North Bound #500 for the week of the 5th thru the 8th of September.

Today I boarded the train for my regular Portland to Tacoma and back trips for work.

I got to the station with about 15 minutes to spare before departure time.  I however find that the train isn't there and is not intended to arrive till after it is due to depart.  The reader board read that the train would probably depart around 8:55am.  Of course as things go the train arrived about 10 minutes after the 8:55am time and did not depart until about 9:06am.

At that point the train made haste getting over to Vancouver and after a few minutes out of the station we again where delayed.  After stopping for about 8 minutes for a freight we where off again.

I decided it best to go to the Bistro Car and grab some breakfast to be prepared for the coming work day.  I stumbled myself into the Bistro and grabbed some grub to eat.  It was tasty and after sucking that down and sipping away some apple juice I was fueled and ready for the rest of the trip and the day.

Upon finishing my food I returned to my seat, but because I was sitting facing another seat I had no where for my laptop.  So with that I stumbled back to the Diner Car portion of the Bistro Car.  Sat with another guy who was riding the train up from Salem.  We shared a conversation for a spell and then I started working in ernest.  I did find it rather entertaining that my fellow conversationalist was riding the train because his Ford Ranger had broken down.  That is one thing about train riding, they might be late (which is another matter all together), but it'll get you there better than riding around in an old Ford Pickup!  Not that, that is saying much though.

So at an annoyingly late 11:20am we finally arrived in Olympia-Lacey.  At this point we're gonna be a bit late since the arrival time in Tacoma is supposed to be sometime around 11:20am.

After the trials and tribulations of the trip we finally arrive in Tacoma at 12:30pm, mid-day.  I have at this point effectively missed one of the meetings I needed to attend.

Later in the week on the south bound trip nothing eventful happened.  I'd have more to write but I slept the entire trip until about 10 minutes out of Vancouver.  The train arrived at exactly 8:55pm per the scheduled time.  Now if only the important trip to Tacoma had been this way!