Amtrak Cascades Sails across Northwest U.S.

Talgo Trains Connect British Columbia to Oregon and Washington

Aug 9, 2009

Amtrak Cascades route uses Talgo trains to provide rail service between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, Canada, with stops in Portland, Seattle, and other Northwest cities.

In 2009, Amtrak celebrated 10 years of providing intercity passenger service on their scenic Amtrak Cascades route, which connects cities along the Interstate-5 corridor in the Pacific Northwest. The Cascades service uses the sleek Talgo passenger trains - noted for their efficiency, comfort, and distinctive style - to move passengers between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as points in between.

The Amtrak Cascades service debuted in 1999 and since then has carried over 6 million passengers. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), ridership on the Cascades reached nearly 775,000 passengers in 2008, the highest ridership in the history of the service. That's a 14.4 percent increase over the number of passengers in 2007 and a 71 percent increase over 1999.

Amtrak Cascades Service in the Pacific Northwest

The Cascades service currently offers four daily round-trips between Portland and Seattle, with connecting service between Portland and Eugene and between Seattle and Bellingham, Washington. In addition, the route includes a daily round-trip between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia.

Amtrak also provides connecting motor coach service that links Bellingham, Mount Vernon, and Everett (all in Washington) with the Cascades service. Because Amtrak offers this connecting bus service, passengers have more options for reaching the northern Puget Sound area. In addition, similar motor coach connections are available to Portland, Eugene, Albany, and Salem (all in Oregon), providing passengers with even more flexibility.

The success of the Cascades service is in no small measure due to the partnership between Amtrak, Talgo, the WSDOT, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. In fact, the service relies on subsidies from Washington state and Oregon. For example, according to the WSDOT, the taxpayer subsidies in FFY 2008 for Washington-supported trains were $14.6 million.

Touring the Northwest in Talgo Trains

The Amtrak Cascades route is much more than an intercity passenger train. Not only does the route provide stunning views of the Pacific Northwest and Puget Sound, but does so through the elegant, streamlined comfort of Talgo trains. The Cascade services currently includes five Talgo trains, three owned by the WSDOT and two by Amtrak.

The European-style trains include panoramic windows and muted interior tones to showcase the Northwest's spectacular views. The cars are equipped with amenities such as electric outlets for laptops, audio-video outlets, and wheelchair lifts. Typically, each train comprises 12 cars - business and coach class cars as well as the dining and bistro cars - and can carry about 250 passengers, including space for people who are mobility-impaired.

The Talgo trains are actually designed for high-speed rail service, although current track and safety systems limit the maximum speed to 79 mph. However, the trains still take advantage of this design. For example, to help maintain their speed through curves, the cars include a special technology that uses gravity to tilt them. This alone cuts off 25 minutes between Seattle and Portland. In addition, the locomotives are aerodynamically designed for lower drag, and they use a computer-controlled fuel injection system.

Talgo Train Renovations

Amtrak and the WSDOT recently completed a major renovation on all the coach and business class Talgo cars used on the Cascades route. The renovation includes new exterior paint as well as upgrades to the cars' interior. For instance, Amtrak has replaced coverings, surfaces, and decorative elements with more contemporary furnishings. And the seats have been replaced with fully reclining chairs upholstered in leather.

But not all the renovations are visible to the passengers. For example, the Talgo cars have been upgraded with safety and comfort features such as the following:

Amtrak also plans to implement a new GPS-based video information system, provide passengers with free Wi-Fi, and upgrade the bistro and dining cars.

Regardless of when these extras are available, the Amtrak Cascades service - with its Talgo trains and scenic routes through the Pacific Northwest - is an ideal way to travel up the I-5 corridor through Oregon and Washington and into British Columbia. It is a service unlike any other in the U.S. and provides a memorable travel experience for locals and visitors alike.

The copyright of the article Amtrak Cascades Sails across Northwest U.S. in NW U.S./Alaska Travel is owned by R.H. Sheldon. Permission to republish Amtrak Cascades Sails across Northwest U.S. in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.