Great review … very comprehensive! Also appreciate your meal reviews, which I think a lot of train vloggers (myself included) struggle with beyond the basics. You’re lucky to get a look at Portland Station … when I caught the Coast Starlight it was many hours late, so we didn’t arrive until dusk and had a truncated stop. Cheers!
Thanks for the kind words! I was surprised we had any time at all in Portland given that we were about 90 minutes late by that point, but I guess Amtrak decided it wasn't worth trying to make up the time this late into the journey. We should do a collab if I ever make it down under! I'd love to have some local insight into Australia's and New Zealand's rail networks.
@@FromtheWindowSeatyes I agree a lot of Train vloggers(myself also) either don't film the food sections or just don't put effort into it and they need to do better but Lonestar he does everything right and is definitely giving me inspiration for my trip reports
The Coast Starlight probably has my favourite range of scenery. You get the beautiful coast of California and the beautiful nature of the Pacific Northwest. Great trip review!
I was born and raised in Los Angeles. My Dad had his business at 9th and Broadway. My Dad traveled extensively by train ever since he started working at 14. Union Station was part of our lives. Union Station still looks very good. There are parts of Los Anges I miss.
I've traveled twice in the sleeper cars on the Amtrak Coast Starlight... from (530) to (805), both round trips. Very affordable relative to other ways of travel... considering price paid, all accomodations are included, and time spent NOT stressing in traffic. Friendly and helpful staff. Comfortable, clean, and quiet. Delicious food can be eaten with other riders in the dining car, and a few times I opted to select room service so the attendant delivered the meal to my door... I made sure to give her a nice tip. Beautiful views. It's awesome.
I am impressed by Lonestar’s knowledge and research in the different Amtrak locomotives, rail coaches and their variants and the amenities therein. Very good attention to detail.
Lonestar's longest report yet, and it certainly surpasses all expectations despite the high standards this channel is well known for. Been here since the beginning and it's amazing to see the channel continue to grow and improve! Excellent work once again.
Thanks a lot! It means the world to me to hear that you enjoy the content I make, no matter how long it is. Thanks for being here from the start (I think you were my 400th sub!), your continued support has been amazing.
I recently took this train up to SEA and I got to say that despite not being able to sleep very much (in coach), i really loved the scenery as we traveled through northern California into Oregon / Washington.
yeah man personally I would not sit in coach more than like five hours. Longer than that and I get a room on the train. 🙂 Only time I have ever road an amtrak long distance was coast starlight seattle to san jose as my ride home from the Navy...they paid for a room on the train, it was great. If I go back it would definitely be in one of the rooms. 🙂 I do ride the short distance Capitol Corridor and San Juaquins a lot more often. 🙂
This account is very accurate. I've taken this train many times between EMY and PDX and he captures the experience on the run up very well. (On the way down, Sacramento is the long stop to take on water and take out the trash for an extended fresh air break about 06:00-06:30.)
The proper long distance experience!! Flexible dining has got to go! Those pacific views are stunning. I hope to take the Southwest Chief or California Zephyr next year.
I’ve ridden the Coast Starlight many times in the last 20 years, as coach passenger and in both kinds of sleeper compartments. I remember coming back from Eugene, Oregon one time when we were delayed 6 hours due to the derailment of a freight train on the Feather River, and another (very sad) delay due to the injury of some kids playing around the Richmond, CA train yard. Those destructive fires that burned just north of Mt. Shasta meant sleeping on a bus, as the tracks went right thru the fires! After all those negative experiences (including a loudly snoring coach attendant), I still look forward to traveling on the Coast Starlight for the views and the great crews.
kcgirl I rode this train once as my "ride home from the Navy" in 2003....Seattle to San Jose....if you have a room on the train (as seen in the video) it's actually enjoyable! You get three meals a day, cooked by a chef. The Coast Starlight is one of I think five or six Amtrak trains that have an actual chef cooking the meal aboard the train. You get breakfast, lunch, and a three course dinner (appetizer, entree, desert), all included in the fare, no tipping necessary (unless you want to....I certainly didn't feel any pressure to tip....remember these guys are under federal charter, they're not paid the 2.50/hr + tip thing, they are paid a good wage). You not only have a nice private room where you can lay down and go to sleep, but also a shower, and then you have the sightseeing lounge, with the chairs facing out the window. 🙂 I wouldn't sit in coach for more than five hours, personally. But if I had a room, I would do a full long distance amtrak journey. 🙂 But, these long distances, you definitely can't do it for a weekend trip up to Seattle from San Jose (which is why most people would go there, like let's say you're seeing a concert series or something)...for that, you would just fly. MUCH faster. 🙂 But if you have the time and the inclination, and an extra four days of vacation (two days to get there, two days to get back) then it's more like taking a cruise. It's like going across the Atlantic....you can do it in seven hours on a jet from New York to London, or you do it in a week on Holland America or Costa etc. 🙂
After hearing about Amtrak's Coast Starlight ALC-42 #300 being involved in a derailment due to crashing into a truck on the tracks, it's good to see that the trains other ALC-42's #306 and #320 are still keeping the line moving forward.
My journey on the Starlight in the last sleeper was brought back in your most excellent video. The climbing ride through the Questa Pass was thrilling as we rounded the horseshoe curves. Thanks so much for the memories.
Thanks! I'll have to see how the Coast Starlight compares to some of the other journeys I've got planned later this month, but it'll definitely take something spectacular to take the top spot away from the Starlight.
