Hello Reader, it's Kev!

The new Amtrak Airo trains are launching soon in the Northwest, and I’m excited to see how they perform! Here in the Midwest, we have Venture cars with a similar layout. I like them overall, but the seats on the Airo trains look like they could be an improvement to what we have.

Oh, and my trip changed again! More about that below.

Amtrak’s New Airo Trains Start Carrying Passengers September 30

I’ve covered Amtrak’s new Airo trains in past newsletters, and now their first passengers are about to board! Amtrak Cascades will introduce the new equipment on September 30, making it the first route in the country to put Airo trains into passenger service.

I won’t be at the launch, though I wish I could!

The rollout begins with two trainsets covering four daily trips:

• 516: Seattle to Vancouver, B.C.
• 519: Vancouver, B.C., to Seattle
• 503: Seattle to Eugene, Oregon
• 508: Eugene to Seattle

Onboard, travelers can expect adjustable headrests, panoramic windows, individual power outlets and USB ports, improved accessibility, and a refreshed café experience featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine and beverages.

Not every Cascades departure will have the new equipment right away. Additional trainsets will enter service through early 2027 as Amtrak gradually replaces the existing fleet.

​Read Amtrak’s announcement and launch details.​

My Trip Update

This trip keeps changing!

As you read this, I was supposed to be aboard the Crescent, headed for Pennsylvania. I’m still traveling, but the trip, again, looks a little different from what I originally planned. Instead of leaving on Monday, I left on Wednesday.

I planned this trip a few months ago, but with everyday expenses taking a bigger bite lately, I decided to rethink how much I wanted to spend on this getaway.

So, I skipped New Orleans and kept the second half of the trip. I’m taking the Floridian from Chicago to Pittsburgh, then the Pennsylvanian to Lancaster. If you remember, I took the same route last year after I got off the Southwest Chief.

The part I’m less excited about is the Pittsburgh layover: getting off one train around 5 a.m. and waiting until about 7:30 a.m. for the next. It’s manageable, but it’s an early start, and the station offers little to help pass the time.

That said, I love riding the Pennsylvanian. The scenery is beautiful, especially this time of year, and the route includes the famous Horseshoe Curve. If I’m remembering our plans correctly, I’ll also get to see the curve from outside the train on this trip!

I’m disappointed about skipping New Orleans, but the change saved me some points for a future adventure.

As the Rolling Stones put it, “You can’t always get what you want, (but you can get what you need).” But a train ride to Pennsylvania and a possible spring trip to look forward to still sound pretty good.

What Is Kev Up To?

This past weekend, I took a chance and brought my eldest niece, Mackenzie, to Milwaukee for a theatre organ concert. I wasn’t sure how it would go, but I’m glad we went!

The afternoon was special for a few reasons: my best friend, Dean, was performing; the organ is the only theatre organ in Milwaukee still in its original home; and Mack had never been to anything like this.

The organ console is still on a lift, and watching Mack’s face as Dean began playing and rose from the orchestra pit was priceless. She was glued to him! Not every part of the concert was her thing, but she did well and had a good time.

Afterward, we headed to Organ Piper Pizza, a place I used to hang out years ago. It’s one of the country’s few remaining “pizza and pipes” restaurants, where live organ music accompanies your meal. Mack was thrilled when Zack played two of her requests, The Haunted Mansion Theme and Thriller, and she loved watching him perform them.

I have a spare phone that I use as a hotspot when I travel, and I let her use it occasionally. But at one point, she looked at me and said, “I don’t need the phone. I want to watch.”

A pretty good reminder for her uncle—and maybe for all of us. Sometimes it’s worth putting the phone down to enjoy what’s happening right in front of us.

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Until Next Week!

Safe Travels & Happy Planning,
Kev Monteith