Traveling by Train

[Daisy days]

Can’t speak to most of the trip but depending on which way they take you a lot of the northwest is beautiful by train. I work as a train engineer in Seattle and I have seen most of the territory from white fish Montana to Seattle. If you go through Wenatchee Wa you will go through the longest train tunnel in America and go through heavily forested area. There is a lot to see if you like wilderness, deer elk an occasional bear or moose. We even have a guy that says he fought a baby Bigfoot to a draw next to the train tracks ( no one believes him) but it is a pretty run with lots to see but not much else to do then sit and look. I’ve noticed a lot of people have books and all that good stuff while on Amtrak. 

[That's No Moon]

Furthest I ever went by train was Wilmington DE to New London, CT.  It took something like 5.5 hours.  I came home on the overnight to avoid a snowstorm and the train sat in Penn Station in New York for an hour and a half just because it was how the train was scheduled.  That was somewhat frustrating though I was able to sleep.  They tell you you can't lay across the seats but if the train is empty, like mine was at 3am, they didn't seem to care.  One the plus It was quicker than driving (on the way up at least), and I was able to work on the train.  Taking the train in the NE Corridor is very convenient and makes a lot of sense.  Long train travel?  Not so much.  For example, it takes me about 6.5 hours to drive to Buffalo and a total of 3.5-4 hours to fly including driving to the airport and getting through security.  Any idea how long a train ride that is? It's 12-16 hours depending on which trains you take and you have to get yourself (and your bags) from Penn Station to Grand Central to change trains during your multiple hour layover in NYC.  

 

69 hours in a seat is an awfully long time and good for you for doing it but it's not worth the difference in price for me.  If you flew out of Buffalo rather than Rochester the price is between $430 and $600 round trip depending on exactly which flight you take, which day you travel, etc. and you'd be there in 7-8 hours not including the hour drive to BUF.  Flying out of Rochester makes the flight over $800 roundtrip.

 

Make sure you get up and walk around the train every couple hours.  DVTs are no joke.  

 

Also, you'd be shocked at how often trains hit things.  Cars, animals, people, etc.  My wife's uncle used to do counseling for Amtrak engineers and he'd constantly have stories of what the trains had hit recently.  We'd jokingly call hit Sir Topham Hatt's Calamitous Railway because I think the only railway that hit more things than Amtrak is on the Island of Sodor.

Edited July 31, 2018 by That's No Moon

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

12 minutes ago, BoldBully said:

I work as a train engineer in Seattle and I have seen most of the territory from white fish Montana to Seattle.

 

Any hot b!tches?

[Daisy days]

13 minutes ago, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

 

Any hot b!tches?

Working on the railroad? Maybe somewhere 

[Greybeard]

On 7/30/2018 at 5:33 PM, Foxx said:

the fast food combo thread made me wonder about this....

 

in the later third of the month, i will be traveling across the country from Roch to Seattle, WA. it really is a pretty good deal. the trip will take roughly 69 hours and costs roughly $200 each way. a leisurely trip where i can sleep when i want, not have to worry about watching the road (not to mention the cost of gas) nor falling out of the sky. will get to see the countryside of this great nation, really looking forward to seeing the Tetons.

 

questions are, has anyone done this before? what is the food like? will i be able to sleep upright in a reserved coach seat, does it recline? they have showers so that shouldn't be a problem. perhaps there is something that i may have overlooked or not thought of?

 

any advice would be greatly appreciated. very much looking forward to it.

         69 hours!  Make sure you get up and walk every couple of hours.   I am guessing it is not as hard to do on a train as it is on a plane, but it is good practice to stretch those legs.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

VIA rail, Toronto to Ottawa twice round trip, first round trip was the milk run, stopping at every station on the route.  The advantage there was there was a seat sale, $40 Canadian each way IIRC, and I was in no hurry.  Second time was an express, 4 hours in each direction, a few 'waiting at sidings' for fast freights to pass.  Attentive stewards at all times, light snacks.  I enjoyed it, but markedly different from the odyssey Foxx has planned.

