Train Travel

[Slim Cognito]

I've got a 3-punch bucket list trip set up for this fall. I'll fly to KC to visit family, then get dropped off at Union Station to take Amtrak (leaving @ 10:30 PM, I've reserved a roomette) to Albuquerque, arriving the next day at 3 PM. While there, I'll hit the balloon festival and, on the way home (flying), I'm splurging first class for one leg of the journey.

Got a question as this is the first train trip in years, the longest trip was KC to St Louis, and my first with my own room. I was told meals will be included since I sprung for the roomette. How is that done? Do I get a voucher for the dining car or do meals come to me?

[AndyinPA]

I've got a 3-punch bucket list trip set up for this fall. I'll fly to KC to visit family, then get dropped off at Union Station to take Amtrak (leaving @ 10:30 PM, I've reserved a roomette) to Albuquerque, arriving the next day at 3 PM. While there, I'll hit the balloon festival and, on the way home (flying), I'm splurging first class for one leg of the journey.

Got a question as this is the first train trip in years, the longest trip was KC to St Louis, and my first with my own room. I was told meals will be included since I sprung for the roomette. How is that done? Do I get a voucher for the dining car or do meals come to me?

As a first-class passenger, you have first access to the dining car. Your car attendant will come around an hour or two before the meal starts and will take your reservation time. When they announce the dining car is open for the meal, you show up with your reservation card, get seated, and make your choice from the selection from the menu. These days, a glass of wine is included with dinner. If you want to eat in your room, the car attendant will bring you the food you choose.

[Maybenaut]

I've got a 3-punch bucket list trip set up for this fall. I'll fly to KC to visit family, then get dropped off at Union Station to take Amtrak (leaving @ 10:30 PM, I've reserved a roomette) to Albuquerque, arriving the next day at 3 PM. While there, I'll hit the balloon festival and, on the way home (flying), I'm splurging first class for one leg of the journey.

Got a question as this is the first train trip in years, the longest trip was KC to St Louis, and my first with my own room. I was told meals will be included since I sprung for the roomette. How is that done? Do I get a voucher for the dining car or do meals come to me?

I think you have to eat in the dining car. When I rode the Auto Train a couple of years ago, I had a roomette. When I checked in at the station, they told me there were three seating times available for dinner and asked which time I preferred (I can't remember which I chose). They gave me a ticket that had the time and the table number (there was another woman and a couple also seated at the table). The meal came with a couple of choices for entrees, a glass of wine, and dessert. You could also order additional items, but you had to pay for those. The service was pretty good, as was the food.

I don't know whether any of that has changed, and I don't know whether the Auto Train is different from any of Amtrak's other trains.

[AndyinPA]

I've got a 3-punch bucket list trip set up for this fall. I'll fly to KC to visit family, then get dropped off at Union Station to take Amtrak (leaving @ 10:30 PM, I've reserved a roomette) to Albuquerque, arriving the next day at 3 PM. While there, I'll hit the balloon festival and, on the way home (flying), I'm splurging first class for one leg of the journey.

Got a question as this is the first train trip in years, the longest trip was KC to St Louis, and my first with my own room. I was told meals will be included since I sprung for the roomette. How is that done? Do I get a voucher for the dining car or do meals come to me?

I think you have to eat in the dining car. When I rode the Auto Train a couple of years ago, I had a roomette. When I checked in at the station, they told me there were three seating times available for dinner and asked which time I preferred (I can't remember which I chose). They gave me a ticket that had the time and the table number (there was another woman and a couple also seated at the table). The meal came with a couple of choices for entrees, a glass of wine, and dessert. You could also order additional items, but you had to pay for those. The service was pretty good, as was the food.

I don't know whether any of that has changed, and I don't know whether the Auto Train is different from any of Amtrak's other trains.

That's pretty much it. The food is covered, but I always leave a tip. Not everyone does.

[Slim Cognito]

Thanks! Should I leave a tip in my roomette when I detrain? If so, what would you suggest? I'll be on the train less than 24 hours, they'll only have to pull down my bunk once.

