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A while ago we were pumping taking the train to Portland. Now that we've just gotten back from a weekend rail adventure, we have some updates and clarifications to make. We still think it's a good option, but here are a few tips to help you manage your expectations.
1) That 3.5 hour trip time is an estimate only. Each way, our train was delayed about 45 minutes. We started to complain to someone who had been delayed 2.5 hours on a previous P-town trip, so we shut up. We understand the delays come from sharing the track with freight trains. Long, slow freight trains. Seems like a great idea. Don't change a thing!
2a) Trains start boarding about half an hour before departure time. Use this time to upgrade your Coach ticket to the far roomier Business Class. It's $13 for the Seattle - PDX leg, and keeps you from standing in lines. For those traveling solo, there's a single row of seats, each with an outlet. Also, you get a $3 voucher for the Bistro, which is more than half of the price of a $5.25 bottle of IPA.
2b) If you're stuck with Coach, we feel your pain. Not much legroom, thin armrests. And the seats are assigned as you board, the occasion for a long line. We don't know if you can request Aisle or Window; the agent handed us a sticky-labeled seat card (you stick this in a holder about your seat). When we boarded, we were the fourth person and we were stuck with an aisle seat. No scenic view for us. The kid at the window was playing his GameBoy and shut the curtain.
3a) Make your own fun. Only one movie is shown, and the other 7 channels on your seat's mediaplex are silent. You can rent little DVD players in the homeless shelter King Street Station. Wander down to the Bistro Car. Selection is limited (a few breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, and you-must-be-joking lasagna) but it's fun to stretch your legs while people eye you nervously to see if you'll stagger into them when the car rocks.
3b) The train is surprisingly quiet. This can backfire if you've got an aggressive, angry neighbor on his cellphone, who hasn't read the note about taking loud calls into the car's vestibule. Or if you're seated next to two lively 4-year-old boys unfamiliar with "inside voices." We made heavy use of our iPod, but earplugs wouldn't be out of place, either -- though you might miss the announcement explaining your trip's delay.
4) There are mysterious little foot pedals at the rear of the seat in front of you. We were very curious about why it looked like we were able to activate (eject) the chair in front of us, but we never remembered to ask what the pedal was about. If you try it out, drop us a line.
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If you and your friends bring your own flask of rum you tend not to care about any minor delays. I seriously recommend bringing your own food and booze so you can arrive in the Rose City with all your cash so you can spend it on the state run gambling machines all over the place (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39882521@N00/105144943/ ) and the vast book stores (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39882521@N00/105145224/). Hey it is still faster than I-5 in rush hour and you can just take the Tri-Met light-rail everywhere you want to go in Portland (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39882521@N00/105145035/ ). I tell ya once the affordable oil runs out Portland is going to be a post-automobile Mecca. Just be careful to avoid the Mad Max style bike gangs of aging Baby-boomers in spandex (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39882521@N00/105144995/ ).
Since Amtrak does not own the tracks, they are at the mercy of the host railroad (the Burlington Northern Santa Fe - operators of those long freight trains) BNSF is actually quite responsible when it comes to working with Amtrak and improving the infrastructure, but Rome was not built in a day. Or so they tell me - I'm not THAT old.
If you want to get really wonkish (like me!), you can read all about the improvements on the Washington State Department of Transportation website, but I won't bore you with that. I've lost too many friends by attempting to get them to do things that already. Suffice to say they are doing all sorts of things with boring names like "Nanino High Speed Crossover" that will make it much easier for the passenger trains to bypass the freights. Patience, darlings!
As far as everything else goes:
The lasagna is actually quite good, but the Macaroni 'n Cheese is better.
The little lever is to change the direction of the seats on the train so you don't have to ride backwards all the way to Portland (they don't turn the train around, they just operate it from the other end - like the monorail). The levers are to be operated by uniformed professionals only - unauthorized operation has been known to cause explosive bowel movements.
King Street Station is much less homeless shelter-ish than it previously was. It is due to be donated to the city by the BNSF any second now, at which time lots of things will be happening to make it a more respectable place. Until then, don't be scared - they probably didn't really kill that person they are telling you about, and a little stale urine never hurt anyone.
Besides, consider your alternatives: a liquid-less mini-flight on Alaska, which is a mere shadow of it's former self, or a not-so-jolly jaunt down the moronic enclave that is known as I-5. At least any alcohol you consume on the train is legal.
"The kid at the window was playing his GameBoy and shut the curtain." Grrr!!
Also, don't take the Coast Starlight. It's the route, not the BNSF, that inflicts 2.5 hour waits on people. I have never known Amtrak Cascades to be so egregiously delayed.