1) Seattle to Glacier Park (Empire Builder) 2) Portland to Spokane (Empire Builder) 3) Los Angeles to Albuquerque (Southwest Chief) 4) Washington to Boston (NEC)
Any preferences?
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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I vote for Portland to Spokane too, a beautiful and interesting ride. (And Frank, you must do it. If you do it westbound, you need to do it at a light time of year. But eastbound is very nice too.
My second choice vote would be Washington to Boston, because there's so much info I can probably add. And there are some scenic bits, esp between New Haven and Providence.
But whatever you do, it's much appreciated.
From Sojourner (in the snow, but not hit as bad as the Midwest)
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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My favorite thing about Spokane to Portland is seeing the Gorge at dusk (EB) and dawn (WB).
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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I'm toying with options for spending a few thousand AGR points in June and doing something up and down the Columbia River turning around in Spokane is among my options!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I have not been on the Portland to Spokane segment. It would be great to have your route guide when we do.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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There are some great conductors who work the Portland to Spokane route and they provide a very interesting narration along the way, so I'll vote for #2. In addition to being very scenic, there was a lot of history created along that route. You can also learn a few trivial facts--like "Bingen" rhymes with "engine".
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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When you do the Portland to Spokane guide, don't forget to mention all the vineyards along the way! They make some nice merlot along the gorge.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone!! I guess I need to think about doing Portland-Spokane then! I have some good geology and place name info for that route.
I have actually already written the Seattle-Glacier Park guide, but it needs to be updated and put on my current computer.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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I'll do Portland-Spokane next, but I have one question before I begin it:
Do both the E-bd and the W-bd trains use the same route now between SPK and Pasco? If not, which route is used by the W-bd and which by the E-bd trains (SP&S route or old NP or GN route)?
Thanks--
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Well I vote for D C -Boston The scenery seems so blah there must be more than meets the eye. Maybe I have "done" the route too often. Ride With Me does have a tape of 95
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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I vote for the Portland to Spokane. How about a complete Empire Builder...Seattle to Chicago?
I just got finished reading "USA by Rail", 7th edition. It isn't bad. I wish it had more pictures. It does have some in the front and midde of the book. It does cover most all Amtrak routes but I wish it had a little more detail. For example, when I rode the Empire Builder, last summer, there was on-board information regarding a lot of small towns and hamlets the train went through. As one example, the small towns of Sultan and Gold Bar, east of Everett, have some interesting history associated with them. Nothing was mentioned, in USA by Rail, regarding these small towns. However, I do think USA by Rail is worthwhile. Nonetheless, I liked the format and detail in the book, "Rail Ventures", a little more.
I will be interested in reading your next guide, Rich.
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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quote:Originally posted by RRRICH: I'll do Portland-Spokane next, but I have one question before I begin it:
Do both the E-bd and the W-bd trains use the same route now between SPK and Pasco? If not, which route is used by the W-bd and which by the E-bd trains (SP&S route or old NP or GN route)?
Thanks--
About 90% sure the old NP route is the only one remaining, and therefore used by the train in both directions. SP&S route is no more. To be sure I am right, check a pre-Amtrak timetable for Northern Pacific. From a BNSF map checked against mapquest to see if the points show up any public map: Intermediate points on the current route are, with milepostas and zero being in Spokane:
posted
Thanks, George -- I thought that was the current route, the one through Ritzville. In fact, I looked at an old Rand McNally USA Railroad Guide I've had for many years, and I see that, on the "Washington" page, I actually crossed out the old S,P,&S route -- I must have asked this same question before, several years ago.
Thanks again--
Yukon -- of course I DO mention Sultan, Gold Bar, and the other small Washington towns in my guides! I'll do SEA to Glacier Park soon, and when I get that one done, along with the PDX-SPK guide, I will have the entire Empire Builder route on my web site (Glacier Park to St. Paul and St. Paul to Chicago are already posted on the web site)
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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