Southern Pacific’s premier trains the Shasta Daylight, and the Cascade served the northwest from San Francisco to Portland and Seattle from the 1950s into the 1960s.
- They served dozens of California, Oregon and Washington cities.
- The Shasta was popular with tourists and the Cascade, a favorite with business people.
THE SHASTA DAYLIGHT
- Today, much of the original Shasta Daylight and Cascade routes are operated by Amtrak’s Coast Starlight.
The streamlined Shasta Daylight was the long-distance daylight train between San Francisco/Oakland and Portland.

- Until the late 1950s, SP Ferry Service would take passengers from the San Francisco Ferry Building to the Oakland Mole and the awaiting SP and Western Pacific trains. When the ferry service was terminated passengers were transported by bus.
The deluxe train offered chair car, parlor car accommodations with dining and lounge car services. The Shasta was one of the most modern-day trains in America.
Depart Oakland – 7:45 AM, Arrive Portland – 11:15 PM
Depart Portland – 7:45 AM, Arrive Portland – 11:15 PM
THE CASCADE
The streamlined Cascade was SP’s overnight train between San Francisco/Oakland and Portland with sleeping cars to and from Seattle.
Depart Oakland – 4:35 PM, Arrive Portland – 8:15 AM
Depart Portland – 4:45 PM, Arrive Oakland – 8:20 AM
The Southern Pacific streamlined Cascade offered sleeping car, chair car, lounge, and dining car service between Oakland and Portland. The through sleepers to Seattle numbered four and traveled north from Portland by the Union Pacific Railroad northbound and the Northern Pacific Railway southbound.
AMTRAK’S COAST STARLIGHT – REVIEW
Business Class – San Francisco to Seattle
- One of my favorite travel bloggers, Downielive – Mike, recently took the Amtrak Coast Starlight from San Francisco to Seattle business class.
- He’s taken a number of train trips in the USA, Canada, and Europe. On the newer trains whose predecessors varied in service and comfort.
- He’s not alone and there are other bloggers I follow who take trains, planes, and cruise ships, along with visiting hotels, etc.
- Mike’s Review: I spent 24 hours in Amtrak Business Class, riding the train from San Francisco to Seattle.

- Honestly, the Business Class Section wasn’t much different from the regular coach class on the Amtrak Coastal Starlight. Would I recommend the train? Yes. But for a trip that long, I’d recommend a sleeper car, maybe.
THEN and NOW
We will be covering bloggers, like Mike at Downielive, where they are covering a form of travel, that has a strong past history like the Starlight’s predecessor trains. Mike has traveled on Amtrak name trains they have predecessors like the Coast Starlight such as the Sunset Limited and Empire Builder along with trains in the United Kingdom with strong elements from the past.
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