use-revolution Digest, Vol 19, Issue 55

[Jim Hurley]

>  Richard Gaskin wrote:
>
>I took the train from Los Angeles last year, and just yesterday made my
>reservation for this year.
>
>When you make your reservation you can specify any of several stops in
>Monterey, and they'll transfer you to a bus in Salinas for that last
>leg.  It's a brief bus ride (30-40 min?), and since it goes through some
>of the heavily-wooded areas surrounding Monterey it's about as pleasant
>as an Amtrak bus can be.
>
>The train on that route is the Coast Starlight, and while it's no Orient
>Express it's not a bad train by US standards.  There's an observation
>car with great seating, a modest dining car, and many of the coach cars
>have electrical outlets (but not all, so if you're travelling with your
>laptop ask the attendant to get you a seat next to one).
>
>The one thing to remember about travelling on the Coast Starlight is
>that it's notoriously late.  Passengers are second-class citizens on
>America's rails, after freight.  So anytime there's a scheduling
>conflict on a track it's the Coast Starlight that pulls over on the
>nearest passing track and waits for the other train to go by.
>
>So as long as you don't plan anything time-sensitive after your arrival
>you should have a pleasant trip.
>
>--
>   Richard Gaskin
   Fourth World Media Corporation

Thanks for all the good info Richard. I'll leave early.

I enjoy the occasional train ride. Always hoping to run into Eva 
Marie Saint or Jill Clayburgh.

Jim