A southbound Amtrak Cascades train speeds past Hawkins Road near Winlock, Washington on its way to Vancouver, Washington in an effort to ferry commuters across the state. The clouds at this location look ominous, but the light on the train is just right. It’s just another day in the beautiful Pacific North West!
I hope one day I can have a commute that is as beautiful as the ride is along the Amtrak Cascades route.
I hope you all enjoy the photo,
Ryan Dadgari
Sacramento, Ca.
Very Nice! [tup]
I would cast a vote for the ride on the South Shore between Michigan City and Gary in the heart of the dunes country. My second place vote would be on the NJT ex-Erie main line inbound from Passaic with a view of the Manhattan skyline across the Jersey Meadows.
Any which way you slice it, for a flatlander from Michigan the Cascades are God’s country I was there in 2006, but was flying in a Cessna 182. I didn’t see any trains, but the overview of that neck of the woods was truly beautiful. We based out of Pullman, WA; so I got to see lots of the countryside while flying to Mt St. Helens.
It was the trip of a lifetime for me. Shame I didn’t see a train to photograph.
Very nice composition in photo Ryan…Neat looking train…Great that the “snow plow” has nothing to do…and great looking track.
That would indeed be a beautiful commute, Ryan. It would take me a long time to become calloused to that one. Another in the same category would be any services by Metro North along the Hudson River.
But I’ll also put portions of “my” Metra line (UP West) up among the contenders, particularly in the vicinity of the Fox River. My own ideas of “scenic” would include facilities where freight cars and other trains might be observed, but “beauty” is a little harder to come by.
It’s been over 20 years since I’ve been on these tracks, but there’s now commuter service on the former SP north and west out of LA to Santa Barbara and Goleta. Having spent a little time in Carpinteria, and a little more time driving on 101, I’d say that route has some “beauty” possibilities.
If commuter service to St. Joseph, Michigan, could be established out of Chicago (regardless of route west of New Buffalo), you’d have another contender.