAX since the Lounge has been open, I used a Red Cap so we were among the first to board.
IIRC the consist was brought from the yard about 9:15pm and we were taken to our Sleeper @ 9:30.
You might ask when you check into the Lounge, I've found the staff there to be very informative and friendly, on a par with the guy in PDX and the friendly attendant in PHL!
If you have time I'd recommend "Pinks" (709 N. LA Brea) over "In and Out Burger", Best Dogs I've ever had, even better than Gold Coast!!
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We have arrived lax. The coast starlight is still two hours late. Checked into lounge. I think I may reconsider in and out. Not sure I want to deal with lines.
I took the new expo line to culver city. The red line subway to metro center had no AC. The expo line uses the same equipment as the blue line. The scenery was similar to the east end of the gold line that does not go to Pasadena.
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attachment=3979:ImageUploadedByAmtrak Forum1439005420.855468.jpg]
Then A relaxed wait at union station
As I'm relaxing in the lounge I realized I left my damn scanner on 11 as I rushed to get off. It was brand new too. So I'm definitely not happy. I called the 800 number. I think I have a good chance of getting it back at some point.
[attachment=3979:ImageUploadedByAmtrak Forum1439005420.855468.jpg]
Then A relaxed wait at union station
As I'm relaxing in the lounge I realized I left my damn scanner on 11 as I rushed to get off. It was brand new too. So I'm definitely not happy. I called the 800 number. I think I have a good chance of getting it back at some point.
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Those Union Station pics are Outstanding! ☺
Hope you get your Scanner back, maybe the SCA will turn it in @ Union Station and they can send it to CHI on tomorrow's Chief so you'll get it when you get home?
Hope you get your Scanner back, maybe the SCA will turn it in @ Union Station and they can send it to CHI on tomorrow's Chief so you'll get it when you get home?
I hope so.
The sca uses one or two words to communicate and does not seem to be that happy. The shower and everything is in order in the car so this is ok as long as the bed gets put up and put down as requested.
The dining car crew is well organized and pleasant. There are two specials on the menu. Some kind of egg and cheese sandwich and a combination of eggs And French toast. There is no cream so the crew is using milk.
The UP has built a state of the art RR. Very smooth double track RR. We've been running on the left track most of the night. We are an hour late at Maricopa. Don't know why.
The dining car crew is well organized and pleasant. There are two specials on the menu. Some kind of egg and cheese sandwich and a combination of eggs And French toast. There is no cream so the crew is using milk.
The UP has built a state of the art RR. Very smooth double track RR. We've been running on the left track most of the night. We are an hour late at Maricopa. Don't know why.
Ran at 60 mph from Maricopa to Tucson. We are 45 minutes late and have yet to depart Tucson. The platforms were built too low and they have use special steps to board passengers. 
Saw a cactus on the way into Tucson.
Saw a cactus on the way into Tucson.
The lounge experience at Los Angeles was a mixed bag last night. The room was very nice, best in system with plenty of outlets for charging and full cans of Pepsi. The AC worked well too.
There is an amtrak manager who took special interest in ensuring that we made our connection. There were 3 pax on 11 connecting to 2. While we were waiting in the lounge the agents paged my name and 2 others to come to the desk. We walked up there, she said "good, you are all here." She told the manager that and we sat down. I thought this was classy.
The women working there were challenging to deal with. When I walked in the first concern for them is that I can't leave my luggage "anywhere". It was behind me sitting there because I was handing the woman my ticket. After I got checked in I was lectured again about my luggage. I have one carry on roller and a small bag for electronics attached. Hardly a large amount for one. I could see luggage by the wall so I went to park mine there, and then she said "oh no, your luggage goes over there." The tone of the entire conversation was that they expected me to not comply.
After the manager had checked on us, I remarked, " I hope I don't see Bakersfield for awhile. Twice in one week is a bit much." One of the agents stated, "I live in Bakersfield and I have a two hour commute that I have to do everyday." She was clearly offended. Honestly, I could careless. I booked sleepers in both directions on 14 and 11 and had missed the coast scenery twice. If she works everyday in that lounge she should know this. I tried to apologize later and was brushed off.
Then when the redcaps boarded us that was a mess. There was no clear priority as to who should board first. I deferred to others for the first two trips of the single red cap. At this point the red cap said he had space for 1. I looked around. If I didn't go, or somebody didn't go, he would have 3 more trips rather than 2. So when nobody expressed interest I volunteered. The Bakersfield woman acted annoyed and scolded me for being to eager. Then the red cap insisted I go. The red cap was professional. These two women were disorganized and clueless.
There is an amtrak manager who took special interest in ensuring that we made our connection. There were 3 pax on 11 connecting to 2. While we were waiting in the lounge the agents paged my name and 2 others to come to the desk. We walked up there, she said "good, you are all here." She told the manager that and we sat down. I thought this was classy.
The women working there were challenging to deal with. When I walked in the first concern for them is that I can't leave my luggage "anywhere". It was behind me sitting there because I was handing the woman my ticket. After I got checked in I was lectured again about my luggage. I have one carry on roller and a small bag for electronics attached. Hardly a large amount for one. I could see luggage by the wall so I went to park mine there, and then she said "oh no, your luggage goes over there." The tone of the entire conversation was that they expected me to not comply.
After the manager had checked on us, I remarked, " I hope I don't see Bakersfield for awhile. Twice in one week is a bit much." One of the agents stated, "I live in Bakersfield and I have a two hour commute that I have to do everyday." She was clearly offended. Honestly, I could careless. I booked sleepers in both directions on 14 and 11 and had missed the coast scenery twice. If she works everyday in that lounge she should know this. I tried to apologize later and was brushed off.
Then when the redcaps boarded us that was a mess. There was no clear priority as to who should board first. I deferred to others for the first two trips of the single red cap. At this point the red cap said he had space for 1. I looked around. If I didn't go, or somebody didn't go, he would have 3 more trips rather than 2. So when nobody expressed interest I volunteered. The Bakersfield woman acted annoyed and scolded me for being to eager. Then the red cap insisted I go. The red cap was professional. These two women were disorganized and clueless.
Wow, this sounds like the Lounge Dragons in the CHI Metro Lounge from back in the day!
Its a first that I've heard of or expierenced in this excellent Lounge.
I know you're going to call CR, so hopefully the "good" Manager will get the word and re-train or de-train those two bossy twits! ( maybe living in Bakersfield does make one unhappy!)
Its a first that I've heard of or expierenced in this excellent Lounge.
I know you're going to call CR, so hopefully the "good" Manager will get the word and re-train or de-train those two bossy twits! ( maybe living in Bakersfield does make one unhappy!)
Now all we need is Jesse James to ride up and rob the train.
We are currently stopped between benson and lordsburg because of freight traffic. This is our view.
Mystic River Dragon
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This is beginning to sound like one of those rare train trips where staying over in a place is more relaxing than the train ride! Those pictures of Portland were beautiful--hope things get better on the train soon.
Aloha
Probally it that drive on a realy losey Higway with way to manny cars for it's size.
