My First Time Eating in a Dining Car: Amtrak Coast Starlight 

Nobody seems to remember but the Coast Starlight had a children’s car with toys to play with. The Southwest Chief had a smoking car

The guy throwing a tantrum over an accidental touch is the same energy as the police officer chasing Patrick to not touch everything at the jellyfish convention on SpongeBob 😂. On the causeway outside San Jose, you were crossing the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge! There is a former settlement that was built along the tracks called Drawbridge. The South Pacific Coast Railroad were the ones that built the tracks there, and there were once two drawbridges, crossing Mud Slough and Coyote Creek to connect Newark with Alviso and San Jose. So to operate the drawbridges, they created a settlement called Drawbridge in 1876. Ten passenger trains stopped there per day at one point, five going north and five going south. By the 1920s, although the town had no roads, it did have 90 buildings, and was divided into two neighborhoods, the Roman Catholic South Drawbridge and the Protestant North Drawbridge. After the drawbridges were removed, the residents left, and Drawbridge became a ghost town!

I was the engineer of this train between Klamath Falls and Portland. Glad you enjoyed your trip.

Ashland, VA is another place where long distance trains run down the middle of the street.

You can thank the Rail Passenger Association for working to get Amtrak to let coach passengers eat in the dinning car. Next, the trains that run east from Chicago. And yes, I'm a member.

I rode this when the Pacific Parlor Cars were still part of the consist... as was wine and cheese from each of the 3 states as we passed through them. It was a nice touch. We've been back aboard the Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle in 2021... always memorable and incredible scenery start to finish.

Odd fact for you: I’ve been told by a number of Amtrak conductors and coach attendants that the Eugene station has the greatest number of passengers who get out for the smoke break and then miss the call for All Aboard and get left behind in Eugene. (Perhaps because there’s a convenience store across the street where they run in to buy cigarettes or sodas, and then get delayed by the street traffic signal…)

Nice catch of the Budd SPV-2000 at 6:15! They were built between 1978 and 1981 but only thirty-one of them were actually built (on top of fourteen unassembled shells) because they were proven to be very unreliable mechanically. The track geometry one that you saw, T-10, was purchased by the FRA in 1981 and remained in service until 2000 when it was replaced and sold to CalTrain. The craziest thing about the SPV-2000s is that six of them were sold to ONCF in Morocco for King Hassan II to use on his royal train! However after Hassan II died in 1999, King Mohammed VI opted not to use it. The street-running bit of Oakland's Jack London Square is such a neat operation! And yup, that was a former NJT Comet car at 8:31! Definitely wild to see NJT rolling stock in California! Due to increasing ridership on the San Joaquin, they purchased fourteen Comet IBs from NJ Transit in 2008, and then they were refurbished and reconfigured to serve as intercity coaches at Amtrak's Beech Grove Shops.

Was not expecting the surprise NJT car. Very cool!

So glad you finally got to try the dining car! It’s one of my fave things about getting a private room.

I love trains

Before the pandemic, the menu showed the ala carte prices. Coach passengers could order toast and coffee and not pay for the full meal. At the height of the pandemic, the dining car had half the seats blocked off, and traveling parties did not share tables with others. Thus, there was no room for coach passengers. Fortunately, west coast trains brought back Traditional Dining. "Flexible Dining" (a/k/a Flexible Indigestion) still persists on eastern routes. Nice review.

Did a double take when I saw Ron! I've met him on the bus, at Diridon and a Caltrain event before, he's a great guy! Next time I see him I'll mention this video!

I do the exact same thing as Ron in San Jose (Volunteer Station host)except I’m there Mondays and Thursdays he’s volunteered for the airport and other stuff as well. Plus I’ve had that happen where the consist switches without notice.

You had mentioned that this route has a street running segment. I know from experience that there is at least one other long distance route that has a street running segment, the Texas Eagle immediately south of the station stop in Springfield, Illinois. I've ridden this route a few times between Chicago and Saint Louis.

The capital corridor is going to be rerouted on to the coast sub which will help shave some time of the trip but also allow better separation of freight and passenger traffic south of Oakland. South bay connect is the plan. The Alvios wetlands you crossed though is also going to get work but that is a mid to longer term plan which will result in double or tipple track though the wetlands and adjustments to make the curves faster.

