Since Steve started Trainweb; he has had an ongoing total of his miles on Amtrak. I started riding Amtrak Feb 1972, to date - 23,076 miles ((with a 6638 mile round trip (ORL thru NOL thru CHI to WFH) bought and paid for, for Mar 2004). How about you??
------------------ "My other car and my plane is AMTRAK!" - Bob
Posted by Amtrakman (Member # 2403) on :
20,051 Miles in about 15 years.
And I have a 2,300+ this summer trip planned from CHI to SAC.
------------------ ~Late train+more time on the train=The best trains~
I have over 13,000 miles in ten years with 7,100 miles more in two weeks time on amtrak and via. Cle-chi-sf-sea-vac-tor-syr-cle.
Posted by ChrisJ (Member # 320) on :
Since October 1998, I've logged 21,185 miles total on Amtrak, VIA, and AOE. Another 2,848 coming up this month onn Amtrak & VIA. Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
Just about beat all of you so far, and I don't even live over there (I'm a Brit)! 24,066 miles since August 1997. I've been on average on one cross-country round trip every other year since then!
Longest trip at 6392 miles was NYP-NOL-LAX-CHI-WAS(CL)-NYP in 1998. Shortest was 1146 miles NYP-WAS-CHI(Cardinal).
My shortest trip is coming up - under 350 miles on the CZ in a couple of weeks time. I *might* be doing Orlando to New Orleans and back (1500 miles) to get away from the wrinklies for a bit.
Worst - Silver Meteor for food, service, and cleanliness. Best - Cardinal. On time (actually 30 mins early) - Southwest Chief. Latest - California Zephyr at 7 hours.
Geoff M.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
I wish I knew...
I had a 16 year absence from Amtrak. I can easily tell you how many miles I've gone in recent years: a mere 7,558 since August 2000.
But, I rode the Starlight a lot between 1974 and 1984. I kept a journal for a class, and in that journal I remember I calculated over 10,000 miles sometime during the 1976-1977 school year. If I could only find that journal now (I think I still I have it in a box somewhere) I could give a reasonably accurate figure. Given that, my total mileage is certainly well over 17,558.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
These numbers will be on my web site soon. My All-Time Milage Record on Amtrak stands at 15,256 miles traveled on 65 separate Amtrak Trains so far in my life. My first Amtrak Trip was "way back" on July 23rd, 1996, rode from Buffalo To Sandusky On #49. My 26th and most recent trip was on April 23rd, 2003, riding from Buffalo to Schenectady on #286 (Empire Service) and #49 back.
Not all Amtrak by any means, but my total for North America (does not include mileage on other continents) is 63,163. This is unduplicated mileage; i.e., only the first trip over a route counts.
I haven't tallied my Amtrak mileage separately, but if I include all the trips up and down the Northeast Corridor over the years, I'm sure I could hit 40,000 miles. I've covered the entire current Amtrak network, with the small exception of the "East Valley Line" Sacramento to Tehama, Detroit-Pontiac, and a recent minor re-route of the "Three Rivers" via New Castle, PA. I've been on a number of LD trains more than once.
I was 18 when Amtrak was formed, so I've had most of my adult life to work on this project.
Posted by MdmMim (Member # 2355) on :
I have approximately 32,400 miles on Amtrak, all on the east coast from Miami to Montreal over the course of 11 years. I have more trips planned for the fall/winter for 7200 additional miles. I just love Amtrak! (My Amtrak Rewards program helps out a lot! I just got my second free trip in a sleeper.)
Posted by ritchie (Member # 1757) on :
quote:Originally posted by piedpiper13: Since Steve started Trainweb; he has had an ongoing total of his miles on Amtrak. I started riding Amtrak Feb 1972, to date - 23,076 miles ((with a 6638 mile round trip (ORL thru NOL thru CHI to WFH) bought and paid for, for Mar 2004). How about you??
------------------
Posted by Amtrak207 (Member # 1307) on :
Why hasn't anyone mentioned MileTrak yet? This is an ideal post to bring it up. Anyway, at http://www.miletrak.com is a nice utility for computing your personal AmMileage. Uh oh. Never mind. "We are currently culminating a full website server move. MileTrak databases have yet to be restored, but the parent site has been mostly put back into place. Please bear with us as we restore MileTrak functionality - we appreciate your patience." I'm not so impressive compared to the rest of you (I feel so Amfeeble!) but I've enjoyed the trips, every foot of the way. All in coach. I'm up to (only) 10,000 or so miles, but I still get a narcotic-like high when I'm on a train just for being there. That reminds me- I think I'm overdue for a train trip. Just you wait. One of these years I'll take my dream trip. No, I will not reveal what that is or where it takes me. Oooooh, suspense! I know. Late train equals more for your money. My other car is a bicycle and to me airlines don't exist.
------------------ F40PH #757099-8 March 29, 1976-August 17, 2001 Requisecat in pacis
P42DC #53063 Around 2.5 million miles to go
Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :
Although I've been regularly traveling by train since I was a little kid during the 1950s, I've only recently started to keep track. During the past ten months, I've logged just over 9,000 miles.
One day I'll sit down and do a rough "guesstimate" of my total mileage, based on the numerous earlier trips (Amtrak and pre-Amtrak) I can still remember. The total will definitely be six figures.
[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 05-08-2003).]
Posted by cajon (Member # 40) on :
Sorry folks but there is a Chrisg who posts alot on trainorders.com who has over 700,000 miles on Amtrak & other RRs. Yes that's over seven hundred thouosand miles! Anybody else heard of him?
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Cajon - Could that be Chris Guenzler? He is featured in Train Web often.... I believe he has a radio show about trains or something.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Concerning mileage -- I haven't kept track, but I have been riding AMTRAK since 1975, and have done trips not every year, but I estimate I've had about 20-25 train trips since then, each one averaging from 9000 to 15,000 miles. --REK
Posted by GREGKUZMICK (Member # 1760) on :
In 14 years, I have 142,702 miles on Amtrak and another 7,349 on VIA Rail Canada.
I take on average 2 cross country Amtrak trips per year and a trip to Halifax every 2 years in conjunction with Amtrak and VIA Rail.
I do all of this from Pittsburgh where I live and work..luck for me I work at at travel agency.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
This is Chris Guenzler as mentioned above. As of 3:45 PM on 5/9 siiting in the Trainweb offices, I have 747,012.2 miles now. going to San Diego in a few minutes to do Let's Talk Trains 5/10 10-12 PDT.
Hmmm...well I ride a clocker almost every day between PJC and NYP for the last 6 years (except for the few times its been late and I've been stuck on NJT for the whole trip)...figure its roughly 149,760 miles for the last six years (forgot to add the round trip in there from before) give or take (not including trips taken during vacation)
[This message has been edited by PSCT29 (edited 05-25-2003).]
Posted by maxmarch (Member # 2495) on :
I have zero.... but this time next month, my 4 kids,Wife and I will have over 49,000 miles... 6 of us time 7,000 miles each after our Orlando to Washington D.C. to Chicago to LA to San Diego and back trip. It will be the first trip for all of us.
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
I just added this year's mileage to my wife and my total Amtrak miles.
And the grand total is.........
41,605 miles since May 1997.
Our goal is 100,000 miles.
Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :
Unfortunately, I can't match most of these numbers. I'm only 26 years old and make a measly 1,200/month. I've only been riding trains for fun since 1998. Since then, I've grossed about 15,000 miles. I haven't gotten far either. My job rarely allows for more than a day or two off at a time. My longest trip was Bakersfield to Seattle RT (in coach-always). I've taken a few Bakersfield to Tucson RT (The Slugset veryLimited is hell on wheels), about a handful of LAX to Sacramento via 14 trips, several Bakersfield to Bay area trips and one fantastic Bakersfield to Flagstaff trip. I've never been further than that. Poor me. What little experience I have. Let me go wallow in sel---
Anyway, I would venture to say I'm just as much of a foamer(I take the term as a compliment!)as those that have put up six digit mileage. In order for me to put up six digit mileage, I'd have to have a six digit salary, which I don't. But, I do not envy those who do-you're very fortunate.
