Coastal Adventure Fall 2024
The images below are all in order, starting with departure from Los Angeles Union Station northward toward Seattle. I'm not adding captions on all photos, since for the most part, these are just the sorts of scenes you'll see aboard AMTRAK's Coast Starlight. Aboard this train, I'm sitting on the right side, so most of the shots are looking eastward from the train.
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| Departing Los Angeles Union Station right on time. On the larger image, railfans can see we have the GREEN signal. [Click on the image for the larger view.] |
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| At station stop, Santa Barbara |
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| Truth be known, one doesn't really see that much of the Coast on the Coast Starlight. Having said that, there are a few spots where there are some nice views to the west like the one above. |
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| Critters are spotted quite often. Good reason to link up with Eileen's Saturday's Critters |
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| Thinking this train could be renamed Farm Special |
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| The train climbs significantly to get over the Coast Range of mountains and will end up in the Sacramento Valley ... another giant farming area. |
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| Purely a random capture that leaves me with a smile. I had the camera ready as we moved through this cut. Look at the larger image and you'll see the person standing up above us was snapping a photo of the train. Question: What are the odds that person will ever see this photo? 😊 |
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| There are some amazing old trees along the way. |
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| I wasn't expecting oil wells! |
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| Sunset at the end of the first day. The trip takes 2 full days, with, of course, 1 overnight. |
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| Early morning arrival at Klamath Falls, Oregon. A beauty of a day ahead, however, some smoke and haze in areas. |
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| Klamath Falls boarding sign. |
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| We're into the forests of Oregon. |
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| I'm including this shot as it fascinates me how the railroad will put up these wires in areas where bolders from above, or big trees, might come down on the tracks. I doubt if the wires would stop the bolders, but they might notify dispatch who would then notify the train. |
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| I'm ending this series of photos with this image taken at the Eugene, Oregon station stop. The conductors on the train announce these stops as "fresh air" stops. I thought it amusing that lots of folks who step off the train for fresh air light up a smoke. |
Thanks for joining me on my Coastal Adventure.
Hello John,
ReplyDeleteThis was some adventure, the train to Canada to connect with the Cruise ship to San Diego and than the train ride back to Seattle. Love the views from the ship, going under the bay bridge is cool. Pretty landscapes from the train in California, Oregon and Washington state. It is nice you could add the cows as a critter for your link. I am wondering how fresh the air would be if they are smoking. I enjoyed all three post sharing your trip! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend! PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.
...thanks John for taking me along on this journey. The many agricultural scenes make me wonder how these businesses will continue when Trump begins to deport immigrants on day one?
ReplyDeleteYou got some amazing photos. How neat that you took one of someone taking a photo of the train! Wow! I haven't ridden on a train in years but sure would like to again! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAs always, it's a pleasure to read your blog and comments on the excellent photos. I feel like I am part of your adventure. I remember so many scenes from Southern California, having lived in Santa Barbara for eight years in the 70s and early 80s. Loved the serendipitous photo of you taking a photo of a guy taking a photo of the train. I doubt that he'll see your photo, or on the other hand, you see his.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful pictures along your way!!
ReplyDeleteVery scenic area to travel through.
ReplyDeleteThis series of photos needs a song, one of those tunes from the 1960's about traveling out west.
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazing capture of the man with the lights!
The countryside is beautiful! Vast! The drilling rigs are a surprise! I guess the stops were smoke stops.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful landscapes.
ReplyDeleteIt’s quite a trip you had, John, and I am glad that you were able to include Victoria, BC in your itinerary. It’s one of our favourite spots, in fact the whole of Vancouver Island is wonderful. One of my wife’s sisters lives in Victoria (on Oak Bay) so we combine a visit to her with birding over the island and it’s always a memorable experience. Great to have you back safe and sound at home with many memories to relive. Best wishes - David
ReplyDeleteGreat coastal adventure! Love the photos of the scenery.
ReplyDeleteSuch great shots, John. Thanks for all the wonderful pictures that allowed me to go along with you.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading about your adventure and seeing your photos! To me this is such a unique way to travel. I read your three posts a few times, I thought I missed something. I was hoping you might have stories and photos to share from San Francisco to San Diego and to Los Angeles. You left me wanting more! Thank You for taking us along on your great coastal journey!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving your photos on this trip. I would love to take this route but I am the only one in my family that would. My big adventure as a kid in fifth grade was our family getting on the train in Helper, Utah and riding to Chicago and switching to New York Central to New York City, then the New Haven RR to New London, CT where my Dad's parents lived. What an adventure. I sure wish I had a camera as we saw lots of things on all three legs.
