GOP: still fighting against the 21st century. It’s an embarrassment that the US has less #hsr than Morocco or Turkey. Yes, you read that right — we’re behind even Morocco and Turkey in moving people efficiently and the #GOP wants to keep it that way
Crazy morning. Had to take a car to amtrak this morning; there was an accident just before we got to the bridge which added ~45 minutes and I almost missed my 🚂 !
I was wearing my SF City FC scarf and my driver was very excited by it. We started chatting ⚽️, luckily he was from Oakland and knew all the shortcuts, so I got to the station about three minutes after the train and boarded it with a couple of minutes to spare!
One of the (many) highlights of the trip on the “Coast Starlight” down to Los Angeles 🇺🇸: before reaching Santa Barbara we travel right next to the #Pacific Ocean, and under the evening sun. All of this, while enjoying dinner, served by a lovely crew in the #Amtrak@diningcar.
The southbound #Amtrak 🇺🇸 #CoastStarlight leaves inland #California and descends to the Coast over the “Cuesta Grade” incline by means of several hairpin bends, and reaches San Luis Obispo.
#Portland, OR 🇺🇸 is the first “smoke stop” on the southbound #Amtrak Coast Starlight: everyone who wants may get off the train for a moment and stretch their legs. The lovely departure board in the main hall dates back to pre-digital times. And we again meet the Cascades #Talgo.
At #Minot, ND the #Amtrak 🇺🇸 “Empire Builder” makes a refuelling stop: not only the engines get refuelled, but also the coffee addicts are glad to see a sort of coffee truck right next to the station building, where a lovely barista is making some really good Espresso ☕️😊❤️.
Finally got to visit this architecture railroad masterpiece during the day! Construction on the Union Terminal began two months before the Great Depression; not the best timing.
Amtrak now runs one train through here, three times per week.
It's still dark when #Sounder Train 1502 rushes to the platform at Seattle's King Street Station with cab car 304 leading. This Sounder is inbound from Lakewood, Washington with morning commuters. Once this train is emptied, it will quickly return south to Tacoma as Sounder 1503. Meanwhile, #Amtrak Cascades 505 is readied for its run to Eugene, Oregon. #TrainTuesday#Railfan#Railway#Train
From the Empire State Passengers Association on Facebook:
Another good piece of news that neither NYS DOT nor #Amtrak's press office want to tell you about. Gosh, this is so sad that we run our railroads this way.
On the return trip home on the #Amtrak and #VIARail 'Maple Leaf'. I'll spare you the 13 hour play by play but will reply post if something interesting happens. #InterRail
Great to see Amtrak putting on new train services in the USA. Behold the Borealis, a new named train connecting Minneapolis/St Paul to Chicago: https://www.amtrak.com/borealis
Looking forward to trying this new service from Amtrak. Still a bit of a hike from Madison to the nearest station but I do think it will be handy for some types of travel.
아싸 !!
The new Amtrak route from Minneapolis to Chicago is finally here! The trip to Chi-town is not so different from Empire Builder, arriving at 7:15pm vs 4:45pm
But the return arrives in MSP at 6:30pm (not midnight, which my partner vetoed). Big difference!
Also, I didn't take the train last time to a funeral in Chicago because 25% of Empire Builders run 8+ hours late heading east(!) This new train should leave MSP relatively promptly
I'm taking the Amtrak's Vermonter into NYC. The ride goes back and forth between wetland, rivers, and urban decay. It's beautiful and depressing all at the same time. #Amtrak#landscape#landuse
Left by the wayside is a request by the Missouri Department of Transportation to add Amtrak service from Kansas City to St. Joseph and Kansas City to southwest Missouri.
So shortsighted. Expanding/widening highways, but not funding new #Amtrak service.