Scenic trains and day trips are fun.
As for overnight travel I was not a fan. Drove a Jeep to a buddy in Colorado took the train home from Denver to Cincy. No thanks, food was crazy expensive and crappy, not very comfortable.
Took trains all across Italy took night rides and used them to sleep instead of brothels or hotels. No thanks once again. The ferry boat across the Adriatic from Ancona, Italy to Split, Croatia was far better than the train and on the way over they had no sleeper cabins left so I slept on the life jacket tub on the deck On the way back the sleeper cabin was right next to the engine room and the beds were only 5' long a bit scrunched for someone that is 6'2"

Man I miss those traveling days!

Great way to travel. Was your carry-on scanned or did you have to go through a magnometer?

Years ago, I used to take the train a lot. Made several trips from Chicago to here and from NY to here, as well as from here to Denver and LA and points in between.

At the time, it was much cheaper than flying and much less trailer trash than Greyhound (logged several thousand miles with them as well). As I recall, I could make a trip between here and Chicago for around $150 coach. Sleepers were about double that.

I really enjoyed it as a means of travel. Time-wise, it wasn't a whole lot faster than driving, but it was nice to just sit back and watch the countryside go by. Overnight trips required a sleeper though. If just a day long trip you could get by in coach and spending most of your time in the bar car, but anything longer the 12-18 hours, you need to get away from the unwashed masses.

No and no

Which surprised me, honestly. I locked my firearms in the trunk of my vehicle, which since the auto train has no checkable luggsge, is the only way you're "allowed" to do it

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
Great way to travel. Was your carry-on scanned or did you have to go through a magnometer?

I've taken Amtrak between Philly and Penn Station a bunch, and the fast (and slow) ones all over France and Japan. I like traveling by train.

FYI the American South is really freaking dark and kind of creepy when illuminated by a moon just past full shone through some live oak trees as your train sits on the tracks in central South Carolina.

I drove my M113A1 on the train a few times in Germany.

quote:

Originally posted by charlie12:
I drove my M113A1 on the train a few times in Germany.

I've driven M1s onto flatbeds a few times. It was fun.

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
Probably only in the olden days. Porters to make out your bunk. Dinner in the dining car. Those were the days.
RMD

Missing those times, eh?

Two choices await you in North America -

1. The 'Empire Builder' - Chicago to Seattle.

2. The 'Canadian' - Tronna to Vancouver.

Both have full service with Georges.

tac - 'Go by Train'

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by rduckwor:
Porters to make out your bunk.

And all of them were named George. What are the odds?

It's traditional.

Like trains that puff out steam instead of fumes.

Did you know that the UK has more real live steam locomotives in service [excursion service, true, but still...] than any other country on earth?

More than eighty-five preservation railways?

Is BUILDING at least EIGHT new [but old-style steam locomotives] right now?

tac - Youtube channel - tac's trains

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
Years ago, I used to take the train a lot. Made several trips from Chicago to here and from NY to here, as well as from here to Denver and LA and points in between.

At the time, it was much cheaper than flying and much less trailer trash than Greyhound (logged several thousand miles with them as well). As I recall, I could make a trip between here and Chicago for around $150 coach. Sleepers were about double that.

I really enjoyed it as a means of travel. Time-wise, it wasn't a whole lot faster than driving, but it was nice to just sit back and watch the countryside go by. Overnight trips required a sleeper though. If just a day long trip you could get by in coach and spending most of your time in the bar car, but anything longer the 12-18 hours, you need to get away from the unwashed masses.

^^^^^^
Rode Amtrak from Va to Seattle (Empire Builder-Hi Line) then the 2 nd leg of trip from Seattle to LA, then through Flagstaff/visit Grand Canyon side tour, then Chicago-Washington -home.

There were folks rraveling cross country in coach. My travel experience was good, theirs not so much.

Toward the end, I had gotten worn out, as I had been traveling a month, the sleeper, dinimg cars, and observation cars made me claustrophobic.