We did this in May during a 6 week rail tour of the US and I think the Coast Starlight was my favourite journey (and yes, we did take the California Zephyr too!). Our train was half an hour late arriving into Union Station and they then spent half an hour fixing a headlight. The only delay on the journey was because SpaceX were launching from Vandenberg although we didn't see the launch itself. We had one Siemens loco and one P42.
Over the years, this train has more than earned its nickname of "Coast StarLATE," usually for reasons it cannot control. Still a great ride. NOTE: A transfer in Eugene OR to the Amtrak Cascades will take you all the way to Vancouver BC, another beautiful run.
I watch these videos at work and absolutely love them. I'm taking a trip with my wife on the Borealis next month and am very excited to get back into train travel.
An excellent presentation! I've seen a few different videos of this Amtrak route, and yours captured the views better than any I can recall. Mt. Shasta in daylight was an amazing sight that I've never seen in a Starlight trip video, what a serendipitous upside to your train's delay! And I have to say that I don't normally care for rear view shots; I think most people choose the wrong view, and/or linger too long on it. Yours were spot on. Glad to see the meals were (generally) up to the usual good-to-excellent quality of Amtrak traditional dining; about the only truly disappointing experience I've had was watery grits for breakfast on the Texas Eagle! Thanks for a most enjoyable vicarious train journey!
Awesome ride on Amtrak Coast Starlight #14. I have dying to do the Amtrak Coast Starlight route roundtrip between Seattle & Los Angeles for YEARS ever since I first became aware of the Amtrak route. I can't wait to do a roundtrip soon. Keep up the amazing work.
I highly recommend it! Though you may want to consider buying tickets on two different routes instead of doing a round trip on one. Yes, the starlight is a fantastic ride, but the empire builder is right there. And with flights being relatively cheap, it'd be pretty easy to get back to LA or Seattle from Chicago if you wanted. Of course, do whatever your heart desires, but just my two cents.
@@LonestarTrips I've done the Amtrak Empire Builder route roundtrip between Chicago & Seattle/Portland. I went to Portland from Chicago and to Chicago from Seattle and I am down to do that again. If your interested in doing the Amtrak Empire Builder route I highly recommend you go west and if you were to ask me which section, do you prefer and why, my answer will easily be the Portland section because I think the scenery along the Amtrak Empire Builder route is outstanding but i think the Portland section overtakes the Seattle Section when we talk about scenery.
I just booked a trip on the lake shore limited connecting to the Zephyr connecting to this train from EMY-LAX. Insanely excited, this video is only helping.
I appreciate your videos. I'm watching this one a second time. We are getting excited about our October trip. Starting in Nashville. A Greyhound to Memphis. Then Amtrak, Memphis to Chicago, Chicago to California, and then Portland, Oregon. After a few days in Oregon, we will be going back to Memphis. We can't wait to see if we get the newer sleeper cars. We have a roomette for most of the trip.
The west coast trains from Chicago are older cars and are either the Superliner 1 or Superliner 2 cars , those are 2 floor cars and most of them have an observation car to be used by both sleeper and coach passengers. The new sleepers are on the Viewliner 2 cars which are only 1 floor cars and no observation cars on those trains.
Beautiful video. Thank you. My very first, and most lasting impression of the Coast Starlight is how amazingly quiet it was leaving Seattle; it was silent, and it stayed very quiet as we blasted down the coast. The whole time, I was able to easily carry on a normal conversation with my companion. BTW, at 28.52, you expose one of my pet peeves about coffee service. The serving lever has two positions; you are shown using it in the "DUMP" position. If you do not forcible push the lever up, it will continue to spew hot coffee coffee until the tank is empty. This is quite dangerous. Your attendant should have turned the lever 180 degrees into the "SERVE" position. In the "SERVE" position, the spring-loaded lever will return to normal without being pushed up. Many coffee pots have a red "Do Not Serve" label on the "DUMP" side. Whenever I encounter a coffee pot in the "DUMP" mode, I always fix it. I am always hopeful that someday, somewhere, someone will avoid getting burned. Rant aside, I loved my Coast Starlight journey and I definitely want to do it again, northbound next time.
You see a lot of commuter rail (Sounder, CalTrain, Metrolink) and other Amtrak services (Pacific Surfliner, Cascades, San Joaquin, Capital Corridor, various others) along this route, as well as amazing scenery! Great documentary!
@mxderate....I noticed that! (Former Metrolink commuter here from the mid 90's) I took this train back in Fall 1997 from LAUS to Salinas. Now that I'm in Idaho, would love to fly out to LAX, catch the Pacific Coast Starlighter and take it all the way to Seattle this time, then fly home from Seattle to Salt Lake City, UT (I'm on the south end of state in Twin Falls, ID). think that would make an interesting vacation!
I love the Coast Starlight! I’ve taken four round trips from Oxnard to Portland (twice), Seattle (once), and Salinas (once). And I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the footage you took from the rear car. 👏
Congrats on both 10K & getting to ride the Coast Starlight. My trip on the Coast Starlight sadly got canceled but I got to my destination on the equally reliable San Joaquins train system.
Thanks for sharing a very nice video of the whole west coast of the US. I did it but divided in segments and staying in Los Angeles then Sacramento, Portland and finally staying with my cousin in Seattle Washington.
