The Amtrak Cascades train : The only Spanish Talgo in North America 

Hey , My bad I did a mistake around 14:50, it's an interior of a S-112 not S-103 . :) Enjoy :)

Just a little correction: the Talgo coaches have no axle at all. The coaches are resting on two separate wheels between each pair of carriages. The wheels are running independently from one another. Even more fun fact: the wheels are connected to the roof (!!) of coaches with two big hydraulic stabilizers. That makes the passive tilting effect, too.

As a wisconsinite, I'm still upset that playing politics had caused us to lose the opportunity to get two of these lovely sets on our lovely rails

I think you're the only person on RU-vid that has reviewed the Talgo Series 8 so far. Thank you for this video!

As a WA state resident, it was pretty cool to watch this. I live on the other side of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge seen at 11:00. Also, taking the train to Portland is faster than driving 90% of the time due to traffic. That estimated drive time was incredibly generous, and I wouldn't expect the trip to be that quick by car at all.

Que orgullo ver cómo España realmente es un país puntero en el mundo en la industria del ferrocarril

Wow, the interior of the station looks so elegant compared to the way it looked when I lived in Seattle back in the 1990's. All that beautiful marble was covered up by a 1960's interior which included a drop-ceiling that made the space feel much smaller. They had just begun poking holes in the wallboard to see how much of the original architecture was still intact behind it.

The Hiawatha and Missouri River Runner are getting new Siemens Venture cars. Those are based on the Viaggio Comfort cars.

I was in Seattle and have rode this train twice but back in the early 2000's to Portland. I upgraded to Business Class on the way back which included a meal for a $10 upgrade. The other time there was an issue with the Talgo train so it was on a regular Amtrak train. There use to be service via the Amtrak Pioneer from Portland, Boise and then SLC but that ended back in the 90's and never returned. Which meant I had to take a bus overnight which was an expeience in itself.

Excellent idea. One of the best put together trip info videos I have watched. Thanks.

Union Station in Seattle is not part of King St station. It's actually a former station that has been converted to an office building.

Great review of the Cascade service. I have taken it many times and the Series 6 trains were much better than the Series 8 trains in my opinion including better seats and a better bistro layout. When I lived in Portland every Saturday I would take a walk through the Pearl District and past the station seeing the trains there wanting to be riding them somewhere. The future of the service is tentative at best and COVID making it worse. Personally, I think they are using the Talgo trainsets as a scapegoat for the problems that caused the derailment and I say that with the fact that I knew two of the three people who died in the derailment. I am pretty sure the horizon or amfleet cars would have suffered just as badly in that tragedy.

Great video the train is the way to go beautiful scenery and relaxing we need more like this in the states

The amtrak cascades livery is probably my favorite amtrak livery

It's a shme that you missed the most scenic part of this route, from Bellingham to Seattle. Thanks for the great videos.

I loved this video! Congratulations

Great as always 👍🏻👍🏻

Terrific catches! Terrific trip you had on the Amtrak Cascades!

To be honest the front of the train reminds me of bob the builder lol

Finally a review of a trip I've taken! Love the videos. Would love to see your take on the Bergensbanen in Norway.

Great work...as always💪🚂♨️💖

They went back to the longer route which was no more safe than the new bypass (had Amtrak done proper certifications on the route). The NTSB also released a preposterous notice against the Talgo cars expediting their needless retirement. It's a real shame!

Thanks for sharing! The pacific northwest is so beautiful. Its interesting to see a Spanish train too.

The station is like a museum. A beautiful one.

Salut, Thibault. Merci pour avoir filmé les trains. C'est un plaisir de regarder tes vidéos! Tu as demandé la propretaire du pont en bois près de la gare Kelso, à Washington. C'était une compagnie ferroviare qui s'appelait Columbia and Cowlitz, et c'était un chemin de fer forestier, abandonné depuis 10 ans, ou plus. Je suis chef de train, qui vaait passé par ce pont plusieurs des fois entre Seattle, et Portland.

I took this train way back in the 90s. It was a great experience!

