Los Angeles, CA to Seattle, WA on Amtrak train. - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Mahigeer · 08-21-2016, 09:07 AM

Los Angeles, CA to Seattle, WA on Amtrak train.

This is a long report as you might have surmised. It is more a travel log than a simple fishing report.
I hope you take the time to read the details to put you in my shoes and of course enjoy the pictures.

Preface:
After I caught my first trout in a river in Iran, I was hooked to fishing. My teacher and mentor was a hunter, fisherman relative. Later I saw in a movie theater someone fishing in a canoe in Canadian river on the screen. It became my wish to do the same thing one day. I had no idea that I would eventually be living in southern California for (46) years and be so close to Canada.

In the last few years, I kept hearing myself tell others that “my dream vacation is to do flyfishing in Canada.” So suddenly I realized that I am not getting any younger and if I am to realize my dream there is no time to lose.
Thus, in February of 2016, I made reservations and set the date for a week at the end of July, 2016. It was time to make a (let say) 55 years old dream a reality.

Here is an account of a dream come true.

Getting there—Los Angeles to Seattle on Amtrak train. Thursday, July 14, 2016

I decided to take the Amtrak train to Vancouver rather than fly. It would bring back my childhood memories of train travel with my dad.
I hope his sprit would be coming along for the ride.
I have heard so much about the comfort of train travel and the particular scenery of this route.
The train ride would last (take) 34 hours, so I booked What is known as Roomette. A private room which is rather a small cabin with bed for two.
Five (5) meals also were included in the price, including two $25.00 steak dinners. Salad, Soft drink and desert were included too. Alcoholic beverages were extra.

The breakfast and lunch menus were not as good as dinner, but acceptable.

Due to shortage of seating area in the dining car, the sleeper passengers were given priority for meal sign-up times.
Anybody in a three or less party was seated with other passengers. For me it was a great way of meeting people on the way.

As you are dining and socializing, the fantastic scenery (except in the cities) is going by.

Each car with Roomette cabins has bathrooms, a shower and a hot coffee pot. There is also an attendant for each car.

One of the advantages of riding on a train instead of driving is that the train will go places that cars cannot.

The first class and Roomette passenger are collectively referred to as Sleeper passengers.

One of the many videos on YouTube about traveling on the train via this route.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aco6vMpBH-E

1-Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles:

The station is in need of repairs in places. Especially at the platforms where passengers wait to get on the train. Lots of rusty metals are visible.

2-The Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles has an exclusive lounge for the Sleeper passengers, including private bathrooms.

The passengers in the Sleeper lounge get a ride via gulf cart with their luggage to the platform to get on board.

3-Our train #14 going north and #11 coming south was consisted of (13) cars including two locomotives, I believe.

We left the station (25) minutes later than the scheduled 10:15 AM departure. Thus, every stop was off the schedual.

4-This is called the Observation car. There are restaurant style bench seats and tables, as well as chairs that face one side. I liked the bench seats since I could see both sides at the same time.

It had a very efficient A/C system to overcome heat load with all the glass.
It was a great place for passenger to meet each other if desired and conversations made the ride go faster.

5-Happy as clam, the angler is on his way to realize what he had wished for in the past (50) plus years. Fly fishing in Canada.

This is the Observation car for the Sleeper passengers. There is a similar one for the coach passengers too.

The train rails are welded and seamless. Therefore, there is not any rhythmic clanging of the wheels. Though less nostalgic, it was much nicer ride during the day and especially during sleep hours.

6-Some of the vast farming areas around Oxnard.

7-The Ventura pier in the distance. I have seen and driven under the bridge that goes over the freeway. Now I will be on the top!

8-Ocean sightings like this are what is this train route is known for and liked.

9-I think this is the Gaviota pier in the distance.

10-One of the several campsites that we saw on the way.

Although I don’t remember the location, we went through some tunnels. A couple of them were very long.

11-We are at SLO as the sign indicates. We were able to get out of the train at some stations for fresh air, starching our legs, and maybe smoking.

We had (30) stops. One as long as (1) hour like Sacramento, but some were for only departing passengers. The conductor would make an announcement as needed.

12-Every first class and Roomette car has its own attendant. Mr. Gregory made sure that we had hot coffee all day. Clean restroom and water bottles as we needed.

13-Shortly after our stop we were at a famous part of the route. An almost 360 curve of the track, so the front end of the train could be seen from the rear end of the train.

14-The curve made it possible to go uphill. The freeway below us in the distance.

I learned some tips from the many YouTube posts regarding the dos and don’ts on the train. One was that anybody caught smoking, or abusing alcohol will be ejected from the train with no refunds on the ticket.
The use of ear buds was mandatory if you want to listen to your electronics.
Any alcohol brought on board could only be consumed in the sleeper car cabins. The coach passengers had to purchase alcoholic beverages on the train

The other was the use of Garmin GPS to see where we are at all times.