Anyway-how about those that just sit around at the train station or by the railroad tracks just daydreaming of what someday might be! Can anybody beat 14 hours of just sitting and WATCHING the trains?
------------------ Patrick
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I rode train 769 back from Solana Beach this morning 5/26/03 and at MP 178 of the Metrolink San Diego Sub I passed my 750,000.0 train riding mile. Now only 249,997.2 to the million mile mark to ride.
Notice the large amount of trips in between Kirkwood and St. Louis. Im probably missing a few. I usually take two of those little rides a year.
I also have to add in a Desert Wind Trip. Grand Total: 68 trips 14,963 miles.
Maybe a trip from CHI-NYP in August on LSL.
If my family loved trains as much as I do, I would have taken the Desert Wind to and from Chicago. Empire Builder to and from Seattle, well I would have never flown.
And I hopefully have a long ways to go on miles seeing as how Im only 15.
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
I just gave up counting a few years back. I was over 150,000 miles. I'd say I would be over 200,000 by now. That would be since 1988 and includes a 30 day trip with over 23,000 miles. If my memory serves me, I spent all but 5 nights on the train. On one portion of the trip I believe I spent 10 nights straight on the train.
Reggie
------------------
[This message has been edited by reggierail (edited 06-06-2003).]
[This message has been edited by reggierail (edited 06-06-2003).]
Posted by AMTK271 (Member # 1778) on :
I've traveled 4,475 miles on Amtrak. Most of these have come this year except for 280 of them which came back in 1998 on my first ever Amtrak trip. So, it 4,195 miles this year alone. I hope to get a lot more miles in as I'm only 14.
I am also going Cleveland-Chicago round trip June 28th on the LSL.
[This message has been edited by AMTK271 (edited 06-07-2003).]
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
Most nights I spent on a train was 5 consecutive in coach. You soon learn how to fall asleep after the first couple of sleepless nights! That was part of a 7000 mile round trip NYP-LAX via NOL and CHI, my second trip on Amtrak.
Back on the Sunset in August between ORL and NOL (got to get away from Disney for a while!).
Geoff M.
Posted by MP 6.7 (Member # 2654) on :
I have 9208 miles not including my two Pioneer round trips from Tacoma to Denver. Miletrack does not have the Pioneer in there. I don't have any schedules. Does anyone know how far it was from Tacoma (or Seattle, just subtract 40 miles) to Denver on the Pioneer? Multiply it by four and add it to 9208 and you have my total ridership.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
1585 miles Denver - Tacoma (Spring 95 timetable).
Geoff M.
Posted by graynt (Member # 17) on :
I really should have added up my mileage. With the exception of 1993 and 1994,I have taken one, sometimes two cross country trips every year since 1990 and a few smaller ones inbetween. I have a nice one coming up after Labor Day..BWI to Jacksonville to Los Angeles on the Silver service and the Sunset,and back on the Chief from LA to Chicago and the Capital Ltd to DC. Los Angeles is just a place to go for a couple of days..being its the end of the line. The vacation is the train and thanks to sleepers being moderatly priced $200 on the Sunset and $225 on the Chief, I can afford to go in sleepers both ways, something I have never done before.
I ve ridden every Amtrak route at least once with the exception of the Pioneer, and as long as you are not in a hurry to get anywhere and don t have a deadline to meet,there is nothing like traveling cross county by train. I never get tired of it,and theres always a new experience everytime I travel!
Posted by UncleBuck44 (Member # 2049) on :
Looks like it will be a good trip for u graynt.
Posted by Santa Fe 5704 (Member # 2277) on :
Sounds like a lot of traveling on passenger trains. Hope everyone is enjoying the trips. As you know, Amtrak is facing another battle again this year for Funding. How many times will this keep happening until the system breaks and goes belly up. I sure hope it don't but the law of averages says it can't keep it up forever. I know you guys are talking about traveling on Amtrak but I figure I've ran an engine for at least One Million Six Hundred Miles in 30 years. After all that I don't figure on riding much on Passenger trains although I am a strong supporter and hope to see you guys going strong for years to come.
Posted by littletrain (Member # 2660) on :
while im only 15 i think i have got a good amount of train travel, 8,025 miles. all but 141 on the coast starlight. every summer i have gone glendale to oakland, though this year its just glendale to san jose, but im the only kid i know that enjoys train traval.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
On my Montana Rockies Rail Tour riding the Montana Daylight I passed 761,000.0
Chris
PS Story should be on the web site by Saturday Night.
i live in Aussie and I've chalked up 17000 miles,over 16500 in sleepers since 1997
Posted by CG96 (Member # 1408) on :
Very Impressive, ChrisG. 761,000 ? Wow! My family thinks I'm a train buff, even though My most recent "long" train trip was this past March, going from RDW to FTL and return. Prior to that, I hadn't taken a long trip for over a decade.
Posted by mrhall53 (Member # 1580) on :
21,000 miles, but we had a 20-year lapse in train travel before starting again a few years ago.
Posted by CG96 (Member # 1408) on :
i finally tallied up my miles on MileTrak. I used all the trips that I could remember since 1982. Comes out to 12247 miles thus far. I'll be adding about 350 - 400 miles or so this weekend when i travel to SE Wisconsin for my brother's wedding.
Posted by Amtrak288 (Member # 1967) on :
I'm now up to 16,206 miles on a total of 69 Amtrak Trains since 1996. I keep my mileage record on my web site. My next trip, later this week will add another 1676 miles to that total riding another 5 trains.
My railroad milage right now is 262471.The vast majority is on Amtrak,but I also have some pre-Amtrak milage.I also have small amounts in Canada,and in Mexico.
------------------ Trust Jesus,Ride Amtrak.
Posted by SWChief (Member # 1841) on :
I have traveled in excess of 300,000 miles on the ATSF and Amtrak. I grew up on the train as my father was an ATSF employee. We traveled the ATSF system extensively and frequently, usually every other weekend somewhere. I can well remember my dad saying that he was hungry for Mexican food...Well that ment we were going out on #19, and later #3 from Topeka to Albuquerque for lunch on Saturday. Then back Saturday evening. Etc. Etc. I still even have a Santa Fe bib that I used some 44 years ago!!! I continue to travel on the Southwest Chief with my family, although nowhere near like I used to now that I have to pay for it.
Posted by espeefoamer (Member # 2815) on :
Addition to my previous post:In 1978 and 1979 I took a cross country trip on Amtrak.Also did cross country trips in 1987 through1995.In the latter period,I rode every long distance Amtrak route and a few short distance trains.
------------------ Trust Jesus,Ride Amtrak.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I have now passed the 768,000 mark.
775,000 in about five weeks,
Chris
Posted by dnsommer (Member # 2825) on :
How about Rogers E. M. Whitaker? He lived from 1/15/00 to 5/11/81. He logged 2,748,674.75 miles riding the rails. He attended Princeton University but did not graduate. He went to New York City and worked for The New York Times. Then in 1926 he joined the editorial staff of The New Yorker magazine. He wrote many articles about his experiences traveling by rail. He used the pseudonym, 'Frimbo.'
Whitaker was a director of the Valley Railroad in Connecticut and an honorary engine driver of the Festiniog Railway of Wales. As the years went by he became known as the world's greatest railroad buff. When he died his ashes were scattered were scattered over Cumbres Pass. A plaque commerating his life is fastened to a Cumbres and Toltec railroad tie at an altitude of 10,015' above sea level.
