20 reasons to travel by train

That's an accurate view of train travel for sure. I enjoy train travel, it's a nice way to see a country. You get a better view than you would from a car or bus.
I have traveled by train all over the world, usually by normal non tourist trains, and thoroughly enjoyed last year's travel from New York to Pennsylvania and back. Thanks Jerry.

"Compensation for delays" was a new one on me! Wonder about my Boston to Phila. 3-hour delay in June?

Reason 21: Drinkin' whiskey with the conductor in the men's lounge. Probably couldn't happen today, but back in '64 it apparently was doable.

Pete

Pretty much the same thing I wrote last April and May about my 6000 mile trip via rail across the country. As someone who had to travel by air for work....and someone that has plenty of metal parts inside and out.....Rail is a saving grace for me. I hit on all those topics other than hats! Plus I have 500+ photos to go with my log.....check it out below!

I disagree about the "Bells & Whistles" only. Maybe on a steam excursion trip or some other short trip that is great, but traveling across the country in an Amtrak liner, the frequent mandatory whistle signals at small town crossings can be extremely annoying, particularly if you are in a roomette, as those cars are generally located near the locomotives. IMO
TomB

I completely agree. We do use the car for long trips (the train does not go everywhere) but up and donw the east coast and where possible elsewhere, we take the train.

auto train every year, nice to sit back and enjoy the ride!

quote:

Originally posted by Dennis Rempel:
Its 29 hours so you are glad when you arrive even though I really enjoy the passing scene.

Dennis:

We are in complete agreement! Where longer train trips are concerned, I've often told folks that I've always been happy to get on a train and equally happy to get off.

Curt

#7 would is the #1 reason I refuse to consider flying these days. #21 is compelling....

Gilly

That sums it up perfectly. I'm in Dallas on business right now and would have taken the train if I had the time.

The list was pretty complete.

But might have added that you can talk over the sounds of the engine, and that's not as easy on jets. Especially if the person you're talking to is not sitting right beside you.

And the food's MUCH better in a dining car than on any commerical airplane.

And you get to pick when you eat in the dining car.

And the food's not going to hit the ceiling as when a plane hits an air pocket.

And you can get up and move around a lot more.

And you can sit elsewhere if you want (on many routes).

And it's easier to sleep in the coach seat than in a plane.

And you can look at scenery thru the dome roof.

And you've got more bathrooms available, throughout the train.

And it's just more fun period.

I like the idea of being close to the ground

rat

We love train trips. Here's one we took a few years ago. Please enjoy. Don http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg8NZn3PebY

My wife and I travelled by train from New Orleans to Los Angeles and return two Christmases ago.

I would not do it again !!!

Twice as much as airfare. (We had a roomette with a bathroom, and a tiny closet that some might call a "shower"). We did get meals. $200+ tip for porter each way.

Took 48 hours to get there, and a little less to get back. I think the train averaged about 40 MPH, with a long stop somewhere, to meet a "schedule", I guess.

Whistle blew all night regularly, so although we had "beds"--a lower and an upper--there was very little sleeping.

Some of the tracks in Texas were in terrible shape, like riding on out of balance car tires.

Since we went through the "mountains" mostly at night the "scenery" was mostly train yards, and the "bad" parts of towns.

I rode on trains in the US during WWII, and the only difference was they were dirty from that clean burning coal.

Trains in Europe of course are a completely different story. We enjoyed those.

Long haul passenger trains in the US have no future (until we run out of oil).

Other people, other views.

Charlie N

Charlie, you hit on the two downsides I can identify with.

The speed and rough ride. I've ridden the CNO between Memphis and New Orleans and it too averaged 40 mph for the 400 miles.

A part of it, but not all, was terribly rough. It was the section in north Mississippi. I knew about that in advance and had heard the joke, "be sure to wear your kidney pads". I also saw a cup of coffee get spilled in someone's lap in the diner because of it.

It was rough to the point I started thinking, just let us out and we'll walk the rest of the way.

But, the good parts of the trip, the train and even the ride imo outweighed all that, and I'll do it again given the chance.

The explanation may lie in the fact that I wanted to go to NOLA and the French Quarter come what may, and it was just a matter of how. And I was trying to save wear and tear on an old car and I knew for sure I wanted nothing to do with flying.

But, in your case with a 48 hour trip, I certainly can see that being different. That's something I wouldn't be up for...

Don: (Scalerail) What a beautiful production! I guess I should expect no less, but that really was nice. Would love to see other videos of yours, one day. Any available on disc?

What train was that you were on? Didn't look like Amtrak, at least the part of the train with the dome cars. Still available? Where did you travel, from - to?

How's the move coming along? Are you going to be in Hawaii this year yet?

Paul Fischer

Paul, sorry forgot to tell you, yes there is a DVD available we did. It's here http://www.ggrm.org/
It's a hour and it's the story of the Golden Gate Railroad Museum's pacific steam engine. From a rusting park engine to running again. In fact it's running this weekend. All the money for the DVD goes to the museum. We shot over 34 hours of HD video for the production. Here's a sample promo for one of the runs. Don http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcw-QzMLmTU

I am a semi-experienced traveler, rated in five fairly large jets, with retiree travel benefits. I would rather go Amtrak than on an airliner any day.