15-We arrived at Oakland, Ca before midnight.

The bed in the cabin was comfortable, but too wide or long. I would fall asleep at the stops, when the train would jerk to start rolling, I would wake up. Overall was much better sleep than the coach seats.

Friday, July 15, 2016

15a-Imagine waking up in the morning and a scenery similar to this greets your sleepy eyes!

16-We arrived at Klamath Falls, Oregon around 8:00 AM next day.

17-I would love to take a kayak to these areas to see what lives there.

18-So much water to be seen on the way. Yet I could not get enough of them.

19-Just imagine casting a dry fly across from the cows!

20-More forests and rivers than you can shake a stick at!

21-We arrived at Salem, Oregon around 3:00 PM.

22-How would you like to take a quick break from your day and just stop for a cast?

23-We are at Portland, Oregon station at 5:00 PM.

24-Passing on some bridge in Portland, Oregon.

25-Still in Oregon I believe.

26-As we got closer to Seattle, less and less people were on board.

27-We are here in Seattle’s King Street Station at last. It is almost 9:00 PM and there is still daylight.

The train does not go all the way to Vancouver. The passengers are taken via bus with one stop at the border. We were at the border around midnight. Since we were the only ones, the custom inspection went very quickly. Since it was dark, and I would see the route on the way home, I slept as much as I could.
Little after 1:00 AM I got off the bus before the last stop, thinking I would be closer to my hotel from this stop. A mistake that it cost me dearly later. More on that later.

TO BE CONTINUED…..

MrPukaShell · 08-22-2016, 05:28 AM

Love union station in Los Angeles it is a really cool building. Liked all of the beach shots on the Ventura and Santa Barbara coast. That pier was a loading pier for the oil boats just south of Carpinteria. The Gaviota Pier was torn back to the boat launch by a storm a few years back. Thanks for taking the time to share.

wiredantz · 08-22-2016, 06:57 AM

always wanted to do that ride, but it is very pricey...

can't wait for part 2

Mahigeer · 08-22-2016, 01:53 PM

Thanks guys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiredantz

always wanted to do that ride, but it is very pricey...

can't wait for part 2

I paid about $700.00 for round trip for Roomette. Five good meals included.
I did get AAA discount of $216.00.

I also paid $17.00 for travel insurance, maybe I get something back from them for missing the train ride on the way back.

08-22-2016, 06:57 AM	#3
wiredantz Currently @ MLO Territory Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Under the Shadow Posts: 2,290	always wanted to do that ride, but it is very pricey... can't wait for part 2 __________________ Team: Disbanded You only have one chance in this life...make the right decision(s)...so you don't regret it

