Passenger Trains > The Coast Starlight has been relaunched!

Below are some random shots from today's re-launch of the Coast Starlight out of Los Angeles. There was a ceremony in the courtyard of Union Station with managers and a city councilman. I did not attend this event, so there are no photos (sorry).

Traxx Restaurant was used for sleeping car passengers as a pre-departure lounge where juice and coffee were available. They also gave away Coast Starlight pins with the new logo.

With the exception of the refurbished Parlour Car (we have Santa Lucia Highlands/39973), I don't really notice any differences. Specifically, all of the sleeping cars are Superliner II sleepers. They have not been refurbished and are just the standard sleepers. There are no extra amenities in the sleepers, with the exception of the attendant coming through with a fresh fruit basked (oranges and apples) and beverages (champagne or apple cider).

Also of note, today's #14 has 3 locomotives up front. There are also more Amtrak managers on-board then I have ever seen (I think there might be more than the "Kummant Express" back in October of 2006).

In the dining car, the menu is exactly the same--no change at all. They are using the same disposable plates, cups, etc. I'm not sure what happened with the idea of using regular china (similar to the Empire Builder), but I will ask one of the managers next time one of them walks by. I made a lunch reservation for high noon here in the Parlour Car so that I can see how it goes. There are only two menu choices for dining in the PPC: Chef's salad and a pasta dish. We'll see how it goes.

Today's train is very full. The Conductor said we would be full within a few more stops (probably by SBA?).

I'll update this thread throughout the trip if anything interesting pops up. Any questions, just let me know.

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A few more. I'm glad they brought back the gong thing (anyone know those are called?). Also a picture of the new big-screen Plasma TV with Yamaha surround-sound. Very nice!!

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Nice Andy!!

Keep the updates and pics coming!! What is the purpose of the gong thing?? It looks like a chime of some kind or maybe a xylophone..

Tony

In pre-Amtrak times, a dining car waiter would walk through the train playing the chimes and announcing "First call for ..." lunch or dinner. I don't remember them going through the train announcing breakfast because it might disturb Pullman passengers who wished to sleep in a bit and enjoy a later breakfast.

Perhaps Amtrak is reviving the custom.

OCV

Here are some more pictures courtesy of Paul (railforum.com member). The photo in the PPC is of Jonathan Hutchinson with a certificate that Amtrak was presented with by a Los Angeles City Councilman for being environmentally friendly.

I'm also told that this train has a "Coast Starlight" drumhead on the rear! I haven't seen it yet, but I will try to get a photo at the fresh air stop at SBA if there is time.

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Here is the consist of today's train courtesy of "ken15" who is riding to SBA:

AMTK 113
AMTK 118
AMTK 120
Baggage 1734
Transition Sleeper 39005
Superliner II sleeper 32094 (Montana)
Superliner II sleeper 32078 (Florida)
Superliner II sleeper 32118 (Wyoming)
PPC 39973/Santa Lucia Highlands
Superliner II diner 38055
Superliner II refurb lounge (wth tables) 33042
Coach 34028
Coach 34510 (Video Arcade car)
Coach 34064
Coach 34061

One of the coach cars has a video arcade on the lower level. I will get pictures later.

Keep the pics coming!

This trainset, if the turn-arounds aren't disrupted, will be the same one to depart Los Angeles for the Tehachapi detour on the 22nd.

Update on the plates/cups in the diner (per Brian Rosenwald): They wanted to go to china in the dining car, but fiscally it could not be worked out. It is cheaper to use disposable dinnerware instead of hiring another person to wash the dishes. He hopes to go back to using china next fiscal year, but right now it's sort of up in the air as to whether this will take place.

smitty195 Wrote:
> It is cheaper to use disposable dinnerware
> instead of hiring another person to wash the
> dishes.



So much for that "environmentally friendly" award. I do hope Amtrak makes an effort to recycle some of the plastic chi--- Ah who am I kidding, it costs more to sort it out, throw it all in the landfill!

Glad 14 and 11 are back to how it was back in 95, hope they keep it this way and Amtrak has 2 more LD Trains to re-launch, I really miss the regular dining and all that good stuff, the LDS is so so in my book!

Thanks for the interesting report and pics so far. I'll be looking forward to hearing more as the trip progresses.