2,748,674.75 miles on trains. An impressive figure indeed.
Posted by dnsommer (Member # 2825) on :
As for me, 10,000+ miles and more calculating to do. Must wait for MileTrak to add info about older routes and stations, e.g., Broadway Limited mileage circa 1977; St. Albans - Montreal; Rye - New London; Rye - White River Jct; Indio - New Orleans; Stamford - Atlantic City.
Dave
Posted by dnsommer (Member # 2825) on :
As for me, 10,000+ miles and more calculating to do. Must wait for MileTrak to add info about older routes and stations, e.g., Broadway Limited mileage circa 1977; St. Albans - Montreal; Rye - New London; Rye - White River Jct; Indio - New Orleans; Stamford - Atlantic City.
Dave
Posted by Amtrak288 (Member # 1967) on :
I'm now up to 17,637 miles traveled on 72 Amtrak Trains in 7 years. I'll be taking my 7th trip in 2003 sometime in December which will be a record for me (Took 6 trips in 2001).
Posted by Amtrak207 (Member # 1307) on :
Since my last post- I've heard MileTrak is going to be updated in the near future with expanded route listings. Goooooooood. Definitely an invaluable resource there.
Plus I'm going to get another 678 come next weekend.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Today on 785 I passed my 775,000 rail mile .2 of a mile north of the old Fallbrook Station on the Surf Line.
Chris
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
How would I count my miles?
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posted by cajon (Member # 40) on :
Gee Chris just 225K to go. Next year 1mil? Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Jonathan,
I use offical railroad timetables for all my miles.
Chris
Posted by espeefoamer (Member # 2815) on :
I just passed 263,000 miles.Think I'll ever catch up to Chris?
------------------ Trust Jesus,Ride Amtrak.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Just to keep this post alive for others to add, today I passed 780,000 rail miles.
Chris
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
I've Travel Amtrak a long time but dont no how many miles I've gone?--------------------
To San Diago and back: Around 40-to-50 times or more
To Seattle and back: 2 times
To Sacramento and back: 7 times
To Santa Barbra and back: 2 times
To Pasorobles and back: 1 time ---------------------------------------------
About how many miles would that be?
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posted by UncleBuck44 (Member # 2049) on :
Jonathan its impossible to tell, especially since we have no idea where you got on all those trains.
----------- BTW to reply to the topic. If my brother attends college at Purdue next year in Lafayette, Indiana, then I'll be taking the Texas Eagle up to Chicago then the Cardinal to Lafayette every weekend I have available. Im trying to persuade him into going to Purdue, since its between Purdue and Indiana, and since no trains go there I want Purdue for him.
Posted by coronado (Member # 2395) on :
I have 12,072 Amtrak miles... all in 2003. Hope to best that mark this year... I'm going to start the new year off right with another 3,566 miles next month.
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
This topic has gone on way to long!
Chrisg makes you guys miles look like a walk in the park !
HAHA
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
22778 MILES OF AMTRAK!
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
I was thinking that we should all plan on getting together when Chris scores his 1,000,000th mile. It would take a little advance notice and some planning, but what the hey?
How often do you get to see someone who's traveled a million miles via RR tracks?
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
Thats not a bad idea!
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
An excellent idea! but along way away ! How long though?
Anton
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
An excellent idea! but along way away ! How long though?
Anton
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Thanks to all. This Saturday at Fullerton Lets Talk Trains will be doing their show from outside the cafe at Fullerton with a celebration of my 775,000 mile. Feel free to come join us. http://www.trainweb.org/chris
Chris
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
Cool!
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posted by Amtrak288 (Member # 1967) on :
As of my last trip in December, I'm now up to 18,555 miles traveled on 75 Amtrak Trains since 1996.
Posted by dnsommer (Member # 2825) on :
Using Miletrak, is there a way to add segments that aren't listed, like The Pioneer? Or did I miss it somewhere.
David
Posted by espeefoamer (Member # 2815) on :
To find milage on a route no longer listed,you would probobly have to use an older Amtrak or a railroad timetable.
------------------ Trust Jesus,Ride Amtrak.
[This message has been edited by espeefoamer (edited 01-07-2004).]
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
WOW, I might go out there, Chrisg, Congratulations on your 775,000!!!!!!!!
Wow, you get to ride alot, how often do you get to ride? -
(I'm at 22984 now, )
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
My friend Jeff Hartmann as ridden 42,603 rail miles.
Chris
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Let's see, Mr. Guenzler--
Having ridden 790K miles all since, as your linked bio notes. 1980 and using 40mph as an average train speed. you have spent a total of 823 days on trains over that 23+ year period (790K/(40 X 24)=823), or some 36 days and nights per year. If you exclusively rode Amtrak's "Great Circle", i.e. NYP-JAX-LAX-SEA-CHI-NYP, which takes eight days to complete riding continuously, you would have completed 4+ such trips in each year since you reported when you started riding trains.
Using a speed of 350mph, those in the airline's "elite mileage programs" with 100K per year, will have spent almost 12 days continuously on aircraft in flight (100K/(350 X 24)=12.
I doubt if Amtrak has a "platinum elite' program sufficient to "reward" Mr. Guenzler for his travels (which I sincerely hope does not represent too much travail).
Related to this, a few years ago, the Wall Street Journal, printed an article relating to a fellow who literally "lived aboard' cruiseships (his domicile being a one room efficiency apt in Ft. Lauderdale). However, as I recall, this article did not exactly go out of its way to "flatter' this fellow. They reported his name, went on to note he weighed some 350lbs, and was the beneficiary of a Trust Fund providing him with income in the $300K/yr range.
I only hope, Mr. Guenzler, I'm saying something nice, when I note the Journal would have a difficult time doing a similar piece on you; as your bio suggests you are made of "much stronger stuff".
GBN Age 63; lifetime mileage 250K - first ride during 1946
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
100,851 miles.
My first was the 3 mile loop at North Carolina's Tweetsie Railroad theme park in 1968.
I reached mile 100,000 in October 2003 just north of Chickamauga, GA behind steam on a Tennessee Valley Railroad Autumn Leaf Special excursion.
Up next in April 2004 -- Seattle to Vancouver with Amtrak, Vancouver to Winnipeg with VIA Rail #2. Am looking very forward to this one.
Posted by Sheriff (Member # 2521) on :
littletrain, you keep on railing. That's a lot of miles for a young man your age. Not to fear, there are a lot of guys your age and younger who like to travel on the trains.
Posted by rresor (Member # 128) on :
All right, I gave MileTrak a try. Since I'm a "mileage collector", I only note first trips on each route. By that standard, as noted in my earlier post, I have about 65,000 unduplicated miles in North America (and many more overseas).
Trying to convert that to Miletrak terms is tough, but I put on my thinking cap and I've got about 40,000 "Amtrak" miles for the period 1956 -- 1987. Since 1987, I'd guess I have maybe 20,000 more. By definition, one I've ridden the entire Amtrak network (which I did years ago, with a couple of very minor exceptions), all my "rare miles" are non-Amtrak. So I'd guess I've got at least 150,000 total miles, and probably more (I go to either Washington or New York about once a month from Philadelphia, and have done so for the last 15 years, so that's more than 40,000 miles right there.
Posted by mrhall53 (Member # 1580) on :
21,921 miles in 19 trips, according to miletrack. Of course, it counts segments of trips as entire trips (CDL-CHI, CHI-SAC is two trips), so we really haven't done that many. Adding another 5,000 miles in May, though, and giving our granddaughter (3) her first rail mileage.
