Taking Amtrak

arthur · Aug 22, 2008

Just curious,has anybody taken the train for an extended trip lately.You always see people taking the train in the old movies and it looks really cool,what with the sleeping cars and having a lounge on board .it seems like a nice way to go cross country.I just wondered how the experience stacks up in the modern age.

zaika · Aug 22, 2008

I dunno if 2001 is recent enough for you...but I took a train from Washington D.C. to Portland, OR and loved every minute of it. I didn't even have a compartment.

There was something really great about sitting in the dining car, watching the scenery go by.

I spent a lot of time in the scenic car where the windows go all the way up to the cieling.

I think, though, it's less civilized than in the movies. People don't seem to know how to enjoy the trip and entertain themselves...they're restless and noisy at times. And the food is really expensive (of course, I was a poor student, so I couldn't afford much...).

Even then...I'd totally do another train ride someday!

Samsa · Aug 22, 2008

The summer before last I took the Amtrak train from Detroit, MI to Spokane, WA. I loved it. Before that I took trips from Detroit to Colorado, but that was back in 1997 and 1999.

Jay · Aug 22, 2008

Two years ago I went from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. Didn't go with the sleeper car thing so I got to sit in a big fairly comfortable seat the whole time. Nice part was there was tons of leg room and the seat when waaaaay back. Sure beat planes for comfort. Plus they had chicken fried steak in the dining car. It took 3 days but it was a fun trip.

Vornholt · Aug 22, 2008

My wife and I took the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles and on to San Francisco via the Coast Starlight. Enjoyed every minute of it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Oh, wait, I have. Chicago to New Orleans, and Indy to Chicago to San Antonio.

First class sleeper. No other way to travel.

Miss 1940's · Aug 22, 2008

From Bakersfield to San fran!
A nice 6 hour train ride!

Tomasso · Aug 22, 2008

Vornholt said:
First class sleeper. No other way to travel.

So true, even if only for the shower.

Nathan Flowers · Aug 22, 2008

Tomasso said:
So true, even if only for the shower.

I completely agree. The included meals are quite palatable, too.

Josephine · Aug 22, 2008

Every other year we take the train from DC to Charleston WV. We'll be taking it from DC to Orlando and back when we go on the cruise. It's nice, but the trains are near always late. ALWAYS. You just have to factor that in when you're traveling. Amtrak Delays has a searchable history of how late the trains are. Very helpful.

dhermann1 · Aug 22, 2008

In 2004 I took Amtrak from New York to Buffalo, and also another trip from NY to Hartford. Totally enjoyable.
Amtrak's problem is that they don't own the tracks they run on. Part of the deal in 1969 when Amtrak was created was that the railroads were no longer required to carry passengers, but they still had to give the Amtrak trains prioroty on the tracks when there was a conflict. The railroads don't always necessarily honor this commitment, so one factor in Amtrak lateness is getting stuck on a siding while a freight train passes by.
Having ridden on the 20th Century Limited in 1953 (I just had to get that in) I can tell you train travel ain't what it used to be. But then again it never was. The best lines were fabulous, but the worst lines were horrific.
Amtrak today, for all its faults and problems, is a really wonderful and worthwhile experience.

DerMann · Aug 22, 2008

Unfortunately, public transportation is a dirty word in the Houston area.

There are no trains or mono-rails within the city itself - only buses and a new whisper-silent death train that was recently installed, which doesn't service the entire city.

Supposedly, there is an AmTrak station in the city where I'm going to college (Crawfordsville, Indiana), which is on a route that can take me from Indiana to New York (with stops along the way). With all the glowing remarks in this thread, I await my first train trip even more. Might just take a sleeper train somewhere for the heck of it (if I can afford it :x ).-

Dread Scott · Aug 22, 2008

dhermann1 said:
Part of the deal in 1969 when Amtrak was created was that the railroads were no longer required to carry passengers, but they still had to give the Amtrak trains prioroty on the tracks when there was a conflict. The railroads don't always necessarily honor this commitment, so one factor in Amtrak lateness is getting stuck on a siding while a freight train passes by.
.

My understanding is that they ALWAYS give priority to freight, at least in the South. Now that the Texas Eagle is goners, it's even worse, as everything hubs to Chicago, even from Texas. It's a wonderful way to travel however - at least it was 15 years ago, when I last rode.

An interesting note - evidently, if you own your own private car, it can still be hooked up on a freight line, and parked at your destination. Or so I've been told.