[AndyinPA]

Thanks! Should I leave a tip in my roomette when I detrain? If so, what would you suggest? I'll be on the train less than 24 hours, they'll only have to pull down my bunk once.

We always tip the car attendant in person a little before the train gets in or outside. I would say $10 for that amount of time, but that's up to you. When you see people getting off a train after two days, the usual tip is about $20. We have twice had such bad service (out of dozens of trips) that we did not tip. Once, the car attendant had a really bad attitude the entire trip. He was barely phoning it in and was downright nasty the entire trip. Nobody tipped him, and he clearly didn't expect it. Another time, an attendant didn't wake us up as we came into Pittsburgh at 5 AM, a big no-no for a car attendant. Luckily, my husband woke up in time to rush off the train.

That said, service on the train is usually good to excellent. We have had really great attendants most of the time. In addition to turning down your bed, they clean and prep the room between passengers, keep coffee or drinks available part of the day, keep the bathrooms and shower clean, pick up, and, in general, keep things running in the car.

I think you will enjoy it!

[raison de arizona]

Train travel coming to Phoenix? (This is the mayor of Tucson, AZ's second largest city.)

The two largest cities in #Arizona are not connected by rail: We need to change that.

We have an opportunity to decongest I-10 from #Tucson to #Phoenix and connect to the West Valley and into #LA. It is in our best interest as a city, as a region, and as a state. @Amtrak

[AndyinPA]

I've been on that route a couple of times. That's an interesting option. And it would certainly serve a lot more people.

[keith]

I've got a 3-punch bucket list trip set up for this fall. I'll fly to KC to visit family, then get dropped off at Union Station to take Amtrak (leaving @ 10:30 PM, I've reserved a roomette) to Albuquerque, arriving the next day at 3 PM. While there, I'll hit the balloon festival and, on the way home (flying), I'm splurging first class for one leg of the journey.

Got a question as this is the first train trip in years, the longest trip was KC to St Louis, and my first with my own room. I was told meals will be included since I sprung for the roomette. How is that done? Do I get a voucher for the dining car or do meals come to me?

Not sure about your train, but the Sunset Limited has a dining car dedicated for first class passengers. So you dont mix with the plebs for meals.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireS ... y-84333971

Major Japan railway now powered only by renewable energy
A Japanese railway company, Tokyu, says it now uses just solar and other renewable energy to power its sprawling train service

Tokyu Railways' trains running through Shibuya and other stations were switched to power generated only by solar and other renewable sources starting April 1.That means the carbon dioxide emissions of Tokyu's sprawling network of seven train lines and one tram service now stand at zero, with green energy being used at all its stations, including for vending machines for drinks, security camera screens and lighting.

Tokyu, which employs 3,855 people and connects Tokyo with nearby Yokohama, is the first railroad operator in Japan to have achieved that goal. It says the carbon dioxide reduction is equivalent to the annual average emissions of 56,000 Japanese households.

Ryo Takagi, a professor at Kogakuin University and specialist in electric railway systems, believes the answer isn't simple because how train technology evolves is complex and depends on many uncertain societal factors.

In a nutshell, Tokyu’s efforts are definitely not hurting and are probably better than doing nothing. They show the company is taking up the challenge of promoting clean energy, he said.

► Show Spoiler

Nicholas Little, director of railway education at Michigan State University’s Center for Railway Research and Education, commends Tokyu for promoting renewable energy but stressed the importance of boosting the bottom-line amount of that renewable energy.

"I would stress the bigger impacts come from increasing electricity generation from renewable sources,” he said. “The long-term battle is to increase production of renewable electricity and provide the transmission infrastructure to get it to the places of consumption.”

[AndyinPA]

That really is a spoiler.

[raison de arizona]

Much, much more at link.