I use the Cascades service several times a year to go to either Seattle or Portland. I rode the old Series 6 sets from the mid-2000s on when they were still fairly new. I really preferred the original cloth seats they had in both business and coach. The leather/vinyl seats were put during a refurbishment several years ago. I have seen several comments on different videos about the rough riding. They weren't always like that but maintenance was really cut back after the derailment as they knew they were going to be getting rid of them. They really deteriorated badly in the last few years. The last time I was on a Series 6 set was this past February, and they were really tired. Rough riding and the interior/seats were in terrible shape. The Series 8 trains are nice. A Horizon train set is supplementing the two Talgo sets and I definitely would rather be on a Talgo! The trestle/bridge over the Cowlitz River just north of Kelso is the old Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad (a private logging railroad). It was used to haul logs from the Mount St Helens area down the the mills in Longview. Log hauling ended years ago but it still hosted regular freight trains to a landfill until a few years ago. As far as I know the line is currently up for abandonment. Where it crosses the highway there was a large sign on the bridge "DANGER - WATCH FOR FALLING LOGS" or something like that! Also, while on paper the train trip from Portland to Seattle (or the reverse) is noticeably longer than driving, in actual practice that is often not the case. Traffic in the Seattle/Tacoma area and Portland is often terrible!

As a dutchie the American approach to trains is amazing to see. You guys seem to treat them more like airplanes than like trains as far as what I’m used to. Over here you just hop in and out, you don’t check in baggage or even speak to anyone. Just scan your PT card and catch the train. Very interesting, and very cool. Altho I doubt ridership will increase soon if this system isn’t changed.

WOW...Excellent Station and Trains!!!! Nice walk tour Video! Very great!!! Greetings from switzerland :)

Fun fact, talgo in spanish stands for Articulated Light Train "Goicochea Oriol" whom is the guy that invented the system i guess

I live in Melbourne and went to Vancouver in sep 2019. Took the Amtrak Cascades to Seattle. A lot better than i expected for amtrak

Back when I lived in Washington state for two years, I rode the Cascades from Tacoma, WA to Portland, OR. It was back when they used the series 6 set.

new subscriber here. You are wonderful for showing these spectacular station interiors. I couldn't believe how gorgeous Kansas City is! This is maybe a close second. I wish we could bring back a golden age of rail travel to this country. SO much better than flying.

I just saw this video and the wealth of information you provide was wonderful. I was born in Seattle and my best friend of mine moved to Portland, OR. At age 8 one of the biggest adventures I had as a child was going by bus, unfortunately, to visit him. I wish they had the Cascade line with the Talgo back then (I'm not going to date myself). I really enjoyed your observations with regards to European railways vs U.S. The irony that Talgo coaches are assembled in Miwaukee, WI but Wisconsin abandoned their use on the Hiawatha line was good for a chuckle. Some things here in the Stares is so forward and others so backwards. I hope this country gets some descent inner city rail on a regular basis eventually. You have a great channel!

As always, very well done. As already commented, Seattle Union and King Street Stations were built next door to one another but were served by different railroads. Union Station no longer has tracks and is now the offices for the local transit authority. Looking forward to your review of the new Siemens Venture coaches when they enter service in California and the Midwest in the very near future.

The talgo sets are brilliant. They are supremely flexible and very efficient due to the clever axle design. The Trenhotel version of the sets are great sleepers. Given how worn out and labour intensive the Superliners are to operate, it'd be good to see them phased out with Trenhotel sets. Also I think the Talgo XXI diesel high speed set could be a good way forward for high speed rail in the US. Sure it's not as fast as a true TGV or AVE like setup, but they can run on existing track without electrification at very good speeds (225kmh / 140mph) and the cost savings would make it much easier for Amtrak to roll it out on multiple new city pairs. Faster trains, quicker loading/unloading, reduced fuel consumption, reduced track wear.

Great video !!

My friend is a Cascade engineer, former UP engineer. He lives near me, by Tacoma but because of reduced trains they have him working out of Portland instead of Seattle. And yes he plays with model trains and 'live steam' in his off time.

Glad you enjoyed the train and our beautiful part of the country! I passed under that bridge about 15 minutes before the Cascade crash...on my way to work. I got to work, checked the news and saw that there was a derailment. Didn't think much of it until they showed pictures.

Magnificent video with beautiful landscapes. The American Talgo train, of Spanish engineering, is very beautiful. Congratulations!! Kind regards from Seville (Spain) Magnífico video con preciosos paisajes. El tren Talgo americano, de ingeniería española, es muy bonito. Enhorabuena!! Saludos cordiales desde Sevilla (España).

Merci pour cette vidéo à bord d'un talgo adapté aux normes américaines. Je suis surpris par le gabarit généreux.

great review!

Due to the pandemic, Amtrak is limiting people's movements inside terminals and on platforms to reduce potential spread of the virus. Not to mention Amtrak doesn't allow passengers on the platform until a certain time prior to boarding as a security thing. It's not Amtrak being overzealous but due to the pandemic.