Joie DeVive · Aug 22, 2008

In 2006 I took the California Zepher from California to Colorado. It wasn't a terribly extended trip, as it was only two days and one night, but I had a marvelous time.

If you are going to be on the train overnight, you really should invest the money in a sleeper of some variety. I was by myself, and I found the roomette option to be more than adequate. At least when I traveled, such an upgrade included the afore mentioned dining car meals. My meals were quite decent. It isn't like a 4 star restaurant, but I thought it was better than Denny's.

The viewing car Zaika mentioned was a delight, and once I got over the fear of being left behind, I ventured off the train at stops, and even bought snacks from the local vendors a few times.

If you do take the train, my tips are:

As stated, get a room of some variety.
Bring a couple things to do in case you get bored. (Sketch pad, cards, books)
Go to bed when it gets dark, especially if you have any propensity towards motion sickness.
Get to know your trainmates, particularly ones in your car. It's so much nicer to go to meals with a buddy.

Happy Trails!

Joie

Flivver · Aug 22, 2008

Whenever I have business in NYC, I try to take the Acela Express from Boston's South Station (built in 1898). The Acela is fast and comfortable. The best part of the trip is going over the historic Hell's Gate Bridge as the train nears Manhattan.

But arriving in the "new" Penn Station is a modern bore. I sure wish the old Pennsylvania Station had never been torn down, or that the Acela somehow stopped at Grand Central.

When travelling into the underground Penn Station I often think of the old New York Central joke that explained:

"When you travel into New York on the New York Central you arrive like a king above ground at Grand Central instead of slithering in like a rat at Penn Station".

Foofoogal · Aug 22, 2008

Said it several times here before. I took a train from St. Louis to Longview, Texas in 2003. Trains are one of my top 5 things to do in the world.
If I have 1 hour to live and could do anything I seriously believe I would want to be on a train. I have no idea why but I am like 5 years old with a lollipop or icecream cone. That is how much I looovvveee train rides. lol

Nathan Flowers · Aug 22, 2008

It really is a wonderful way to travel. It always makes me think of what it would have been like to travel by train in the steam era. Probably not a whole lot different than it is today.

Cricket · Aug 22, 2008

My husband and I are also considering taking an Amtrack to New Orleans. I am sure that we will not be able to go overboard on our expenses. But just the experience of traveling by train seems so exciting.

Vornholt · Aug 22, 2008

Cricket said:
My husband and I are also considering taking an Amtrack to New Orleans. I am sure that we will not be able to go overboard on our expenses. But just the experience of traveling by train seems so exciting.

New Orleans isn't what it was when my wife and I were there (pre-Katrina). On the train itself, I found that the level of service on the southbound leg was far inferior to that on the northbound trip. The track can be very rough in a number of places, and the scenery in some areas is, um, run down, shall we say?

The pace of travel by train is far more suited to humans, in my view. I can actually see what's going by, and I can sit comfortably (I'm 6'3". Airlines are murder on my neck.) The steward comes by to take reservations for lunch and dinner. All top-notch, in my view.

Diamondback · Aug 23, 2008

Just one caution: don't expect a 20th Century or Broadway Limited level of experience. You want that, pretty much you have to rent one of the few remaining private railcars...

And the "take the siding" thing is everywhere except Northeast Corridor, because the NEC's the only right-of-way Amtrak owns itself rather than has "trackage rights" over.

rikrdo · Aug 23, 2008

Im born and raised in a railroad family and I currently work for Metrolink (commuter rail service in Los Angeles)

I will tell you this:
Do not take Amtrak if you need to be at A specific place at A specific time because, as a previous poster mentioned........passenger trains run on Freight railroad tracks and, even though contracts are in place to "ensure" on-time performance, the home team ALWAYS Wins.
If you have the luxury of time on your side, by ALL means take the train.
Coach accomodations can be challenging and Sleepers ARE expensive but either means will provide you with a much greater travel experience than any other can offer.

Taking Amtrak

Suspended

One Too Many

Samsa

Guest

Practically Family

One of the Regulars

Practically Family

Incurably Addicted

Head Bartender

One Too Many

I'll Lock Up

Practically Family

Familiar Face

One Too Many

Practically Family

Banned

Head Bartender

Practically Family

One of the Regulars

I'll Lock Up

A-List Customer

Similar threads

Log in

Forum statistics