[Marv's Neighbor]

The problem I see is the total lack of scenery along that route.  You get the industrial areas till you get past Chicago.  Wisconsin, Minnesota may be OK but then you get to the "badlands."  It's like riding across a moonscape. That will run from N Dakota to W Montana.  W Montana starts to pick up some mountains.  The Idaho panhandle is beautiful, but Spokane to about 50 miles E of Seattle is moonscape again.  Crossing the Cascades then into Seattle will be OK. 

 

So the 69 hours, I'm not sure where you will be during daylight hours, but you really will appreciate a room, with your own place to stretch out and relax.  If you are planning on sitting up all the way, just fly and only be miserable for 8 hours, including your plane change connection time.

[ExiledInIllinois]

7 hours ago, Marv's Neighbor said:

The problem I see is the total lack of scenery along that route.  You get the industrial areas till you get past Chicago.  Wisconsin, Minnesota may be OK but then you get to the "badlands."  It's like riding across a moonscape. That will run from N Dakota to W Montana.  W Montana starts to pick up some mountains.  The Idaho panhandle is beautiful, but Spokane to about 50 miles E of Seattle is moonscape again.  Crossing the Cascades then into Seattle will be OK. 

 

So the 69 hours, I'm not sure where you will be during daylight hours, but you really will appreciate a room, with your own place to stretch out and relax.  If you are planning on sitting up all the way, just fly and only be miserable for 8 hours, including your plane change connection time.

 

Maybe it's just me... But that's what makes the trip!  The Rambunctious Garden!

 

Going South ain't no pristine playground either... Who wants pristine?  Gotta have character, that's what makes the trip... "Houses, farms, & fields, passing trains that have no name, freight yards w/old Black men and the graveyards of the rusted automobile:"

 

 

[Foxx]

apologies.

 

there are several posts that i would like to address in this thread but my time is not my own these days. hopefully sometime this weekend i can find the time to address them.

 

thank you to all who have commented thus far. much appreciated!

 

[Foxx]

On 7/30/2018 at 6:36 PM, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

IMHO:

 

We did the x-country trip 5 years ago, Seattle to Chicago (flew on the other legs of the trip).

 

1. Seat only? Big mistake - you'll regret it instantly. Spend the nut and get the bedroom. The bedroom is worth every penny.

2. No wifi - bring your computer and make sure you have a good data plan on the phone.

3. For most of the trip, you'll have to tape your phone to the window to get decent data service.

4. You'll be the youngest person on the train by far.

5. Wait until you try to take a dump on a moving train.

6. A seat by itself does not give you access to a shower.

7. The train runs late - REALLY late. Anywhere from 6 to 20 hours late. The freight trains have priority for the entire route.

8. The food is OK, but BYOB.

9. The seats do not have individual outlets. There are outlets on the wall but it means putting a cord over the person sitting in the window seat (or having them put it over you).

 

yeah, i know a bed would be great but i am a construction guy so i am a bit rough around the edges so i'm thinking i should be able to handle it. not to mention that the price difference is three times what the coach seat is ($400 opposed to $1200 each way). the amount i save by 'roughing' it ($1600) is going to go a long way when we actually get to Moclips.

 

i am anticipating no data service for most of the trip. Amtrak has upped their wi-fi to include more trains but alas, the Empire Builder is not currently one of them. i have a bunch of digital media that i am bringing to read to help pass the time.

 

i don't know that i'll be the youngest person on the train by far, not unless everyone else is in their 60's and upward.

 

you are correct, no showers unless you have a sleeper. sponge baths will be the order of the day. might try and grab one in Chicago as the layover is something like 6.5 hours.

 

again, you are correct on the train schedule. i have been monitoring the Empire Builder and it would seem that on average runs about 4 hours late by the time it gets to Seattle.

 

i will be bringing plenty of food. unless by chance the food is any good, the goal is to eliminate half the meals i have to buy on the train. 

 

 

On 7/30/2018 at 11:53 PM, Buffalo716 said:

Have fun and drink booze !

alcohol is allowed on the train, only if you have a sleeper. unfortunately, you are only allowed to drink your own supply in the privacy of your own room.