Nice review! Its nice to see how the Cascades compares to Spanish trains.

I happened to attend the showing of the then new Talgo 8 at Portland Union Station, and the first thing I noticed was that the seats were harder than the seats of the series 6. The food on the Cascades was usually pretty good, better than the cafe car on the long distance trains.

My last Talgo ride was at the turn of the century.... can't remember what the interior was like. King St was under renovation, though. Thanks for the pre-boarding tour... :-)

Amtrak just announced the replacement plan for all Talgo cars. The will be replaced by Siemens built bi mode train sets. This means by the end of the decade, there will be no more Talgo train sets in America.

Well done, heading there next month.

Up until the pandemic hit and my job suddenly became full time work from home I rode the Sounder commuter trains that go through King Street Station on a regular basis, and a passenger shuttle to the building in SoDo that I worked in picked up and dropped off in front of the station. You have to have seen just how terrible King Street Station was before the restoration (everything was covered by drop ceiling tiles some time in the Sixties, and the place was just completely soulless) to truly appreciate how nice it looks now. I've also taken the Cascades service up to Vancouver several times, although I think I've been on the Talgo stock for only one of those trips. Also, one minor clarification: The Union Station you mention at 2:35 is a separate building on the opposite side of Fourth Avenue from King Street Station, which now gets used primarily as the headquarters of Sound Transit (the regional transit authority). The great hall of that station is a public space and is pretty interesting to see (lots of echo in there.) It is no longer in use as a train station, but the International District station of the Link Light Rail line (formerly also used by Metro and Sound Transit buses) runs right next to it. As for the scenery, there's also really great waterfront views on the northbound trip between Seattle and Everett and also as you approach and cross the Canadian border around White Rock BC.

Very nice. When I was a boy, I traveled many times in the Talgo Madrid- Seville.

Wow I really enjoyed this video! Great view and a nice train. Next time I go to Portland I’m gonna take this train and go shopping tax free.

The 'Cascades' and 'Coast Starlight' will return to the Point Defiance Bypass on 18 December according to Amtrak press reports. I believe the re-route will shave roughly 8-minutes off the current schedule.

The 2+1 layout is as offered by RENFE in Spain as their "Clase Preferente", First Class. The Talgo gives a very smooth ride.

Great video on the amtrak cascades from Seattle to Oregon that train does look different to most of the trains in the USA but it's good to have some variety I really like the livery and interior makes the train look very vintage like if its 50 to 100 years old even though it isn't and also the forest and coastal/lake scenery was beautiful and also the Seattle station does look very grand and historical

Super video collection bro Great video

The Talgo is shared by Oregon and Washington, the route runs from Eugene, Oregon and runs all the way to Seattle, possibly even all the way to Vancouver .B.C. I have rode the train several times and it is very good!

Great video. That was a massive freight train around 15 minutes in... must have had 150 to 200 containers.

that trestle bridge you seen is on the Colombia & Cowlitz railway my grandpa drived trains on is at rocky point in north kelso, WA

Muy interesante. Me gusto mucho

Due to the low platforms, it's funny to see that the Talgo slogan (you not climb to a Talgo, you enter a Talgo) isn't fullfilled in the United States (in Spain the Talgo's doors enraises with the platform level)

beautiful station

I just rode on the Amtrak cascades talgo set. It was very smooth

New subscriber. Excellent video.

Just in case no one has commented on this earlier: King St. Station is usually open to the public, even if not catching a train. The restrictions have to due with the pandemic. It has nothing to do with "strange people wandering inside." It is indeed a gorgeous station, and well worth visiting when restrictions end. And keeping everyone in the station before your train arrives has been a long-standing procedure. Yes, it's safety related.

looks fun

17:03 that trestle was used by the columbia cowlits railroad a shortline in kelso/longview (thought id use my foamer knowledge to help)

I live in Vancouver Wa and rode Amtrak between Vancouver (WA) and Seattle twice a month back in the early 90’s when Amtrak was experimenting with high speed trains on the NW corridor. I wish the experiment had continued.

Very nice video! 👍👍📹🚅🚅

This is awesome!!! The restroom hand dryer is a Bobrick TrimDry.