Love your take on the Amtrak adventure, last year for my retirement i was on the Coast Starlight July 24 2023 on my way to Seattle from LA. Our train was terminated in San Jose but were allowed to ride on up to Sacramento, which all the Coach passengers did. We were unsure if everyone was getting kicked off at the station, but after a while we were told we could stay aboard. We rambled around the yard unhooking and hooking up other cars, most of us tried to get some shut eye as it was very late. The next day we were told they would take everyone who stayed aboard, all coach lol, and they feed us breakfast lunch and dinner free. It was a nice ride back to LA, but what a bummer we did not make it to Klamath Falls Oregon due to a fire in the area. This year i plan to do a 30 day travel trip from LA to Seattle, Seattle to Chicago, Chicago to KC, KC to Chicago then take the Zepher to San Francisco area then to LA.

I was delayed over 11 hours on the Coast Starlight from Portland to LA in 1999! Our train had to keep letting freight trains go ahead of us because they had to share the tracks. I'm guessing it's not any better these days.

Another great ride! You really do the best videos about train trips and transit systems. I'm so glad I subscribed and can't wait to see each new video you make! 😃

When I go to London, I’m leaving out of Baltimore Washington international Thurgood Marshal airport. But wait! There’s more! Me, my parents, and my sister are taking the Amtrak northeast regional to BWI! But there’s one more thing… the train ride only takes about 26 minutes! And my train ride there only has one stop between BWI and Washington Union Station, the train station is New Carrollton Maryland.

Them SC 44 train horns sound 🔥 AF

17:32 Hey, you got the bay, that's good enough. 😏

Always fun to travel along with Thom! Glad you did this trip and hopefully you will get to do the whole Coast Starlight route in the future.

When I was in San Jose in 1979, the station windows were covered in some kind of paper, glad to see them uncovered now!

I’m planning to ride Amtrak from Sacramento to Albany OR station this summer so your excellent video is a preview of what I might encounter. Your narration reminds me a lot of my nephew. I also subscribed.

I enjoy the video👍👍

Great video 👍👌

another great video !! Thank you !!

I've travelling on Amtrak train even before Amtrak became nationwide (formerly individual railroad passengers companies became no longer confused with many transfers) for over 55 years. I hopped once or twice a year acrossing any part of USA as I love it and no matter if the train is delays or on time because train travellings are blasting with wonderful socially different people from all over the places and a beauty by looking views passing different areas too. And I'm using mostly sleeper car that is including no extra cost eating in dining car is the best! And their real foods are great! Able to walk entire each cars or standing out of train car on platform if stop for 10 or more minutes (don't wonder away from platform then the train will left by catch up on schedule or be on-time a minute or two before). While monitoring the completely refueling in locomotives, done by exchanging suitcases in baggage car, finishing filling up water each car and less passengers hopping in or hopping out will be leaving early as a schedule. I used took Southern Pacific (SP) Peninsula Commuter trains for years. SP ran between San Francisco and San Jose, now called Caltrain extended to Gilroy (south of San Jose). For you guys are taking a short trip on any long distance Amtrak to see if you like the train before taking longer trip. Also, check train status (keeping repeating if a train is catch up) for the arrival to save your waiting. Enjoy!

hello nice video!! i get on in san jose nice when i travel by train i live in san jose nd take the light rail all the time peace

Definitely really nice as soon as your videos come out I watch them

That’s awesome that you were able to eat breakfast in the dining car!!! The scenery along the way to Portland was awesome too. I always enjoy your history lesson of the train you are riding. The gentleman volunteering at the San Jose train station was just absolutely awesome too!!!

Nice! I caught your exact train in Oregon in May!

I enjoyed that video👍👍

This brought back fond memories of my September 1989 trip north on the Coast Starlight. Upper Klamath Lake and the Cascades were highlights. I stayed in Eugene Oregon for two nights right on the return weekend of Students returning to the local Colleges and participated in a picnic afternoon with a friendly group. This video was watched while digesting Christmas Lunch. Thanks for the memories.🙂🙂🙂

Great video! Thanks for sharing your trip! Love trains here too!

Love your video!