Wonderful video I'm glad to see the new Siemens pulling the superliners finally and I must say they look pretty good at the front of the train I have seen them here in Dallas Texas but hopefully one day I get a chance to see the new Siemens pulling the Texas eagle 😊
I want down from Seattle years ago and they still had the Pacific Parlor Car which gave Sleeper Passengers their own lounge car and even had a movie theater downstairs. It is sad it was discontinued because it was really nice
Just met your channel for the first time today...thoroughly enjoyed my first trip with you! Quality experience. Thanks for sharing your travels with us.....i have some catching up to do....
Thanks for a wonderful video. I ride this train every other year from LA to Portland. It really is a gorgeous route! You did a wonderful job of capturing it and also capturing those desserts! Aren't they awesome? 👍
Lovely trip… I like to fly from Southern California to Seattle and take the light rail to King Street Station. I catch the Cascades south to Centralia where I stay at McMenamins Olympic Club hotel which is literally across the street from the station. McMenamins makes some good beer so I’ll have beer flights to be able to try quite a few. After a couple of days in Centralia I catch the Coast Starlight back to Burbank Airport which is my starting point. I wish I was doing that today. 😊
I don’t mind the long video at all because I love train travel! I’m also pleasantly surprised there was an Amtrak Cascade with talgo sets as I thought those were all retired, but I guess they still have one!
I don’t mind the long video at all because i love train travel! I’m also pleasantly surprised there was an Amtrak cascade with talco sets a i thought those were all retired, but I guess they still have one!
Well done video. I have ridden all the AMTRAK rail west of St. Louis / Chicago done in 5 weekend to weekend trips from 2001 through 2013 out of St. Louis making connections in K.C. and Chicago at times. I rode the Coast Starlight as part of two separate trips first Emeryville (Bay area) to L.A.. and later Emeryville to Seattle. Like you mentioned, being late gave you a much closer look of Mount Shasta. I believe you did miss though a very scenic pass around Puget Sound seeing all the water and islands that I think was not shown in this video because AMTRAK re-re-routed near Seattle but I could be wrong. I really liked your food reviews. I just subscribed.
Thanks for the video, was just on the other direction, and now finally able to see the winding forrest at daylight, it was very cool to watch in darkness from the bed with a full moon, but wanted to see what it looked like. Though I did have a small storage space in my roomette, not that it was big enough for anything but meh.. Bedding was wide and big enough for my tall and fat arse, and honestly showers were great, everything there and plenty of room.
Traveling by Amtrak is so relaxing… I was lucky to be able to ride the Coastal Starlight and Empire Builder. Going from east to west is such a great experience! Btw, congrats on 10k! 100k is coming your way!
I made this very trip in 2002. Although it wasn't half bad by the time I got to Seattle we were 14 hours behind. So it was a bittersweet train trip. My one mistake was traveling coach. I should have got a room. In an airline seat for almost 48 hours undesirable. One day I'll get another chance to do this and he'll certainly be much better because I'll have a room
Omg! It's too bad you missed the time when the Pacific Parlor cars were still on this train! Those were special, sleeper-passengers-only observation cars that were so freaking Cool!
I've made two round trips from LA to Seattle, the second one in a sleeper when the ex-SF Pacific Parlor cars were still in use. It was so nice to sit there instead of in the cramped cubbyhole of our sleeper roomette, with all the soft drinks/tea/coffee and newspapers free and with wine tasting the first afternoon and champagne tasting the next day. I'm taking 14 again soon, but in Coach this next time; there's no way I'm going to sit in a tiny roomette for 34 hours!
They still have at least one observation car on the Coast Starlight on the 2nd floor and that car on the 1rst floor has the Cafe. Once in a while the Starlight has an extra observation car only for Business class passengers (does not happen often).
June 28th 320 was leading 14 northbound when it hit a water truck at a grade crossing. Its been stored in UP Oxnard yard along with the rest of the consist sense.
Dang, I don't think a train travel video has ever left me feeling so hungry! Gotta do something about that now. Good job on getting to 10K; here's to 100K next and maybe you can be back in CA, taking a SpaceX journey then and we can see how they drizzle sauces over your deserts in 0 gravity. Congrats.
Good to see the Los Angeles Metropolitan Lounge has had a few upgrades in the 5 years since I took the Coast Starlight. At the time, it was coffee, filtered water, and Rold Gold pretzels. Also they took people via red cap cart out the back door to the track... I exited and walked. The line up waiting for that cart would make a Southwest pre-boarding area look like amateur hour.
08:27 Hi there. is this the camera ( Camera: GoPro Hero 9 Black ) that is stuck to the window? If yes, what is the suction cup mount being used? Thanks
Great report. Thanks. I just took a bullet train from Paris to Avignon, France, in complete luxury in under 4 hours. The cost for 1st class was $79 per person. It's a shame we cannot do that in the U.S.
not the amtrak but i got to take the metrolink from union station when i was younger, that was one of the coolest things id ever seen when i was younger. the station was mind blowing to me (and i just liked going on a train lol)
This video reminds me of the rail travel videos of Japan by another Y/T personality, the main difference is one gets to see the other side of the Pacific Ocean at sunrise. Mt. Fuji is truly beautiful as well. 28:34 The view of Mt. Shasta is amazing on this route, the peak is much easier to see after the fires. Taking this same route at night with a full moon is an extraordinary experience which is almost beyond words.
fantastic video. very well done! i watched from second one to your good bye. im planning a model railroad with an Amtrak train so watching this was informative. i do think i prefer the previous Genesis engines or F40s. the new ones look good but i think lack protection for the crew in front end accidents with cars or other trains. maybe they dont necessarily want to design specifically for front end accident protection but i think i would.
