Writing on the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle
Last week, I took Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train from Los Angeles to Seattle, which meant 36 hours on the rails. That’s a very long time to spend in linear motion, but it was worth it.
My goal was to get some quality, uninterrupted writing time for the oft-delayed Tarzan, and I got it. I wrote long-hand, as I usually do on first drafts, and faxed the pages back to Los Angeles once I got to Seattle. Once everything was typed up, I had 41 more pages finished, which is good for three day’s work.
I’d recommend the train for any writer looking for some good alone time. Some caveats:
- American trains are much, much slower than their European counterparts. We averaged 35.6 miles per hour.
- My train was 2.5 hours late getting to Seattle, which is apparently the norm. So don’t expect to make it somewhere at a specific time.
- You absolutely need a sleeping car. I have no trouble flying coach, but beyond hour ten, you’ll be pulling your hair out if you don’t have a door you can shut.
- The dining car seats parties of four, so they’ll put you with strangers. Everyone I ate with was friendly and talkative.
- Bring a pillowcase. The Amtrak linens are scratchy.
- Cell phones work almost everywhere, except parts of Northern California.
I flew back from Seattle, which was always my plan. As much as I enjoyed my Amtrak time, I don’t know if I could have taken another 36 hours of train so soon.
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April 20th, 2004 at 1:56 pm
Writing long hand on a train? How did you manage that for such a long time without going crazy with all the bumps? And I’m wondering if you were writing it in script format or some sort of scriptment…
April 20th, 2004 at 4:26 pm
I can only do notes long hand… I have a thing about writing things twice, and can’t seem to do that for scripts, must have a comp. I tried to write last year when I was coming to and from the middle east, that was about a whole day on a plane each way. And for some reason I couldn’t get any work done. I find that people, even those I don’t know, distract me. I’m such a fan of the human condition that anytime someone got up, or said something, or talked to me, I had to listen and interact. I don’t know if John had his own little cabin (like they do in the movies), the only time I’ve been on a train is Caltrain, and that’s just a big ass bus on rails. But it seems like a slow train to anywhere sounds like an experience, got to try it at least once. Just one thing, 36 hours? Are there showers on these things?
April 21st, 2004 at 11:39 am
I actually really like writing in public. While I was in Seattle, I wrote quite a bit at restaurants and at a mall food court. On the train, I had my own little cabin, which was crucial. The normal seating is a lot like a bus.
Jonathan asked about the bumps, but there really aren’t that many on a train. Yes, there’s the clack-clack-clack of the rails, and some sideways sway (especially because the cars are two stories tall). But my penmanship never suffered for it.
April 22nd, 2004 at 2:39 am
Good advice John, I may have to go from LA to SF to get some work done on Amtrak now.
April 25th, 2004 at 12:31 am
I’ve wondered who takes the train for long trips thesedays. I’ve looked into doing it myself a few times but the price always seems to be more than I can justify. Just two months ago I looked into a 36 hour ride (with the intent of writing too), but the one way ticket was actually twice the price of roundtrip plane tickets to Paris, on a weeks notice. I still hope to take a train trip someday though, amd your post confirms that it could be worthwhile.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:57 pm
I recently took the Coast Starlight to Seattle. I was interested in seeing the sights. The trip was well worth it. The sights were incredible, especially in Northern California. The train slowed down, it was as if we were gliding along, silently, seeing this unparellled beautiful vista.
However, I am glad that I flew back. The train was VERY delayed, approximately 12 hours, I arrived in Seattle at 4 AM. The food was below par.
One experience was very interesting. The train was near Klamath Falls Lake. I was doing the wine tasting. Suddenly, we noticed the wine glasses began to lean more and more. The train stopped, then all power went off. We sure did not know what to think while we were sitting there in the leaning car. Approximately 45 minutes later the train started up again.
The train had to stop often to let others pass by. This might attributed to the delay.
Inspite of the above, the trip was outstanding because of the scenery and well worth it.
Joyce
August 10th, 2006 at 8:20 pm
hire a babysitter
August 25th, 2007 at 8:03 am
How much does it cost from LA to Seattle, RT? The amtrak site is fucked up and I’m tired of looking through search engines. Do they hassle you like they do with flying? I won’t fly because of all the “security” bullshit, meaning-regimentation.So wanted to know if amtrak was any better.