Thursday morning I was on my way to Seattle from Eugene. The 504 Cascades was late getting to the station because of a 13 car derailment in the UP yard the night before.
They announced that passengers needing to make the connection to the 506 to Seattle from Portland should board the bus in front of the station. I got on the bus with a friend who I am trying to get to take an interest in train travel. Just as we were leaving the station I saw the 504 coming in. Oh well I thought. I can still ride from PDX to SEA on rails.
The driver of the charter got lost in Portland. I finally started giving him directions when, alas, due to construction of the new light rail to Union Station I could only bring him to within sight of the station. It all seemed hopeless at one point until the driver went the wrong way down a one way street to deliver us to a waiting 506 Cascades. What a ride ! ! My friend said that in his 65 years he has never had such a thrilling bus ride, and I remembered the line I've seen here so often "Adventure is just bad planning."
As we were sitting on the train waiting for still another lost bus I saw the 504 roll into PDX. Amtrak remains entertaining and adventurous.