Posted by rr_conductor (Member # 2590) on :
I'm sure if he has that much mileage he must be a rr crew member or maybe even a hobo. heres my estimate: 365 days in a year minus weekends = 261 days times 20 years x average mileage 250 miles a day = 1,305,000...so he must be the biggest buff around at 800,000 miles. Can you imagine the check he would get for working that???...lol
[This message has been edited by rr_conductor (edited 03-16-2004).]
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
If your talking about Chris Guenzler with over 791,000 rail miles,I have never been a hobo or worked on a railroad. Go to http://www.trainweb.org/chris to read about all my long distance trips.
Chris
Posted by CG96 (Member # 1408) on :
I just returned from another Spring Break trip to visit the relatives in Florida. that puts my total, according to Miletrak, at 18042 miles. (See my trip report in the "Travel" section of this forum) Wow. One or two long trips per year, plus a few cross-state ones to visit other realtives a couple times per year, and the mileage really starts to add up.
Posted by M190 (Member # 3009) on :
Well I finally did it too and frankly was a bit disappointed at 18,129. It sure seemed like more than that. http://www.miletrak.com/miletrak.php#31284 Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
This morning on the Southwest Chief I passed my 800,000 rail mile just west of the West Corona Metrolink Station on the return of a Rail Sale Trip to La Junta.
[This message has been edited by chrisg (edited 04-25-2004).]
[This message has been edited by chrisg (edited 04-28-2004).]
Posted by Eric (Member # 674) on :
Hey Chris! Way to go! Glad it all went so well! I wish I could have stayed on 'til LA with you to celebrate, but I hope you got your pictures in and celebrated with a Coke! I can't wait to read the story! ~Eric
Posted by fixj (Member # 3179) on :
MileTrack is indeed a lot of fun. I updated my travels on Amtrak through 1996 and I am up to a little over 30,000 miles. My travels have slowed down some since then, but I'll bet I have another 3000 or so.
Jim
Posted by fixj (Member # 3179) on :
This MileTrak is a lot of fun. I have logged my amtrak trips through 1996, and am a little over 30,000 Miles. A few more years to add.
Jim
Sorry for the double post, I thought the first one did not take. JF
[This message has been edited by fixj (edited 04-28-2004).]
As of 11/7/2004 Chris Guenzler now has 833,198.3 rail miles or 1,288,663.8 kilometers.
Posted by Eric (Member # 674) on :
Keep Trakin' Chris, congrats!
Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :
Over the past 30 years I have taken 7 round trips from Miami to Montreal, 11 round trips from Palatka, FL to Vancouver, BC with side trips to Las Vegas, Tucson and San Francisco, 12 roundtrips from Washington, DC to Palatka, FL and 12 round trips from NY to Toronto and 16 round trips from Penn Sta. (NY) to Port Jeffereson, NY or Montauk Point, NY that I remember. You add it up and tell me the mileage! It must something! Maybe I like rain trips.
------------------
Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :
Over the past 30 years I have taken 7 round trips from Miami to Montreal, 11 round trips from Palatka, FL to Vancouver, BC with side trips to Las Vegas, Tucson and San Francisco, 12 roundtrips from Washington, DC to Palatka, FL and 12 round trips from NY to Toronto and 16 round trips from Penn Sta. (NY) to Port Jeffereson, NY or Montauk Point, NY that I remember. You add it up and tell me the mileage! It must something! Maybe I like rain trips.
------------------
Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :
Over the past 30 years I have taken 7 round trips from Miami to Montreal, 11 round trips from Palatka, FL to Vancouver, BC with side trips to Las Vegas, Tucson and San Francisco, 12 roundtrips from Washington, DC to Palatka, FL and 12 round trips from NY to Toronto and 16 round trips from Penn Sta. (NY) to Port Jeffereson, NY or Montauk Point, NY that I remember. You add it up and tell me the mileage! It must something! Maybe I like train trips.
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Posted by EngineerRichard (Member # 3556) on :
Well, at the urging of ChrisG I am going to humbly post my miles:
16,914 (sorry, no decimals!)
And the majority of those are Amtrak. I also have San Diego Trolley miles which I have recorded the ride but not the miles yet so it will grow a bit once I do that.
In the menatime, ChrisG et al, have a good safe ride anytime!
Richard
------------------ EngineerRichard Host of Lets Talk Trains http://letstalktrains.us
Posted by rresor (Member # 128) on :
I'm a "mileage collector", so miles only count the first time I ride over a route. I don't want to diminish in any way ChrisG's 700,000 miles, but if I had counted all my trips up and down the NEC over the years, plus multiple trips on various Amtrak routes, I'd be well over 100,000 -- and that's just in North America.
I've never even bothered to total my mileage in Latin America, Europe, and Asia (no Africa -- yet, and no Australia either).
Current North American total stands at 65,443 -- out of a North American total of about 200,000 route miles, so I'm closing in on having ridden one-third of the network.
Oh, and about 7,000 miles of that is behind steam.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
This morning 2/20/2005 on Surfliner 571 at MP 215.8 of the San Diego Sub I passed 850,000.0 rail miles.
Chris
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
Cool
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
Congrats Chris Your an inspiration to us all!
Posted by MOKSRail (Member # 3163) on :
I've traveled every extant LD troute west of Chicago in both directions (except Empire Builder WB CHI-SPK and the Sunset route east of SAS) and have been on some routes that the DOT ordered gutted.
Last time I checked I had 27,000 miles under my belt. With my California Zephyr trip last summer, I likely have close to 30,000 miles.
One giant trip in 2000 involved this routing that involved 6 days in a row on the train in sleeper and in coach:
-Topeka-Las Vegas, N.M., Las Vegas - CHI, CHI-NOL, NOL-CHI, CHI-KCY (straight through trip)
I've also been
-KCY-LA, LA-Oakland -Osceola, Iowa - SLC and back, three day weekend trip. -Bakersfield-Oakland -EMY-OMA-KCY
-KCY-CHI-PGH-PHL (via Three Rivers) RT
-Miami-Rocky Mt., NC - RT two-day trip.
-KCY-Flagstaff. -Tucson-SAS, SAS-STL, STL-KCY
-FTW-STL, STL-KCY, KCY-Topeka, RT
-Newton, Kan. - Perry, Okla. (several trips in late 1970s).
Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :
I think most will consider the Amazing Chris G. the leader in this "competition." The miles that count here are bought and paid miles, and he has documented his trips with logs, photos, and all kinds of proof. RR employees, of course can amass more than Chris's numbers, but those are different kinds of miles. However, if you look at most lifetime "rails" such as as attendants, or operating crews with 30, 40 or more years, the million to two million figure could easily be reached. Them are a lot of miles!
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Today on Surfliner 582 I passed the 865,000.0 rail mile mark.
Chris
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Today September 9, 2005 I passed my 890,000 Rail Mile of Surfliner 785.
Chrisg, 900000 is great, however MP 437.1 is about nine miles west of Seligman and about 62.5 miles west of Williams Jct.
As they say in China "close enough for tunnel work". This old joke no longer applies to the currently very tech educated chinese. But the old story was: How do you create a tunnel in China? And the answer; 10000 coolies one one side of the mountain and 10000 on the other and if they meet in the middle you have a tunnel. But if they don't you have two tunnels.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I edited the milepost to the correct number. Thanks Railroad China for catching that mistake for me. I was one tired train rider when I posted.
Chris
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
On May 18th, 2006 on Surfliner 595 I passed my 930,000 rail mile 2.0 miles south of Santa Ana.
Chris
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Go Go Go for the big ONE, Mr. Guenzler
Posted by Amtrak207 (Member # 1307) on :
Short answer, not enough. But, a change of circumstances (all of a sudden, a job with vacation, paid or otherwise) and that's going to change over the next nine months.
