Re: Amtrak charers : Seattle - Leavenworth, Wa.
Author: George Andrews
Date: 12-08-2023 - 08:26
My apologies; I didn't ride the Snow Train the last few years due to the increased cost. I don't remember any CZ cars on the trains I rode, only the ex - Santa Fe BIG dome on the West end of the consist. It was always amusing to watch regular coach passengers head straight to the dome, only to be turned back towards their assigned seats in the Amfleet or Horizon cars. The scratched, fogged, and dirty windows in the coaches made the BIG dome worth the extra cost, at least until the last few years.
One amusing trip concerned BOTH engines shutting down about 3 Miles into Scenic Tunnel on the ( still UP-hill ) Eastbound trip. The engineer had already killed the HEP to the consist due to overheating and/or other issues, which really freaked out the passengers now in the dark. ( I had my BAT flashlight with me.) Then I heard on my scanner : " Conducter & Trainman - start tying down the handbrakes !!! " My wife asked : " What happens if we roll back out of the tunnel ? " - My reply : " We'll be the FIRST ONES to the Scene of THE CRASH !!! " A re-set of tripped relays ( and maybe popsickle sticks & duct tape ??? ), and we were back on our way.