Well, I'll soon be on the road again, or should I say rails. I'm booked on the Texas Eagle leaving LAX friday 5-10, connecting in Chicago to the Lake Shore Ltd. I leave New York on 5-16 on the Crescent to New Orleans, 5-18 on the City of New Orleans connecting with the Empire Builder in Chicago going through to Seattle. I depart Seattle on 5-22 on the Coast Starlight for Los Angeles. I should have some wild stories to tell when I get back. I hope one of them isn't what happened when I missed my connection from the Eagle to the Lake Shore because we were 18 zillion hours late into Chicago. LOL Reggie
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Posted by mho357 (Member # 1204) on :
Reggie,
Sounds like a great trip. I can't wait to hear how it went.
Mark
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
It should be a great trip, Mark. I'm so excited, I can barely stand it. I'm just like a kid every time I get on the train. Unlike when I was a kid, I don't rough it, I do the sleeper the whole trip. I'm just too old to sit up in coach all night. I would be sitting too, as sleep doesn't come too easy even in the sleeper that first night. Reggie
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Posted by mho357 (Member # 1204) on :
Reggie,
I have never slept on the train - our only trip was to see if we liked it enough to book our big trip that we are taking next month. We took the Eagle from Fort Worth to San Antonio and back again during the Thanksgiving holiday. I did book standard sleepers for us because I wanted to see what it would be like in first class. My impression was that I would probably sleep like a baby on the train. I'm surprised to hear you say that the first night is tough even in a sleeper. How come?
Mark
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
I guess the fact that I'm so excited about the trip that I just can't fall asleep. The second night & the rest of the trip I sleep like a baby. I will wake if the train stops for a while. My son & I were traveling through Spokane & after all the switching was done & we were sitting for about 15 minutes I awoke & asked my son, who was awake, what happened. He couldn't believe I slept through all the switching & woke up only after sitting for so long. Reggie
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Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :
You might consider buying a pair of decent ear plugs down at your local Drug Warehouse before you leave.
I've found that it usually isn't the motion of the train that wakes me during the night. It's all the unfamiliar and unexpected sounds: passing freights. . . passengers talking loudly in the car corridor or on some station platform. . . or simply the squeaking of a loose compartment door or light fixture.
I've also learned to go very easy on the Amtrak coffee. One or two cups a day is my "riding the rails" maximum. And I never have any after 5 PM.
Posted by daisybumble (Member # 855) on :
I find that I wake up a million times during the night on the train, but I feel rested the next day. Even though I'm NOT a morning person, I do not have a hard time getting up early on the train. Very odd. I really like the feeling when you wake up and you don't know where you are. On my first trip, I woke up for good just as we were pulling out of the station. I didn't see what station it was, and my watch and schedule were down by the lower bunk, so it took some time to find out what was going on.
Posted by royaltrain (Member # 622) on :
I can never get a good night's rest the first night anywhere outside my own bed. I agree with Reggierail that it is probably due to the excitement of a much anticipated holiday. Someone mentioned earplugs. You may be interested to know that here in Canada, Via now provides a package of earplugs to their sleeping car passengers.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
I can't sleep on the first night either. Partly excitement, partly a different bed - and mostly the rough track! I remember back in November going on the Texas Eagle / Sunset Ltd from LA, the first night in California was terrible - twice I involuntarily rolled right over! And I agree, I'm not a morning person, but can happily get up at 7am to see what's going on!
Geoff M.
Posted by CarterB (Member # 1439) on :
As a veteran "overnight" train traveler, I have found a few 'tricks' work well for me. 1. I bring my own familiar pillow 2. Ear plugs (the in-the-ear sponge types) 3. A sleep mask (the type the airlines hand out for free)
They don't take up much room to pack and sure work for me.
Doesn't hurt to have a bottle of 'schnapps' with you for a few hits before bed, either!!!
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Reggie, I know you're an informed traveller, and I'm wondering why you chose the Texas Eagle to Chicago rather than the SW Chief. BTW, the ride down the Hudson River is worth the price of admission.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Concerning sleeping on the train -- I too always have trouble sleeping the first night I am on a train, I guess due to the change from my own bed. After the first night, I sleep fine.
I am always up at the crack of dawn on my train trips, even though I usually sleep in late when I am home, the opposite to another post I saw here earlier. I alwasys get the video camera going as soon as it is light enough to see things and I have perched myself for the day in the Sightseer Lounge, Amfleet dinette, or whatever...
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
TBLACK wrote: Reggie, I know you're an informed traveller, and I'm wondering why you chose the Texas Eagle to Chicago rather than the SW Chief. BTW, the ride down the Hudson River is worth the price of admission.>>
<1. 60+ hours on the train opposed to 40 on the SW Chief, after all I am a foamer. 2. The price generally is as cheap or cheaper than the Chief, BTW the Zephyr is usually cheaper too. So, more train less money. 3. I lived in Albuquerque for many years & any trip would require starting & ending on the Chief. I just about have the route down to memory, probably 20 or more trips.>>
Last trip along the Hudson was in the fall northbound during daylight 2&1/2 years ago. The scenery & fall colors were breathtaking. I just happened to have a group of 40 with me at the time & it was ooh & ahhs all the way to Albany. Reggie
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Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Reggie, Just one more point. I make your time on trains (TOT) at about 2 weeks. You cannot come back to this list without a full report. I'd be particularly interested in your observations on crew morale after all the political drama on AMTRAK's future.