I took this going back to Chicago. I took the southwest chief going to Anaheim and took this train back. I transferred off at klamath falls to catch the empire builder by shuttle bus. Thanks to the shuttle bus driver we made the connection due coaststarlight being majorly late due to frieght train
Cool train tour... Welcome to my home city, Seattle. I've ridden the Sounder commuter train, just about an hour's commute trip... would like to do a longer full Amtrak road-trip one of these days.. btw, the Lounges, is there an attendant to check your eligibility to enter and use it, so that someone doesnt just sneak in?
Those two Sadler train sets are STILL sitting there, lol. I operate the VTA light rail (the light rail train at 21:45) and go by there everyday on the way to Winchester.
I do my best to make my videos as comprehensive and informative as possible, while still being entertaining, so it's always great to hear that I really hit the mark.
I keep telling myself I'm going to take the L.A. to Seattle Coast Starlight, but haven't done it. Maybe later this year. A couple weeks ago the train didn't make it past Moorpark. It hit a truck and several cars derailed. :/
Having been a train gypsy since I was 16, I find that those unexpected delays usually result in something I wouldn't have seen otherwise...ergo Mt Shasta....had you been on time it might still have been dark or you were still asleep. My longest delay was 8 hours in the middle of nowhere New Mexico...but we got to see the sun rise over the desert
21:27 That will also be what the new California High-Speed Rail trains will use in the near future, sharing the line with Caltrain going from San Francisco to Gilroy, and all the way south to Los Angeles Union Station, sharing those same Electric catenary wires with Caltrain.
i was fortunate to take the Starlight while it still had the Pacific Palour Cars. I wish they bring back something like the slumber coaches for single passengers.
Imagine... Just imagine riding a 200 mph bullet train from LA to Seattle. I wonder when this will be ever be realized in the USA. Well, one can keep dreaming.
Este video al igual que otros me produce placer verlos y tambien envidia. Placer por un servicio que en Argentina no se da en ningun trayecto y envidia por trenes que jamas tendremos en este lado del mundo.
Are there any proposals for that, or just speculation? The erosion issues afaik are all south of LA and don't affect the Starlight. Mudslides are a recurring problem up north, though.
Recall the past when the Starlight ran from San Diego to Seattle...Oh well....those were the glory days of the Starlight when they used to have parlor cars showing movies on board.
Great review … very comprehensive! Also appreciate your meal reviews, which I think a lot of train vloggers (myself included) struggle with beyond the basics. You’re lucky to get a look at Portland Station … when I caught the Coast Starlight it was many hours late, so we didn’t arrive until dusk and had a truncated stop. Cheers!
Thanks for the kind words! I was surprised we had any time at all in Portland given that we were about 90 minutes late by that point, but I guess Amtrak decided it wasn't worth trying to make up the time this late into the journey. We should do a collab if I ever make it down under! I'd love to have some local insight into Australia's and New Zealand's rail networks.
@@LonestarTrips Sounds good. Cheers!
@@FromtheWindowSeatyes I agree a lot of Train vloggers(myself also) either don't film the food sections or just don't put effort into it and they need to do better but Lonestar he does everything right and is definitely giving me inspiration for my trip reports
Why amtrack way behind of European trains especially Spain. I think Spain train talco is better than amtrack trains😢
Union Station in Los Angeles is a destination in itself. The architecture, garden, food, surroundings, a some great people watching.
The Coast Starlight probably has my favourite range of scenery. You get the beautiful coast of California and the beautiful nature of the Pacific Northwest. Great trip review!
It's fantastic. I wish it wasn't so gray as we were going past the coast, but the mountain views later more than made up for it.
Would this be good for stargazing from the cabs?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles. My Dad had his business at 9th and Broadway. My Dad traveled extensively by train ever since he started working at 14. Union Station was part of our lives. Union Station still looks very good. There are parts of Los Anges I miss.
I've traveled twice in the sleeper cars on the Amtrak Coast Starlight... from (530) to (805), both round trips.
Very affordable relative to other ways of travel... considering price paid, all accomodations are included, and time spent NOT stressing in traffic.
Friendly and helpful staff.
Comfortable, clean, and quiet.
Delicious food can be eaten with other riders in the dining car, and a few times I opted to select room service so the attendant delivered the meal to my door... I made sure to give her a nice tip.
Beautiful views.
It's awesome.
I am impressed by Lonestar’s knowledge and research in the different Amtrak locomotives, rail coaches and their variants and the amenities therein. Very good attention to detail.
The Amtrak lounge is quite small, but quiet. That could be because finding it is something of an achievement 🤔
🤣That's definitely what it seemed like!
🤣That’s definitely what it seemed like
I've taken the Starlight often but have never located the lounge
If I remember correctly the entrance is near the ticket counters at LA Station and you take an escalator up.
Lonestar's longest report yet, and it certainly surpasses all expectations despite the high standards this channel is well known for. Been here since the beginning and it's amazing to see the channel continue to grow and improve! Excellent work once again.
Thanks a lot! It means the world to me to hear that you enjoy the content I make, no matter how long it is. Thanks for being here from the start (I think you were my 400th sub!), your continued support has been amazing.
