Passenger Trains > Rioting and Quarantines in cities having Amtrak stations

My spouse has booked a trip, almost a month from now, to use up her points before they expire (I know they've extended the expiration dates but I believe that only goes - thus far- until the end of August).

She's going from FTW to LAX, but leaving LAX, to get on the Coast Starlight. I'm not worried about LAX since she doesn't leave the station. Her destination from there is PDX.

I know that SO FAR the rioting in Portland has only been in the central city. But the fact that the Amtrak station is Fed property is no comfort, since the Fed property downtown hasn't been spared. The rioters have a month to figure out how to get to other Federal property before my spouse gets there. Add to that mix, Friday night/Saturday AM,  this last week, the rioters were burning books and had sacrificed an animal. These are not reasonable people.

Yet she wants to take the EB because she's never ridden it, never seen those views, especially of the Columbia River. And she's afraid she'll never again have the chance.

From there she goes to CHI, which currently has a quarantine on about half the states, our home state being one of them. The EB is notoriously late but she will probably still have to get a hotel room in Chicago because the two trains that go to Texas leave long before the scheduled arrival of the EB - and CUS isn't open all night. Her ride home is on the SWC to Lamy. No problems there, just that she can get on it.

I want to ask her to cancel the trip. But we're unsure she'll ever have another chance. It would be a shame to throw away the points she earned. But her safety and our finances (should she be quarantined) are paramount.

I'd like to read the thoughts you guys have.

Best regards,
RRD

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/20 17:10 by RedRiverDiv.

Points don’t expire if you know the hack. Reschedule the trip for 6 months from now. Wait a few minutes and then cancel the trip. No penalties. A new voucher will be rendered expiring 1 year fron today.

Most of  the riots in Portland have been during the night.  Assuming she is making the afternoon connection to the EB she should be fine.  If the Coast Startlight is running late, they will probalby bus her to the Builder and avoid Portland all together.

Chicago is not doing anything to enforce the ban on travelers from other states.  You should be fine if you just stay the night in a hotel.

RedRiverDiv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But the fact that the Amtrak station is Fed property is no comfort,
> since the Fed property downtown hasn't been spared. 
>
FWIW, Portland Union Station is not federal property. It's owned by the municipal government. I don't recall a single night that there was violence in the station area; it's been generally confined to the blocks around the U.S. Courthouse, which is about a mile away. And while the violence is a definite fact, its extent has been notoriously over-hyped by one particular national news network. As another poster observed a couple weeks ago, the most unpleasant aspect of the station area is the large number of homeless people on the streets, and particularly around the disused Greyhound station, which is across the street from Union Station. There are good arguments for and against making the trip, but traveling through Portland by train need not be one of them.

How could Chicago even begin to enforce something like that. She could always get off the Builder at Glenview and take Metra in.   No one would ever know.  As bad as the Portland riots are, they seem to be confined to a relatively small area of downtown. I doubt any of the anarchists would even think of Union Station as being Federal property.  I hope she goes and has a great time. 

kbmiflyer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the Coast Startlight is running late, they will
> probalby bus her to the Builder and avoid Portland
> all together.

RRD, I think this is a potential problem you should consider. I don't know how the Starlight has been running lately, but if is late on the day your wife is aboard, I think the usual practice is to bus passengers from Chemult to Wishram. That's a long bus ride, and she would miss most of the best Columbia Gorge scenery. You might consider breaking up her trip with an overnight in the Portland area, and if you should do that, I would recommend riding the Starlight to Vancouver and boarding 28 there the next afternoon. There are quite a few good hotels within a short cab ride of the Vancouver station, and it's 10 miles or so from downtown Portland! On a map you would want to look for locations near the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River, or look for hotel listings either in Vancouver or the Jantzen Beach area of Portland. Hope that helps!

I didn't notice the dates of the actual trip.

BB

OregonHoosier Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RedRiverDiv Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > But the fact that the Amtrak station is Fed
> property is no comfort,
> > since the Fed property downtown hasn't
> been spared. 
> >
> FWIW, Portland Union Station is not federal
> property. It's owned by the municipal government.
> I don't recall a single night that there was
> violence in the station area; it's been generally
> confined to the blocks around the U.S. Courthouse,
> which is about a mile away. And while the violence
> is a definite fact, its extent has been
> notoriously over-hyped by one particular national
> news network. As another poster observed a couple
> weeks ago, the most unpleasant aspect of the
> station area is the large number of homeless
> people on the streets, and particularly around the
> disused Greyhound station, which is across the
> street from Union Station. There are good
> arguments for and against making the trip, but
> traveling through Portland by train need not be
> one of them.