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
Let's see:
LA - Abilene KS 1963, 1967 RT LA - Newton KS 1972 RT KC - LA 1973 OW LA - San Jose 1974 RT SB-LA 1975, 76, 77, 78 (at least 1 x year, OW) Lord knows home many Munich-Hamburg, FFM - Munich, Basel Bad BHF- Cologne, FFM-Dortmund ad infinitum on DB 1983-87 OMA-RNO 1997, 1999, 1999 Christmas, 2004 KC-LA 3/4 RT 2001
I guess 45,000 so far... +/-
Posted by mrhall53 (Member # 1580) on :
This has to be the longest-running thread on the forum. Anyway, we're up to 33,001 miles after two Carbondale-Seattle trips since my last posting. And my granddaughter, now 5, has racked up a healthy 10,800 miles on her own. Plus all the running up and down the aisles.
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
quote:Originally posted by chrisg: On May 18th, 2006 on Surfliner 595 I passed my 930,000 rail mile 2.0 miles south of Santa Ana.
Chris
It seems like yesterday I was reading of your 900,000, tommorow you will be at at a million, Amazing. Keep riding and reporting!
Anton
Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :
From 1980 to 1996 I made 515 round trips for Amtrak as a TA on various long haul routes, ranging from 1000 to 4000 miles per RT. For example, a six day RT run on 4/3 is about 4K. Most of my trips were on the Chief or the Sunset. Using 3000 mi. as a conservative average, that is 1.54M. From '96 to '02, I worked Surfs exclusively. Also I began train riding at 6 months with my mom on the old El Capitans, and today ride regularly both local and cross country on a RTPC card as a retiree (thank you Amtrak!) With my non-employee based RR miles added in, I must be at or beyond 2M. But any full career railroader, either in operations or the service end, can easily accumulate this many miles. Chris G. is still the de-facto leader here in the Great Mileage Chase, as his miles are revenue miles. His million really means a million; perhaps the LA Times can cover his upcoming big day! Or the OC Register...
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Today in the last Great Dome on the Amtrak System on Train 785 at MP 200.9 of the Metrolink San Diego Sub I passed 950,000.0 rail miles. For all of you who cares!
Chris
Posted by irish1 (Member # 222) on :
go get em chris
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
I would think Mr. Guenzler's upcoming story of exceeding one million non-business rail miles would be newsworthy for a Santa Ana or regional Orange County CA newspaper.
As I may have previously reported here, my lifetime total starting during 1946 is likely about 350K, of which maybe 100K has been logged on Amtrak LD. The rest was pre Amtrak, commuter rail, Corridor, or overseas.
But I don't expect that total to rise appreciably as it seems like my travel today is essentially to fufil family obligations either in New York or Florida. It is simply no longer fun using ANY mode. But I will always feel fortunate in this life I was able to "do it" (will the filter catch that one?) while I was young enough to enjoy it.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Tonight I passed my 975,000 rail mile on Surfliner 589 just south of Irvine.
PS Dan Dalke passed 275,000 rail miles on the way to LA Plata back in December.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Mr. Guenzler, would you have a problem granting an interview with general circulation media when you "crack the M'?
I think such would be great story; and I'm certain this Forum has 'resources' i.e. Members with contacts in the "OC", and maybe even the LA, media community,
Even if I'm not all that much of a traveler myself anymore, I think you are a one courageous guy in this life, and if you want it, you certainly deserve general circulation media recognition of your upcoming milestone.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I will be the guest tomorrow on Lets Talk Trains the Internet Radio Program on world Talk Radio 10-1 Pacific Time or 12-3 Central time live. In the archieves of Lets Talk Trains 24/7 at their web site show under showlist for that date. A window media player is needed to listen.
There is a link to LTT on my front page. Click listen now during show times there to here the show or access the chat room.
Chris
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
My wife and I have been traveling on Amtrak since 1986 when our oldest son moved to San Diego. Another son then moved to a Minneapolis suburb. Both have families. We've been on all the long distance routes, some many times.
Current mileage accumulation is 269,047. Cross country trips pile up the totals fast! That figure includes two trips on ViaRail Canada: the Canadian westward and the Ocean both ways in the east.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I passed my 985,000 rail mile on Metrolink 608 near Stuart Mesa on 2/20/07. 15,000 more to go!
Chris
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Are you willing to share, Mr. Guenzler, where you plan to pass your M?
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Some railfans of a certain age, those 70 or over, might remember "E.M. Frimbo," the pen name of Rogers E.M. Whitaker, who wrote about trains for the New Yorker. Before he died in 1981, he claimed an official mark of 2,748,636.81 miles on railroads throughout the world. And he said he was a few years behind in his arithmetic.
As for me, I have somewhere between 32,000 and 35,000 miles, mostly in those 16 Zephyr trips I took in 1992-93 for my book on that train. And I enjoyed every single mile mightily.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
The day will be April 27th, 2007 on the Southwest Chief on the way to La Plata for the major celebration at the Depot Inn & Suites. Yes, I do interviews as you can tell on the front page of my web site where there are two. I wil leave LAX on April 25th and plan to do it east of Kansas City.
Since it has been a while I'm at 1,270,025.8 rail miles as of 10/28/2010.
Chris
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Chris, would you kindly stop that and let the rest of us try to catch up? Thank you. Henry (puffing)
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Chris, I'm doing a little math here and I'm reading that you've been roughly 240,000 miles in 34 months? That's about 7,000 miles per month, every month, 34 times. Mind boggling!
TB
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I just bought this post back so anyone who hadn't posted could or update their again. It not who has the most but that everyone who rides is very special in my book.
Chris
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
I recently passed 300,000 miles and am now at 300,587. Hard to believe, but I have it all documented. Mileage is taken from Amtrak timetables, which I presume are accurate enough. A very small part of my mileage is on ViaRail Canada.
Another cross-country trip is coming up shortly.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
In my railroad map project, I have found that AMTRAK timetable mileages are only accurate to approximately 5-10 miles, depending on the route...........
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
That is why I only use official railroad timetables.
Chris
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I just reached 134,000 aboard the Silver Star Saturday. My biggest events in 2010 included the Spencer-Asheville excursion in October and a Sacramento-Denver ride on #6 in May. Also had a day at the Cumbres & Toltec, my favorite railfan destination, in July.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Steve Grande passed his 300,000.0 Rail Mile on his way home from La Plata. He did it near Dalies 3.4 miles east of that location on the way to Albuquerque.
Chris
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I passed my 1,333,000.0 Rail Mile on Janauary 13, 2012.
Chris
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
If I lived in Southern California, I think I'd find a reason to take the train to either San Diego or San Luis Obispo nearly every weekend!
I now stand at 137,147 miles. Highlights for 2011 included the Cascade Talgo, Coast Starlight, and San Diegan this past June.
Threads about 2012 plans coming soon!
Posted by cubzo (Member # 4700) on :
For me it's getting close to 10,000 miles. My wife and I take the Surfliner to either San Diego and Santa Barbara a few times a year. The longest trip was Los Angeles to San Antonio to New Orleans to Memphis to Chicago to Denver to San Fransisco the back to L.A. This took about three weeks with stays in all mentioned cities and cost me about $3500 not counting beer money.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
Congrats to Chris and everyone!
I'm adding it up and getting 141,561 miles, but that includes 1 RT Montreal to Quebec, 3 1-way Montreal to Ottawa, 1 1-way Toronto to Montreal, and 1 1-way Jasper to Vancouver, all on VIA; plus 3 trips on the section of the Maple Leaf that is really VIA (Niagara Falls ON to Toronto); plus 1 1-way Vancouver-Banff on Rocky Mountaineer.