 

On 7/31/2018 at 8:01 AM, KD in CA said:

 

Exactly.  Despite the security hassles and ridiculous stories pushed in a media everytime there is some dispute between a flight attendant and some jerk passenger, air travel is efficient, effective and safe.  Because they have mastered their inventory management, the prices have stayed fairly reasonable if you put some effort into planning.

 

I get the appeal of rail travel if you are not in a hurry or hopping between Northeast/Mid-Atlantic cities, but otherwise it's comparing 19th century travel to modern day alternatives.  I got from SF to Cape Cod on Saturday in nine hours, including a leisurely dinner stop.  Hard to beat that.

yep, i have always wanted to see the countryside by train not to mention the experience of traveling by train. i may end up regretting it but until i give it a shot, i won't know.

 

On 7/31/2018 at 8:14 AM, ExiledInIllinois said:

Yep... But 3 days on train... I think I am still getting a sleeper!!! Think of it as a hotel room!

 

Then again... He's married and traveling with another chick across state lines... Gotta keep up appearances...LoL!!! Just kidding around Foxx!! There is probably something in the Mann Act dating back to when train travel was king! 

 

BTW... To sum up Mann Act:

 

Mann Act

n. a federal statute making it a crime to transport a woman across state lines for "immoral" purposes. The Mann Act was intended to prevent the movement of prostitutes from one state to another or in and out of the country in the so-called "white slave" trade. However, it also applies to a male taking his under-age girlfriend to a love-nest in a neighboring state, or a female transporting an underage boy across the state line for such purposes. Maximum term is five years in a federal prison.

 

Boyst has probably broken it numerous times, even on the same night!

 

 ?

the Mann Act, huh? hmmm....

 

I could probably post a 'Would Ya?' thread regarding the girl i'm traveling with, but hopefully, "\GoBillsInDallas/" won't be posting a, ' Mann Act arrests: Amtrak style' thread.

 

On 7/31/2018 at 2:44 PM, Misterbluesky said:

This is why people hitchhike.

in my younger days, i did hitchhike from Tampa to Dallas. long story but the short of it was that we flew down to Fla and the person we were supposed to be staying with didn't reside in the boarded up house that was at the address when we got there. so there we were with a bunch of luggage, boxes and this killer boombox sitting in a parking lot trying to figure out our next move. we decided to call my buddy in Dallas and for an even greater insight into our brilliance then, it was that we decided we were going to hitchhike there with all of our crap in tow. i have to say that universe must have been smiling upon us because we made it with only three rides and in fairly good time to boot.

 

of course this was back in the early 80's on the tail end of when people still did this type of thing. i don't know that many try it in today's day and age. at least around here you rarely ever see anyone sticking their thumb out anymore. too many wackadoos on either side of that coin.

 

On 7/31/2018 at 3:20 PM, plenzmd1 said:

I agree with ALL of this. Foxx , do they have the roomettes on this train? Not a full sleeper car, but decent enough. Two seats , fold into a bed, private room with a door. Sink and a toilet in there, ( but I always go the public restroom, ) access to shower, includes your food. That is one long trip sleeping in a chair and just overall not getting up and going for a run etc. 

 

and yes, trains are always freaking late and WiFi sucks. 

 

And i I am with GBID, make sure to BYOB if you are a drinker. Booze just as expensive on the train as it is in a plane. 

i may try to sneak a bottle on the train. what are they going to do, take it? no big deal if they do.