I recently took this train up to SEA and I got to say that despite not being able to sleep very much (in coach), i really loved the scenery as we traveled through northern California into Oregon / Washington.
yeah man personally I would not sit in coach more than like five hours. Longer than that and I get a room on the train. 🙂 Only time I have ever road an amtrak long distance was coast starlight seattle to san jose as my ride home from the Navy...they paid for a room on the train, it was great. If I go back it would definitely be in one of the rooms. 🙂 I do ride the short distance Capitol Corridor and San Juaquins a lot more often. 🙂
This account is very accurate. I've taken this train many times between EMY and PDX and he captures the experience on the run up very well. (On the way down, Sacramento is the long stop to take on water and take out the trash for an extended fresh air break about 06:00-06:30.)
The Coast Starlight is one of my bucket list trains.
That rear train car view sold me on taking that train. Thanks.
The proper long distance experience!! Flexible dining has got to go! Those pacific views are stunning. I hope to take the Southwest Chief or California Zephyr next year.
Those two are on my to-do list! They'll have to wait for now, as I've got a lot of stuff planned, but it'll happen eventually.
I’ve ridden the Coast Starlight many times in the last 20 years, as coach passenger and in both kinds of sleeper compartments. I remember coming back from Eugene, Oregon one time when we were delayed 6 hours due to the derailment of a freight train on the Feather River, and another (very sad) delay due to the injury of some kids playing around the Richmond, CA train yard. Those destructive fires that burned just north of Mt. Shasta meant sleeping on a bus, as the tracks went right thru the fires! After all those negative experiences (including a loudly snoring coach attendant), I still look forward to traveling on the Coast Starlight for the views and the great crews.
The thought of being on a train that long is more than I can handle, but I’m glad you enjoyed!
kcgirl I rode this train once as my "ride home from the Navy" in 2003....Seattle to San Jose....if you have a room on the train (as seen in the video) it's actually enjoyable! You get three meals a day, cooked by a chef. The Coast Starlight is one of I think five or six Amtrak trains that have an actual chef cooking the meal aboard the train. You get breakfast, lunch, and a three course dinner (appetizer, entree, desert), all included in the fare, no tipping necessary (unless you want to....I certainly didn't feel any pressure to tip....remember these guys are under federal charter, they're not paid the 2.50/hr + tip thing, they are paid a good wage). You not only have a nice private room where you can lay down and go to sleep, but also a shower, and then you have the sightseeing lounge, with the chairs facing out the window. 🙂
I wouldn't sit in coach for more than five hours, personally. But if I had a room, I would do a full long distance amtrak journey. 🙂
But, these long distances, you definitely can't do it for a weekend trip up to Seattle from San Jose (which is why most people would go there, like let's say you're seeing a concert series or something)...for that, you would just fly. MUCH faster. 🙂 But if you have the time and the inclination, and an extra four days of vacation (two days to get there, two days to get back) then it's more like taking a cruise.
It's like going across the Atlantic....you can do it in seven hours on a jet from New York to London, or you do it in a week on Holland America or Costa etc. 🙂
as a dutchie im glad that you call it a stroopwafel and not a snickerdoodle, cause it definitely isnt that
After hearing about Amtrak's Coast Starlight ALC-42 #300 being involved in a derailment due to crashing into a truck on the tracks, it's good to see that the trains other ALC-42's #306 and #320 are still keeping the line moving forward.
314 and 322 are also a common sight on the starlight, so there’s plenty of ALCs going around.
@@LonestarTrips Yeah, I notice that when yall passed them!!
Too dangerous to deep fry fries on a moving train. Hence the chips.
While i understand this, why not cook them in an oven/air fryer? Healthier too
Very time consuming, meal services are always jam packed and are between a set time@@stinkyroadhog1347
@@stinkyroadhog1347maybe not efficient or to expensive to fry that much in bulk?
My journey on the Starlight in the last sleeper was brought back in your most excellent video. The climbing ride through the Questa Pass was thrilling as we rounded the horseshoe curves. Thanks so much for the memories.
great video. this route is on my bucket list. been on a small part of this route, the scenery is terrific. amtrak does a great job.
This video was very well narrated. I’ve made this trip many times through the years. It’s been a favorite.
Thanks! I'll have to see how the Coast Starlight compares to some of the other journeys I've got planned later this month, but it'll definitely take something spectacular to take the top spot away from the Starlight.
Lonestar - Congrats!! very nice video. Very informative. I will be taking the same route in August so your content is very helpful. Happy Rails!!!
We did this in May during a 6 week rail tour of the US and I think the Coast Starlight was my favourite journey (and yes, we did take the California Zephyr too!). Our train was half an hour late arriving into Union Station and they then spent half an hour fixing a headlight. The only delay on the journey was because SpaceX were launching from Vandenberg although we didn't see the launch itself. We had one Siemens loco and one P42.
Over the years, this train has more than earned its nickname of "Coast StarLATE," usually for reasons it cannot control. Still a great ride. NOTE: A transfer in Eugene OR to the Amtrak Cascades will take you all the way to Vancouver BC, another beautiful run.
Thank you for a wonderfully comprehensible video. Such amazing scenery with Mount Shasta being the absolute standout!
Me Want Chocolate Moose !
I watch these videos at work and absolutely love them. I'm taking a trip with my wife on the Borealis next month and am very excited to get back into train travel.
Thanks for sharing the beautiful video 👍👍
Of course! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
The George Pullman car! I rode in that sleeper back in 2010 on the City of New Orleans.
Loved it,did this trip in 2018,best scenery seeing the entire West Coast from SoCal into the Great Northwest,nothing else compares!