Also, re local trips in NYS from some time back, I had to estimate those and may have undercounted or overcounted a tad.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
sojourner that is fantastic keep it up!
Chris
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I'm at 1,337,020.9 for now but have cut back my riding to rest up for my Winterail Trip leaving at 4:24 AM from Santa Ana on Friday. I'mdoing a show Friday night at the Pizza Pary. Stop by and introduce yourself to me if you are attending.
Chris
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Reached mile 138,000 shortly west of Cumberland, MD on the Capitol Limited last Saturday evening. Padded the total a bit riding on to Chicago and then with a brief ride out to the western suburbs on a Metra Commuter.
Coming up in 2012 - maybe some spring rides on NCDOT's Piedmonts, a railfan jaunt to Colorado's narrow gauges, a July ride on the Southwest Chief ABQ-CHI with the family, and perhaps on the AAPRCO Special Asheville, NC - Chattanooga, TN in September. Ought to put me comfortably over 140,000 by winter.
Posted by Ira Slotkin (Member # 81) on :
David - if you'll be coming through Denver enroute to the narrow gauges here in CO, I hope we can find time to get together.
Ira
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
quote:Originally posted by chrisg: Steve Grande passed his 300,000.0 Rail Mile on his way home to La Plata.
Does Steve live in La Plata now?
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
quote:Originally posted by Ira Slotkin: David - if you'll be coming through Denver enroute to the narrow gauges here in CO, I hope we can find time to get together.
Ira
I would like that Ira but we won't be in Denver on this trip........ going in and out of Albuquerque this time and not getting nearer than Canon City.
I am hoping to get back to Denver no later than July 2013 though...... perhaps sooner as I'd like to use Denver as a jumping off point for my next AGR points solo venture.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
No Steve is spliting his time now in Anaheim Hills his home and Vancouver, Wa.
Chris
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Oh okay---"home to La Plata" is what threw me off.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Please feel free to update your rail mileage here.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I passed my 1,350,000.0 Rail Mile on Sunday July 1 crossing Magnolia Ave in Riverside.
Chris
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
If anyone else wants to post their rail mileage no matter how great or small please feel free to do so.
Chris
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
I would post mine, if I had kept track of it............
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
My plan to do so, RRRich, went off the rails long ago.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
After the first year or two, so did mine!!
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I'm game -
Currently stand at 141,152 and over the last 6-8 years have been averaging about 4,000 miles a year.
That breaks down into 2 or 3 overnight Amtrak trips, 8-10 joyrides on the NCDOT Piedmont trains, and another 2-4 foamer daytrips each year.
Next up - maybe a midweek joyride on the Piedmont and then adding some rare mileage riding the AAPRCO Convention Special Asheville, NC - Chattanooga, TN in late September.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Disclaimer - there is NO WAY that my figure is accurate. I have never attempted to calculate to the 10th of a mile and while I do count light rail and interurban mileage, I do not count miles ridden on 'subway' systems such as the DC Metro or Atlanta MARTA. I also don't count miles accumulated on 'toy trains' in amusement parks running on anything less than a 2-foot gauge.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
After my trip home from Sacramento later today I will have 1,356,028.5 rail miles.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
Congratulations. How do you count so precisely though, and do you count back-up moves - eg into Denver, or simply reversing backwards into Chicago US?
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
I am in Sacramento today, about to leave tonight for PDX and my first ride on the Starlight (and I am 2,000 miles from home). Now I'm excited to be in the same town as Chris. And I'm also excited about my first ride in the PPC!
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Can't wait to hear about your trip TwinStar. How do you like Sacramento?
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Twin StarI am sitting at a table in front of ther candy machine inside the sac stationb until about 4:45 PM.
Chris
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
I haven't seen the depot yet but Sacramento is beautiful. We just hiked the American River for 2 hours. Sorry to miss Chris G. and thanks for trying but I am still in the 'burbs with relatives.
Oops, #11 just hit a produce truck near Salinas and my #14 has not reported in since SBA.
Posted by TwinStarRocket (Member # 2142) on :
I will start a new thread so as not to hijack this thread.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
I count all my miles fowards and backwards. By the way I'm now at 1,357,001.1 rail miles.
Chris
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Any one else care to post how many miles they have.
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Chris--
414,178 Lifetime Flight Miles -- oh, wait, that's at Continental/United! And doesn't include my "non-rev" travel.
My Amtrak miles are probably somewhere around 7,000.
Frank in unusually warm SBA
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
I am closing in on 142,000 miles....... I'll be just one mile short of that mark following a ride this weekend on an excursion train sponsored by the Roanoke, VA National Railway Historical Society. I'll be in the dome for a Roanoke-Luray roundtrip.
I'll add that there is a small...... but not impossible.... chance that we will encounter Amtrak's eastbound Cardinal with Amtrak's last remaining dome car where the former Norfolk & Western line ducks underneath the former Chesapeake & Ohio line at Waynesboro, VA.
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
1,364,165.2 Rail Miles on March 13, 2013.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
I wonder how many nautical miles Sbalax has expended aft.
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
LOL! I wish I'd started keeping track when we started cruising. Most cruise lines publish the daily distance and the total for the cruise in the Daily News. I do know that our April Transatlantic will be our 25th cruise.
Norm wishes, too, that he'd kept a flight log when he started flying. In 42 years it would be a substantial number of miles.
How was your cruise? I'm assuming that was the reason for the trip west?
Frank in sunny and very WARM SBA
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Oh, the cruise went very well. I enjoyed it immensely, especially since I was able to start a new novel the day we left Honolulu and get a prologue and six chapters into the computer by the time we arrived at San Diego. There's something about life aboard ship that's conducive to writing, as there is aboard trains. No wonder Alex Haley sailed tramp steamers around the world while he was writing "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and "Roots."
Posted by The Alkires (Member # 59704) on :
As of December 31, 2012 our mileage is: Bob 15,408.4 and Elizabeth 15,495.99
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
I guess I will have to dig out my old mileage, add a couple of trips, and count the one we take in May.
Posted by Mike Smith (Member # 447) on :
Henry... writing a book on the cruise makes the cruise tax deductible, right? (That's how I read your statement) Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
A case can be made that it does, but I wouldn't want to go to the mat with the IRS on this. I mean, a CRUISE?
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Mr. Kisor is "on the mark:' if the vessel is foreign flagged, the lady is saying DON"T TOUCH ME:
The two-legged Britannica comes through again! Thanks, GBN. I had not known that about the foreign flag.
Posted by MargaretSPfan (Member # 3632) on :
[Momentarily de-lurking]
I have traveled approximately 245,000 miles by rail so far. (1951-2008).
My rail trips began with a trip as a child traveling from LA to SF on the "Coast Daylight" and ended with a trip from San Jose to LA on the "Coast Starlight". In between, I racked up the miles by commuting from my home town to SF for my job, for a total of 18 years. I commuted to SF in the mid-1960s behind Trainmasters and other wonderful power, but I was not a railfan back then, so I paid no attention whatsoever to those marvelous locomotives. Darn!
I decided to "walk my talk" as a public transit advocate and use public transit a little while after I began to work in Oakland, so I returned to the now former SP rails, and commuted from the Midpeninsula to SF for 16 years, and even used BART for 9 of those years.
I lived overseas as a child in the early 1950s, but remember very little of the few trains we did ride over there. I do remember, however, being really relieved at the lack of cinders getting into the train while in Switzerland. I also remember Le Gare du Nord in Paris being full of steam locomotives. I really wish my parents had taken some photos of those!