[AndyinPA]

There are a lot of areas of the country where they want and need expansion. This will add jobs, many of them permanent. And in a lot of places, train travel is better than air travel. If you factor in the time getting to and from an airport and the time spent in an airport, it can be time effective, too. Not to mention much less frantic and more relaxing.

I know, I'm in the cheering section for Amtrak.

[Patagoniagirl]

There are a lot of areas of the country where they want and need expansion. This will add jobs, many of them permanent. And in a lot of places, train travel is better than air travel. If you factor in the time getting to and from an airport and the time spent in an airport, it can be time effective, too. Not to mention much less frantic and more relaxing.

I know, I'm in the cheering section for Amtrak.

Same here, Andy. I LOVE Amtrak. All of my most wonderful trips inside the US, by myself, and on a whim. Unfortunately, long - distance, RTrips have gotten too expensive for my budget. But you can have no finer fun than on Amtrak!

[neonzx]

I love me some AMTRAK too, but I don't see Americans getting on board. They are too impatient. They would rather squish themselves into sardine cans (um, airplanes) than enjoy the ride. The journey is the destination.

[Frater I*I]

They are too impatient. They would rather squish themselves into sardine cans (um, airplanes) than enjoy the ride.

The correct industry term is: "Cattle Car"

[AndyinPA]

There are a lot of areas of the country where they want and need expansion. This will add jobs, many of them permanent. And in a lot of places, train travel is better than air travel. If you factor in the time getting to and from an airport and the time spent in an airport, it can be time effective, too. Not to mention much less frantic and more relaxing.

I know, I'm in the cheering section for Amtrak.

Same here, Andy. I LOVE Amtrak. All of my most wonderful trips inside the US, by myself, and on a whim. Unfortunately, long - distance, RTrips have gotten too expensive for my budget. But you can have no finer fun than on Amtrak!

Yeah, travel in first class has become really expensive. We've been lucky enough to pay for our European travel with an Amtrak card, but with zip travel the last few years, very few points, so this one was more cash. We are on a trip in July-August, Pittsburgh to Seattle, back by way of Sacramento to Denver. Seven days on the train, but no more than two nights in a row. About another week in Seattle and environs, a night in Denver on the way back to break up the train. The other week in Glacier NP, Olympic NP, and a ferry over and back to Victoria for a few nights. This one was a doozy to set up, but I scored a night at Kalaloch Lodge with a front-row cabin on the ocean.

[pipistrelle]

Dunno if this has ever been posted but mostly updated Amtrak status for all trains on a U.S. map view:

https://asm.transitdocs.com

[Kendra]

There are a lot of areas of the country where they want and need expansion. This will add jobs, many of them permanent. And in a lot of places, train travel is better than air travel. If you factor in the time getting to and from an airport and the time spent in an airport, it can be time effective, too. Not to mention much less frantic and more relaxing.

I know, I'm in the cheering section for Amtrak.

Same here, Andy. I LOVE Amtrak. All of my most wonderful trips inside the US, by myself, and on a whim. Unfortunately, long - distance, RTrips have gotten too expensive for my budget. But you can have no finer fun than on Amtrak!

Yeah, travel in first class has become really expensive. We've been lucky enough to pay for our European travel with an Amtrak card, but with zip travel the last few years, very few points, so this one was more cash. We are on a trip in July-August, Pittsburgh to Seattle, back by way of Sacramento to Denver. Seven days on the train, but no more than two nights in a row. About another week in Seattle and environs, a night in Denver on the way back to break up the train. The other week in Glacier NP, Olympic NP, and a ferry over and back to Victoria for a few nights. This one was a doozy to set up, but I scored a night at Kalaloch Lodge with a front-row cabin on the ocean.

Nice! I have never stayed there, but stopped many times. Gorgeous. But then, the whole Olympic Peninsula is. If your itinerary includes a trip to Hurricane Ridge, there's a small side road that goes to Hurricane Hill and the trailhead. Fairly gentle and at the high point, the views of the strait, Vancouver Island and I think Mt. Baker (been a few decades since I've been out there) are stunning.

