Nostalgia & History > Coast Starlight at Seattle

Dec 1982
Two F40PH units lead the Coast Starlight south out of King Street Station in Seattle.

Gary

 

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Greatb going away image, Gary!   Healthy consist.

texchief1

Is that the old football/baseball stadium on the right side of the second shot?

Nathan

The Kingdome

I miss the cheery Amtrak colors of the 70's - todays is bleh bland.

Interesting they had 2 x Santa Fe coaches in the middle of the consist

Posted from iPhone

Great pair of photos.

In reference to Smith Tower (in the center background of Pic 1):

"Teardrop windows cryin' in the sky
He is all alone and wonderin' why
Ivory white, but feelin' kinda blue
'Cause there's no one there to share the view"

From 'Teardrop Windows' by Washington-native Benjamin Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie fame) from his 2012 solo album 'Former Lives'. 
Written much later than the photos, as the earlier 80s were probably a period when Smith Tower had more tenants.

"Built-in boast as the tallest on the coast
He was once the city's only toast
And old postcards was positioned as the star
He was looked up to with fond regard
But in 1962
The Needle made it's big debut
And everybody forgot
What it outgrew"



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/25 13:48 by PasadenaSub.

Two excellent scenic views.
Bob

Man alive, what is there, 7 coaches on that train?  I'll bet that diner crew was busy.  I wonder if that was a standard consist.  The ex-Santa Fe cars were always fun to ride in; I miss them.

Andy

AndyBrown Wrote:
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> Man alive, what is there, 7 coaches on that
> train?  I'll bet that diner crew was busy.  I
> wonder if that was a standard consist.  The
> ex-Santa Fe cars were always fun to ride in; I
> miss them.
>
> Andy

For many years, six coaches were standard fare. Amtrak actually wanted to carry passengers at one time. The dining car and lounge cars were very busy on this train. It was pretty much a never ending line at the downstairs counter in the lounge. Pizzas and hot dogs were flying out of there at an alarming rate.

Miss the sleepers on the rear too

Posted from iPhone

Great scenes! And yes it's disappointing that today this train is about half the size we see here.