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This New Yorker piece is not for everyone, especially those who do not appreciate brittle urban humor, but it will give comfort to those who do not like either coach or the lounge car:
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I have only "skimmed" the New Yorker material, Mr. Kisor, but from the keywords, I can clearly see why, save a morning "inspection walk" (the dozen or so here who know me face to face will likely affirm that my bearing can be considered "officious") through the Coaches, the Diner is 'as far as I go' when I use Amtrak LD.
Wonder why I do a Morning walk and not an Evening.
Judy McFarland Member # 4435
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Thanks for posting this - I am a big David Sedaris fan. He is one of the few who can make me laugh out loud.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Your upcoming AGR trip looks pretty good! When you overnight in Eugene (in-between train #14 and train #500), have you found a hotel? I can recommend two:
1) The Hilton Hotel. It is within view and walking distance of the Eugene Amtrak station. As long as it's not raining, it's a simple 3 or 4 block walk to the check-in counter. Very nice place.
2) If the Hilton is booked (which it often is), there is a nice Hampton Inn about a mile or so away which requires a taxi. I've stayed at this one and can give it a big thumbs up.
Did you book biz class on #500 (EUG-PDX)? Last time I took that route, it was well worth it. It's summer vacation time when you travel, and that particular train gets sold out very quickly. Lots of kids in coach--biz class is more civilized.
rresor Member # 128
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Well, that sounds like quite a train trip! I had a couple somewhat similar to that. One summer at the tag end of the Vietnam War, I fell in with a group of soldiers on leave while riding the "Montrealer" north from Washington. We spent all night in "Le Pub", playing poker, passing around bottles of bourbon, and periodically taking breaks to smoke joints in the vestibule. CN was on strike, so Amtrak put us on buses at St. Albans. When we stopped for customs, I was given a *very* hard time by a flinty-eyed Quebecois customs officer -- not surprising since I'd been up all night and probably reeked of pot and booze. Anyway, he did eventually release me to continue to Montreal.
I rode the "Vermonter" a few weeks ago, and it was not nearly so much fun -- or maybe it's just that I'm 56 rather than 21.
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