[AndyinPA]

Same here, Andy. I LOVE Amtrak. All of my most wonderful trips inside the US, by myself, and on a whim. Unfortunately, long - distance, RTrips have gotten too expensive for my budget. But you can have no finer fun than on Amtrak!

Yeah, travel in first class has become really expensive. We've been lucky enough to pay for our European travel with an Amtrak card, but with zip travel the last few years, very few points, so this one was more cash. We are on a trip in July-August, Pittsburgh to Seattle, back by way of Sacramento to Denver. Seven days on the train, but no more than two nights in a row. About another week in Seattle and environs, a night in Denver on the way back to break up the train. The other week in Glacier NP, Olympic NP, and a ferry over and back to Victoria for a few nights. This one was a doozy to set up, but I scored a night at Kalaloch Lodge with a front-row cabin on the ocean.

Nice! I have never stayed there, but stopped many times. Gorgeous. But then, the whole Olympic Peninsula is. If your itinerary includes a trip to Hurricane Ridge, there's a small side road that goes to Hurricane Hill and the trailhead. Fairly gentle and at the high point, the views of the strait, Vancouver Island and I think Mt. Baker (been a few decades since I've been out there) are stunning.

We've been there before, but had a reservation in the lodge. We are taking our granddaughter this time, and she's thrilled about the cabin. I'll look out for the Hurricane Hill trailhead on our trip back to Hurricane Ridge. My husband will be recuperating from knee surgery, so how much hiking we will do is a bit in the air. Funny, the last time we were there, things were tamped down because I had a badly sprained ankle.

[Foggy]

Instead of driving to my dad's place, which takes 4 to 5 hours, depending upon traffic, one year my boys and I took the train. I love train travel, but it took 10 hours to get to Union Station where we met my dad, and another hour on the Metro to get to where his car was parked in Bathysphere or wherever it is, and he still had to drive us to his house (this was the year before he moved to the retirement place).

And it cost a lot more than driving.

And when we got there, I had to borrow a car.

So overall, it was a worse experience than driving, and I love traveling by train. I will never persuade ol' Wifehorn to take the train to see him.

[raison de arizona]

Moar at link.

[W. Kevin Vicklund]

Airplane speeds at ground level.
The advantages of hyperloop travel are transformative. Hyperloop has the potential to solve long-term challenges faced by modern society such as overpopulation, traffic congestion and pollution.

By connecting passengers and goods at high speeds, potentially up to the speed of sound (760 mph | 1223 km/h), hyperloop allows people to live further from cities and their jobs, changing travel time from hours to minutes.
Chicago • Toledo • Cleveland • Pittsburgh
America’s first multi-state hyperloop starts right here in the Great Lakes Megaregion.

https://greatlakeshyperloop.online/

I've been reading through a feasibility study for a hyperloop system being proposed for the Chicago-Cleveland-Pittsburgh corridor (as Phase I, Phase II expands the region a bit, with the eventual idea that it would connect systems on the East and West Coast). They claim they could have it in operation by the end of the decade, and are currently in the environmental impact study portion. I certainly have questions, but it is intriguing and they have a working full-size prototype.

One of the neat things is that this is allows freight and passenger in the same stream without one dominating the other, and it looks like the freight capsules can have standard shipping containers loaded in (I haven't gotten to that part of the study yet). It uses individual capsules about 100' long, reaching speeds at or exceeding air travel. It would seem to be a cross between train and plane in terms of experience.

I'd be interested in what you all think (keeping in mind this is still in proposal and may never see the light of day).

Direct link to feasibility study: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p85hepf1y829 ... tracking=1

[tek]

We can do better.

This is a point solution, we need to figure out how we want to deal with people and freight for the next century or so..hyperloops are technological shiny things.

Oh, and the Gubmit has an excellent /s record dealing with transit issues.

[Phoenix520]

Isn’t that Musk’s latest….obsession? By latest I mean the last few decades. I guess he decided to go up instead (SpaceX).