An excellent presentation! I've seen a few different videos of this Amtrak route, and yours captured the views better than any I can recall. Mt. Shasta in daylight was an amazing sight that I've never seen in a Starlight trip video, what a serendipitous upside to your train's delay! And I have to say that I don't normally care for rear view shots; I think most people choose the wrong view, and/or linger too long on it. Yours were spot on. Glad to see the meals were (generally) up to the usual good-to-excellent quality of Amtrak traditional dining; about the only truly disappointing experience I've had was watery grits for breakfast on the Texas Eagle! Thanks for a most enjoyable vicarious train journey!
Awesome ride on Amtrak Coast Starlight #14. I have dying to do the Amtrak Coast Starlight route roundtrip between Seattle & Los Angeles for YEARS ever since I first became aware of the Amtrak route. I can't wait to do a roundtrip soon. Keep up the amazing work.
I highly recommend it! Though you may want to consider buying tickets on two different routes instead of doing a round trip on one. Yes, the starlight is a fantastic ride, but the empire builder is right there. And with flights being relatively cheap, it'd be pretty easy to get back to LA or Seattle from Chicago if you wanted. Of course, do whatever your heart desires, but just my two cents.
@@LonestarTrips I've done the Amtrak Empire Builder route roundtrip between Chicago & Seattle/Portland. I went to Portland from Chicago and to Chicago from Seattle and I am down to do that again. If your interested in doing the Amtrak Empire Builder route I highly recommend you go west and if you were to ask me which section, do you prefer and why, my answer will easily be the Portland section because I think the scenery along the Amtrak Empire Builder route is outstanding but i think the Portland section overtakes the Seattle Section when we talk about scenery.
I just booked a trip on the lake shore limited connecting to the Zephyr connecting to this train from EMY-LAX. Insanely excited, this video is only helping.
I appreciate your videos. I'm watching this one a second time. We are getting excited about our October trip. Starting in Nashville. A Greyhound to Memphis. Then Amtrak, Memphis to Chicago, Chicago to California, and then Portland, Oregon. After a few days in Oregon, we will be going back to Memphis. We can't wait to see if we get the newer sleeper cars. We have a roomette for most of the trip.
The west coast trains from Chicago are older cars and are either the Superliner 1 or Superliner 2 cars , those are 2 floor cars and most of them have an observation car to be used by both sleeper and coach passengers. The new sleepers are on the Viewliner 2 cars which are only 1 floor cars and no observation cars on those trains.
This was a very thorough review. I'm going to ride this before years end...
I'm glad you thought so, and safe travels!
Beautiful video. Thank you. My very first, and most lasting impression of the Coast Starlight is how amazingly quiet it was leaving Seattle; it was silent, and it stayed very quiet as we blasted down the coast. The whole time, I was able to easily carry on a normal conversation with my companion. BTW, at 28.52, you expose one of my pet peeves about coffee service. The serving lever has two positions; you are shown using it in the "DUMP" position. If you do not forcible push the lever up, it will continue to spew hot coffee coffee until the tank is empty. This is quite dangerous. Your attendant should have turned the lever 180 degrees into the "SERVE" position. In the "SERVE" position, the spring-loaded lever will return to normal without being pushed up. Many coffee pots have a red "Do Not Serve" label on the "DUMP" side. Whenever I encounter a coffee pot in the "DUMP" mode, I always fix it. I am always hopeful that someday, somewhere, someone will avoid getting burned. Rant aside, I loved my Coast Starlight journey and I definitely want to do it again, northbound next time.
Excellent point, Chris. Thanks for the helpful comment; you are absolutely correct about the coffee machine settings.
Great video, it could have Been longer without any complaints from me! Thanks for the ride 🚄
I agree with you on the ALC42s, as they are my favorite Amtrak locomotives of all time
I agree with you on the alc42s, as they are my favorite Amtrak locomotives of all time
@@kl6361why did you just copy me???
@@adventuresofamtrakcascades301 why did you just copy me???
@@kl6361 ?
?
Caltrain is actually doing a public tour of the new EMUs on July 29th. I'll be going and I'm very excited!
You see a lot of commuter rail (Sounder, CalTrain, Metrolink) and other Amtrak services (Pacific Surfliner, Cascades, San Joaquin, Capital Corridor, various others) along this route, as well as amazing scenery! Great documentary!
It’s a great combination of landscape and railways!
@@LonestarTrips Sure is! Definitely going on my bucket list!
@@mxderate 😊
@mxderate....I noticed that! (Former Metrolink commuter here from the mid 90's) I took this train back in Fall 1997 from LAUS to Salinas. Now that I'm in Idaho, would love to fly out to LAX, catch the Pacific Coast Starlighter and take it all the way to Seattle this time, then fly home from Seattle to Salt Lake City, UT (I'm on the south end of state in Twin Falls, ID). think that would make an interesting vacation!
@@diannehortonpong1388 Yeah the Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner are both great trains!
I'm glad you have a video on the Coast Starlight as it's my third favorite route behind only the Southwest Chief and the Sunset Limited.
I liked it and laughed with the stuck door 😂 so funny. Cindy
enjoyed the ride sure do miss the Pacific but waves were nice, loved the train ride also tks
I love the Coast Starlight! I’ve taken four round trips from Oxnard to Portland (twice), Seattle (once), and Salinas (once). And I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the footage you took from the rear car. 👏
Congrats on both 10K & getting to ride the Coast Starlight. My trip on the Coast Starlight sadly got canceled but I got to my destination on the equally reliable San Joaquins train system.
