Amtrak -- The Way to Go

[Toolshed]

My company prefers we take trains now for anything under 6 hours drive time away (we used to fly). In addition I was reading an article that made mention that more people have found trains to be much less hassle than ariports (Nothing like sitting in an airport for 3 hours pre-flight.) for shorter distancesbetween major cities, so it could be demand driven. i.e. If you have enough people to fill the train at 100% fare, why not raise prices to 120% fare and make more and fill at only 80% capacity leaving room for last minute travelers at 125% fare.

[Mrs Baggins]

Rode Amtrak twice. First time in 1981 - cook slit his wrists and had to be put off the train in the next town, causing 4 hour long delay. Whoever was left served "hot" food cold. Snackbars ran out of food 1/2 way (Davis CA to Seattle WA) and had nothing on the return trip. Second time in 2007 - DC to Gainesville GA - - woman across the aisle had her cell phone ringing the entire night (end one conversation, phone would immediately ring again) and carried on conversations in very loud spanish. Group of older men had a portable DVD player and watched "I Dream of Jeannie" DVDs the entire night, laughing out loud the whole time. Train was packed, nowhere to get away from the freaks. Won't do it again. However, Canada's Via Canada trains are fabulous. Excellent food, spotless compartments, wine tastings, snacks and hot drinks for free 24/7 in the observation car, on time, no delays, very reasonably priced. The train ride from Montreal to Halifax, with upgrades, was about the same as flying but we had the time to see the scenery so we took the train.

[Jester2000]

You won't take the train again based on two bad experiences 26 years apart from one another? If I was going to go by airline-caused missed flights, poor service, and uncomfortable conditions, I'd never fly again based on my flights to and from San Diego last year.

[nitewalker]

i rode amtrak home from daytona beach to providence and had a great time. it was back in 87 when i had just turned 21. i went to the refreshment car had some drinks met a girl going to providence, had a great time, lost my transfer ticket, was hung over the whole next morning but i still had one of the better times in my life. it was quite the nightmare trying to get a new transfer ticket . my head was spinning and it made for a great show....lol.............i would do it all over again in a second...

[IceAge]

I've taken the train a few times for various trips. For those concerned about the size of their backpacks, let me tell you that will not be a problem. I have taken the "Perch Express" to North Dakota and brought a duffel bag that could hide a body, a 7 gallon bucket full of fishing gear, and an hand-crank ice auger and have never been hassled about it.

If your stop doesn't have checked baggage, it just means everything rides in the cubbies on the lower level of the train. Usually much handier that way, anyway.

If the train is empty enough, and the porters are cool with it, you can sometimes swivel the seats around across from you in Coach and put your feet up, makes for more comfortable sleeping. I have even seen smaller people climb up into the overhead luggage area to sleep!

[Mags]

I took the train in 2002 to get to the start of my PCT hike. Similar route to to others have posted. It actually started off with a bus ride from Denver to Raton, NM (just over the CO/NM border), a train to Los Angeles, then to San Diego. It was a little over a days travel...but much better than Greyhound. It was indeed a great way to ease into the trip.


Alas, most train routes run EAST/WEST beyond the coasts due to the way the train tracks were laid down to get over the Rockies. Up until fairly recently, there was not much call to go north-south along rail in the Rockies.

Long story short? Train travel is not really practical for me to get to places sometimes. I so wanted to start my CDT hike via train. Many East and West coast people start the CDT by taking the train conveniently into East Glacier. A plane ticket was $500 to Kalispell (ouch). A train? $200 or so.

However, It would have taken 3 days of train travel by going to California, then Portland THEN Glacier.

Train travel is great when it works. But sometimes it is not the best option depending where you are located/where you are going. Also, you can often find some last minute fares that are dirt cheap for flying. A friend flew to the ADZPCTKO this past year for $80 one-way via SouthWest airlines. That's damn cheap.


On the other hand, based on sentiments of these posts and where we are headed (I HATE flying now. Or should I say..I hate the post and pre flying activities! You need to get to the airport closer to two hrs a head of time or more, you have to travel to get there, etc. A five hour flight back East requires nearly as much or even more wait/travel time as the total flight time!) , rail is becoming more popular and being expanded.

The pipe dream in this area is expand a light rail along the Front Range..and to hook into the major East/West routes. A really long range pipe dream is to extend rails further north and south, too.

One last little vignette: A few years ago, I had a free pass for two to take the Denver Ski Train. It required a drive to Union Station in Denver, but from there it was a pleasant, scenic and relaxing ride through the foothills and under the Continental Divide (yes!) directly to the skiing slopes of Winter Park. Literally. The train dropped you off and you walked perhaps two minutes to a chair lift!

