Trip to Oakland

To Days plan is to fly down to Oakland, So after droping the car off, I got the shuttle the terminal and checked in and droped my bags off. I went for a ride on the airports 3 interterminal transit systems, and then some breakfast. The plane was a Boeing 737-7H4 (WL) N965WN another new plane less than a year old.

A short 90 min flight, then it was quickly pick up the bags and then to the hire car, and a short drive to the hotel

Found a waterside resturant for lunch had a beef dipped sandwich

The best thing about where Im staying in Jack London Square, is its know for its railway, which runs down the middle of the main street

my room had a view of the water

Did some more train watching and then had dinner at the hotel

Last Day in Seattle

The plan for today was to take a day trip to Vancouver Canada. the train left at 7.40am so an early start from the hotel. The girl on reception said the traffic was bad and would take at least an hour.. she told stories, only took me 30 mins, so got parked up and walked over to the station. Thing went down hill when I saw 2 busses parked out side my train had been replaced by a bus due to a mud slide, I didnt want to spend 9 hours on a bus so I got a refund on the tickets. Then to decided what to do for the day, Firstly I found a new spot for watching trains

The I went for breakfast

Took a ride over to the monorail and a ride up the space needle

Next I took a walk to Pike Street market

Had dinner here, Cod from Alaska and chips

Then took a tram ride to SeaTac Airport and back. On the way back to the Car I found the old Union Station  which is now the offices for the Sound Trainsit

Found another site to watch the evening commuter before I went back to Kent for dinner and back to the hotel. Had a meat feast pizza. The place said everything was fresh and nothing was frozen....not sure how they made the ice though

Tacoma

Had I tip off at Snoqualmie yesterday about Steam train rides in Tacoma on Sunday. So after a bit of internet reseach I found out these are being run by Mount Rainier Scenic Railway and departing from the Old Freighouse. So after a battle with the Sat Nav which wanted to take me through an Air Force base, so I found a near by IHOP and had breakfast

The I found some signs for the historical district and eventually found the place. The train was 3 coaches top and tailed with the steam loco leading and a F9 Diesel trailing.

The ride was about 3 miles there and 3 back again all except the end of it was up hill on a 4% gradient so the steam loco was working hard all the way. After this I took a ride on the Tocama Central Link tram through the historical district stopping off to look at the old Union station which is now the Court House and where the plafroms would off been there now runs a motorway

I then had a late lunch at the Boxcar Cafe which is in the old Freighthouse, next to the Sounder Commuter rail platform, Had a Rubans sandwich there, Manage to get a sun burn head so I went back to the hotel for a nap and then to the local diner for dinner of a Country fried Steak

North West Rail Museum

Today I went to find this museum line the weather was wet  to start of with with some heavy showers but these cleared up from mid morning. The Museum is about 30 miles east of here based at the Station at Snoqualmie, which is the center of the line. As the first train is not until 11am about 90 mins from when I arrive I follow the line to one of the termini at North Bend and find a diner for breakfast, these too towns are in the land that time forgot they seem to be still in the 1960's

Breakfast was Maple Sausage, 2 eggs, Hash Browns and Cornbeef hash with toast.

By the time I got back to the Station the ticket office was open so I got my ticket and signed up for the optional extra tour of the new train shed, this only open last weekend, so I was one of the first visitors. Turns out the tour guide was a Londoner. So after a look around the Train shed building it was back on the train for the rest of the ride



The two scenic highlights of the line are Mount Si and the Snoqualmie falls, where we stop on a tressle high above the river

I then had a walk around taking so pics of the equipment that was on display, all the time with the treat of rain. I decided to have a drive up as far as Everett after I finished, which was working fine until I got to the north side of Seattle where there was an accident causeing traffic chaos, so I gave up on that idea, so I headed back to King Street Amtrak depot to see what was around as its a good spot for train watching. . After watching a few trains pass, I was hungry again so headed of to North Seattle and Red Mill Burgers as seen on Man V Food, Its an old fashioned Burger bar that hasnt changed much since the 50's or 60's. I had a Red Onion Jam Burger.

By the time I left the que was out of the door. Then It was back to the hotel to plan Sundays trip to Tacoma



Seattle

To days job was to collect the first hire car a Nissan Sentra. The day started with breakfast at the hotel, the best thing was waffles, then it was the hotel shuttle bus to the airport and to the car rental centre to collect the car. After that I decided to visit the Museum of Flight next to Boeing Field. One of the the heighlights of this Museum was being able to go onboard a Concord and on Aircraft 1

I had some brunch a ham and cheese sandwich at the museum, after I finished there, I went to find a model shop. On the way back from there nearly had a bump in the car when an old lady didnt stop at a junction, luckly no one hurt or damage. After that I found my way to the station, but its in a bit of a mess as its being referbished, so I went and found the Amtrak engine facility a couple of blocks south. Best part is that there is a level crossing right through the middle of the site

After a bit of train watching it was back to the hotel for a bit of a rest and then out for a burger dip and the the local bar and grill around the corner

On the Coast Starlight

Train 14 Los Angeles – Seattle

 Having checked out of the hotel by 7.30am I take the 1 block walk to Union Station, leaving this early means it has not got too warm out yet but still not a cloud in the sky. After checking my bags and with an hour to spare before the 1^st Class lounge opens, I enjoy the sun and some train watching from the platforms. When the call comes I go and check myself in and take advantage of the free coffee and snacks in TRAXX bar. When the boarding call is given I get a golf buggy ride with the red caps to my sleeping car, my sleeping car attendant as if I mind swapping rooms and gives me the choice of rooms 9 or 10 in car 1432, I choose room 10 which is on the ocean side and the side of the Metrolink depot in LA and the AMTRAK depot in Seattle.

