driving portland - evening rain

let me know when it is available to see - for now it is "access denied".

So evocative.... and wet!
I know Amtrak because my company, Alstom, has equipped its trains! You can send me the complaints, I will pass them on (without guaranteeing the answer :)

We are set here alot - but we love it because it brings us so much wonderful green. We don't even use umbrellas (you can tell tourists and transplants from other places because they think they need an umbrella) - we cover our heads only if it comes down heavy (rare), otherwise we just go about our business!

haha - I will definitely give you my complaints - haha. But really, it's great that your company equips the Amtrak trains. Are you getting more business now with our new transportation upgrades?

The west coast always gets the last of the upgrades - so tell
Alstrom to push for the west coast! We will ride more with more upgrades!!!!

Unfortunately, they removed the best part of our Coast Starlight train - the parlour car. They were very old, but very cool. Great viewing, with wine tastings and a downstairs movie theater. Games in the cupboard to borrow and wooden booths. Miss them so much!! (they probably sold them or trashed them *sad face*). Apparently too expensive to keep fixing. But some companies don't understand that sometimes those special things that are expensive are the thing that bring extra value to travelers - that bring extra joy to the experience, making the extra cost of the first class train ticket worth it (the car was for 1st class passengers). Ah well. I have happy memories. (sorry to go on about it - I miss travelling in general and by train mostly.)

I agree with you, Laura: train trips are the most pleasant and favorable to our view of the landscape and freedom of movement. A kind of carefree attitude...
The less "profitable" lines are being closed here and there.
In Europe the Orient Express is threatened. The Trans-Siberian remains the best preserved mythical train! But the local and tourist "small lines" (that bring "extra value to travelers"), after having been progressively disused in France, are coming back into service: low-polluting transport is back in fashion. Let's hope it will be the same on the west coast of your country!