Seattle / Vancouver Amtrak Update

[LeftcoastBC]

2 Trains a day for another year...... good news

 

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Amtrak+train+gets+year+reprieve/3675533/story.html

[porsena]

So the party in power prefers not to look a fool in Vancouver. Thanks for the link.

[Putterdude]

Not at all, I said it would continue...and they listened to me.;)

[trophy_23]

Very glad to see it!!

[BCHappyGal]

Excellent news - thanks for posting - as I really want to ride the Amtrak but missed the Sept 30th deadline for being able to make it a day tirp south in the morning and north in the evening.

 

Hopefully I will be able to do some of the short 1 day repositioning cruises Van - Seattle or in reverse using the Amtrack in the opposite direction.

 

This year just did not work for me due to family committments in the fall and being on a cruise in the Baltics in the spring.

[Sally Forth]

Excellent news - thanks for posting - as I really want to ride the Amtrak but missed the Sept 30th deadline for being able to make it a day tirp south in the morning and north in the evening.

 

Hopefully I will be able to do some of the short 1 day repositioning cruises Van - Seattle or in reverse using the Amtrack in the opposite direction.

 

This year just did not work for me due to family committments in the fall and being on a cruise in the Baltics in the spring.

 

Thanks for the great idea about doing a positioning with Amtrak. Some smart travel agent should do this as a package.

 

Viv

[Putterdude]

That is what we are going to do with our 2 repositioning cruises next year.

[LeftcoastBC]

Not at all, I said it would continue...and they listened to me.;)

 

Nope it was me. I got a hold of my MP and told him to do his job. He is the Transport Minister after all. lol.

 

I note he hasn't taken any credit yet.....

 

Today in the paper someone's calling for two more trains a day each way...and an upgrade on the tracks.. Now we are talkin'

[scottbee]

Nope it was me. I got a hold of my MP and told him to do his job. He is the Transport Minister after all. lol.

 

I note he hasn't taken any credit yet.....

 

Today in the paper someone's calling for two more trains a day each way...and an upgrade on the tracks.. Now we are talkin'

 

We'll be talking when they've upgraded the tracks to run even medium speed rail service. It's only 250km from Vancouver to Seattle, can you imagine a train that was only 1½hrs (vs the 4 it is now). Also, looking at the map, they should reroute it east of the BLI airport, and make a BLI airport stop.

[LeftcoastBC]

and maybe we will talk some more with a route up through Abbotsford and then into Vcr.

 

The upgrade of course would be the clincher but having come up on the train from Oakland not too long ago I can tell you that the tracks between Seattle and here are still better than some. So it will be a long talk and lots & lots of money.

 

Of course the stretch in Canada is one of the worse

[BCHappyGal]

That is what we are going to do with our 2 repositioning cruises next year.

 

Which repositioning ones are you on next spring - maybe we could join you ???

 

Ann

[LeftcoastBC]

Which repositioning ones are you on next spring - maybe we could join you ???

 

Ann

 

Are we talking about a Canada Forum BC overnighter or two ? Maybe?

That might work for us too :)

[Putterdude]

We are transferring from the Golden to the Sapphire to go to Seattle in May then taking the Sapphire to Seattle in September....just a shameless ploy to achieve Elite with Princess by next year (you know free laundry, bar set up, internet and free shoe shines....you know those free perks which only cost you $30k or so.:eek:) Then our next major cruise after that is with Celebrity...go figure.:rolleyes:

[Putterdude]

I am doing my Christopher Columbus tricks again (you know, don't know where I am going, don't where I was and do it all on borrowed money), I think the September junket is Seattle to Vancouver...all I know for sure is that we have a reservation....and I have 11 months to figure it out....yes, I just found the res... it is Seattle to Vancouver on the Sapphire, September 18, 2011.:o

[BCHappyGal]

Are we talking about a Canada Forum BC overnighter or two ? Maybe?

That might work for us too :)

 

Wouldn't that be FUN - think we can get it together ???

 

Putterdude

Unfortunately Sept 18th 2011 does not work for me - have to be in Edmonton for work...

Darn that work that just keeps getting in the way of my cruisin fun! Now if they would only sell me the winning lotto ticket so I could just retire onto a cruise ship :):):)

 

Does the spring repositioning ones work for anyone... we could pick up the 1 nighter - gives us our loyalty point towards elite and the free perks and we can usually buy that for under $100. as long as we wait till close to sail date.

And we could continue the party on the Amtrak on the way home too!

[LeftcoastBC]

Wouldn't that be FUN - think we can get it together ???

 

Putterdude

Unfortunately Sept 18th 2011 does not work for me - have to be in Edmonton for work...

Darn that work that just keeps getting in the way of my cruisin fun! Now if they would only sell me the winning lotto ticket so I could just retire onto a cruise ship :):):)

 

Does the spring repositioning ones work for anyone... we could pick up the 1 nighter - gives us our loyalty point towards elite and the free perks and we can usually buy that for under $100. as long as we wait till close to sail date.

And we could continue the party on the Amtrak on the way home too!

 

MAY Might work for me. I plan to be on the Century in September arriving back in town on the 18th and I doubt I will want to go south for a day :)

[BCHappyGal]

Hi all

Messed up on my dates in Sept I can do the 18th as it is the following weekend I have to be in Edmonton...however will try to do both the spring & fall 1 nighter just for the loyalty point...although I think I will get to elite faster with # of days rather than # of cruises...

 

What we won't do for that free laundry service :):)

 

Think we should start a thread specially for us Canadian CC'ers who want to meet up on a ship together so we can put faces to names :):):)

[porsena]

We're already on Millenium's repositioning (wine) cruise out of San Diego on May 3. September is open.

[porsena]

We'll be talking when they've upgraded the tracks to run even medium speed rail service. It's only 250km from Vancouver to Seattle, can you imagine a train that was only 1½hrs (vs the 4 it is now). Also, looking at the map, they should reroute it east of the BLI airport, and make a BLI airport stop.

The annual joint Cabinet meeting between BC and WA took place today. Washington has received $590 million from the US federal fast rail initiative, primarily for improving the Amtrak service between Seattle and Portland. Some of it will be spent, so Gov Gregoire said, in preparations for improving the service from Seattle to the border. Gordon Campbell said BC would make it a priority to work on the rest of the link in the next year. I'd like to think this might happen, I really would.

 

It's clear that powerful politicians and their staff have been lurking on this thread but taking notice, first to PD and now to Scott:). Where should we go next?

[Putterdude]

The "Sun" doesn't seem to have the story on line yet but the CP and CBC seems to have picked it up... http://news.ca.msn.com/local/britishcolumbia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=26021153

[Urban trekker]

I too might be interested in a repositioning next year - I think it might be neat if a bunch of us who talk regularly hear on CC were to get together for a social event like a local cruise.

 

Cheers from Boston.

 

Dennis

[BCHappyGal]

Count us in

 

Ann

 

You can find me at ann dot thompson at century 21 dot ca