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Amtrak-anybody ride it?

jimdeerejimdeere Member, Moderator Posts: 26,234 ******
edited December 2008 in General Discussion
How was it? Wife and I were talking and think it would be a cool thing to do in the winter. Just get on somewhere, ride all day, and then ride back the next day. Whadda ya think?
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Comments

  • tomahawktomahawk Member Posts: 11,826
    edited November -1
    of all the modes of transportation railway is my favorite, you see country that is beyond the highway, the food in the dining car is excellent, and no stress of driving...you'll enjoy it and be hooked[;)][8D]
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  • Jacob2008Jacob2008 Member Posts: 19,528 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    so much cheaper to pull a Jesse James
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  • ElMuertoMonkeyElMuertoMonkey Member Posts: 12,898
    edited November -1
    I rode Amtrak several years ago and had a pleasant time doing so. If you can, spend the extra dough and get a sleeper (the bigger, the better).

    It's relaxing and the folks on board have a tendency to be very friendly.

    Just one word of advice: make sure you have plenty of time on your hands - schedules and timetables mean nothing to Amtrak and you could very well find yourself several hours late getting to where you want to go.
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  • trapguy2007trapguy2007 Member Posts: 8,959
    edited November -1
    Get ready for a surprise when you check prices .
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  • fishkiller41fishkiller41 Member Posts: 50,608
    edited November -1
    I ride between West Palm and DeLand all the time.All they have is microwave sammiches but they do have COLD BEER!!ON ICE!! I normally bring a 6-pack in a soft-sided cooler and a good sub.
    Last trip i took, i went from DeLand to WPB via TAMPA[xx(] Those conductors are like "SCREWS", they WILL NOT LET YOU OFF TO SMOKE. They have designated "smoke stops".[:(!]
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  • Marc1301Marc1301 Member Posts: 31,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Jacob2008
    so much cheaper to pull a Jesse James

    [:0][:D]
    "Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here." - William Shatner
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  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jimdeere
    How was it? Wife and I were talking and think it would be a cool thing to do in the winter. Just get on somewhere, ride all day, and then ride back the next day. Whadda ya think?


    Never rode it.
    Was going to a few years ago. Same price a taking a plane, so no thanks.
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  • Jacob2008Jacob2008 Member Posts: 19,528 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
    quote:Originally posted by Jacob2008
    so much cheaper to pull a Jesse James

    [:0][:D]


    What?

    Cant be too much to it to hop on a freight train if he could off a bridge or a horse!
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  • savage170savage170 Member Posts: 37,537 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Other then they always run late I perfer it to flying 3 times more leg room between the seats. If they had more routes I'd never fly again
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  • kristovkristov Member Posts: 6,633
    edited November -1
    I've taken the Pacific Surfliner (it used to be called The San Diegan) down to San Diego and back many times. There round trip fare for a business class seat with plenty of leg room (I'm 6-2 240), a free news paper and a free soda is around $80. The trip to San Diego takes two hours one-way and while it is possible in theory to drive from my home to San Diego in that amount of time, the reality is that I'd be lucky to crack three hours making that trip on a weekend and I'll burn up at least $50 in gasoline doing it. Orange County's John Wayne Airport is closer to my home that the Amtrak station in Irvine but the amount of time and hassel it takes to get onto a plane these days (plus they are always late) thanks to the added security make the riding train a snap: Climb on board, sit down and put your feet up, drink a Coke and read the paper. The food service is only so-so, but there is always plenty of cold beer and the view of the coastline is much nicer at sea/track level than at 30,000 feet. I agree with Savage170: If there were more routes (and expanded high speed rail service) I'd never get on an airplane in this country again.
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  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 48,464 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Check on their scenic routes. They have them. One here in Oregon in the summer Called the Starlight Heard the views are great.

    I took the AmTRack from Eugene Oregon to OceanSide Calif. Got lucky with the time I took it. Down Around Mt Shasta you are on the Eastern Side as you drop down into one valley You would swear you are in the Alps. Just from the way the homes are built.

    Like to take the northern route at least once.

    In Calif not sure if it still runs but from Lancaster to Bakersfield took you thru some great country that was a day trip go in the Morning Come back that evening.

    My trip would take 2 weeks for what I would like to see. Get one of those passes that allow you to get on and off at will.
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  • pickenuppickenup Member Posts: 22,844 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There are some hot springs, on the other side of the divide, that I've been thinking about taking the wife to, by way of Amtrak. Ride up one day, enjoy the hot springs overnight, ride back the next day. Our anniversary is coming up. Hmmmmmmmm........
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  • catpealer111catpealer111 Member Posts: 10,695
    edited November -1
    I've gone from Minot, ND to Minneapolis one way and from Minot to Spokane, WA round trip. To Minneapolis it was only 8 hours so it wasn't too unbearable but to WA it was 14 with only 3 smoke breaks along the way and it was hell. Short trips would be fun but I'd prefer to drive cross country.
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  • dongizmodongizmo Member Posts: 14,477 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Only once..
    I took one from Waco TX to Tucson AZ back in 76 or so, rode coach, the seats were big enough for me to get a comfortable snooze in, you could smoke & play cards in the lounge car, they had a regular dining car with a kitchen, (maybe cause it was cross country train?) And it had a bar car, beer and mixed drinks.
    It took 16 hours, I drove back in 15.
    If I had the time, I would do it again...
    Don
    The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools.
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  • stetsonstetson Member Posts: 84 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yup, rode from Portland,Maine to Boston, Mass took two hours .Went shopping for the day had a great time.Going to do it again.Great way
    to travel!Cost me $82 for two round trip tickets.How can you beat that?
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  • reddnekreddnek Member Posts: 1,552 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I do it quite a bit. From my SC home up north to visit my kids and south to visit some cousins. I love it, cheaper than flying ,more relaxing than driving.I agree the schedules are not to be relied on but I'm never in a hurry when I go
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  • 320090T320090T Member Posts: 2,715 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Did Indy to Minneapolis to go shopping at the Mall of America. Great trip, got hammered on the way home and didn't have to drive. I only wish they had a cameras feeding monitors facing the front so you could see where you were going.
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  • kimberkidkimberkid Member Posts: 8,858 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I used to ride from Arizona to Kansas a couple times a year up until about 20 years ago ... then my parents moved back to Kansas with me.

    It used to be a great way to travel ... 2 days on the road but not wore-out when you got there.

    Other than that, I'm not sure anything else twenty years later is relevant.
    If you really desire something, you'll find a way ?
    ? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
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  • remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,245 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's been a few years sinse I have...As stated above. It's a fun way to travel. Also the food sucks and is exspensive...I a girl friend that travel on one about four yours ago, She said a loisy burger costs $18 then...You might want to pack a lunch

    Also, there are some areas that don't have a train going through it...They will tranfer you to a bus in that case
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  • HonestBluesHonestBlues Member Posts: 859 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have always liked to travel by rail.When I was a kid growing up on the Jersey Shore I would take the train to NYC then the subway up to Yankee Stadium.In fact,several years ago when Susie and I were visiting my sister up there,we did just that.Had a great time watching a ballgame at a historic old stadium and all we did was ride and enjoy the scenery.The fare was just 38 bucks or so round trip for the two of us.I think just parking a car in NYC costs more than that.[:D]
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