 

On 7/31/2018 at 3:24 PM, BoldBully said:

Can’t speak to most of the trip but depending on which way they take you a lot of the northwest is beautiful by train. I work as a train engineer in Seattle and I have seen most of the territory from white fish Montana to Seattle. If you go through Wenatchee Wa you will go through the longest train tunnel in America and go through heavily forested area. There is a lot to see if you like wilderness, deer elk an occasional bear or moose. We even have a guy that says he fought a baby Bigfoot to a draw next to the train tracks ( no one believes him) but it is a pretty run with lots to see but not much else to do then sit and look. I’ve noticed a lot of people have books and all that good stuff while on Amtrak. 

i have driven all over the eastside of the Mississippi but very little on the western side. this is one of the reasons why i am wanting to do the train, so i can see a portion of the countryside west of the big river. very much looking forward to western Montana, the Glacier National Park and all the mountains in the Pacific Northwest. on our return trip, we will be leaving from Portland and we get to ride up alongside the Columbia. i have watched a few videos of that portion of the trip and it would appear to be simply majestic. if i see Bigfoot (or even his/her baby), i'll be sure to report that fact.

 

On 7/31/2018 at 3:37 PM, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

 

Any hot b!tches?

i'll let you know.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Foxx

[Buffalo716]

5 minutes ago, Foxx said:

yeah, i know a bed would be great but i am a construction guy so i am a bit rough around the edges so i'm thinking i should be able to handle it. not to mention that the price difference is three times what the coach seat is ($400 opposed to $1200 each way). the amount i save by 'roughing' it ($1600) is going to go a long way when we actually get to Moclips.

 

i am anticipating no data service for most of the trip. Amtrak has upped their wi-fi to include more trains but alas, the Empire Builder is not currently one of them. i have a bunch of digital media that i am bringing to read to help pass the time.

 

i don't know that i'll be the youngest person on the train by far, not unless everyone else is in their 60's and upward.

 

you are correct, no showers unless you have a sleeper. sponge baths will be the order of the day. might try and grab one in Chicago as the layover is something like 6.5 hours.

 

again, you are correct on the train schedule. i have been monitoring the Empire Builder and it would seem that on average runs about 4 hours late by the time it gets to Seattle.

 

i will be bringing plenty of food. unless by chance the food is any good, the goal is to eliminate half the meals i have to buy on the train. 

 

 

alcohol is allowed on the train, only if you have a sleeper. unfortunately, you are only allowed to drink your own supply in the privacy of your own room.

 

yep, i have always wanted to see the countryside by train not to mention the experience of traveling by train. i may end up regretting it but until i give it a shot, i won't know.

 

the Mann Act, huh? hmmm....

 

I could probably post a 'Would Ya?' thread regarding the girl i'm traveling with, but hopefully, "\GoBillsInDallas/" won't be posting a, ' Mann Act arrests: Amtrak style' thread.

 

in my younger days, i did hitchhike from Tampa to Dallas. long story but the short of it was that we flew down to Fla and the person we were supposed to be staying with didn't reside in the boarded up house that was at the address when we got there. so there we were with a bunch of luggage, boxes and this killer boombox sitting in a parking lot trying to figure out our next move. we decided to call my buddy in Dallas and for an even greater insight into our brilliance then, it was that we decided we were going to hitchhike there with all of our crap in tow. i have to say that universe must have been smiling upon us because we made it with only three rides and in fairly good time to boot.

 

of course this was back in the early 80's on the tail end of when people still did this type of thing. i don't know that many try it in today's day and age. at least around here you rarely ever see anyone sticking their thumb out anymore. too many wackadoos on either side of that coin.

 

i may try to sneak a bottle on the train. what are they going to do, take it? no big deal if they do.

 

i have driven all over the eastside of the Mississippi but very little on the western side. this is one of the reasons why i am wanting to do the train, so i can see a portion of the countryside west of the big river. very much looking forward to western Montana, the Glacier National Park and all the mountains in the Pacific Northwest. on our return trip, we will be leaving from Portland and we get to ride up alongside the Columbia. i have watched a few videos of that portion of the trip and it would appear to be simply majestic. if i see Bigfoot (or even his/her baby), i'll be sure to report that fact.

 

i'll let you know.

 

Damn! So they don’t have a bar car attached?