Amazing 👏. My first time watching your vlogs. I look forward to the next one. Thank you so much ❤
Thanks for sharing a very nice video of the whole west coast of the US. I did it but divided in segments and staying in Los Angeles then Sacramento, Portland and finally staying with my cousin in Seattle Washington.
so glad I found your channel, We want to take a train ride and this helps immensely. Thank You.😊
Wonderful video I'm glad to see the new Siemens pulling the superliners finally and I must say they look pretty good at the front of the train I have seen them here in Dallas Texas but hopefully one day I get a chance to see the new Siemens pulling the Texas eagle 😊
I want down from Seattle years ago and they still had the Pacific Parlor Car which gave Sleeper Passengers their own lounge car and even had a movie theater downstairs. It is sad it was discontinued because it was really nice
Just met your channel for the first time today...thoroughly enjoyed my first trip with you! Quality experience. Thanks for sharing your travels with us.....i have some catching up to do....
Thanks for a wonderful video. I ride this train every other year from LA to Portland. It really is a gorgeous route! You did a wonderful job of capturing it and also capturing those desserts! Aren't they awesome? 👍
Damn you see the promising future on the behind of staff. My goodness I need to run a trip on that route.
I've been subscribed for a few weeks now thanks for some Amtrak trip inspiration. Greetings from the UK
Of course! Always happy to inspire future travelers!
I think this is much more of a train review than a trip up the west coast review.
Lovely trip… I like to fly from Southern California to Seattle and take the light rail to King Street Station. I catch the Cascades south to Centralia where I stay at McMenamins Olympic Club hotel which is literally across the street from the station. McMenamins makes some good beer so I’ll have beer flights to be able to try quite a few. After a couple of days in Centralia I catch the Coast Starlight back to Burbank Airport which is my starting point. I wish I was doing that today. 😊
I don’t mind the long video at all because I love train travel! I’m also pleasantly surprised there was an Amtrak Cascade with talgo sets as I thought those were all retired, but I guess they still have one!
I don’t mind the long video at all because i love train travel! I’m also pleasantly surprised there was an Amtrak cascade with talco sets a i thought those were all retired, but I guess they still have one!
I loved the video!!! Very informative! Great videography too! Perfect narration too! Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Yes, I agree - 'great narration!'
Well done video. I have ridden all the AMTRAK rail west of St. Louis / Chicago done in 5 weekend to weekend trips from 2001 through 2013 out of St. Louis making connections in K.C. and Chicago at times. I rode the Coast Starlight as part of two separate trips first Emeryville (Bay area) to L.A.. and later Emeryville to Seattle. Like you mentioned, being late gave you a much closer look of Mount Shasta. I believe you did miss though a very scenic pass around Puget Sound seeing all the water and islands that I think was not shown in this video because AMTRAK re-re-routed near Seattle but I could be wrong. I really liked your food reviews. I just subscribed.
Awesome review. This is definitely on my bucket list.
Thanks for the video, was just on the other direction, and now finally able to see the winding forrest at daylight, it was very cool to watch in darkness from the bed with a full moon, but wanted to see what it looked like. Though I did have a small storage space in my roomette, not that it was big enough for anything but meh.. Bedding was wide and big enough for my tall and fat arse, and honestly showers were great, everything there and plenty of room.
The powers trip tip, is gold.
Very well done video. Sets all apprehension aside while considering traveling on a train in route to an Akaskan cruise. Many thanks✌
I was glad for getting help in getting to the lounge (in LA)…
Excellent video my friends awesome like and Greeting 🙋🏻♂️
Looks awesome to arrive in Seattle during the daytime. I took that trip in December and we arrived 6 hours late 😢
A good report, we’ll narrated.
Traveling by Amtrak is so relaxing… I was lucky to be able to ride the Coastal Starlight and Empire Builder. Going from east to west is such a great experience! Btw, congrats on 10k! 100k is coming your way!
Better than flying!
I made this very trip in 2002. Although it wasn't half bad by the time I got to Seattle we were 14 hours behind. So it was a bittersweet train trip. My one mistake was traveling coach. I should have got a room. In an airline seat for almost 48 hours undesirable. One day I'll get another chance to do this and he'll certainly be much better because I'll have a room
Omg! It's too bad you missed the time when the Pacific Parlor cars were still on this train! Those were special, sleeper-passengers-only observation cars that were so freaking Cool!
I've made two round trips from LA to Seattle, the second one in a sleeper when the ex-SF Pacific Parlor cars were still in use. It was so nice to sit there instead of in the cramped cubbyhole of our sleeper roomette, with all the soft drinks/tea/coffee and newspapers free and with wine tasting the first afternoon and champagne tasting the next day. I'm taking 14 again soon, but in Coach this next time; there's no way I'm going to sit in a tiny roomette for 34 hours!
They still have at least one observation car on the Coast Starlight on the 2nd floor and that car on the 1rst floor has the Cafe. Once in a while the Starlight has an extra observation car only for Business class passengers (does not happen often).
June 28th 320 was leading 14 northbound when it hit a water truck at a grade crossing. Its been stored in UP Oxnard yard along with the rest of the consist sense.
Dang, I don't think a train travel video has ever left me feeling so hungry! Gotta do something about that now. Good job on getting to 10K; here's to 100K next and maybe you can be back in CA, taking a SpaceX journey then and we can see how they drizzle sauces over your deserts in 0 gravity. Congrats.
Haha thanks for always coming back bro. I’ve got some ideas for if we hit 100k, but we gotta get there first.
