I'm looking at taking a train trip out west for a vacation next year and I'm looking for opinions. We'd probably leave from Chicago. Anyone have thoughts to share if you've been on one? Also, any opinions on destination would be nice too. I'm looking at one that goes to Glacier National Park but I really have no idea which park would be best.

Glacier Natl Park is awesome, been there twice, but once you've driven Going to the Sun Road there's not much else to see. If you're in Montana there's way more to see and enjoy at Yellowstone which is only about 400 miles east of Glacier so easy to do both parks if you have more than a day. Spend a day at Glacier and then spend a week or so at Yellowstone. I was on my motorcycle when I visited both parks so I had the freedom to spend as much time as I wanted at each park so not sure how much flexibility you'll have on a train vacation.

Make sure you read the travel details completely. We looked into train trips. 1 had you getting off the train and checking in to a hotel every night. I passed on that, didn't want the associated issues.

Buy the best room you can, and make sure it's no where near the bathrooms, at least in Europe the head was a hole in the floor where you took a leak or dropped one onto the tracks and stunk like hell since it all blew back on the underside of the train!

This video makes you want to go!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ETQAFDW40

Any particular reason by train?
We did Cincy to Chicago to Denver. Not enjoyable. Train travel here is nothing like Europe.

When our kids were young we took the Southwest Chief from Kansas City to Flagstaff, Arizona. Rented a vehicle and took in the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas (family).
You get to see the oldest parts of many towns and some beautiful scenery. The food on Amtrak was surprisingly good, but still bring snacks for a multi day ride.
The sleeper cars are expensive, we just napped in our seats for the one night. I’d pay for a sleeper if doing it again. Should have also taken in the national parks in southern Utah. Underrated in their beauty. Don’t sit near the doors, constant action. The timing for return may not be the best depending on where you get back on. But as they say, “don’t worry, there’ll be another train coming in 24 hours.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Any particular reason by train?
We did Cincy to Chicago to Denver. Not enjoyable. Train travel here is nothing like Europe.

That was my experience as well, back in 2004ish.

I had a group of friends who wanted to go to Chicago, and for some reason we decided to drive to Kansas City and take the Amtrak train from Kansas City to Chicago.

Turns out it was basically the Greyhound bus, just on rails. Old, dirty, run down, uncomfortable, and filled with rough characters.

All of us were disappointed, and wished we had just driven or flown to Chicago instead.

Wife and I went from Omaha to Chicago on the Zephyr (part of a day), then took the Empire Builder to Seattle. That's the northern route through the high plains, just south of the Canadian border. For that long trip, we got the largest bedroom we could and that made it all very enjoyable and relaxing. That route goes through Glacier, but it was late october and already dark (and snowing!) when we went through. Depending on your plans, Amtrack offers tickets where you can get of at a stop and spend several days, then continue your journey on another train several days later -- might be worth it for Glacier at the right time of year)

There was a recent thread on train travel. I did ND to Sandpointe ID. The schedule sucked because we went through the rockies in the middle of the night so no scenic views. And they make am trac stop in the mountains so that the cola trains can go through first. ie 2 hour wait.

I eqaute amtrac to being an oversized bus with all kinds of nasty people. I know that some were homeless and you can smell them from feet away. So if you do go by train get the sleeping compartment and alcohol lol

I went to Glacier national Park back in 2006. The trip required taking the City of New Orleans train to Chicago with a six hour layover in Chicago. From there taking the Empire Builder train to east Glacier Park.

Total one way trip time was about 49 hours.

This was a budget trip, I only had a sleeper car on the return segment of the trip from Chicago to New Orleans. The sleeper cars were too expensive, particularly between Chicago and East Glacier.

The main reason for taking the train was the amount of time I had off from work, a total of 10 days. Otherwise I would have driven there. I was able to spend five full days in the park.

As luck would have it a cold front had pushed through the day before I arrived. The temperature that night was 19 degrees. The next 5 days were beautiful, there wasn't a cloud in the sky until the 5th day I was there.