It hadn't been over hyped at all. I've watched the videos and have friends up there. It is a mess at the courthouse and that poor Elk lol

Posted from Android

I understand the concern.  The networks on either side of the matter are not doing anyone any favors.  The videos speaks for themselves, however, and it is daily.  I don't care what side you are on, this is inexcusable and un-American.  I have heard people say that the shootings in Chicago are being exaggerated as well, but the numbers are the numbers.

Now, to the topic at hand... I have traveled on overnight trains three times during the pandemic.  It is weird, but fine.  As for staying over somewhere, I have spent a night in Dc and another in Chicago.  It is not Portland, but all was well.  Again, staying in a hotel is weird, too.

I say go.  We cannot, and should not, put our entire lives on hold for a year.  Be careful with the virus and in the cities, and simply hang around the station or hotel.  All will be well.

 

Why not fly to Portland, stay at one of the hotels close to the airport?  Then board the EB at Vancouver WA the next day.  Use the points to get a bedroom instead of a roomette and do the same at CHI going westbound if you have enough points left to do that.  In CHI, splurge on a taxi and a night at the Palmer House.  The food there is great.  You'll never see any of the rabble-rousers and you will have a terrific time.

-John

as one who periodically checks on our offices  that are rented from Prosper  Portland (formerly known as the Portland Development Commission) in the Union Station Annex, there have been no disturbances at Portland's Union Station....yes, we have a severe homeless population residing around the station but station security maintains a pretty good leash on what happens on station property.   there is a very small area around the federal court house that I would avoid,, otherwise Portland is just another big city.   Arlen   PNWC-NRHS

Hopefully this turns out to be a very stupid question - but I presume the "change of trains" at Chicago Union Station is still pretty seemless, if trains are pretty much on time? And is their still red cap service to/from train and Metropolitan lounge? Is it just one person at a time due to "social distancing? If the the Metropolitan Lounge was in the section it used to be, I'd actually be fine, but a little bit of mobility issue/stretch to the new area. And still no food areas over by the new Metropolitan Lounge? I would think that Amtrak is not putting anything out in the buffet island and just offering packaged snacks and beverages of some sort? I miss the restaurant that used to be literally right across the hall from the new sleeper lounge.  

To a degree it seems like travelling in sleeper could be somewhat of a "private" type of affair with such low numbers.....

Any advice in changing trains in Chicago these days?. 

jcaestecker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why not fly to Portland, stay at one of the hotels
> close to the airport?  Then board the EB at
> Vancouver WA the next day.  Use the points to get
> a bedroom instead of a roomette and do the same at
> CHI going westbound if you have enough points left
> to do that.  In CHI, splurge on a taxi and a
> night at the Palmer House.  The food there is
> great.  You'll never see any of the
> rabble-rousers and you will have a terrific time.
>
> -John

Taking a taxi may be the best option for RRD's spouse.  However, if she enjoys walking, the Palmer House is just a 14 - 16 minute walk from Union Station.

A restaurant next to the Palmer House to which I am partial is Miller's Pub: https://www.millerspub.com/

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/20 20:23 by RuleG.

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I miss the restaurant that
> used to be literally right across the hall from
> the new sleeper lounge.  

I forgot the name of it, but that was a wonderful restaurant.  Much better than the places in the "food" court on the second level.
>
> To a degree it seems like travelling in sleeper
> could be somewhat of a "private" type of affair
> with such low numbers.....
>
> Any advice in changing trains in Chicago these
> days?. 

For food between Amtrak trains, I recommend going to the Chicago French Market underneath the tracks of the Ogilvie Transportation Center, about 2 - 3 blocks from Union Station.  Last year, I had the most awesome pastrami sandwhich there.