@@LonestarTripsface reveal??!!🤨🤔🤨🤔
@@josephj.6478 Maybe...😉
No Pacific parlor? The last time we were in the King Street station they were just starting the remodel. Good video!
No pacific parlor? The last time we were in the king street station they were just starting the remodel good video!
Great video as always, thank you! That chocolate cake looked so yummy, mmmmmmm!
You're welcome ☺The chocolate cake was delicious. Probably my favorite part of any meal on the ride.
I always love your videos and always look forward to them as you are my favorite TH-camr. As per usual incredible video.
Good to see the Los Angeles Metropolitan Lounge has had a few upgrades in the 5 years since I took the Coast Starlight. At the time, it was coffee, filtered water, and Rold Gold pretzels. Also they took people via red cap cart out the back door to the track... I exited and walked. The line up waiting for that cart would make a Southwest pre-boarding area look like amateur hour.
08:27
Hi there.
is this the camera ( Camera: GoPro Hero 9 Black )
that is stuck to the window? If yes, what is the suction cup mount being used?
Thanks
That is indeed the camera I use. For mounting, I use the standard gopro suction mount.
Great report. Thanks. I just took a bullet train from Paris to Avignon, France, in complete luxury in under 4 hours. The cost for 1st class was $79 per person. It's a shame we cannot do that in the U.S.
The best practical idea in the video was bringing a power strip so that you have multiple plug ins.
not the amtrak but i got to take the metrolink from union station when i was younger, that was one of the coolest things id ever seen when i was younger. the station was mind blowing to me (and i just liked going on a train lol)
This video reminds me of the rail travel videos of Japan by another Y/T personality, the main difference is one gets to see the other side of the Pacific Ocean at sunrise. Mt. Fuji is truly beautiful as well.
28:34 The view of Mt. Shasta is amazing on this route, the peak is much easier to see after the fires. Taking this same route at night with a full moon is an extraordinary experience which is almost beyond words.
fantastic video. very well done! i watched from second one to your good bye. im planning a model railroad with an Amtrak train so watching this was informative. i do think i prefer the previous Genesis engines or F40s. the new ones look good but i think lack protection for the crew in front end accidents with cars or other trains. maybe they dont necessarily want to design specifically for front end accident protection but i think i would.
I took this going back to Chicago. I took the southwest chief going to Anaheim and took this train back. I transferred off at klamath falls to catch the empire builder by shuttle bus. Thanks to the shuttle bus driver we made the connection due coaststarlight being majorly late due to frieght train
Cool train tour... Welcome to my home city, Seattle. I've ridden the Sounder commuter train, just about an hour's commute trip... would like to do a longer full Amtrak road-trip one of these days.. btw, the Lounges, is there an attendant to check your eligibility to enter and use it, so that someone doesnt just sneak in?
Those two Sadler train sets are STILL sitting there, lol. I operate the VTA light rail (the light rail train at 21:45) and go by there everyday on the way to Winchester.
Nice trip. I really appreciate the work and info u put into your vids, Vs some channels I've seen with very little and lil to no information. thanks
I do my best to make my videos as comprehensive and informative as possible, while still being entertaining, so it's always great to hear that I really hit the mark.
I keep telling myself I'm going to take the L.A. to Seattle Coast Starlight, but haven't done it. Maybe later this year. A couple weeks ago the train didn't make it past Moorpark. It hit a truck and several cars derailed. :/
Having been a train gypsy since I was 16, I find that those unexpected delays usually result in something I wouldn't have seen otherwise...ergo Mt Shasta....had you been on time it might still have been dark or you were still asleep. My longest delay was 8 hours in the middle of nowhere New Mexico...but we got to see the sun rise over the desert
There’s always a silver lining to situations like that! 😊
thanks for s haring youir journey on the coast starlight took th is train from san jose to seatle one time in coach
21:27 That will also be what the new California High-Speed Rail trains will use in the near future, sharing the line with Caltrain going from San Francisco to Gilroy, and all the way south to Los Angeles Union Station, sharing those same Electric catenary wires with Caltrain.
i was fortunate to take the Starlight while it still had the Pacific Palour Cars. I wish they bring back something like the slumber coaches for single passengers.
Imagine... Just imagine riding a 200 mph bullet train from LA to Seattle. I wonder when this will be ever be realized in the USA. Well, one can keep dreaming.
I would never go on it, I like seeing the scenery and if you go really fast you will miss it, that is why one of the reasons Amtrak does not go fast.
EXCELENTE VIDEO
OK, I need to take the amtrack coast starlight express train from los Angeles to Seattle Washington
Este video al igual que otros me produce placer verlos y tambien envidia. Placer por un servicio que en Argentina no se da en ningun trayecto y envidia por trenes que jamas tendremos en este lado del mundo.
Yeah i had a hard time finding the lounge room in union Station at los Angeles. Found it after being in the Station over a hour
I need to ride this one before the coastal part of the tracks get moved inland.
Time is definitely ticking. With how things are looking on the surfliner’s route, it’s only a matter of time before the starlight changes as well.
Are there any proposals for that, or just speculation? The erosion issues afaik are all south of LA and don't affect the Starlight. Mudslides are a recurring problem up north, though.
Recall the past when the Starlight ran from San Diego to Seattle...Oh well....those were the glory days of the Starlight when they used to have parlor cars showing movies on board.
great station Los Angeles
Beautiful trip report!
Thank you!
Small pronunciation- San Luis is pronounced San LOOIS obispo and Camarillo is camareeo
camariyo