Train Vacation

jetrock said:
The next time someone tells you they are going on a sea cruise, ask them why they don't fly instead!

Quite frankly, very few people *need* to take trains instead of planes for long distance travel. The point, in my mind, of train travel is enjoying the trip, the scenery, and the train itself. I have met people on Amtrak who were literally going nowhere: they started in Seattle, took the Empire Builder to Chicago, then the Southwest Chief to Los Angeles, and the Coast Starlight back up to Seattle.

A "plus" of getting a sleeper is that meals are included. One hint: Travel during the off-season, both the ticket and the sleeper are cheaper. Hint number two: Don't book the sleeper until shortly before you depart--just buy the seats and then upgrade later. If you do this in the busy season you risk running out of sleepers, but in off-season periods you can often get discounts: sometimes Amtrak will call people on the reservation list and offer them smokin' deals. I once got a discounted Coast Starlight sleeper that cost less than the cost of meals that we ate in the diner on the trip!

Bring LOTS of film. I assume you're on this site because you love trains, and you will see LOTS of things you'll want to capture. I blame Amtrak largely for my return to model railroading after 15 years of being out of the hobby, because I'd see so many things on Amtrak that looked straight out of the Walthers catalog!

Be prepared to talk to strangers. Amtrak's diners are set up with four-seat tables, and unless you are traveling with a foursome you will often end up sitting with other passengers. Amtrak passengers tend to be adventurous traveler types, tourists from other countries, and rail buffs, and if you're gregarious you can make lots of new friends (often of the long-distance sort) on the trip.

Things to bring: Inflatable pillow and a small blanket (if you're traveling coach,) non-perishable snacks, earplugs if you're a light sleeper, slippers, FILM FILM FILM, a notebook and a couple of railroad-related books (best trip ever was when we were routed through Wyoming and I happened to have a book on the construction of the UP, with photos--lots of great on-the-spot comparisons of then and now!) and some cash in case you forget blanket, snacks or film.
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I agree, have meet a lot of interesting people in the dining cars. Also interesting sights, one time we passed, at very slow speed, a circus train setting on a siding, I kept looking for the giraffe car with the hole in the roof, but didn't see it. :D
 
I used to take a lot of film with me. When I went to the "Route 66 Rendevous" car show in San Bernardino one year and shot 15 rolls of 36 exposure 35mm film in one day, and discovered how much it cost to have it processed, I went digital ever after! I would reccomend a digital camera and either an extra picture card, or if you have a laptop with photoshop take it along to download pics so you can clean the card and start over. Also plenty of batteries for the camera and what ever else you take along that requires battery power.
 
I just thought of another tip for Hiscopilot if you folks are going to take the train to the Grand Canyon. If you are going to just go to the Grand Canyon for the weekend trp then go becak to Amtrak to go elsewhere, your best bet is to take the bus from Amtrak to williams and then take the bus back to Flag a couple of days later. If you want to rent a car to see other parts of Northern Az. while your there, arrainge for the rental car to be waiting in Flagstaff when your train gets in and return it when you are done with your trip and ready to get back on the Amtrak. Enterprise makes a big point about them picking you up and Flag is a big enough town that they should have an Enterprise dealer there.
 
Dick Elmore said:
:thumb: Dom, if you have ever been in military service, tell them when you check on the tickets. They used to give quite a good discount for Veterans.

Dick
Texas Chief
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Thanks for the tip:thumb: I am a Gulf War Vet, I will have to see what they can do for me.:D
7 Years of USAF service working on aircraft, and I'm a train nut, who woulda thought...

By the way, we are taking the Amtrak from Dearborn Mi., to Kalamazoo Mi., (2 1/4 hours each way) to see if my wife can handle the motion, she has had some motion sickness issues in the past, so this Sunday we are going for a short trip, visit some friends in K-Zoo, and then back Sunday night...
I will let you folks know the outcome, thanks for all the info...
 
Dominic, I hope she enjoys it. We had a trip on the same route -- all the way from Dearborn to Ann Arbour where there's a restaurant in the old train station.
I used to have car sickness; I sometimes wonder if it was a reaction to not riding the train anymore.
 
Thanks guys for the info posted here. I showed it to my wife who very much wants to go to the museum in Chicago in the spring. We are about 45 miles from the Am track station in Detroit Lakes MN. We sat down and figured the cost of driving, stopping to eat and so on and it really isn't that far off. With the Vets discount it's really very affordable and looks like the way to go.

Rick
 
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