 

I am going to attempt to clarify my earlier post, since the point I was trying to make seems to have been misinterpreted, for which I take responsibility. As in many other cities, the original protests here (yes, I am a resident of Portland, too) were a response to the incident in Minneapolis and they were, by and large, peaceful. But Portland has long had a problem--seemingly more of a problem than what you see in most cities--in that extreme elements on both the Left and the Right are only too eager to take advantage of any situation such as this to further their own ends, and to vilify each other, and that has happened once again. The local reporting has been pretty clear on this point. In the last few days, several BLM leaders have repeatedly urged their followers to stay away from the area around the Court House and the Justice Center, but of course the Left and Right extremist types (who are not BLM followers, in any case; they have their own agendas) have no intention of doing that. The result of all this is that the Court House, the Justice Center, and the park blocks which they front have become an absolute war zone. I don't deny that for a second, and an unfortunate result has been that many, if not most, stores and businesses within a several block radius have boarded up their windows in self defense. It is a totally unsustainable reality for the downtown area of a major city, and the city leadership bears most of the blame, not only for this but for the burgeoning homeless population for which they constantly promise solutions but never actually come up with any. I, along with what I would assume is the vast majority of residents, am sick and tired of it, and it needs to stop. Period. (The incumbent mayor is up for reelection in November. Just sayin....)

That said, the rioting has been confined to an area of perhaps 2 square miles. The city of Portland has an area of 145 square miles (yes, I had to Google that, lol), and for most of us, life goes on with little to no effect on our day-to-day activities. This should not be a surprise, but I repeatedly hear national commentators imply otherwise, and it is in that context that I use the word "overhyped" and I stand by that characterization. Others may, of course, disagree, but I do know what I see out my window and experience in my relatively peaceful neighborhood. My original reason for responding was to offer a perspective regarding the questions posed by the original poster, and I make no apology for that. I stand by my advice to board #28 at Vancouver, regardless of how you get there; it's a cute little station (though on the edge of the quite un-cute BNSF yard) and there have been no problems with rabble-rousers, as a later poster described them, in that area.

 

As a 'quicky' to save your AGR points from expiring, why not take a 'quicky' 1-4 hour round trip on Amtrak where you live?  Depending on current train schedules, it could be as short as a 15 minute trip one way, maybe 20-30 minute wait for a train back home, another 15 minutes and you're all set!  I live not far from the NEC so it's not difficult to make such a short round trip.  Or, even make it a day trip to somewhere, visit a museum, fancy restaurant, whatever, then return?

As far as Portland goes, I've overnighted there 5 of the past 6 years on my annual points redemption trip.  It took me that long to ride all the streetcar and light rail routes!  I'm not concerned as much about the non-peaceful riots going on there as the gutless mayor not putting an end to it.  The same with Seattle.  So, as far as either city EVER seeing me or any of my money for any reason whatsoever in the coming years, they will both have a VERY long wait!

 The danger would be that some "event" could cause some service disruption leading to busing, delays etc. I think there is hyping of events in general to fit agendas and is seemingly just the nature of the news.  I rememer where there was some dispute on the National Mall and you would think it was the crime of the year.  I can say if I went to my local court house and started throwing rocks at the windows because  I don't like XYZ I would not fare too well.  I don't know that my cause would be less valid than someone elses so not sure why some should get a pass. 

Somewhere back in January  I heard that no one is above the law, like a hundred times???

Bob Jordan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/20 22:02 by robj.

It’s a sketchy trip for health reasons. I’d be more worried about health and getting thrown into an unmarked car by storm troopers in Portland. Just mask up and frequently wash hands/sanitize it should be a fun trip. Hope it all works out.

Be Safe - BLM

Posted from iPhone

goduckies Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OregonHoosier Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > RedRiverDiv Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > But the fact that the Amtrak station is Fed
> > property is no comfort,
> > > since the Fed property downtown hasn't
> > been spared. 
> > >
> > FWIW, Portland Union Station is not federal
> > property. It's owned by the municipal
> government.
> > I don't recall a single night that there was
> > violence in the station area; it's been
> generally
> > confined to the blocks around the U.S.
> Courthouse,
> > which is about a mile away. And while the
> violence
> > is a definite fact, its extent has been
> > notoriously over-hyped by one particular
> national
> > news network. As another poster observed a
> couple
> > weeks ago, the most unpleasant aspect of the
> > station area is the large number of homeless
> > people on the streets, and particularly around
> the
> > disused Greyhound station, which is across the
> > street from Union Station. There are good
> > arguments for and against making the trip, but
> > traveling through Portland by train need not be
> > one of them.
>
>
> It hadn't been over hyped at all. I've watched
> the videos and have friends up there. It is a
> mess at the courthouse and that poor Elk lol
>
> Posted from Android

Well, I have watched the videos and talked to my friends AND family there and I say that it is overhyped.

There: see how pointless and unhelpful your comment was? “lol”

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/20 00:25 by pennengineer.

Behavior often changes when the TV cameras show up.

Posted from Android