Relaxing with some coffee and muffins, looking at the scenery, free skiing all day and then an equally pleasant ride back. NO ski traffic to deal with and what a great way to relax after a hard day on the slopes. (I've only been downhill skiing twice..and both times it was free. ). I loved it and it was a far better experience than driving to Winter Park, esp in winter.

Alas, the Denver ski train has yet to find a viable economic model is and is defunct yet again as it has been many times in the past.

[Disney]

If stove fuel is the only issue, are there convenient places to buy canisters after you get to Atlanta? Or at the town near Mt Springer?

The issue is the fuel, not the canister. I carried my whisperlite, fuel bottle and all, on an international flight. I can't imagine the train would be more strict than British Airways. They made me empty all the fuel out and rinse the bottle with water until there was no odor of fuel could be detected.

[white_russian]

The issue is the fuel, not the canister. I carried my whisperlite, fuel bottle and all, on an international flight. I can't imagine the train would be more strict than British Airways. They made me empty all the fuel out and rinse the bottle with water until there was no odor of fuel could be detected.

That is great and all if you are using white gas, but I think they were referring to isobutane/LPG canisters.

[leaftye]

People always say air travel is faster, but is it really faster when you consider the amount of time spent getting to the airport early because of homeland security, then checking in, and waiting for all the different groups to load the plane, and then all the stuff in reverse.

Still though, the thing I like about the train idea is:
- taking my big pack with me
- getting a real place to sleep
- getting real meals
- having fantastic views

[Mrs Baggins]

You won't take the train again based on two bad experiences 26 years apart from one another? If I was going to go by airline-caused missed flights, poor service, and uncomfortable conditions, I'd never fly again based on my flights to and from San Diego last year.

I fly to get there fast. Vacation time is at a premium for us. Flight delays have zero effect on me and I don't mind crowds. I get to the airport hours early, get through security and have time to read and nap. Never a problem and I've been flying domestic and international at least once, and sometimes twice, a year every year since 1977. If I want to see the scenery I'll drive, pick my hotels or campgrounds, enjoy a queen size bed, have a real bathroom and shower now and then, eat where I want to eat and when I want to eat. If the US train system ever reaches the level of real service that exists in Canada or Europe I'll reconsider. But as long as it's the welfare child of the Feds, no way.

[Nuthatch]

Just FYI, 3 sit-down meals in the dining car are INCLUDED in the price of a sleeper car on Amtrak.

[Sly]

If the US train system ever reaches the level of real service that exists in Canada or Europe I'll reconsider. But as long as it's the welfare child of the Feds, no way.

LOL.... And who do you think supports/runs the trains in Canada and Europe? Clue = the governments.

[leaftye]

Almost zero risk of thrombosis on a train too, plus you're not cramped in like a sardine with a bunch of sick whiny kids and double-seatbelt blobs. Okay, the post "plus" part are my hopes. Someone please tell me this is correct.

[leaftye]

LOL.... And who do you think supports/runs the trains in Canada and Europe? Clue = the governments.

Those 4 or 5 fancy trains that got stuck overnight in the tunnel in crazy cold temps were French trains.

[Johnny Thunder]

Almost zero risk of thrombosis on a train too, plus you're not cramped in like a sardine with a bunch of sick whiny kids and double-seatbelt blobs. Okay, the post "plus" part are my hopes. Someone please tell me this is correct.

I agree. I've been on 27 planes since October 20th (living in a small town with no direct flights influences that number) and will be on 4 more in the next week.

When I lived in Philly/NYC Amtrak was awesome. I could be in Boston in under 4 hours...which incidentally, was the time it took to check-in and fly there (don't even factor waiting for the bags or getting to/from the Airport.

More importantly...at least on the trains that I took during that period (and these were all on the higher priced Acela...on someone else's dime) I experienced a different group of people traveling by train than by plane/bus in the same areas. I want to avoid using the term "class" because that sounds bigoted but I think it has something to do with air transport being egalitarian and ground transport being divided between the bus and the train. Not sure.

What you can do on a train is get up and walk away from the screaming child...or the person who, for the sake of traveling, picks up their first book in years. It's "Going Rouge" and they want to tell you all about. That happened twice to me in the past three months. Damn it, people...read Dan Brown like normal American non-readers.

[Skyline]

The train is the best way to travel IMHO, either for day trips or longer distances that include one, two, or three overnights.