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
Definitely TBLACK, that too would be a big concern of mine. I have noticed a continual improvement in customer service over the last few years. There are still a few bad apples in the basket. It's too bad those were not the ones laid off. More often than not it's the good employees that are laid off first. BTW I worked as an LSA the summer of '92 & the same ca-ca was happening then. It's a shame that Amtrak employees must work with this BS hanging over their heads for so long. My trip entails 4 nights on the train, 2 nights in New York, 1 night on the train, 1 night in New Orleans, 3 nights on the train, 1 night in Seattle and then 1 night back to LA. A little over 9,500 miles on the train. Not as long as my marathon trip on one All Aboard fare about 8 years ago of over 22,000 miles in 30 days. Yeah, I really am a foamer.
Reggie
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Posted by graynt (Member # 17) on :
I know exactly how you feel, Reggie. I ve been taking long distance Amtrak journeys every year since 1990..sometimes a couple of times a year and I never lose that exciting feelng of anticipation that always hits me weeks before I depart. I never tire of that train pulling up to the station and boarding. It's always an adventure and every trip Ive taken has special memories.
My journey begins in seven weeks. I ll be using Amtraks Western region Explore America fare and originating inLas Vegas and ending in Tucson using all of Amtraks western trains. I ll be taking te SW Chief to Raton and instead of catching the connecting bus that evenig and arriving in Denver lat at night I'll overnight in Raton and take the daytime bus to Denver before connecting with the Westbound Zephyr the next day.
I ll be using a sleeper from Portland to LA. I want to attend the wine tasting that afternoon and I know they take dinner reservations at the same time. How do I do both?
My two favorite rides are from Denver to Glenwood Springs and from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo. I ve traveled every Amtrak route with the exception of the Pioneer.
Reggie, enjoy your trip. As you well know the train is the ultimate vacation!
Posted by Silver Star (Member # 1570) on :
Have a great trip Reggie! I am jealous though I just returned in February from a nice Jacksonville-Richmond-Chicago-Ft.Worth/OK City-LAX-CHI-Philadelphia-JAX trip. I am ready to go again.
I appreciated the thoughts re: my summer Twilight Shoreliner sleeper that was cancelled. I was able to get reaccommodated in First Class on Acela Express which works for me!
I also can never sleep well the first night on the train but do great after that (except in feb when they banged around our sleeper during the Texas Eagle to Sunset switching at San Antonio. Much swapping of car positions long before #1 came in...reversing coach and sleeper spots, adding express, etc. I can't slept with head end power off (too still in the room). My trick (when power is on) is to carry a small fan...it makes "white noise" and circulates air.
Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :
Funny you should mention a "small fan." I dug mine out of my closet today, just to see if it still works so I can take it on my trip this summer.
Amtrak's air conditioning has gotten so unpredicatable during my hot weather journeys that a fan has become "essential equipment," at least when I'm in a sleeper.
The one I use works great on four "D" batteries, which I don't buy until just before I board the train because they add extra weight. The batteries last for two nights or so -- long enough to get me to my destination -- and then I toss them out.
I bought it for something like $12 at Campmor, the retail and mail order camping supply place in New Jersey. It may sound like a dumb luxury, but it's a godsend when it's 92 degrees outside your train, you want to sleep, and the a/c isn't being cooperative.
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
graynt wrote: I ll be using a sleeper from Portland to LA. I want to attend the wine tasting that afternoon and I know they take dinner reservations at the same time. How do I do both?
Shouldn't be a problem. When you're having lunch & the steward drops off your meal check ask if you can make a reservation for dinner. If not, whoever takes reservations for dinner will go through the sleepers first, then the Pacific Parlor Car, the coaches and finally the Sightseer Lounge. You should still have a good choice of seatings even if you're not in the sleeper as many sleeper passengers will be at the wine tasting also. You might even be able to catch the person as they head through the Pacific Parlor Car on the way to the sleeper. Anyway, I'll be on that train 5-22 from Seattle & will relay what happens after I return. Reggie
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[This message has been edited by reggierail (edited 05-09-2002).]
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
Regarding choice of Texas Eagle instead of Southwest Chief, I'd agree that I'm there for the ride, not for the quickest route to Chicago.
I have spent 4 occasions travelling around your country by train, just for the sake of it! Even with those four trips, I've managed to go on every overnight train except two of the Silver Services, the Philly-Harrisburg-Chicago trains, Emeryville to Los Angeles, and Spokane to Portland. Not bad for a UK-based person I think!
However, with a bit of luck, later this year I may be able to do at least the Emeryville to Los Angeles bit, maybe the Portland to Spokane bit as well. Shame about the lack of service to Las Vegas though.
Geoff M.
Posted by Silver Star (Member # 1570) on :
As Dilly noted, a fan is a must when traveling in a sleeper. I am used to using one here at home in the Deep South and I just pack my regular 8" fan from Walmart or Target. It takes some room in the duffel bag but it sure feels nice when the room is warm. I take an extension cord so I can use it anywhere...upper or lower berth...and the extension cord is useful in the day for running the scanner and saving batteries. I find the Superliner rooms very stuffy as the a/c vents are not sufficient (the hall is colder than the rooms). The Viewliners have much better ventilation and include a small wall fan.
[This message has been edited by Silver Star (edited 05-09-2002).]
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
Well, today's the day I leave on my first leg of my trip. Six LD trains & over 9,500 of Amtravel. It should be all unique miles with no backtracking, so I should cover about 40% of Amtrak's total route miles. I'm planning on having a great trip & should have many great stories to tell when I return. All Aboard!!