I was at the Santa Ana station yesterday and picked up a glossy new brochure titled "Rediscover the Coast Starlight: See the West Coast by Rail.” It had some interesting descriptions of the “re-launched” service, which differed from some previous descriptions I’d heard. Specifically, the brochure promises…

The Coast Starlight Experience:
-Updated interiors and accommodations
-Service that seems to anticipate your needs

Parlour Car Service:
-Specialty coffee bar offering espresso, lattes, cappuccino and hot chocolate (I’d heard about this – is this included with sleeping car fare?)
-Exclusive daily regional wine and artisan cheese tastings “at a nominal fee”. (They’re charging for wine tastings now? If so, I hope the wines are better than when they were free.)
-An onboard theatre often shows new and classic movies on a 50” plasma HD monitor (I thought the deal was they could only show old movies due to licensing costs.)
-Reading materials and board games (Are they finally stocking those cabinets in the PPC again?)
-Parlour Car also provides intimate alternative to Dining Car with flexible dining times and more menu options

-All of our Sleeping Cars feature new, more luxurious linens for your comfort (did they replace the bright blue blankets with goose down comforters?)
-You’ll receive a Welcome Gift of sparkling wine or cider and fresh fruit, and a Personal Amenities Kit that includes shampoo, soaps and lotions.
-We’ll help you rise and shine by bringing you “breakfast in bed” – a basket with juice, coffee and newspaper

Coach Car Service
-Each seat has its own menu and route guide
-New, larger pillows
-Blankets available for a small fee
-In-seat meal service gives you the option of enjoying a delicious meal without having to leave your seat.

Dining Car
-Regional wines and regionally inspired dishes, all while enjoying a level of service you’d expect of a fine restaurant (a fine restaurant with plastic plates?)

So… does the service live up to the hype? Interested to hear thoughts from those lucky enough to be aboard on the first day of the re-launched Coast Starlight.

So far, sounds like they still have some room for improvement. Glad to see the refurbished Parlour Cars back, though!

OCV wrote about 'chimes for breakfast'...
During the '50s-'60s, our experience, even
with our three kids..the Porter would ask if
we desired a 'breakfast call', and what time..
Great Service..even on various pass trains..
Pullman service never differed...

smitty195 Wrote:
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> A few more. I'm glad they brought back the gong
> thing (anyone know those are called?).

Dinner chimes. We also had them at my Berkeley sorority house and the housemother would "play" them over the pa system to call us to meals.
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

smitty195 Wrote:
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> I'm glad they brought back the gong
> thing (anyone know those are called?).

They're actually called dinner chimes, usually tuned to G-C-E-G. They're not cheap, as a decent set can cost upwards of $150. www.steveweissmusic.com/product/ross-dinner-chimes/symphonic-chimes

Someone asked if they were a xylophone--no--xylo bars are made of wood and there would be many more of them. Someone else just called them chimes. Technically, chimes are long hollow tubular metal pipes, which are hit at the top end to make a sound sort of like church bells.

Symph

Food at seat means food in the seat. On the floor. In the seat pocket. Eat in EATING CARS is best idea.

Smitty, please bring some warm weather with you. There was snow on the road over the Santiam Pass east of Salem this AM. The ODOT cam at Willamette Pass doesn't show snow. The temp there is 38 degrees. AMTRAK agents told me you have to pay for the wine tasting now. True?

I'm out the door now to catch #11. See you in the AM.

jb

Will we expect this "same" service on the Tehachapi detour on the 22nd? Specifically like the "eat at your seat" option.

Nice job Andy!

I sure hope they replace the real china, and a new menu soon!

Well this was a neat surprise. At Santa Barbara there was a huge crowd gathered to greet the Coast Starlight. Local news stations were there (I saw CBS 12 but I did not ID the others). Local politicians talked about the positive aspects of Amtrak travel, including Green Santa Barbara (?? I might have this name wrong...someone please correct me on this). They have partnered with Amtrak in promoting green travel methods.

Some pictures are attached below of Brian Rosenwald addressing the crowd, as well as the Mayor of Santa Barbara breaking a bottle of champagne on the Parlour Car.

Edit: In the last photo of Her Honor breaking the champagne bottle, the head you see is the guy I will call, "There's one in every crowd". Everyone was standing back to get good photos, but this guy walked around like he owned the place, jumping in front of everyone's shot. What an idiot.

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F40PHR231 Wrote:
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> So much for that "environmentally friendly" award.
> I do hope Amtrak makes an effort to recycle some
> of the plastic chi--- Ah who am I kidding, it
> costs more to sort it out, throw it all in the
> landfill!

I know, Chris.......Brian Rosenwald says their trash has increased 70% since using disposable dinnerware. Whew!