[Daisy days]

11 minutes ago, Foxx said:

 

 

i have driven all over the eastside of the Mississippi but very little on the western side. this is one of the reasons why i am wanting to do the train, so i can see a portion of the countryside west of the big river. very much looking forward to western Montana, the Glacier National Park and all the mountains in the Pacific Northwest. on our return trip, we will be leaving from Portland and we get to ride up alongside the Columbia. i have watched a few videos of that portion of the trip and it would appear to be simply majestic. if i see Bigfoot (or even his/her baby), i'll be sure to report that fact.

 

i'll let you know.

On that run along the Columbia... definitely want to be on the river side... other side is mainly desert.... I do that run about twice a week

[Foxx]

10 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

 

Damn! So they don’t have a bar car attached?

they do, you just can't bring your own unless you have a sleeper.

 

i'm a cheap ass B word though. $7 for a bottle of beer or a mixed drink?? !@#$ that noise.

 

 

2 minutes ago, BoldBully said:

On that run along the Columbia... definitely want to be on the river side... other side is mainly desert.... I do that run about twice a week

cool, maybe you'll be my conductor. would love to say hey to a fellow Bills fan. I'll be the guy rockin' Bills gear. seriously, if you will be on that ride, lets say hello.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Foxx

[plenzmd1]

Fox, if you have 6.5 in Chicago find a health club nearby as they always have a try a day for free and you can shower at the least, get a quick workout in if that suits ya too. If I can’t find a Y around, that is what I use when traveling and need a shower...like after a triathalon race or something where you have already checked out of room but still want a shower before driving home. 

[Foxx]

9 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Fox, if you have 6.5 in Chicago find a health club nearby as they always have a try a day for free and you can shower at the least, get a quick workout in if that suits ya too. If I can’t find a Y around, that is what I use when traveling and need a shower...like after a triathalon race or something where you have already checked out of room but still want a shower before driving home. 

fantastic! thank you for that, Plenz.

 

outside of the Chicago layover, i think there are only two stops along the way that are scheduled to be any longer than what one might call a smoke break. an hour stop in Minot and i don't remember where the other one is but those will certainly not be long enough to scope out a shower anywhere so this will help.  baby wipes for the rest of it i suppose.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Foxx

[Daisy days]

35 minutes ago, Foxx said:

they do, you just can't bring your own unless you have a sleeper.

 

i'm a cheap ass B word though. $7 for a bottle of beer or a mixed drink?? !@#$ that noise.

 

 

cool, maybe you'll be my conductor. would love to say hey to a fellow Bills fan. I'll be the guy rockin' Bills gear. seriously, if you will be on that ride, lets say hello.

Would love to but I am an engineer for BNSF.... so I don’t ride Amtrak that often. 

[GoBills808]

I rode on a train once. We were in the last car and everyone there was filthy and poor and the food was terrible and there wasn't enough of it. Like people were literally starving. It was freezing cold and the the trip was taking forever so a bunch of us decided to riot and move up to the next car. As we moved up from car to car it seemed like every one was nicer than the next and we quickly discovered they had been serving us ground up bugs pressed into protein bars. We found out that some of the fancier front cars were full of rich folk who had nice clothes and access to clean water and were keeping the people in the rear subjugated so they wouldn't have to worry about how long the train ride took, which we eventually found out was basically forever as there had been a climate catastrophe and the people on the train were the last vestiges of humanity. I have no idea who built the track. Anyway we finally came upon the conductor who told us that our revolution to overtake the various cars was all his idea the entire time and offered me his place as conductor and driver of the human race. I thought about it for a couple of minutes but eventually declined and me and my friend blew a hole in the train that caused an avalanche ahead and derailed us in a huge crash. I think everyone except me and my friend died and as we exited the train it was freezing cold and snowing but there was a polar bear in the distance so perhaps the planet was still habitable after all. 

[707BillsFan]

I prefer Drive By - Train ...

 

Edited August 18, 2018 by 707BillsFan

[Foxx]

i hop aboard my train tonight at 11pm.

 

#veryexcited

[ExiledInIllinois]

4 hours ago, Foxx said:

i hop aboard my train tonight at 11pm.

 

#veryexcited

Godspeed!

 

Throw Mama from the train...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...A kiss goodbye!