Farmer_Bill posted:Airlines are never late and offer exquisite customer experience.
With a free carry-on, and a free carry-off.
Suggest you download content to your devices. Wifi, if functioning, is not high speed for video demo streaming. Cell service is spotty thru many rural areas.
I rode the Crescent NYC-Atlanta on 4/5, returning 4/9.
Going down, departed NYC on time at 2:15pm. Got into Atlanta 8:53am next morning. Not too shabby--we were due at 8:13am. I've been on-time before on this run, and even ahead of schedule once, by so much that we had to cool our heels outside the station waiting for our slot (the NS line through the station is effectively closed while Amtrak occupies the station due to the ground-level platform between the tracks and elevator passengers having to walk across the westbound track to/from the train)
Coming back, I cound a NS stack train sitting still on the westbound track. About a half hour before arrival, we're notified that our train has to cool its heels a couple of miles outside the station because of this freight waiting to go somewhere. Can't have passengers milling about on the platform next to a freight train that could start moving without warning (not what was said--that's what I surmised). Train was on-time after 12 hours of running up form New Orleans till that point. We were supposed to leave at 8:04pm, but instead got moving at 9:01pm.
Subsequent delays include another NS freight that conked out ahead of us somewhere south of Greensboro, NC, and a bit after sunrise, waiting literally a couple of hundred feet south of Charlottesville, VA while a grain train meandered across a diamond crossing in front of us. We arrived at NYC about 3:10pm, about an hour and a half late.
I've considered doing this trip in a roomette, but (a) I don't have a problem sitting next to strangers--more often than not I've had nice conversations on the way down (and sometimes on the way back). (b) I kind of like having a reclining seat and legroom of the long-distance coach seat, and (c) I can actually sleep in them.
---PCJ
rthomps posted:Get a railroad scanner. Completely legal - and if transmissions aren't digital - very entertaining.
don't need a railroad scanner.
just a wifi connection
I agree about not needing a scanner. You aren't going to hear much more than your crew talking to each other.
I've been watching your Empire Builder partly because it is the train I've based my model railroad on, and partly because of your trip. As I mentioned earlier in this conversation, the Spokane connection is the key as to whether you get to Chicago on time or not. They actually had a couple days in a row where they connected with the #28 almost on time. Those trains made it to Chicago on time.
On the other hand, when it goes bad, it is up to 3 and a half hours delay. They do recover some time because of the schedule padding at some stops, especially St Paul where they can get almost an hour bump.
I'll keep watching. You should too.
Maybe have your kids do it.
Thanks --
We have a three day break in the trip between Seattle and Chicago at Glacier National Park, which based upon the feedback and looking at the timetables, it appears we're likely to get to East Glacier late. We'll have a good sense leaving Glacier if we'll be late to Chicago and I hope if we're too far off the mark (more than about 3 1/2 hours late) we can attempt to adjust the flight home.
On the whole planning is coming along great, we've booked a day tour of LA in a 1966 Cadillac, and two day trips in San Fran one to wine country and Muir Woods, and a second to the Yosemite valley, the Alcatraz boat ride is also booked.
juniata guy posted:I'll tell you frankly your biggest challenge will be to keep your wife amused and I am dead serious about that. And don't be surprised if you have to mollify her with something nice when you get home. Again; experience talking here.
Curt
On the other hand if your wife is an avid reader, have her buy several good books she like to read on the trip.
We have traveled Amwreck twice from Iowa to Emeryville then to SF then Seattle. Second time around is boring especially superliner cars where all you can do is look out side windows but not ahead, unlike the VIA domes allowing forward looking. Domes allowed you to see ahead so line up for a photo, whereas superliner windows don't.
And plan for trip slack time and flexibility to re-plan activities when train rolls in 8 hours late and your plane has long left the airport, or your Disney special coupon expired yesterday. 
Kent Loudon posted:When you look at it, the Amtrak Roomette is just a modernized version of the old Pullman "section" , berths by night and seats by day... and no sanitary facilities. The heavy curtains have been replaced by sliding doors, and upper berth windows on the Viewliners are a nice addition.
Single level Viewliner trains from New York City all feature roomette sleepers with a sink and toilet. In the bedroom you also have a shower and an easy chair. On the Superliner two level trains (that mostly go West from Chicago), the roomettes do not have a toilet and a sink. Meals are included with accommodation fares. The Superliner trains all have a sightseer lounge car (Observation car) while the Viewliners do not. WiFi is available on many Amtrak trains and the trips seem to go fast. Checked baggage is usually available at the larger stations. If you purchase a sleeper ticket you also get access to the first class lounges at Chicago, New Orleans, NYC, Phila. Wash DC and Los Angeles.
We travel exclusively by train in bedroom accommodations and have made many trips to Seattle, New Orleans, Orlando/Sanford (Autotrain) , Chicago, and Denver. Also have used the Acela to D.C. Its always been a pleasant experience and we are never bored. Its movie time in the evening after dinner) on my laptop, you read, go online, chat on your phone, view the countryside, chat with other passengers over meals or in the sightseer lounge