Our train consists of 3 P42 diesel locomotives, 1 baggage car, 4 sleeping car 1 1^st Class Parlour Car, Dinning Car, Sightseeing Car, 2  Coach Cars, 1 Family Coach Car with video games and a Coach baggage Car. The trip is about 34 hours long but we ran late over night and struggled to make up time the distance is 1377 miles. The first hour or so is through the LA suburbs heading towards the coast, the rest of the morning and early afternoon is spend following the Pacific coast, Mid afternoon we head inland passing through what is called Americas Salad bowl. The evening is spent heading up the east side of San Francisco Bay to Oakland by which time it was dark outside. Here another sleeper is added on to the back of our train taking us up to 13 coaches. As we leave Oakland through Jack London Square I catch a glimpse of my hotel ready for when I stay there next week During the night at Sacramento another 3 cars are added these are Amtrak Business cars, a Command car, there great dome car and there observation car, we are now up to 16 coaches, during the night we lose about an hour and a half and our path, which means we have to wait for freight trains on the long single line sections, one advantage of the late running is we get to see Mount Shasta, this is the highest peak in the Cascade mountains and snow-capped. Our route is through the Cascade Mountains now and the Willamette River Pass and then back down the other side heading towards the coast at Portland around tea time, we follow the Olympic Coast to our destination of Seattle, Its then a taxi ride to the hotel.

 Food was eaten in the dinner although the parlour car did offer food too, Starting off with Meatloaf for lunch, The steak and jacket potato for dinner, breakfast was French toast, burger for lunch and for the final meal of BBQ Ribs  One of the interesting things is that they use community seating so they fill up the tables,  I was sat with several interesting people, a grandmother taking her granddaughter on a celebration trip after getting some poetry published at age 10, Another set of grandparents taking their granddaughter on a 4 week around America trip celebrating  at age 8 she is a cancer survivor, the tumour in her head is under control and she is off her medication for a year, they also ask if I would join them in giving thanks before we ate. Another meal time I was join by a Jazz trumpeter, so I told him about my outstand skills on brass instruments, at the same meal time we were joined my the train drivers daughter, catching a lift home from college.

After my final meal I stopped of for a coffee in the Parlour Car, in the dining section of that car was Amtrak's board of Directors. After there dinner the Chairman and a couple of others came and said hello to some of the passengers, most of them had a few 'imporvement' suggestions, me I was just happy with 3 engines and 13 cars on the train

A day in LA

With the effects of jet lag this morning I was awake early, but managed to stay in bed till around 6.30 when I got up and dressed for breakfast, the best thing about breakfast was the tea, and that was only because I took my own tea bag. I decided that I would go over to Union Station to get my bearings and pick up my train tickets, on the way over I went through El Pueblo de Los Angeles State Park.

 This was the site of the first houses and street in LA when it was a village I returned here for Mexican brunch of Shredded Beef, Scrambled eggs and rice and beans in what the sign says is the oldest brick built building in LA.

Before that having done some train watching in the sun, I decided on a little trip there and back again to San Fernando on the Antelope Valley Line of Metrolink.  Then after my Mexican Brunch, I took a trip to Riverside Downtown out on 91 Line and back on the Riverside Line. It was very hot by now around 5pm so I made my way back to the hotel via El Pueblo, picking up a Caramel Churrto and a banana and orange smoothie. After a bit of a relax around 7pm I took a walk to Philippe, the Home of the French dip sandwich as seen on Man V Food, I had a beef double dipped sandwich. The restaurant is one of the oldest in Southern California opened in 1908 and very popular, even if it does have sawdust on the floor. After eating my fill I waddled back to the hotel and  fell asleep watching TV

West Coast Trip 2012

This years trip sees me chasing trains and eating my way up and down the West Coast of the USA. Ive been here before LA with the Band a few years ago and a day trip to Seattle a few years ago.
This trip see me fly into LA then the train up to seattle, few days there, fly down to San Francisico for a few days, then a slow drive down the pacific coast highway ending up in LA for a few days before I return. May throw in a day trip to Canada and Mexico while here.
First Stop was the parents house to leave my car ad for Hazel to pick me up to take me to Heathrow. Stayed at the Novotel on M4 Junc 4. Had Onion Soup and fillet steak there for tea. and then an early night.
Monday morning started with breakfast in the hotel and then on to the Heathrow Hoppa Bus H51 to Terminal 5, After droping my bags it was time to find the 'pod' to have a ride in

Then it was through security and on the shuttle train to find my gate C52 one of the furtest away from the terminal my Plane  G-STBB a 777-300ER was only delivered new in 2011

We had good wind (not produced my myself) and we arrived an hour early, which meant I could get on the FlyAway shuttle to Union Station the same time as we were due to land. The Hotel the Metro Plaza is a short walk from the Station, comfortable and basic, but convenient for the train I will be taking. After a nap it was around the corner to The South Street Smokehouse where I had a sampler platter.

Was very good got my fingers all sticky and only got a little bit down me. Now its time to catch up with some sleep ready for a lazy day tomorrow.