Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hope for a clear day, because as you get closer to Portland,
Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens will also be on your right.
You'll be able to tell which of the two is Mount St. Helens—a
violent eruption in 1980 blew away a large part of the peak.
It's quite obvious, even from this distance. Leaving Portland, the
“City of Roses,” the train crosses the Columbia River and stops
again in Vancouver, Washington. Switch to the left side of the
train as it follows the Columbia River from here on and then runs
along the edge of Puget Sound through Tacoma and right past the
King Dome into Seattle. It is, as you will find, a wonderful city.
As I described in chapter 9, the Coast Starlight's consist
includes a Pacific Parlor Car for the exclusive use of sleeping-
car passengers. On both afternoons of this trip, the staff hosts
a tasting of both wines and cheeses coming from the areas the
train passes through at that very time. Take advantage of this
opportunity to socialize with other passengers. If you find a wine
you like, you can buy a bottle and hang out there long after the
formal event breaks up.
San Joaquin
Stops:
Oakland, Davis, Sacramento,
Stockton, Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield
Frequency:
Four times a day each way; two other
trains originate in Sacramento
Distance:
315 miles
Duration:
6 hours
Equipment:
Bi-level coaches similar to
Superliners, cafe car
These trains run up and down the middle of California. Since
three of the six daily San Joaquins make their runs during the day,
viewing opportunities will be the same in either direction. The
trains stick pretty much to the huge San Joaquin Valley, which
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