But when I have to go somewhere, I wind up paying full fare for an airline ticket, because it is lots cheaper than Amtrak, and I can get a seat in the near future. Plus, I do not have to get up at 3 AM to board the only train that leaves here and connects with Amtrak to anywhere.

I have had some pleasant trips on the Coast Starlight, but it took a travel agent to book them - no way to just go to the ticket counter or the computer.

We need to get back to a rail oriented travel system, where the rail tickets are competitive with the subsidized airlines, and where folks can actually get from A to B on the ground. After all, rail travel is inherently the second cheapest way to move anything (downriver barge being the absolute best).

I remember being extremely ill and obtaining a compartment Chicago to New York, only to be ordered out 50 miles short of my destination because the conductor stated it had to be "cleaned".

Over night coach travel will require three items of necessity to survive.
They are...gas mask, for when everyone takes off their shoes to go to
sleep. Ear plugs, for all those screaming babies all night long. And
a blindfold, for all the lights that get turned off and on all night.
But once your set... it's bon voyage!

I got tickets on Amtrak .com for the Coast Starlight. You have to click specal offers or something like that to get the senior discount. I go at Christmas and we go through the Cascade mountains, deep snow and deep in the forest. I go from Calif to Oregon. At that time the train is just a little cold so I may wear two warm flannel shirts at the same time and use a coat as sort of a blanket. Sleeping in coach is difficult, you may see two empty seats and then you can sort of lay down but you can't really strech out and something is always bothering you. That and the 29 hours on the trip I take are the only things I don't like about the train.
San Fernando Valley CA.

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Pete:
Reason 21: Drinkin' whiskey with the conductor in the men's lounge. Probably couldn't happen today, but back in '64 it apparently was doable.

Pete

You can say that again Pete. Back in 64 you could get loaded in the engine cab!

We went on a train from Arizona to L.A. Up to Portland Oregon over to st Paul minn then Chicago over to east coast and down to Florida.

We plan on doing it again when we retire with luck next year best time we ever had. The only time we woke up was when train stopped once moving rocked us to sleep like babies!
As to train horn We both grew up only blocks away from train yards so that's a happy sound to us we live now a half mile from bnsf tracks we hear the horns ah like a glass of wine and soft music to us.
As to roomettes I can only say 15 years ago all sleeping cars were at rear of train with coaches I'n mid section then diner and baggage car. Were lucky as our daughter works for airlines so our travel is free wherever they service yet the train is our first choice. Soo
To those on the fence ask this where else can you get room and board and good food 3 times a day all included I'n the one price oh and get on and off for longer stays and get back on again no upcharge unlike air travel. And the scenery at ground level sure beats ant cars scurring to and fro. Only my two cents worth but can't wait to do it again. $oo

quote:

As to train horn We both grew up only blocks away from train yards so that's a happy sound to us we live now a half mile from bnsf tracks we hear the horns ah like a glass of wine and soft music to us.

I've lived with train horns from being an infant to going on medicare. And I'll tell you something; I'd never care to live where I couldn't at least hear a little train horn music off in the distance somewhere at night. It's relaxing, re-assuring and comforting.

Ones I listen to now? Well, I'm 1.8 miles from an NS mainline, 3.0 miles from a CSX mainline and 3.4 miles from a CN mainline and get to hear them all when the wind is right. I'm also 5.5 miles from a BNSF mainline, but it's a little out of range...

IF you want to do it right, go up to Canada, hop on the Canadian, and get
a lower berth in a Budd Manor car. Now you're talking train travel!

I rode the Southwest Limited from L.A. to Flagstaff, Arizona and spent just one night in an economy sleeper. Didn't sleep a wink. Would have slept better on a coach with reclining seat. However I had the upper berth. Might have been better in a lower. I have slept better while deadheading on a trailing diesel unit sitting in a crewman's seat back when I worked for the railroad.

Ray

Listened to a piece on NPR a couple weeks back when they wee interviewing Wlater Mondale. Although he up there in his years, he had some interesting view points about our current situation.

But - the piece of the interview that was like music to my ear was his solid advocay of a return to the rails. He insisted that investment in rail transportation rather than interstate highways made for financial sense in the long run and still created a large amount of jobs.

So, if he gets his way and they build rails all across the US - do you think there is any chance they might revive some of the better color schemes and models of yesteryear verses just the plain old issue from Amtrak??

A couple War Bonnets, some GN, WP, etc.

My wife and I took the Empire Builder on a journey across country. Number 8 is so true, though it is more difficult in our 60's than it was in our 20's.

The first night, our sleeper was rocking back and forth like a ship in a storm. Now, mind you, I spent 20 years in the Navy, so I've slept through my share of storms at sea, I know how to do this. After I had wedged myself into my rack so that I wasn't being thrown about the compartment, I found that my caboose was parked right over the air conditioning vent.

