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Amtrak Coast Starlight

Travelogues & Photos by Steve Grande

These are the travelogues and photos of my rail travels on the Amtrak Coast Starlight. I have traveled more on this Amtrak route than on any other long distance train route. My home and office is in Southern California. I have friends and relatives in Northern California, belong to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, and attend the meetings of numerous rail organizations that frequently meet in either Sacramento or in Jack London Square/Oakland, California. My favorite places for short vacations are Seattle, Washington, and Jack London Square. The Amtrak Coast Starlight travels daily between Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, making stops along the way at such places as San Jose, Jack London Square/Oakland, and Sacramento. Thus, I have plenty of reason and opportunity to be a frequent traveler on the Amtrak Coast Starlight!

Click here if you are about to read one of my travelogues for the first time.
Also click on each of the following: Intro To Travelogues / Intro To Photos

This web page only lists my rail travels on the Amtrak Coast Starlight. To view travelogues and photos of my additional rail travels outside of California, click here. To view travelogues and photos of my additional rail travels within California, click here. I do not write travelogues for all my rail travelogues. Thus, this page does not include travel for which I have not written a travelogue. To view a complete list of all my rail travels, click here.

I would suggest that you start by reading my travelogue of the rail journey on April 30, 1998. If you only plan to read one of the travelogues below, that is the one that you should read. The Amtrak Coast Starlight has the highest and most consistent quality of service of all of the Amtrak routes that I have traveled. Although it can fluctuate, the overall level of service has risen over time. The Amtrak Coast Starlight has definitely earned its self-described term of "Superior Service!" You may find criticism of some aspects of the Coast Starlight in some of my earlier travelogues and I do not want to leave you with the impression of that being the way things usually are on the Coast Starlight. So, please do read the April 30, 1998 travelogue to get a more representative view of The Coast Starlight experience!

Full text and pictures are provided for many of my rail travels on the Amtrak Coast Starlight. For more information, click on the dates of each trip below.

  1. 12/19/22-12/20/22: Vancouver, Washington - Los Angeles, California, One-Way and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Bedroom / Deluxe Room), My first ride in the Amtrak Coast Starlight after the Pacific Parlour Car discontinued.

  2. 07/11/08-07/12/08: Fullerton, California - Portland, Oregon One-Way via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room), My first ride in the relaunched Amtrak Coast Starlight and upgraded Pacific Parlour Car.

  3. 08/10/06-08/15/06: Los Angeles, California - Portland, Oregon Round-Trip via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room), to attend the American Adoption Congress NW Regional Conference.

  4. 02/24/06-02/27/06: Fullerton, California - Sacramento, California Round-Trip via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room), Annual Region 12 NARP Meeting on Feb 25, 2006 at the California State Railroad Museum.

  5. 02/17/06-02/20/06: Fullerton, California - San Jose, California via the Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); Travel to visit relatives.

  6. 01/27/06-01/29/06: Fullerton, California - Sacramento, California Round-Trip via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); Annual RailPAC Meeting on Jan 28, 2006 at the California State Railroad Museum, Free Trip Using Amtrak Guest Rewards Points.

  7. 01/25/06-01/25/06: Emeryville, California - Fullerton, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); Part 5 of a 5 part rail travelogue from the Sundance Film Festival 2006 in Park City, Utah.

  8. 01/18/06-01/18/06: Los Angeles, California - Emeryville, California via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); Part 1 of a 5 part rail travelogue to the Sundance Film Festival 2006 in Park City, Utah.

  9. 09/23/05-09/27/05: Los Angeles, California - Seattle, Washington, Round-Trip via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); Celebration of my 10th year of riding Amtrak, including travel southbound on the Amtrak Cost Starlight exactly 10 years to the day after my original southbound Amtrak Coast Starlight trip on September 26, 1995!

