Train

[Janice]

I have always wanted to take either an Amtrax across the country or The Rocky Mountain Railroad thru Canada. Has anyone taken a train on a vacation?

I took the train from Iowa to California when I was younger, but didn't have a private room. I slept in my seat and ate in the dining room. That was many years ago when I was really young.

[gtalum]

I would avoid the Amtrak longhaul services like the plague. They run consistently late if at all.

[Janice]

Really, I wonder what other options there are for trains in the US?

[Brent]

I would avoid the Amtrak longhaul services like the plague. They run consistently late if at all.

Yeah...

I'd much rather fly.

[CajunMama]

My husband and his friends once took the train up to st louis, watched a ballgame, got back on the train and came home.

[Vandora]

I took a train (trains, really) from Cincinnati, Ohio to... I can't remember where the last stop was, in Northern California. We stayed for 2 weeks, and then went back on the train.

It was the best trip I've ever taken. Yes, it wasn't always on time. Yes, there was one point where we were stuck on the track, not moving. But it was the best trip ever, we'd given enough time for things like that to happen, and amazingly, we still made it to all destinations on time (they made up time during the night).

If I could afford it, I'd take all trips via Amtrack. It's not for everyone... If you're the go-go-go type who doesn't like to wait or take your time, then no. Most people are that way these days, so I guess that's why Amtrack is having such trouble.

But I loved meeting people, the rooms were neat (we got a room for part of the way up for very little markup), the coach seats can't be beat (they lay nearly all the way back, and you aren't in the lap of the people behind you), the smoking car was fun (I was a smoker then, not anymore), and eating in the dinning room and cafe was awesome. Being on the train became a part of the vacation, and it was great to sit in the observation car and watch everything go by.

If you get a room, you get 3 free meals in the dining car a day. That was lovely. (Otherwise, you pay as you dine.)

I feel it beats flying. But then, I'm not much of a flyer.

[Audrey2Katrina]

I used to take my kids once a year on the "City of New Orleans" to Chicago... had to watch a Cubbies Game, ride the L, and visit the Sears tower... then back down to home in the Big Easy...

Personally, we enjoyed it... sort of an adventure.

A2K

[Janice]

Yes, I would just like to try a different type of vacation. The Rocky Mountain tour looks fun. Canada is beautiful. I have the patience to sit, look out the dome windows and look at all the scenery. A good time to read a good book and relax. We travel a lot and I am bored with flying and staying in hotels. The square walls drive me crazy, hailing cabs, looking for places to eat. That is one reason I like to cruise. We took the Alaskan cruise. It was our favorite and you could get an extended week by rail going farther into Alaska. I wish we would have done that when we had the chance.

[Janice]

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