The trip started with my mom and sister deciding that they would like to go shopping in Salem today. I quickly grabbed at the chance of making the twenty minute trip into town if they would drop me off at the depot for a couple of hours of train watching. They complied, thus making me a very happy camper!
I have decided in the short time span I have that I will be at the station for the arrival of both the Northbound and Southbound Coast Starlight trains. Since the Northbound arrives at 2:03pm and the Southbound arrives at 3:37pm, there isn’t much of a gap when it comes to railfanning these trains.
After calling 1-800-USA RAIL and listening to the delightful Julie (Amtrak’s automated telephone system), I find out that the Northbound Coast Starlight is running about 20 minutes late with an estimated arrival time of 2:25pm. This works fine for me, as I find out that the Southbound Starlight is right on schedule for its 3:37 arrival. I take my place on a bench on the platform and begin to watch for the Northbound Starlight. I am not disappointed; less than 10 minutes after I sit to wait, the station agent makes the normal boarding call over the outside public address system:
No less than two minutes later, here comes the Coast Starlight blaring into the station. Here’s a list of today’s consist:
132 P42DC Engine
467 EMD F59PHI Engine
1261 Heritage Baggage Car
39031 Superliner Sleeping Car
32009 Superliner Sleeping Car
32068 Superliner Sleeping Car
37016 Superliner Dining Car
38065 Superliner Dining Car
33048 Superliner Lounge Car
34037 Superliner Coach
34510 Superliner Coach
34113 Superliner Coach
This train is deadheading an Amtrak Cascades engine (467), most likely on its way from the Oakland or Los Angeles yard back to Seattle. I found it very interesting and also quite odd that this consist had two dining cars instead of the usual one. Perhaps one of the dining cars is also on its way up to Seattle, maybe as a substitute for the Empire Builder Dining Car. That is the only logical explanation I can come up with as to why the Coast Starlight would have two Dining Cars attached to its consist. Either way, the train is in the station but a minute, picks up its passengers and continues on to Seattle.
After the departure of the Northbound, I go into the station to wait for the next arrival. Although the weather is somewhat sunny, it is quite chilly and a bit windy so the indoor accommodations are quite welcome to me. As I go into the station, people are already beginning to arrive for the next train. I take a look around from my seat. We are quite lucky to have such a nice station in the Salem area for Amtrak patrons to use. I have been in other stations that are not nearly as nice, nor as well-kept as the Salem station (e.g., Seattle). I took a short look at the available literature for Amtrak patrons and grabbed an Amtrak National timetable as well as timetables for the Southwest Chief, Empire Builder, Texas Eagle, California Zephyr , Coast Starlight and Sunset Limited. I plan on making a lot of trips on Amtrak in the next 6 – 7 years, and these timetables will help me in my preparations in these journeys. When all is said and done, in the next 6 years or so I will have ridden almost every long distance train Amtrak offers, covering 38 states and more than 40,000 miles. Something to look forward to!
The Southbound Coast Starlight pulled into the station about 10 minutes late. It was a lucky thing for me, because I was so engrossed in my newfound literature that I completely forgot to be watching the clock for the arrival time! Luckily, the station agent made the announcement about five minutes before the arrival which still gave me plenty of time to get outside and have my camera ready. Although I got a video of both the Northbound and Southbound trains coming into the station, I failed to get a consist listing for the Southbound Starlight.
As I watched the Southbound Starlight round the corner at the far end of the platform and fade away into the distance, I knew that I had to travel on the train again – and soon! The plan I hatched in my head at that precise moment turned into an impromptu daycation for the very next day – a train ride to Seattle and a visit to Pike Place Market! I will have a travelogue and some updated photos from that trip soon. Until then, stay well!
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