  10. 09/10/04-09/13/04: Fullerton, California - Portland, Oregon, Round-Trip via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Standard Room); A trip to use Alaska Airmiles Amtrak voucher before it expired. Plus, while in Portland, to visit some of the locations where "What The Bleep Do We Know?" was filmed. (Just photos, no travelogue).

  11. 04/15/03-04/18/03: Fullerton, California - Klamath Falls, Oregon, Round-Trip via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); Attempt to travel over the Feather River detour during Union Pacific construction work. Free Trip Using Amtrak Guest Rewards Points.

  12. 04/03/04-04/09/04: Fullerton, California - Denver, Colorado via the Amtrak Coast Starlight and the Amtrak California Zephyr (Deluxe Rooms). Just Photos - No Travelogue. Travel with wife over Sierra Nevada and through the Rocky Mountains to Denver on vacation. Free Trip Using Amtrak Guest Rewards Points

  13. 10/11/02-10/13/02: Fullerton, California - Sacramento, California Round-Trip via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); 14th Annual Trainmaster Reception & Dinner, California State Railroad Museum; Free Trip Using Amtrak Guest Rewards Points (A very limited travelogue)

  14. 08/29/02-09/03/02: Fullerton, California - Eugene, Oregon via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Standard Room); Family Event in Eugene, Oregon - Free Trip Using Alaska Airline Mileage; (A very limited travelogue)

  15. 08/18/02: Emeryville, California - Los Angeles, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); Free Trip Using Amtrak Guest Rewards Points

  16. 08/08/02-08/09/02: Los Angeles, California - Portland, Oregon via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Standard Room); Free Trip Using Amtrak Guest Rewards Points

  17. 03/26/02-03/30/02: Los Angeles, California - Seattle, Washington via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Standard Room) - Lots of Photos! Free Trip Using Alaska Airline Mileage

  18. 03/01/02-03/03/02: Los Angeles, California - Oakland, Jack London Square, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Family Room); Trip to Annual NARP Regional Meeting

  19. 10/11/01-10/15/01: Los Angeles, California - Seattle, Washington via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Standard Room) - Lots of Photos! Free Trip Using Alaska Airline Mileage

  20. 10/05/01-10/07/01: Los Angeles - Sacramento, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight - Lots of Photos! "Behind The Scenes" Tour of Southern Pacific Sacramento Shops

  21. 07/12/01-07/16/01: Los Angeles, California - Seattle, Washington via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); 25th Wedding Anniversary - Free Trip Using Alaska Airline Mileage

  22. 02/16/01-02/19/01: Fullerton, California - Seattle, WA via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Standard Room).

  23. 01/08/01-01/09/01: Fullerton, California - Seattle, WA via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Standard Room).

  24. 11/10/00-11/12/00: Fullerton, California - Jack London Square, Oakland, California round-trip via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Standard Room); TRAC - Train Riders Association of California - Annual Meeting

  25. 01/28/00-02/02/00: Fullerton, California - Bellingham, Washington, Round-Trip via Amtrak's San Diegans, Coast Starlight, and Cascades.

  26. 11/11/99: Fullerton, California - Sacramento, California via Amtrak's San Diegans (Pacific Business Class) and Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Standard Bedroom).

  27. 08/26/99: Oakland, California - Fullerton, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Standard Bedroom) and San Diegans.

  28. 02/20/99-02/20/99: Fullerton, California to Sacramento, California via the Amtrak San Diegans (Custom Class) and Coast Starlight (Standard Bedroom); To get to the start of first revenue direct run between Sacramento and Bakersfield on the Amtrak San Joaquins.

  29. 11/25/98 & 11/28/98: Fullerton, California - San Jose, California via the Amtrak San Diegans (Coach Class), and Coast Starlight (Family Bedroom); Thanksgiving travel to relatives.

