Trains have always held a childlike magic in my eyes, I remember as a little girl squealing with delight if we were driving past a train, trying to catch a glimpse of the conductor or the people who were traveling aboard.
Movies portrayed them as romantic wonderful modes of transportation.
So when Don suggested we travel on the Coast Starlight from Seattle to San Jose I was all in. Though the trip would be longer, the price was significantly less expensive and we would have the chance to see scenery along the way without the exhaustion of driving.
We arrived at The King Street Train Station in Seattle an hour before boarding. Tuesday seemed like a good day to be taking the train as there were only a few people traveling.
Amtrak has not entered the digital world yet so the gentleman as the ticket window made sure we knew if we lost our tickets that they could not reissue, so Don made sure he tucked them away safely.
We checked our larger bags (no more then 50 pounds per bag) and made our way out to the beautiful waiting area. I felt like I had stepped into another era surrounded by beautiful white marble and engraved ceilings. Everyone was chatty as we stood in line waiting for the call to board. Don had purchased business class seats so our line was much shorter.
We chatted with people from all over the world, all traveling to different places for different reasons. But all of us seemed to have the same level of excitement, we were traveling on a train. 
Boarding the Coast Starlight
Pink Hat Gypsy 