08-21-2016, 09:07 AM	#1
Mahigeer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,862	Los Angeles, CA to Seattle, WA on Amtrak train. Los Angeles, CA to Seattle, WA on Amtrak train. This is a long report as you might have surmised. It is more a travel log than a simple fishing report. I hope you take the time to read the details to put you in my shoes and of course enjoy the pictures. Preface: After I caught my first trout in a river in Iran, I was hooked to fishing. My teacher and mentor was a hunter, fisherman relative. Later I saw in a movie theater someone fishing in a canoe in Canadian river on the screen. It became my wish to do the same thing one day. I had no idea that I would eventually be living in southern California for (46) years and be so close to Canada. In the last few years, I kept hearing myself tell others that “my dream vacation is to do flyfishing in Canada.” So suddenly I realized that I am not getting any younger and if I am to realize my dream there is no time to lose. Thus, in February of 2016, I made reservations and set the date for a week at the end of July, 2016. It was time to make a (let say) 55 years old dream a reality. Here is an account of a dream come true. Getting there—Los Angeles to Seattle on Amtrak train. Thursday, July 14, 2016 I decided to take the Amtrak train to Vancouver rather than fly. It would bring back my childhood memories of train travel with my dad. I hope his sprit would be coming along for the ride. I have heard so much about the comfort of train travel and the particular scenery of this route. The train ride would last (take) 34 hours, so I booked What is known as Roomette. A private room which is rather a small cabin with bed for two. Five (5) meals also were included in the price, including two $25.00 steak dinners. Salad, Soft drink and desert were included too. Alcoholic beverages were extra. The breakfast and lunch menus were not as good as dinner, but acceptable. Due to shortage of seating area in the dining car, the sleeper passengers were given priority for meal sign-up times. Anybody in a three or less party was seated with other passengers. For me it was a great way of meeting people on the way. As you are dining and socializing, the fantastic scenery (except in the cities) is going by. Each car with Roomette cabins has bathrooms, a shower and a hot coffee pot. There is also an attendant for each car. One of the advantages of riding on a train instead of driving is that the train will go places that cars cannot. The first class and Roomette passenger are collectively referred to as Sleeper passengers. One of the many videos on YouTube about traveling on the train via this route. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aco6vMpBH-E 1-Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles: The station is in need of repairs in places. Especially at the platforms where passengers wait to get on the train. Lots of rusty metals are visible. 2-The Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles has an exclusive lounge for the Sleeper passengers, including private bathrooms. The passengers in the Sleeper lounge get a ride via gulf cart with their luggage to the platform to get on board. 3-Our train #14 going north and #11 coming south was consisted of (13) cars including two locomotives, I believe. We left the station (25) minutes later than the scheduled 10:15 AM departure. Thus, every stop was off the schedual. 4-This is called the Observation car. There are restaurant style bench seats and tables, as well as chairs that face one side. I liked the bench seats since I could see both sides at the same time. It had a very efficient A/C system to overcome heat load with all the glass. It was a great place for passenger to meet each other if desired and conversations made the ride go faster. 5-Happy as clam, the angler is on his way to realize what he had wished for in the past (50) plus years. Fly fishing in Canada. This is the Observation car for the Sleeper passengers. There is a similar one for the coach passengers too. The train rails are welded and seamless. Therefore, there is not any rhythmic clanging of the wheels. Though less nostalgic, it was much nicer ride during the day and especially during sleep hours. 6-Some of the vast farming areas around Oxnard. 7-The Ventura pier in the distance. I have seen and driven under the bridge that goes over the freeway. Now I will be on the top! 8-Ocean sightings like this are what is this train route is known for and liked. 9-I think this is the Gaviota pier in the distance. 10-One of the several campsites that we saw on the way. Although I don’t remember the location, we went through some tunnels. A couple of them were very long. 11-We are at SLO as the sign indicates. We were able to get out of the train at some stations for fresh air, starching our legs, and maybe smoking. We had (30) stops. One as long as (1) hour like Sacramento, but some were for only departing passengers. The conductor would make an announcement as needed. 12-Every first class and Roomette car has its own attendant. Mr. Gregory made sure that we had hot coffee all day. Clean restroom and water bottles as we needed. 13-Shortly after our stop we were at a famous part of the route. An almost 360 curve of the track, so the front end of the train could be seen from the rear end of the train. 14-The curve made it possible to go uphill. The freeway below us in the distance. I learned some tips from the many YouTube posts regarding the dos and don’ts on the train. One was that anybody caught smoking, or abusing alcohol will be ejected from the train with no refunds on the ticket. The use of ear buds was mandatory if you want to listen to your electronics. Any alcohol brought on board could only be consumed in the sleeper car cabins. The coach passengers had to purchase alcoholic beverages on the train The other was the use of Garmin GPS to see where we are at all times. 15-We arrived at Oakland, Ca before midnight. The bed in the cabin was comfortable, but too wide or long. I would fall asleep at the stops, when the train would jerk to start rolling, I would wake up. Overall was much better sleep than the coach seats. Friday, July 15, 2016 15a-Imagine waking up in the morning and a scenery similar to this greets your sleepy eyes! 16-We arrived at Klamath Falls, Oregon around 8:00 AM next day. 17-I would love to take a kayak to these areas to see what lives there. 18-So much water to be seen on the way. Yet I could not get enough of them. 19-Just imagine casting a dry fly across from the cows! 20-More forests and rivers than you can shake a stick at! 21-We arrived at Salem, Oregon around 3:00 PM. 22-How would you like to take a quick break from your day and just stop for a cast? 23-We are at Portland, Oregon station at 5:00 PM. 24-Passing on some bridge in Portland, Oregon. 25-Still in Oregon I believe. 26-As we got closer to Seattle, less and less people were on board. 27-We are here in Seattle’s King Street Station at last. It is almost 9:00 PM and there is still daylight. The train does not go all the way to Vancouver. The passengers are taken via bus with one stop at the border. We were at the border around midnight. Since we were the only ones, the custom inspection went very quickly. Since it was dark, and I would see the route on the way home, I slept as much as I could. Little after 1:00 AM I got off the bus before the last stop, thinking I would be closer to my hotel from this stop. A mistake that it cost me dearly later. More on that later. TO BE CONTINUED…..

08-22-2016, 05:28 AM	#2
MrPukaShell Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Ventura COunty Posts: 521	Love union station in Los Angeles it is a really cool building. Liked all of the beach shots on the Ventura and Santa Barbara coast. That pier was a loading pier for the oil boats just south of Carpinteria. The Gaviota Pier was torn back to the boat launch by a storm a few years back. Thanks for taking the time to share.