  30. 08/16/98&08/21/98: Fullerton, California - San Jose, California via the Amtrak San Diegans (Custom Class), and Coast Starlight (Standard Bedroom) - Lots of Photos! Annual Perl Conference

  31. 08/08/98-08/10/98: Fullerton, California - Sacramento, California via the Amtrak San Diegans (Coach Class), and Coast Starlight (North:Standard Bedroom South:Deluxe Bedroom) - Lots of Photos! California State Railroad Museum 1998 Behind The Scenes Tour.

  32. 07/05/98-07/06/98: Seattle, Washington - Fullerton, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight and San Diegans (Family Bedroom) Sixth Segment;

  33. 06/27/98-06/28/98: Fullerton, California - Seattle, Washington via Amtrak's San Diegans and Coast Starlight (Family Bedroom); First Segment.

  34. 04/30/98&05/04/98: Fullerton, California - Oakland, California via the Amtrak San Diegans (Pacific Class), and Coast Starlight (Standard Bedroom); Amtrak Historical Society 1998 Conference. Read This Travelogue First!.

  35. 11/26/97-11/29/97: Los Angeles, California - San Jose, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Family Bedroom); Thanksgiving visit to family in Saratoga, California.

  36. 07/02/97-07/07/97: Fullerton, California - Oakland, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Reserved Coach); Waterfront Plaza Hotel, Jack London Square, 4th of July Fireworks.

  37. 06/11/97: Fullerton, California - Sacramento, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Standard Bedroom); Advance preparations for the Amtrak Historical Society 1998 Meeting.

  38. 01/22/97-01/23/97: Fullerton, California - Seattle, Washington (First Segment) via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Standard Bedroom).

  39. 12/29/96-12/30/96: Fullerton, California - Seattle, Washington via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Family Room); School Vacataion Winter Wonderland Train Trip - First Segment.

  40. 11/27/96-11/30/96: Los Angeles, California - Oakland, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Family Room). Thanksgiving with family in San Francisco Bay Area.

  41. 11/14/96-11/17/96: Los Angeles, California - Sacramento, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Economy Room). TRAC (Train Riders Association of California) California Rail 2000 Meeting

  42. 11/03/96-11/03/96: Oakland, California - Los Angeles, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Economy Room).

  43. 08/28/96-08/29/96: Fullerton - San Luis Obispo, California Northbound via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Economy Room); Southbound via #776 Central Coast San Diegan (Custom Class); Business.

  44. 08/06/96-08/11/96: Los Angeles, California - Oakland, California Round-Trip via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Economy Room) / One ISP Convention.

  45. 06/23/96-06/24/96: Seattle, Washington - Los Angeles, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Economy Room) / Purely vacation!

  46. 05/10/96-05/10/96: Los Angeles, California - Oakland, California via Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Economy Room); First Segment of trip to cross the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains.

  47. 01/20/96-01/23/96: Los Angeles, California - San Jose, California via the Air-Rail / Amtrak Coast Starlight (Economy Room) / Web World Convention.

  48. 01/12/96-01/14/96: Los Angeles, California - San Jose, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Economy Room); Business Trip to our Bay Area Office.

  49. 12/29/95-01/01/96: Los Angeles, California - Salinas, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Family & Special Room); New Year's Celebration with family & parents in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

  50. 12/09/95-12/10/95: Los Angeles, California - San Jose, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Deluxe Room); Business Trip to our Mountain View office.

  51. 12/02/95-12/03/95: Los Angeles, California - San Jose, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Economy Room); Business Trip to our Mountain View office.

  52. 11/22/95-11/26/95: Los Angeles, California - San Jose, California via the Amtrak Coast Starlight (2 Economy Rooms); Thanksgiving visit to family in Saratoga, California.

  53. 09/26/95-09/27/95: Seattle, Washington - Los Angeles, California via the Air-Rail / Amtrak Coast Starlight (Family Room); Seattle, Washington, Children's Fall School Vacation Break.

Click here for Route Guides, Radio Frequencies
& Other Amtrak Coast Starlight Information!


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