Boa viagem simply lindo tren gostei show amtrak show

At the 11:00 mark, there are two bridges spanning the Tacoma Narrows. The span on the right is the older of the two bridges and is the replacement for the famous "Galloping Gertie" bridge that collapsed in a windstorm in 1940. Most folks have seen video of it over the years but for those who haven't, here's a newsreel clip of it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CsKKDLKYsVU.html

To answer your question about seat comfort on series VI versus series 8, I hear better things about VI than 8. I ride a few times a year and haven't paid very close attention to the differences in comfort between the two, but I suppose the leather and padding on the VIs is more like that of a taxi cab while the 8s feel more like a typical train. The business class seats on the VIs were a lot bigger, too.

You forgot to show the classic beauty of the Portland Union Station. The last time I took the Talgo to Seattle the station there was covered in ugly 1970s coverings of ugly metal and was really a disgusting station and they were just starting to plan the refurbishing. You make me want to take a trip to Seattle now to see the restored station! I took my wife and kids on the opening of the Talgo in the 1990s and was impressed when our sodas were in glasses parallel to the ground as we turned corners - what a sensory experience! You are right about the train versus cars. I used to take my son to the baseball games in Seattle from my home near Portland. I really enjoy your videos and this reminds me of all the fun trains you showed in Spain where I learned a lot from you. Keep up the good works!

Vancouver, WA is my local Amtrak station. This is the region I call home.

The king street station is beautiful! Much better than what I’ve seen last time years ago was awful looking. Tiago trainset looks interesting. I believe it can top 110 mph if they upgraded tracks and signaling etc. I hope someday they upgrade to high speed rail in near future

It's Grand Central Terminal in New York. Grand Central Station was the previous building and subway station underneath (officially Grand Central-42nd St Station)

I rode the Amtrak "Coastal Starlight" train from Seattle to Los Angeles in 1974. I remember King Street station as a rather dark, run-down and uninviting place. Looks nice today! The Talgo´s are ceretainly not what you expect from modern rail travel! I have never understood why Amtrak and otrher railroads in the US opted for this outdated technolgy!

wow, this is a great service connecting two large cities in the PNW. Someday in the future I could totally see this be upgraded to a high speed corridor with service on the BC

Here’s an idea: Employ windows that can display messages describing the view outside. They would attract passengers and needn’t be very expensive. Kids would like them.

Thanks for this video. I agree most of your opinions. I've done that stretch via Amtrak Coast Starlight and back in Talgo 6 consist. There are big differences. Riding on Superliner car is way more comfortable and I really like the old style diner experience at Starlight compared to more modern "European" like service at Café Bistro. I do agree about the seats that are a bit thin padded, width on them is fine for me. I think what was more noticeable for me is the noise insulation inside the car and somehow the slightly harshness of ride. I felt that the Talgo 6 cars don't ride as nice as those of TGV or ICE. But I also understand that the Amtrak Cascades consists are not riding on passenger only dedicated train tracks.

I enjoyed to King Street Station footage, last there 60 years ago.

There is a museum on the third floor of the King street station one of the hidden gems of Seattle

I love amtrak Cascades too

The luxurius train.

good job video

Awesome 🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸

the boarding protocol is done like that at a lot of stations for reasons you mentioned and others. mainly safety concerns.

I caught this train at titlow! And again on may 1st!

These cars were initially ordered for a Wisconsin Hiawatha extension, but the project was cancelled then, so now they are sitting in Talgo's maintenance facility in Madison, WI. though recently they were ordered by WSDOT since one of the Series 6 cars were destroyed, and Amtrak has announced they are replacing the Series 6 cars with the new Siemens Venture cars.

I ❤️ train stations

Awesome looking train lucky you I would love to do what you do what a dream job

Very nice video. I would like to ride these sometime. Also I've heard that WSDOT wanted to order Siemens Venture coach along with Amtrak. Don't know if it's true or not but we'll have to wait and see.

I remember storage lockers in Chicago stations for a quarter. I think they were discontinued because they could be used as drug drops.

if your in Portland you should go see 4449 (The Daylight) at the Portland railroad museum, since one of your stickers is designed after its logo

Fun fact about the Great Northen and the Northern Pacific. They, along with the CB&Q were all owned by JJ Hill. After his death, they merged to form the Burlington Northern Railway

I have been to the Musuem of Flight. I would say it's just as cool as the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

Seattle is looking good.

King Street station reminds me a bit of Hoboken Terminal. Similar structure.

The seats in business class are the same as in the 1st class of the German ICE (ICE-2-series with refurbishment). In my opinion they are very good.

I rode on amtrak cascades 505 today :)