I thought at the time that this was a once in a lifetime trip. I hope one day to duplicate the trip and spend more time in the park.

If I were to ever go by train again it'll be sleeper cars for every segment of the trip.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
Glacier Natl Park is awesome, been there twice, but once you've driven Going to the Sun Road there's not much else to see. If you're in Montana there's way more to see and enjoy at Yellowstone which is only about 400 miles east of Glacier so easy to do both parks if you have more than a day. Spend a day at Glacier and then spend a week or so at Yellowstone. I was on my motorcycle when I visited both parks so I had the freedom to spend as much time as I wanted at each park so not sure how much flexibility you'll have on a train vacation.

There's a lot more to Glacier than GTTS, but you have to willing to get out into the backcountry, and I hear the permitting process is a bit of a pain, especially as it's gotten more popular. Yellowstone definitely does have more frontcountry access. Both parks are way overcrowded. There's something really messed up about going out in the woods to sit in a traffic jam.

My recommendation for the west is to ditch the train idea, rent a small camper and find some nice National Forest campgrounds away from the national parks.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
Glacier Natl Park is awesome, been there twice, but once you've driven Going to the Sun Road there's not much else to see.

Beg to differ. I grew up in and around Glacier. Not to diminish the grandeur of Going To The Sun, but there is SO much more to see. You just have hike in to see it. Even without doing that, the train ride around the south end of the park is very nice as well (if done in the daytime of course), and a drive up the north fork is equally good.

It's been many years since, but I've done that train ride from Chicago to Whitefish several times, and I quite enjoyed it. Definitely a step above Greyhound at the time. But, without question, get yourself a sleeper. You don't want to be smashed in with the riff-raff.

A friend of mine literally just got back from taking Amtrack from Atlanta to Washington state.

He went first class all inclusive and had the suite.

I need to visit some friends in Amarillo, outside of Albuquerque, Phoenix and near Palm Springs. I’ve literally been thinking along these lines as I’m positive the Mrs. Wouldn’t be comfortable with me going solo, I’ve got nobody that can “road trip time” with me and my daily driver is getting up in mileage.

Sand I hate to fly. Haven’t been in a plane in thirty years and no plans to ride in a cattle car of the sky.

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
Glacier Natl Park is awesome, been there twice, but once you've driven Going to the Sun Road there's not much else to see. If you're in Montana there's way more to see and enjoy at Yellowstone which is only about 400 miles east of Glacier so easy to do both parks if you have more than a day. Spend a day at Glacier and then spend a week or so at Yellowstone. I was on my motorcycle when I visited both parks so I had the freedom to spend as much time as I wanted at each park so not sure how much flexibility you'll have on a train vacation.

As someone who spent every summer of my childhood there (up until having to work for a living) I say with complete confidence, that you have no freaking clue what you are talking about when it comes to GNP.

As for the train - heading up to Chicago and taking the Empire Builder is the way to go.

Some friends took a train from Kansas City to Spokane a few years back. They didn't have a lot of good things to say.

I second the opinion of renting a trailer and do the drive.

If I wanted to make a long train trip with fantastic scenery in North America, I would do it in Canada.

Something like one of these:

Vancouver to Banff train trips

Dave worked for the railroad for 16 years, after retiring ,
He and his spouse took three trips west from galesburg, ill.


There are three ways to get to the west coast.


The northern, the middle and the southern routes.

He said the far northern route is nothing but dull, boring and arduous. ( Take four books some videos and music to listen to)

The middle route is all kinds of interesting and the southern routes come in at second place .

He offered me some good advice,
The bunks are only six feet long, so if you are six ft. Or taller,
Prepare for some new sleeping positions.

Amtrak trains have lower priority than freight trains do, so be prepared to sit on sidings to let freight trains delivering shit from China pass you by. My wife made the mistake of taking the train from San Antonio to Alpine once. It took nearly 12 hours, about twice as long as driving.