Great video. I took my 1st long-distance trip last month on Amtrak from North Carolina to New York City. I didn't mind it

That was a great video.

Great video. I'll be looking forward to seeing more train videos

Thanks for sharing, the Coast Starlight is my favorite to LA where I have family, take it very often, love this trip

Thanks!

Excellent video! Look forward to each one, thank you!

Danke Thom and Lindsay! Another great video! I never paid attention to engines until I started watching your channel🙂

Your logo on a black t-shirt…🤘🏻🚂( & stellar vid as always guys!👍🏻)

This was very detailed, which along with your kind demeanor makes another excellent video! I haven't seen Upper Klamath Lake since 1993, so thanks for bringing back some good memories. Thank you for your hard work.

The Pacific Parlor cars were actually remodeled old ATSF Hi-Level lounge cars from the El Capitan, they were in service for over 50 years before being retired in 2018, a couple are now in Michigan at the SRI, one’s in Wisconsin at a local excursion train, and one’s here in Arizona at the Arizona Railway Museum, where the other 2 are I don’t know, 6 were built total.

That’s an absolute nice trip and that you could have breakfast while on board. Those are some really nice views throughout that train trip! Today I went to both Nashville and Atlanta in one day, something I always wanted to do while I live two hours away from both those cities. I flew one way from Nashville and spent a few hours in Atlanta getting to ride two different airport trains and the MARTA subway again. Then I took a greyhound bus back to my hometown in Chattanooga. What a good way to spend the day of traveling with all those interesting ideas.

Glad you got to try the dining car! I always enjoy that part of my Amtrak rides wherever I can do it. I did the boxed meal era and the dinners were ok but the breakfasts were pretty meh, so I'm glad proper sit down meals are returning systemwide.

I don’t exactly remember where but the Coast starlight does Street run south of San Jose

I Love this route so much. Vancouver wa to Dunsmuir ca many many times

Thanks for another great video. This is maybe my favourite train, since there is no longer The Panama Limited. If you take tis trip again, may I recommend getting up at 0500 to see Mount Shasta early in the morning?

I really like that cta sticker in your store

The Amtrak pass sounds like a great deal! I rode the California Zephyr from Chicago to Denver (to see the UP Big Boy 4014) a couple of years ago. Next time, I'm taking it all the way to Cali.

I was on the Coast Starlight on the 16th- 17th November 2023. Traveling in coach from Grand Junction, CO (California Zephyr) to Tacoma, WA was kind of a bucket list thing for me. I traveled on trains with my mother in the 1950's and to and from college in the mid 60's. The dining car is my best memory from all my trips. I also had breakfast on the Coast Starlight and it was better than I expected and made me think about my train trips when I was younger. The 9 hour layover in Sacramento was not my favorite. Overall, I loved the trip and would do it again if I get the chance. Thanks Amtrak!!!

I took the coast starlight from San Jose dirridon to la union station in sleeper class it took 11 hours

Enjoyable as usual. I am watching for the RailPass promotion.

Amazing video mate. You're such a good story teller, the video is packed full of information and great shots as usual! 🙂

Just started watching but excited to see you go North! I’ve taken the CS many times but mostly to visit family who live in small towns in SB and Ventura County. I feel like most people don’t go North. Thanks for sharing this with us! I’m planning this trip in May on a rail pass. This gives me a good idea on what to expect. Now plan on San Jose departure. Well done!

Interesting and beautiful views on your journey. Ate once in the dinning car from Reno to Oakland, breakfast was delicious and views along the Truckee River were spectacular.

That French Toast with bacon looks delicious.

Nothing wrong with the Cascade scenery!

I recognize that NJTransit car anywhere, cool to see that here

Pensacola, Florida when service resumes unless they reroute

OMG somebody touched me! Settle down people! Another great train vlog. Love watching your adventures. Hopefully I will get to hit the rails like this sometime in 2024 or 2025. We love trains on our channel too and travel on them from time to time and we are trying to tour all of the stations on the system. We are getting there slowly.

The VTA tram isn't the best if you compare it other systems but I have grown a great interest in it during my 14 years with the organization. I haven't ridding the Coast Starlight for quite a long time. First saw it when I was 7 but didn't ride it until age 12. As of I got into my college years I started riding it by myself. Sleeper twice, Coach once. I did make it to the Pacific Parlour car in 2013.