My trip cost about $3,300 for small sleeper (minus tips) back in 2006. Got to see places I had always wanted to see.

For the Michigan peeps especially

https://www.michigansteamtrain.com/npe

I really want to do that one of these years. They modeled the Polar Express after it.

As a kid, I'd get to tag along on steam excursions from Birmingham to Chattanooga (my Mom was a car host) put on by the Heart of Dixie Railroad Historical Society. Saturday and Sunday runs, once or twice a year. Some of my fondest memories as a kid come from riding those trains. (And then picking cinders out of your hair for what seemed like forever LOL)

The two main engines I remember were the 611 and 1218.

Good times

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:
It's traditional.

Good Heavens. You actually think I was serious?? Thanks, tacfoley, for considering me ignorant of the history of my own country.

It was a joke. Joke. J-o-k-e. Look it up.

quote:

Originally posted by Snake207:
As a kid, I'd get to tag along on steam excursions from Birmingham to Chattanooga (my Mom was a car host) put on by the Heart of Dixie Railroad Historical Society. Saturday and Sunday runs, once or twice a year. Some of my fondest memories as a kid come from riding those trains. (And then picking cinders out of your hair for what seemed like forever LOL)

The two main engines I remember were the 611 and 1218.

Good times

Thanks for the pic!

Growing up in Roanoke, VA, I used to play on the 611 before it was restored. The transportation museum let our scout troop camp overnight among the trains, and we got great access to all of the equipment.

The 611 is perhaps the most advanced traditional steam locomotive ever built, with features like roller bearings, lightweight connecting rods, and streamlining. Truly a beautiful locomotive, built right there in the East End Roanoke shops where my Dad, Uncle, and Grandfather used to work. It would have been scrapped with the others if it hadn't have been laid on its side in 1956, coming out of the shops in '57 or '58, IIRC, practically brand new before the conversion to diesel in 1958.

Imagine going back and riding The Pocahontas pulled by a J, purring along at 70 mph. Nowadays they don't run the excursions nearly that fast because the track is not maintained to the level it was back in the day. The J's required perfect track to really get up to speed.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:
It's traditional.

Good Heavens. You actually think I was serious?? Thanks, tacfoley, for considering me ignorant of the history of my own country.

It was a joke. Joke. J-o-k-e. Look it up.

Point taken, Sir, but it has to be said that probably ARE Americans who don't know it was a joke. My next door neighbour, a USAF CWO, is likely one of them. He's never ridden a train in the USA his life, and proud to admit to it.

tac

Whatever, man

They forgot the car!!

quote:

Imagine going back and riding The Pocahontas pulled by a J, purring along at 70 mph.

One of the more legendary 611 trips was one where we sidetracked for quite awhile by another train coming back.

The President of the Railroad just happened to be on the train and wasn't too excited about getting home later. He passed word to the engine "open her up." Everyone knew who who he was, so (quite delightfully I might add) they obliged.

A few passengers noticed we were leaving our chase cars behind and asked how fast we were going. Standard answer - and the speed limit of the line - "55mph"

We had to have be doing 70, easy. Now that was a fun trip.

quote:

Originally posted by Snake207:

quote:

Imagine going back and riding The Pocahontas pulled by a J, purring along at 70 mph.

One of the more legendary 611 trips was one where we sidetracked for quite awhile by another train coming back.

The President of the Railroad just happened to be on the train and wasn't too excited about getting home later. He passed word to the engine "open her up." Everyone knew who who he was, so (quite delightfully I might add) they obliged.

A few passengers noticed we were leaving our chase cars behind and asked how fast we were going. Standard answer - and the speed limit of the line - "55mph"

We had to have be doing 70, easy. Now that was a fun trip.

That's the first publicity shots as she came out of the paintshop - ain't she just the most beautiful machine on earth?

Well, apart from SP&S #700, that is.

tac
PCRA