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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Te futueo et caballum tuum

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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Te futueo et caballum tuum

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

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

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