I first started riding portions of this route as a kid in the 1950s (San Francisco to LA along the coast) and then back and forth to college in the 1960s. I really liked the overall experience, other than one thing…u Southern Pacific ran the passengers heading all the way north through a very uncomfortable gauntlet at Martinez. The night train from LA (I think is was called “The Owl”) went over the Cajon Pass, through the Mojave , over the Tehachapi Pass to the San Joaquin Valley and north to Oakland. The passengers going further north had to change trains in Martinez. In those days the Martinez connection heading north was very early in the morning; very dark, only one light shining on the cement platform, no benches, and the building was locked so no bathroom access. The checked luggage was piled at one end, and passengers of all ages had to stand or sit on the cement until the “Shasta Daylight” arrived from Oakland. Why didn’t we change in Oakland? Well, our train was always too late to make that connection. The Shasta was wonderful, though, as it went by Mt. Shasta in the morning light and got to Portland in the evening. The counterpart to the Shasta, which I would take southbound, was the “Cascades” night train. It dumped us out at Martinez in the early morning too, but not quite so early as the train north, and then the ride to LA was the “San Joaquin Daylight.” It was obvious that Southern Pacific wanted to dump their passenger service just as they did us passengers at Martinez.

Jack London Square is a place I've wanted to railfan for almost all my life. I first learned about it in the Pentrex Street Running DVD. I've never actually railfanned at a street running location before. I went to Augusta once in 2015 but didn't catch anything unfortunately. Street running is getting rarer and rarer as it heavily interrupts traffic and is a huge safety hazard but as a railfan it's sad to see them going away. I do hope to catch something at least once before they're all gone.

I haven't had a chance to ride the coastal starlight.. Amtrak Seattle Washington to Los Angeles im saving it for me and my newly wife ❤...

I ride a few times a year between Olympia and Sacramento. Having breakfast in the diner along the lake after we leave Klamath Falls is always a highlight for me! I always enjoy the trip over the Cascades. I have ridden the whole route several times, and the oceanside running between Ventura and Narlon isn't the only scenic part of the route! Southern Pacific used all four train numbers for the Starlight long after Amtrak stopped using them publicly. It was trains 11/14 north of Oakland, and 12/13 south of Oakland. This is because all trains headed away from San Francisco were "eastward" and all trains headed towards San Francisco were "westward". As such, the southbound Starlight would change timetable direction (but not physically) at Oakland on it's trip, running as 11 from Portland to Oakland and 12 from Oakland to Los Angeles, with the northbound train running as 13/14. They are still shown that way in the April 1984 SP Western Division timetable. I wouldn't be surprised if it lasted until the end in 1996, but I don't know for sure.

Nice video

I rode in business class from Emeryville to LA, unless it’s almost the same price as coach, totally not worth it. I think you got one meal voucher or something like that, seats were basically the same as coach but leather, no more comfortable. We lost some stuff on Amtrak, but business class will probably not be missed.

Don't thank me. Just join Rail Passengers. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

That’s unfortunate news about the Pacific Lounge car. My fondest memories on the starlight were there when they used to screen movies on the lower level. I hope when you guys return to the Bay Area (Hopefully next fall for the launch of the Stadler Kisses) you guys check out the Capitol Corridor with our version of the California Cars.

I agree, the Vegan Asian Noodle salad is the best thing you can buy in the snack bar. It is a welcome change from the inedible stuff which is most of the rest of their offerings. It’s nice the diner is open to coach passengers again, even at exorbitant rates.

The Chargers in the 300 series look great.

I was just in Portland attending KumoriCon the weekend before Thanksgiving. That Sunday I had planned to take the Cascades train, expecting a Talgo since southbound 505 typically runs with a Talgo set. I have to say the Cascades Talgo makes for a great ride, especially in Business Class. I took it as far as Salem, then got a Thruway bus back to Portland. Here's hoping the Airo sets will be just as great when they arrive in 2026.