I read with great interest the accounts of those of you who have taken cruises. I myself am not much for such things, greatly preferring "terra firma", but I did get to sail across the Atlantic in 1951 on the CP's Empress of France". It was quite an exciting trip, because we sailed the North Atlantic, a rough crossing in the best of times, but the rough seas did not scare me (it would have now!). I do remember sailing up the St. Lawrence River, but not much else. My parents were friends with a man who had sailed the North Atlantic in the Navy during WW2, and his reaction to learning that we had sailed the North Atlantic as part of a pleasure trip was, "You couldn't pay me to do that!"
I rode various tourist trains and got to ride behind the UP 844, the UP 3985, the SP 4449 and the SP 2472, to name the main-line steam locomotives I have ridden behind. I got to be a Car Host a number of times, too.
I treasure all those memories. Heck, my trip on the "Coast Daylight" might even have been behind the 4449!
[back to lurk mode! ]
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Please don't lurk, Margaret. Your posts are splendid and we need them.
Posted by MargaretSPfan (Member # 3632) on :
Awwwww....Henry....how sweet of you! I am really touched! wow.....It is lovely to be appreciated!
I don't post much because I don't ride trains much any more, since I retired. I certainly do have opinions about poor ol' Amtrak, which I might share on an appropriate thread. (It would be very easy for me to say a whole bunch of things right now about Amtrak and the economy now, but I will restrain myself until an appropriate thread presents itself. I really don't want to contribute to "thread drift" too much.)
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Wow, 245,000 miles! I had no idea you had logged that much time on trains. I guess a big chunk of that would be from commuting on SP/Caltrain though? Have you done much of the Amtrak long-distance system? We've got two of the best trains right here in our backyard: The Zephyr and the Starlight.
I've got miles (Amtrak Guest Rewards) burning a hole in my pocket, and I've got enough for a roomette in two zones. I really need to jump on that and go somewhere!
Posted by MargaretSPfan (Member # 3632) on :
Smitty: After some further thought -- memories came flooding back! -- I now have a total of approximately 249,000 miles on trains of all sorts (steam, electric, diesel -- oh, and even horse-drawn! (Hello, Ardenwood! ) Yeah, I was surprised that my total rail miles was that high. Yes. most of that was commuting to and from work. I've been on a few of Amtrak's LD trains: the Coast Starlight, the California Zephyr, and the Southwest Chief. Haven't ridden the Empire Builder yet and doubt I will --a combination of money and other reasons, though I dearly love to travel.
All my Amtrak LD trips were in coach, except back in 1981, when I shared a room with an Amtrak conductor friend of mine when we rode a rare Coast Starlight detour up the Inside Passage on the old GN as far as Chemult. That was fun! I remember the train tip-toeing at no more than 5 mph through a flooded area where the water was up to the railhead -- all you could see was the tracks and a large sheet of water! This was in the fall, I believe, and up in far northern CA it had snowed -- looked lie Christmas outside the train. Because the detour was in dark territory, the speed limit was 59 mph, which was one of the things that made us 8 hours late into Chemult. The other thing that made us that late (which I didn't mind at all -- more train ride for the money ) was the need to recrew before we got to Chermult, as the crew had died on the law at a place called Robbers Creek. So was sat in this Christmas-like wonderland -- which I didn't mind at all -- and waited for the relief crew to arrive from K Falls. They had trouble finding us because the radio was out (I think), so they had to keep checking the track to see if there was snow on the railhead. They finally found us, and off we went. We got off i Chemult and caught the southbound Starliight, and returned home on the detour route. That was a trip to remember -- and I realized I forgot to include it in and a few other trips in my final tally.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
LOL @ Ardenwood! I should do that one someday if it's still in operation. I've seen pictures of it (I think "shed47" did a photo essay on it once).
That Starlight detour trip that you did sounds great! This is the first time I've ever heard of 11 or 14 taking that particular route. I would imagine that these days, it would be a huge no-no. I think to this very day it's still dark territory and the track isn't exactly up to Class 1 standards. I could be wrong, but I believe that's how things are back in the woods on that route. Boy that would have been fun taking a detour like that! That's probably one of the last (if not THE last) times that a passenger train went through there.
Posted by MargaretSPfan (Member # 3632) on :
Yes, that detour up and down the Inside Passage WAS a LOT of FUN! It is really too bad that Amtrak is now committed to busing pax long distances, rather than detouring the train. BTW, that was not the last passenger train on that route. Last year (2012 -- June 3-5), Central Coast Chapter of the NRHS did a "Northern California Explorer" excursion going up the Inside Passage with single-level Amtrak equipment which went as far as K Falls. It returned to Emeryville, CA, on the normal route.
There were also some detours on the Inside Passage in 2003, intermittently, when the UP was doing some track work on the usual Amtrak route.
If you want to be sure to find out about future Central Coast trips, please see for future excursion info. You can also check the Trains and Travel website for interesting rail trip info, including future Central Coast trips.
Ardenwood: AFAIK, from their website, it looks as though the horse-drawn trains still are running, (as are the other fascinating things there) but they are, as usual, closed for the winter until April 1, when their regular schedule will resume. Info here.
Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :
Margaret, I'll chime in with Henry about enjoying and needing your posts- you have a lot of real world railroad knowledge plus good sharp memories of some classic trains. That's a valuable 'commodity' here, I think we all like reading anything you post. SP is pretty much my favorite "fallen flag;" a road steeped in a culture and "way of doing things" all its own...
I received a few months of paychecks from SPTC in the late 70's while working on an NWP signal gang out of Petaluma. Didn't stay there very long, but at least got my feet wet a little, and had my first glimpse of the SP "culture."
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
I assume the "inside passage" route is the old route between Tehama and Davis, CA, that the CS formerly used, via Orland?
Posted by MargaretSPfan (Member # 3632) on :
Railroad Bob: Ahhhhh...another SP fan! Awesome! And THANK you VERY much for the compliment! Gosh, this is nice! So you actually worked for the NWP -- awesome! I am pleased that passenger trains will run on the NWP again. That is great! (I am sure there will be NO trains RR east (north) of Willits -- ever. MUCH too expensive to maintain, and no freight in any significant amounts ever again. Logging the way it was done was simply not sustainable.)
RRRICH: Sorry I was not more specific about what is meant by "the Inside Passage". It refers to the former GN line that runs from Keddie, CA, in the Feather River Canyon, to Klamath Falls, OR, via Bieber, Nubieber, (love those 2 names!), Stronghold, etc. It runs geographically north and south, and is east of the line Amtrak usually uses, which goes through Dunsmuir. The line you referred to is the "West Valley Line" and bypasses Sacramento.
Posted by daniel3197 (Member # 27) on :
RRRich , the original Amtrak Coast Starlight route that was run from 1971 to 1982 is the former SP "West VALLEY line". THis is the one that runs from TEHAMA--Orland--Willows--Williams--Arbuckle --- Woodland---Davis. This line is now operated as a shortline by the California Northern Railroad.
I rode that SP west VALLEY line as a kid when my family rode the Coast Starlight to and from Portland OR and SJC (San Jose, California). I remember riding in a short dome car in the late 1970s as southbound Train 11 arrived in Davis, Ca. Train 11 stopped in Davis on the TEHAMA to DIXON leg of the wye which was the ordinary and regular route. Since 1982 NO passenger trains use this leg of the Davis wye. Of Course ALL passenger trains now use the 2 Main Track Mainline which runs from DIXON to Sacramento. Those days in the 1970s were fun, Happy and relaxing days to experience as a railfan or rail passenger.
The SP West SIDE line ran from TRACY, CA (SOUTH) thru Los Banos, CA and turned east and rejoined the busy SP East SIDE line at Fresno, CA. This West SIDE line is now operated also by the California Northern Railroad and is intact ONLY from Tracy to Los Banos.
