I'm glad you had a good "train experience." Mine have not been good. No "wide seats" around here on trains.
I do have some questions for you though. What is the roundtrip fare between Portland and Seattle on that train? How does that compare with the (approximately) $22.50 (assuming 20 mpg for the 360 mile roundtrip at $1.25/gallon)? How about adding the cost of a taxi or bus (to get one from the train station to one's final destination)? Which is cheaper for the consumer?
The one-way fare from Portland to Seattle is about $22 if you buy the ticket in advance and stay away from weekend travel, when the trains jam up. Buying tickets at the last minute and traveling on weekends brings a higher price. It's similar to the airlines' version of congestion pricing.