Some where up the California coast! Here the sun was finally shining but it was still cool and at this time the train was about an hour late. ( The new technology kept me on-track with our schedule.) One of the benefits of train travel is every so often they schedule a “smoke-break” and all the addicted ones can get off and puff to their hearts content. The rest of us use the time to get off and stretch out legs and run up and down the platform- those of us who still can run that is. Noticeable on this run ( The Coast Starlight) the tracks are smoother making the trip that much more enjoyable. Of all the runs that Amtrak makes this might be the most varied and some might say impressive. The train spends a lot of time in the mountains and at the southern end of the route the mountains are brown and desert-like but at the northern end they are lush and green with water courses spilling down the rocky hillsides and clouds stuck to the trees like so much cotton candy! Of the long distance routes this one is the most popular and the train I took was no different as it was full all the way.
Which brings up the concept of meal time. Amtrak practices communal seating. You show up in the dining car and you are seated where there is space. Now this is one of the more charming attractions to the train ride. You get to talk to diverse people about diverse things. Of all the meals I had on the trip so far I have talked about my trip, about families all over the country and lastly I met two young ladies from Seattle who were computer code writers and we talked nothing but computers for an hour, until they requested that we leave so others could eat! Oh yes, there was the couple from Houston, Texas who when we were served asked if we could say a table grace which I though was totally appropriate and we did. ( some how thanking the supreme being for a fine steak on a train seemed to be a good idea!)
Oh, yes did I mention that on the Southwest Chief there were some Mennonites which I saw only at the last moment, I was hoping to talk to them so I could practice my forgotten German but they must have gotten off by the time I knew they were riding with us- Both the Amish and the Mennoites see no problem with riding the train since they are not responsible for the operation!
(How are you going to keep the kid down on the farm when he’s seen the lights of LA?)
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