Back in the mid-'70s, up to 1990, I made a point of riding trains as often as I could. For a period, I even bought what used to be called USA Railpasses that allowed unlimited riding for 14, 21, or 30 days (no longer offered). It eventually became a personal challenge to "do" every mile of track Amtrak (and VIA/Canada) used, and I finally completed the challenge in 1990.

Amtrak has been a political football since its inception in May 1971. It has never been given the kind of federal or state support it would need to be on a par with train systems in most other developed countries--just enough $$$ to flounder for another year or so. It is a wonder, some years, how anyone could come away from a train trip feeling good about it but because of some great onboard staff many did. (And some didn't.)

In the early 2000s Amtrak began getting better again, then worse again, when the previous administration tried to kill it off. It is once again getting better again, and has the enthusiastic support of the current administration and a majority in Congress. For all of the reasons previous posters in this thread have outlined, I hope Amtrak is on an upward trend that will last this time. It truly could be a significant player in the people-moving business, just like trains in Europe and Asia. We need that as a nation and as a society.

If you agree, may I direct you to the National Association of Railroad Passengers--a grassroots organization that has been around since the '60s with one agenda: support maintaining and expanding good rail passenger service in the US. Their website is: www.narprail.org.

For AT travel, Amtrak is everything Jester pointed out and so much more. One thing I would add is that because trains can have delays (often beyond Amtrak's control) due to weather, track blockages, freight congestion, etc. one needs to approach a train trip with the same sense of adventure as one approaches a backpacking trip. Everything could go perfect this time, but next time you might need to be flexible. This (flexibility) is a good learning exercise in prep for trail life.

[Chaco Taco]

You can go to AMTRAK's website to check them out. You'd most likely take the Capitol Limited from DC to Chicago, which is usually an overnight train, and then a layover in Chicago.

If you have a room for the next leg, you can store your packs in the luggage check in the first class lounge. Otherwise you can put your pack in a locker and walk around Chicago for a while.

Then you'll probably take the Southwest Chief to LA, and the only layover might be Albuquerque for a couple of hours.

Every few stops the train stops for a longer period, about 15 minutes or so, for smoke breaks. I don't remember all of the places they did this, but I do remember one in Raton, CO.

From LA you take a regular commuter train or bus to San Diego, then a bus to Campo, unless you've made arrangements for a shuttle (which are pretty easy to come by near the Kickoff).

For a complete list of stops, though, the routes can be looked up individually on their website.

Youre pretty awesome dude

[Bulldawg]

I fly to get there fast. Vacation time is at a premium for us. Flight delays have zero effect on me and I don't mind crowds. I get to the airport hours early, get through security and have time to read and nap. Never a problem and I've been flying domestic and international at least once, and sometimes twice, a year every year since 1977. If I want to see the scenery I'll drive, pick my hotels or campgrounds, enjoy a queen size bed, have a real bathroom and shower now and then, eat where I want to eat and when I want to eat. If the US train system ever reaches the level of real service that exists in Canada or Europe I'll reconsider. But as long as it's the welfare child of the Feds, no way.

I bet they'd let you move there pretty quickly since you hate everything about living here anyway!

[Skyline]

I fly to get there fast. Vacation time is at a premium for us. Flight delays have zero effect on me and I don't mind crowds. I get to the airport hours early, get through security and have time to read and nap. Never a problem and I've been flying domestic and international at least once, and sometimes twice, a year every year since 1977. If I want to see the scenery I'll drive, pick my hotels or campgrounds, enjoy a queen size bed, have a real bathroom and shower now and then, eat where I want to eat and when I want to eat. If the US train system ever reaches the level of real service that exists in Canada or Europe I'll reconsider. But as long as it's the welfare child of the Feds, no way.

You may not be aware, but the passenger rail systems in countries that have superb passenger rail systems are mostly government supported. What you call a "welfare child" is in fact government fulfilling its proper role building and maintaining basic infrastructure like roads, bridges, water systems--and yes, railways.

If the USA had frequent, comfortable, competitively priced passenger trains going where people now drive (or fly) we would use less fuel, create less pollution, and our population would suffer less stress.

Our federal government, and state governments, support Amtrak just enough to keep a train running each way on a route perhaps once per day. In some cases, only three times per week. There are many potentially popular routes not served at all. Unless a route is served each way at least six times per day with trains the public really wants to ride, it cannot be a serious player in the public transportation industry. That takes massive government support, as most of the earth's developed nations (and even some third-world nations) have tried to teach us by example. Why can't we learn?

[Johnny Thunder]

Dear Mrs Baggins,

Kindly return your bank card and check book to whichever welfare child branch it belongs.

the management.