Very sadly this line ends just north the major California highway 152 (roadway). Los Banos to Fresno portion has been REMOVED for many years now. THe entire SP West SIDE line WAS INTACT the ENTIRE route in the 1980s when my family and I drove from the SF Bay Area to Tehachapi--Barstow--Daggett--Cajon and Los Angeles. We did this trip a few times to Railfan the Tehachapi area and SoCal. I feel very BLESSED and GIFTED to be able to railfan in such Friendly times with such BEAUTIFUL looking trins (pre Graffiti days). I hope my info helps you and others to understand the different names of the SP mainlines in Northern and Central California ! --- Daniel
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Daniel (or anyone with knowledge): I remember riding the Coast Starlight on brand new Superliner equipment from San Jost to Seattle to visit friends when I was in 8th grade (I went by myself---things were different back then). I vividly remember the train having a stop at Red Bluff, CA----when did Amtrak stop serving that station? Did they stop serving it because the train takes a different route and they no longer go through Red Bluff any more, or, do they still go through Red Bluff but just skip by the old station? Any idea what year it changed?
Posted by daniel3197 (Member # 27) on :
Smitty, I do not believe that Amtrak ever had a RAIL stop in Red Bluff, California. You can take the rather time--consuming task of checking the OLD AMTRAK Schedules at http://www.timetables.org/ Old STREAMLINER Schedules can be found at for pre Amtrak era of 5-1-71 : http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/ EDIT: I just checked the Fall 1972 Amtrak Timetable and the Coast Starlight went DIRECT from REDDING to DAVIS as a NON-STOP run in that Timetable. Corning, California was obviously added a few years after Fall 1972.
I have a very very good memory and remember that the stops in the area during the late 1970s were : REDDING and CORNING. In 1982 with the permanent Reroute CHICO was the first passenger stop south of REDDING in northern California. THe Coast Starlight also served MARYSVILLE until it was dropped a few years ago. This rerouting was done to allow the Amtrak Coast Starlight to serve SACRAMENTO. The Starlight only served Davis enroute TO or From the SP West Valley line prior to the 1982 rerouting. I hope this posting helps to point you and others to those websites for further research !! ---- Daniel
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Ah, thank you for this information. You are exactly right---my memory was wrong. For some reason I was writing Red Bluff but I was actually thinking Marysville. Okay, so Marysville is the stop that was severed because of a rerouting. So they did this in order to stop at SAC? Gosh, I don't remember that at all.
Thanks for those links. I'm going to start looking through them now (and bookmark them---those are very handy to keep on hand).
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Daniel -- thanks for the info on the "inside passage." I'd never heard it called that -- that was always part of the famous "Feather River Canyon route."
Concerning the CS -- I too do not remember it ever stopping in Red Bluff, but it still passes through Red Bluff, which is north of Tehama, where the east valley and west valley lines split. I remember the old west-valley route stopping in Orland, but I do not recall it ever stopping at Willows or Corning.
The currently-used "east-valley line" still passes through Marysville, but the CS does not stop there any more. I am currently working on my CS SEA-EMY route guide -- it'll be posted on my web site in the next couple weeks.
Here's a question for someone -- why doesn't the CS stop at Roseville? It passes right through the station, which admittedly is pretty close to the junction of the main CS/CZ line and the Central Valley east side line. Problems with it being so close to the interchange between the 2 lines perhaps?
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
quote:Originally posted by RRRICH: Daniel -- thanks for the info on the "inside passage." I'd never heard it called that -- that was always part of the famous "Feather River Canyon route."
The industry term for this routing was "inside gateway" and represented a competitive N-S routing without which the Southern Pacific would have had a virtual monopoly on West Coast traffic. The routing comprising the "Inside Gateway" was SP&S-Bend-GN-Bieber-WP-Oakland-ATSF-LA.
When during the '60's the issue came to a head with the SP seeking to merge or otherwise control the WP, the concern amongst both the railroad and shipping communities was that the routing would be broken and "the octopus (SP)" would grow one more tentacle.
The issue of course was tempered when the UP got the WP and today with the BNSF-UP "duopoly", competitive rail service is afforded by means of trackage rights to one another ensuring that if there were competitive routings available prior to those mergers, there would continue to be afterwards.
Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :
Daniel: Just saying thank you for your two superb explanation posts of the arcane workings of those various historic SP routings in northern CA. Jogged my memory quite a bit; I remember crossing the old WP diamonds at Marysville on the CS. At that point the train was just under an hour out of SAC. (#11)
Margaret: I put a PM in your inbox; thank you!
Posted by daniel3197 (Member # 27) on :
RR Rich, the practical reason that Amtrak Coast Starlight does not have a Roseville station stop is the following. Most of the time the Coast Starlight uses the former WP Sacramento Subdivision . as the most DIRECT rail route from the cities MARYSVILLE to SACRAMENTO. This is SAC SUB" as it is usually called on the radio by the train crews and UP dispatcher who controls the greater Sacramento Terminal area. The former WP Sac Sub is the line that passes just east of the Arco Arena area in the northern reaches of the city of Sacramento.
The line that passes thru LINCOLN and ROSEVILLE is the former SP Valley Subdivision. This line is a longer route and more disruptive as runs directly thru the MAJOR - Roseville Freight Yard area. This operation reason is why ORIGINALLY the Amtrak Coast Starlight was routed on the SP West Valley Line in the pre-merger era 40 years ago. These days because of the mega-mergers both the WP and SP lines in the Sacramento area are part of the same operation under the same company UPRR. This makes it very easy for the Coast Starlight to use the former WP Sacramento Subdivision as the Shortest and Quickest routing while still serving Sacramento proper.
The likely reason for this 1982 permanent rerouting via SAC was because Southern Pacific freight traffic had decreased enough to permit just the 1 daily Coast Starlight to pass thru Roseville. I do not know for sure what ROUTE the Coast Starlight primarily used in the period from 1982 to 1996(UP + SP Merger). I would be VERY VERY INTERESTED - CURIOUS (Big Time !!)to know what happened during that historic time period.
I know it would be convenient for some folks who live in the eastern Sacramento suburbs to use a Roseville station stop for the Coast Starlight. This again is the major operational reason why Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad do not provide this stop (Rosevile) for this train. I hope this answers your questions !! --- Daniel
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
I'm a bit confused, Daniel -- the last time I rode the CS southbound (which has been since 1982 -- traveling N-bound, it is dark then so I can't tell what route is being used), the CS did NOT use the WP Sacramento Subdivsision between Marysville and SAC, even though it is a shorter route. The CS then still passed through Lincoln and Roseville (SP Valley Subdivision). In my experiences, the CS has used this route for the entire period from 1982 to the present (the Marysville-Olivehurst-Lincoln-Roseville-SAC route -- SP Valley sub). Every time I've ridden the CS since 1982, it has used this route. Has the route changed to the Sacramento Subdivision in the last 2 or 3 years?
Of course, use of the Sacramento Subdivision would also explain why the CS no longer stops at Marysville, since the SAC Sub. does not go past the AMTRAK station.
Please let me know what the CURRENT routing is, so I can revise my maps and RR guide for this route, if needed, which I am presently working on.
Thanks--Rich K
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
This post is how many miles you have I thought.
chris
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
It's thread creep. We on this forum are like Stephen Leacock's Lord Ronald, who "flung himself from the room, flung himself upon his horse and rode madly off in all directions."
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
As of today I have 1,365,057.4 rail miles. Add your please.
chris
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
Chris- are you sure about the .4 miles? But it is a remarkable record. What's your goal? 2 Million?
Posted by chrisg (Member # 2488) on :
Yes I use official railroad timetables. What ever I can ride is what I want to get to.
I just got my second free trip in a sleeper.)
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