Still, it was a wonderful trip. We are looking forward to our next one.

My wife and I will travel from London to Bath and back by train next week. British railways are punctual and affordable. they run on time as well. We have always found Amtrak to Penn from Albany to run on time, though others might disagree.

quote:

The first night, our sleeper was rocking back and forth like a ship in a storm. Now, mind you, I spent 20 years in the Navy, so I've slept through my share of storms at sea, I know how to do this. After I had wedged myself into my rack so that I wasn't being thrown about the compartment

Steve, I've been on one like that too. Full gale at sea, but in an ocean liner (not a cruise ship). You described it to a "T" with the wedging yourself to stay in bed. That's exactly how it was. And TVs and everything else that can take flight are put on the floor. It all reminded me why WWII sailors say the best way to sleep was hamocks.

The Amtrak I've ridden rocked and bumped its way through the night, but thank goodness no list to starboard or port.

It was interesting watching thru your car's front end how the rear of the next car was constantly in opposite and violent motion from yours.

Later on, after a derailment accident I heard a trackside witness on the news say he saw the rails lift up and down between one and two feet at a grade crossing while this same train goes over that spot twice a day. I thought that sounded extreme, but tend to believe it. That's about how it feels.

I love to travel by train myself. I did the Hogwarts Express in Scotland recently and it's a very beautiful country that you get to see a lot of if you take that route. Nevermind the Harry Potter connection, I went with my kids!

Another beautiful train route is between Haifa and Tel Aviv and between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Especially if you enjoy the scenery in the mountains around Jerusalem you could go on tours in Jerusalem and see it all. The Jerusalem-Tel Aviv train is pretty slow though because it makes circles in the mountains and is an old railroad, perhaps established by the British. I don't remember exactly. But what's bad for commuting is great for people who enjoy longer train routes with beautiful scenery!

If interested I would check out Egged Tours for more information. It's pretty cheap, and safe now that the situation has calmed down.

We travel more miles by train than car, and we rarely - very rarely - do airplanes any more, for many of the reasons stated in that article.

Here is my annual winter trip Starting from Toledo~ Capitol Limited to Chicago ~ Empire Builder to Seattle~Cascades to Vancouver B.C. ~VIA Canadian to Toronto~VIA Business class commuter express to Montreal~Amtrak Adirondack to Schenectady~ Lakeshore to Toledo~walk fifty feet to my car parked free. I like my layover's in each town usually enough time get a good meal and walk couple of hours. Hotel stay in Vancouver and Montreal. If the trains are late then I get very little time to explore or too much time. Capitol as real china table setting as does the Empire Builder plus a small bottle of champaign waiting in my roomette.Cascades looks nice inside and out but rides rough(not track)and noisy. VIA Canadian is worth the effort!! better food than most high end restaurants, and the best sleep anywhere(lower birth) . Adirondack is ok and the Lakeshore ok+ On all the trains the food was good and the personnel where good to great.

If you like passenger trains you should ride the Canadian at least once in your life, before its gone.. It's the way you want to remember train travel.

 

At least that is my experience

Clem

I love going by train as the prices are almost half of what it costs to go by airplane.

The only exception is here in Florida, some of the cities(Jacksonville FL) don't have a rental car place that you can walk to.

 

I am looking forward to seeing FEC(Florida East Coast railroad) complete the line between Orlando and Cocoa Beach FL so they can run to Miami FL on FEC tracks. This might hurt the Orlando airport a little as air traffic might go down between Orlando and Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, & West Palm Beach FL.

 

Lee Fritz

Very interesting read. For most of us, it is preaching to the choir.

My wife and I have used AMTRAK many times, and love it for the most part.  No, it's not what train travel was sixty years ago, but it's what we have in the U.S.  A ten-day trip four years ago was perhaps two days too much for my wife, but not me.

Glad to see this thread again. Took a recent trip to Houston by air and all I was thinking was "I wish I could have taken the train." Airlines are cutting more and more corners, charging a fortune for checked bags and "better" seating, even though you sit in a seat designed for someone 5'4" and 130 pounds. The food most airlines served was so bad that the airline industry received a Nobel Prize for the Humanities when they stopped "meal" service.

 

Took the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle a few years back and loved it (had a sleeper). The views were great. Cell phone reception got sketchy in several spots, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Already to go to the Chicago Meet next week from San Jose via Amtrak.  And I'm not alone.  I'm finding out there is a contingent of west coasters.  Coast Starlight to either Portland or Seattle and the Empire Builder to Chicago. 

 

I'm returning on the Zephyr. I'll get to see if it gets back to Sacramento or points west on time enough to take a Capital to San Jose.  So far they are batting about 500.

 

I had it with airlines over a decade ago.  I had to fly from San Jose to Charlotte once for work about 5 years ago.  What a miserable experience.  And it's not so much the flying part, it's the airport parts that I really can't stand.  Although 3+ hours in a middle seat puts me in a really bad mood.