ReplyDeleteAnd California is a major oil producing state. Jerry Jones, the owner of the Cowboys used to have all sorts of gas wells in the Sacremento Basin until he sold them and moved to Louisiana with his production company. In Oklahoma City, where I was an Operations Manager for a pipeline company, Jerry's Marketing VP came to visit and took a fancy to a bumper sticker I had on my wall that said, "Lord please send me another oil boom, I promise not to piss it alway this time." He asked if he could have it and I said nope. Our marketing guy was kind of sore about it but heck with him.
This journey is very intriguing to me as I have often thought of traveling via Amtrack. Wonderful views!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness John, you certainly know how to take a vacation. I loved tagging along on your trip and seeing all the sights with you. Thanks for sharing and for keep your camera at hand :)
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing such wonderful photos form your train journey dear John
ReplyDeletei found them fascinating ,oil well wow
loved the river at last and farms look so nice
sorry for being late to read posts
i will try to catch up to all i missed
blessings!
wow incredibly Beautiful shots dear John !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletei truly loved the dense ocean ,sunset and all the glimpses of your fascinating voyage :)
i am glad you traveled through sea it is always amazing to explore wonders spread around by Nature !!!
comments were off so i came back to leave my thoughts here
blessings !
i finally finished your introductory post about your beginning of the travel . i loved all the shots on the way
ReplyDeletewhen i traveled with parents as teenage from our city Khairpur to Islamabad i remember how desperately we would wait for the curve :)
it would refresh our tiresome energy during 23 hour long train journey .we have only one curve though
i am glad you are back from the travel safe and sound by the grace of God !
I've thoroughly enjoyed your coastal adventure John.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for taking me and fellow bloggers along for the ride :)
All the best Jan
What an awesome trip!
ReplyDeleteI love how you captured all the little moments—especially that person snapping a photo of the train, what are the odds?
Laughing at the bit about people stepping out for "fresh air" just to smoke.
And those sunset shots? Wow!
Thanks for taking us along on the ride, John.
Lindo viaje me gustan los paisajes de los bosques son tan bellos. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing such wonderful photos form your train journey dear John
ReplyDeleteHi John,
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing the pictures of your adventure;
I particularly like seeing plantations and the way of life in general. Sometimes we drive across the country to see other states in Brazil. Brazil
is a country of large areas with many different lifestyles.
How cool that you like Eckart Tolle; I really like nature, art and philosophy, now I'm back to studying metaphysics.
Have you read anything by Tom W. Campbell?
Have a good start to November for you and yours.
Janice.
Olá John,
Adorei ver as imagens de sua aventura;
eu particularmente gosto de ver plantações e o modo
de vida em geral. As vezes por aqui atravessamos o paÃs de carro para conhecer outros estados do Brasil. O Brasil
é um paÃs de extensões grandes com muito estilos de vida.
Que legal você gosta de Eckart tolle; gosto muito
de natureza, arte e filosofia, agora voltei a estudar metafÃsica.
Você já leu alguma coisa de Tom W. campbell?
Boa entrada de mês de novembro para ti e para os teus.
janice.
Hi John -- I would have come and at least waved at you at your Eugene stop )).... that's funny(and sort of sad) about the uses those people made of theiri fresh air stops. On a joyful note, you got a really nice series of photos on this beautiful Amtrak trip. Quite a lot of years ago, we took an Amtrak trip to Chicago and then back to Southern California. (Long story -- Retirement celebration because we'd always wanted to do a train trip plus we were checking out RV factories before we bought our first one ). anyway, then eventually back from SoCal home to Eugene via the Coastal Starlight which was definitelly the prettiest part of the Amtrak portion of our journey. .... I loved the train.
ReplyDeleteJust had to come back since comment s were off on your cruise part of the journey -- will keep this brief, but I just loved that you did this repositioning cruise -- what a wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic journey! The scenic views along the Coast Starlight must be breathtaking, especially departing from such an iconic station. It sounds like a wonderful way to experience the beauty of the West Coast!
ReplyDeleteI just shared a new post; you are invited to read. Happy weekend!
Oh, John. What a fabulous journey you've shared! 🌟
ReplyDeleteYour random capture is so charming! It perfectly sums up those little moments that make travel special. And that sunset! 🌅 There's something magical about watching the sky change as the day ends. It must be breathtaking. I can empathize with the fun of getting off for fresh air, even with the irony of a smoke break!
What a great journey captured! The images really convey the adventure and beauty of the Coast Starlight route. It’s interesting to see the landscape change as the train moves from the coast to the mountains, with unexpected moments like the random photo capture adding charm to the experience.
ReplyDeleteHow is Saturday going? Read my new post. Thank you. https://www.melodyjacob.com/2024/11/holiday-glam-budget-christmas-outfit-ideas.html