Story and photographs by Richard Elgenson

RailNews Network writer

Just prior to arriving in Seattle on May 15, 2008 aboard the Amtrak Cascades train #500, I caught a glimpse of an old friend.  That old friend turned out to be the Amtrak Beech Grove car and it was at the end of a Superliner trainset.  My first inclination was that the train was the Empire Builder.  I had been an invited guest of Amtrak in 2004 for the 75th Anniversary Empire Builder.  At King Street Station, I asked an agent about this car.  All she knew was that it came in the prior day and brought in Amtrak Board members.  I asked what time the Empire Builder was slated to leave Seattle and then made my way to my room and then stopped in a local national chain brewery somewhere on 5th Street. When I was done with my two imperial pints, I hightailed down to 3rd Street bus tunnel.  I caught the first bus and exited at International stop by Union Station and King Street Station.  The Empire Builder was already boarding.  Making my way down the platform, I found the Beech Grove car with 5 or 6 Amtrak people around the open end of the car.  Having been on this car before, I was interested in at least seeing  and photographing it again.  One of the Amtrak people told me that the Cascades train #516 had not arrived yet.  The Empire Builder was held for passengers connecting from 516.  At the last moment, I decided to ask an Amtrak Vice President of Marketing  & Product Management if I could ride with them for one stop.  The answer was yes.  I was boarded and entered the car and chatted with the two most senior executives about a variety of topics.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

The train made its first stop at Edmonds and picked up more passengers, and dropped only one off, which was me.

Page 2 Edmonds to Everett

Portland 2008 Vacation Main Page  where I took the Coast Starlight to Portland, Seattle and return to Los Angeles.  Also, a visit to the Brooklyn Roundhouse and Oregon Zoo Washington Park & Zoo Railroad.