Pacific Northwest Transport Hub's video: AMTRAK SERIES 6 TALGO FUNERAL TRAIN LEAVING PACIFIC NORTHWEST FOR THE FINAL TIME

In 1994, the state of Washington along with the state of Oregon and Amtrak began testing Talgo (Talgo Pendular as manufactured) equipment on the busy Seattle-Portland corridor. In 1998, 5 of these trainsets were purchased for permanent use on the line and would be dubbed the Amtrak Cascades, as it is still known today. Funded by the state of Washington and Oregon, these trains are operated by Amtrak and provide a nice alternative to the drive down the sometimes busy interstate 5. Operating between Vancouver, BC and Eugene, OR, the train makes many stops along the roughly 400 mile route including its main destinations of Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. Using the Talgo equipment enables the train to make the main part of the journey from Seattle to Portland up to 30 minutes faster than other rail options. In 2013, an additional two new Series 8 trainsets were purchased to expand service and eventually replace the now aging Series 6 sets. In June 2020, the original 5 (now 4 as one trainset was destroyed in a 2017 wreck) Series 6 Talgo Pendular trainsets had reached the end of their service life and were officially retired. With replacement equipment to be ordered or already on its way, it was time for these trainsets to meet their fate. As the FRA made recommendations they were beyond their service life, selling them to a new buyer seemed highly unlikely and as a result, these trainsets sat unused in Seattle, WA for months. Having been retired and pulled from service, there was just no use for them any further. In February 2021, they were finally purchased by Coast Rail Services, a scrapper, in Anaheim, CA. On February 28th, 2021 Amtrak provided a special move from Seattle, WA to position two of the retired sets to their final resting place. In this video, you will see a few quick shots of the Talgo Series 6 traveling over its home rails one last time. [Location 1:] AMTK leads the funeral train, operating as train , past the Sumner Sounder station at track speed. [Location 2:] The funeral train glides past the Centralia, WA Amtrak station. [Location 3:] Perfect timing does happen! The funeral train is seen running along the I5 corridor in Kelso, WA. [Location 4:] The train pauses briefly for fueling and a crew change at Portland Union Station. [Location 5:] After departing Portland, the special continues south thru "horn alley" in east Portland.