A Trip to Portland
Donovan Gray
I'm engaged in some planning work with a cohert in Oregon and we needed
several hours together to work on a project outline. He's in Portland,
I'm in Olympia, so what better way than by train?
I left the house at 9:15am from southeast Olympia, about equadistant
between I-5 and the train station. Ten minutes to Centennial Station, 7
minutes to spare. Lots of space to park, and great security since the
depot is also a substation for the county sheriff. The train is 8
minutes late, and arrives with one of the new P42's, #4 on the point of
the Talgo consist. No more screaming, whining P40! It glides almost
silently into the station, a quiet burbling marking the passing GE. The
Talgo train looks so much more elegant behind this sleek creature.
It appears passenger service will continue for some time to come at
Centennial. An option of restoring the Tenino-Lakewood connection, thus
saving 20 minutes, was reported in a local business paper as headed for
the can, with DOT recommending no further study on this option.
Apparently, folks from Vancouver to Bellingham had complained about the
possibility of losing passenger train service to the state capital. I am
reassured that I will be able to have more mornings like these.
Off we slide. Everything seems quieter and smoother than when I rode
even a month ago. The acceleration is graceful in its steadiness. There
is a difference in the horn angle on the P42's as well which lessens that
sound within the cars from the older locomotives. "Flipper" is playing
on the t.v. screens that drop down from the ceiling (it will be "Mission
Impossible" with Tom Cruise on the return). Purchase a headset for $3,
and movies are forever after free. One up on the airlines.
But I don't have to listen, and even the t.v. monitors are positioned so
they don't really distract me. I'm more interested in the mileposts,
which are now passing every 45 seconds. 80mph on the money, and smooth
as silk. Off to the diner.
Choices from Larry's Market in Seattle, Seattle's Best Coffee, but served
in a paper cup (come on, guys, a little class, please!). I have the
Cascade Fritatta, but later regret it when I watch the train crew have a
towering souffle which looks outstanding.
The 2-1 seating in the diner gives me a small table all to myself, no
company (but we weren't crowded, either), where I can spread my papers
out and try to concentrate as the fantastic scenery goes by.
We reach the first of two stretches where the BNSF main parallels I-5,
and the train noticeably speeds up until we're passing most traffic on
the Interstate. Don't I remember some railroad that had a standing rule
for a similar stretch that crews were authorized for whatever speed it
took to outpace the traffic, to tell the public that trains were better?
Well, it seemed that today, for we did the same going through Kalama and
then just north of Woodland.
Coming into Portland, the train still has to hand-line their way into the
depot, which consumes at least 5 minutes on the schedule. I thought they
were putting in remote control on those switches. Anyone have news?
So I spent a full five hours in discussions, over a Persian buffet
downtown where we watched the Council Crest trolley pass by several times
as it made its downtown loop on the light rail, then strolling up the
Park Blocks (the sun had finally come out and the afternoon was
stupendous). Finally back to Union Station at 5:10pm for the 5:30 departure.
The Nov. 10 schedule changes moved up the Talgo's departure by a
half-hour, and I must say as a business traveller, I'm not as happy with
it as the 6pm. I had to rush our last session, where before we'd work up
to 5pm, unwind a bit and get to the depot by 10 minutes before
departure. This 5:30 stuff - is it really necessary?
GE had several on-board people riding with the #4, which from what they
said I understood to have been on this run only a week. One guy was
proudly boasting to a train crew member, "Only 140 gallons used on the
way down! How about that!" That's better than a gallon per mile, come
to think of it.
My friend comes onto the platform with me and we do a walk-over, as he
hadn't known anything about the Talgo before. He's spent a lot of time
in Europe, so he's an easy convert to rail if it's available and
convenient. He is v-e-r-y impressed with the train set, and thinks the
locomotive is a great example of post-industrial modernist design. All
very appealing, and he starts thinking of an itinerary on the Talgo to
Seattle, stay overnight and party, Talgo to Vancouver BC, stay overnight
and party, and repeat the trip back home. Another convert.
We're 10 minutes late out of Union Station with no explanation but an
on-board chief who spends much too much time on the intercom explaining
every nuance of everything, including this pronoucement 8 minutes into
our delay: "We'll be leaving any moment now, I'm just SURE of it!"
Off to the lounge for a complimentary copy of this evening's Oregonian, a
split of Covey Run Merlot, and retire to the adjacent lounge seating area
(2-1 setup, nice space, as opposed to 2-2 passenger car layout) to peruse
the day's events.
I consider dinner (teriyaki beef, veggie lasagna, baked chickie or crab
cakes, all from Larry's Market), but the Persians are still with me, so I
settle on a cup of Ivar's clam chowder and a Red Hook beer. After
another 1/2 hour's work, I get a Bailey's on ice. Life doesn't get much
better.
We highball Centralia! The conductor gets on the radio and says "You got
any for me, cause I've nothing for you!" Negative is the reply, so it's
a touch and go visit. I'm surprised, because I'd just read an article on
the Amtrak package specials offered to Seattle and Portland markets for
people to come shop the factory outlets in Centralia. 4,000 people last
year, who spend an average of $300 a day while in town. They're also
developing destination point tourist packages, like fishing on the
rivers, canoe trips, bed 'n breakfast, all in conjunction with Amtrak.
Tell me passenger service is just about moving people. Here's a clear
example where it's closely tied to community economic diversification.
Amtrak's become a key part of the economic infrastructure of this city.
Back to Olympia at 7:45, 13 minutes behind schedule. Those P42's don't
seem to have the acceleration problems the 500's did, that's for sure.
We walked up Napavine Hill on the down trip at a good 50+, after a slow
order at Centralia South. And when it said 79mph on the speed posts, we
were right at 80 every time.
I LOVE my DOT! Thanks, guys. You make business fun again.