Saw this video and I'm buying a hoodie So you and Lindsay watch out for the shot out on my train home I'm taking the California Zephyr also planning on riding the Pacific surfliner when I go to San Diego and part of the coast starlight as well

I'm glad you liked your meal in the dining car! I understand that Amtrak food has improved a lot over the years. When they first started, Amtrak food was pretty bad, honestly. The old private railroad food was legendary, especially for dinner. As a kid, I was privileged to eat in dining cars on the Baltimore and Ohio and the Rock Island. The food was cooked on a wood stove in a tiny little kitchen, and then served on railroad china. B & O china featured a depiction of the Point of Rocks bridge. I ate in the diner on Amtrak's Sunset Limited, going from L A to Arizona. The engineer went around a curve a little too fast while we were eating, and the tablecloths and all the china and food slid off the tables onto the floor. The dining car steward (the manager of the car) and all the waiters were pissed! They had to reset all the tables, and the cooks had to replace all the food. Nobody dared laugh of course, but looking back it was hilarious! 😅

You just cut out Leslie Salt, a reporting point for Palo Alto airport, I remember flying over those massive salt piles!!

I don't think that I have ever sat in a dining car on a train and I have been on tons and tons of them over the years! Obviously I never went on a sleeper which included food in the price!As the prices you quoted for Amtrak prove on train grub is sold at a high premium!I always took it with me . Dutch is pretty easy to learn for English speaking folk but Afrikaans is easier.Frisian might be the easiest West Germanic language for Anglophones but the problem is English is also very heavily, and I mean heavily!!, influenced by French whereas the other West Germanic languages aren't .

Also, train numbers 12/13 were used on the Northeast Regional as their Fast Mail service and 99 is still used for its Southbound Northeast Regional from Boston to Newport News VA

I am your second viewer. Love your video.

“-And there’s the VTA; America’s least favorite light rail” the SHADE

Great video sir, and of course, Lyndsey, do you think intercity rail in the US could be improved if they had the frequency of European style intercity trains?

16:49 UP1983 Western Pacific heritage unit Nice catch!

Great job on this, Thom and Lindsey! I'm glad that you were able to enjoy the SSL again as well. Yay for Amtrak volunteers! People who are not paid by Amtrak but just love helping out and love sharing their knowledge about trains to visitors. I've never been at a station where there's been one, but that was so cool that you encountered one! I'm also glad you were able to get a long-distance train with chargers. I do appreciate you giving them a few moments in the video as well.

I miss those Pacific Parlor cars on the Coast Starlight. BTW let me know if you’re interested in a sleeper car on your next Amtrak long distance train. But I would have been ok myself if I had to spend 1 night in coach class.

Interesting how the San Diegan became the Pacific Surfliner and now plans want the train to go to San Francisco-which is basically the original run of the Coast Daylight. I wonder if a second train running through Bend and Fresno using the 12/13 numbers and giving both a special title akin to the Silver Service on the East Coast (Sierra Service came to my mind)

Thank you for this great video ! Glad you started your journey at St.Jose, for you certainly enjoyed a good start to your journey. As you say, the scenery throughout is wonderful, and I look forward to hearing about your next ride on the Cascades !

0:25 my people! Are all 3 power units needed to keep time or is that a precaution?

Awesome trip! I love how you highlight everything great about the west and your journeys everywhere!

They should revive the Coast Starlight to San Diego as I would love to have a long distance train in San Diego. We only have the Surfliner and I think a long distance train would be cool

Wait... I'm not the only railfan from Toronto who speaks Dutch?

Hopely amtrak will offer the amtrak rail pass special in 2024

What's up with the vegan chili and bacon? Two different menu items have this odd combination...

Two Chargers and a P42? This must be Amtrak’s most over-engined consist!

I'm your first viewer

What did YOU think about VTA light rail?

Thank you, that was a very relaxing episode - looks like you got some dark sky atmosphere along the way. Was that Genesis being towed to a shop? Loved your use of route diagrams, especially around the Bay, and you've totally sold me on the need to go via San Jose. Your early arrival in Portland suggests the schedule has been padded to accomodate freight. Looking forward to your Cascades run. Above all, appreciate the way you've switched up the mood along the way through the sequence of episodes and the fact that you're not using the premiere feature of YT - really don't care to come in a few minutes after launch and find myself mid-episode. Thanks again for everything \m/