It was my first time on Amtrak also. But I did a long train trip on Pullman cars with my mother and three sisters in 1961. From Roswell, New Mexico up to Tenino, WA - near Oly, they didn't have a station then. That was cool. The club car smelled of tobacco, men were playing cards. I slept pretty well on that train, but then I was a kid.

That's where my mother grew up, my dad stayed home and worked, she wanted to see your family. It had been years.

It doesn't go that fast over here not sure why, I don't think it went more than 60 to 70.

How were the meals?

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I found this bit of map on Amtrak's track a train link. I was shocked when I saw it. I didn't think they could make turns that sharp, then again I'm not really sure what the scale is. I did a search, the minimum radius for freight trains is 175 m. Freights run on this same track. Correct me if I'm wrong that would make the hairpin turn diameter 350 m, less than a quarter mile. So I guess that map is really not weird, and obviously they've been doing it for a long time I would love to see drone video of a train negotiating that pass.

I was sitting on the right side, which faced the valley generally but not always, but coming out of one tunnel I looked down and I saw a creek way down yonder below us exiting down the hill. We had to have been on a bridge and we went into another tunnel very shortly. The tunnels were all short.

I just found that little hairpin at the end of the name Oakridge, on Google maps, it's 495 meters diameter for the half circle.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

They dont get that fast until north of Richmond I think. Maybe theyve replaced more in recent years. The tracks had to be updated to handle the higher speeds, was part of the push for Acela back in the day, and started with the NE corridor.

Tbh the new tracks are still pretty rough compared to Euro trains. I was in Switzerland a couple weeks ago and took one of their regional trains, pretty similar service to Amtrak...and remember thinking "i wish amtrak was like this". So much smoother and quieter.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

That looks fantastic! Would love to take a trip on that line, during the day I suppose

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Some of it was pretty cool and other parts were unfortunately disappointing. Both directions, we went past Mount Shasta in the wee hours. But who knows maybe traveling within days of the shortest day of the year had something to do with that. It goes through Sacramento, up to Chico, Redding, through Dunsmuir and then veers east of Weed to go up to Klamath Falls. I've driven through Dunsmuir and up past Mount Shasta many times. I'd really like to see that from a train.

I had a thought to send a suggestion to Amtrak to have two or three different schedules that one could perhaps select from. One per day, of course is all they could do.

That train is called the Coastal Starlight. It goes along the coast between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. By coincidence I hopped a freight going both directions, north in '74, south in '76. A lot of that goes through a military base, I forget which one, so you're seeing beach that you wouldn't see otherwise unless you hiked it (maybe not allowed) or flew over it. Pretty wild. It's unfortunate, but there are bound to be highlights that you're going pass at night time. Oh cruel world. Which is why I had the idea about offering staggered schedules. It's a real long shot. I'm just a peon.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

That's quite the speeed! I took Amtrak in 1985 Omaha, NE to Dallas,TX. Had a sleeping roomette Chcago to Dallas. About 30 hours then.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

My dad worked laying in new ties as a young man. the tracks were good enough to run a hundred or so at that time.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.