Spring forward.
To delete this message, click the X at top right.

Train Travel

User avatar
Slim Cognito
Posts: 6556
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:15 am
Location: Too close to trump
Occupation: Hats. I do hats.
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#76

Post by Slim Cognito »

I’ve got a train travel question. I’m taking the Chief to ABQ this fall and have a sleeper. I plan to pack an overnight bag for the cabin and check my suitcase. Can I lock my suitcase?
Pup Dennis in training to be a guide dog & given to a deserving vet. Thx! ImageImageImage x4
User avatar
AndyinPA
Posts: 9859
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:42 am
Location: Pittsburgh
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#77

Post by AndyinPA »

Slim Cognito wrote: Mon Jul 18, 2022 12:16 pm I’ve got a train travel question. I’m taking the Chief to ABQ this fall and have a sleeper. I plan to pack an overnight bag for the cabin and check my suitcase. Can I lock my suitcase?
Yes. Depending on the size of the suitcase, you can check it or just leave it in your car on the first floor. If you do the latter, the car attendant can help.
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
User avatar
Maybenaut
Posts: 2579
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:07 am
Location: Maybelot
Verified: ✅✅

Re: Train Travel

#78

Post by Maybenaut »

I love Amtrak. I took the Auto Train to Orlando, and accidentally ate something I’m allergic to (jello - I just wasn’t thinking). If I was going to react, it wouldn’t be for several hours. I discussed it with the conductor and told him I didn’t know whether I would react (I don’t always), but if I rang for the conductor during the night it would be a medical emergency. The conductor was so nice about it and told me he’d let his replacement know. Then that guy came by to check on me in the morning.

I’m taking a short-ish ride in October from Newark airport to Culpeper, VA.
"Hey! We left this England place because it was bogus, and if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too!" -- Thomas Jefferson
User avatar
AndyinPA
Posts: 9859
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:42 am
Location: Pittsburgh
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#79

Post by AndyinPA »

https://www.washingtonpost.com/transpor ... el-delays/
Disruptions across multiple modes of transportation have been widespread this season at a time when carriers are facing capacity and labor challenges. The effects for train passengers haven’t been as severe as those facing air travelers, but they haven’t been unavoidable.

Amtrak’s problems have been more controlled, partly because it tends not to overschedule, as has been a practice for airlines. The company generally has added trains as demand rises, having flexibility that comes with travelers buying tickets closer to their travel date.

“We’re facing the same challenges as other travel segments,” Amtrak president Roger Harris said in an interview. “We know it’s a tough summer … We certainly expected delays and cancellations, but we tried to get ahead of it as much as possible.”
Guess who's heading out on Amtrak tomorrow? :cantlook:
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
User avatar
Slim Cognito
Posts: 6556
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:15 am
Location: Too close to trump
Occupation: Hats. I do hats.
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#80

Post by Slim Cognito »

Good luck! I'm taking the SW Chief KC to ABQ in early October, my first overnighter. It's a bucket list trip.
Pup Dennis in training to be a guide dog & given to a deserving vet. Thx! ImageImageImage x4
User avatar
pipistrelle
Posts: 6695
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 11:27 am

Re: Train Travel

#81

Post by pipistrelle »

AndyinPA wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 5:47 pm https://www.washingtonpost.com/transpor ... el-delays/
Disruptions across multiple modes of transportation have been widespread this season at a time when carriers are facing capacity and labor challenges. The effects for train passengers haven’t been as severe as those facing air travelers, but they haven’t been unavoidable.

Amtrak’s problems have been more controlled, partly because it tends not to overschedule, as has been a practice for airlines. The company generally has added trains as demand rises, having flexibility that comes with travelers buying tickets closer to their travel date.

“We’re facing the same challenges as other travel segments,” Amtrak president Roger Harris said in an interview. “We know it’s a tough summer … We certainly expected delays and cancellations, but we tried to get ahead of it as much as possible.”
Guess who's heading out on Amtrak tomorrow? :cantlook:
I will say this. Generally passengers on Amtrak are well behaved (e.g., don't put their bare feet up on seat backs). The only time I've seen one misbehave, the train was stopped and the noxious drunk was ceremoniously ejected. Something airlines unfortunately can't do. :lol:
User avatar
AndyinPA
Posts: 9859
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:42 am
Location: Pittsburgh
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#82

Post by AndyinPA »

pipistrelle wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 7:06 pm
AndyinPA wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 5:47 pm https://www.washingtonpost.com/transpor ... el-delays/
Disruptions across multiple modes of transportation have been widespread this season at a time when carriers are facing capacity and labor challenges. The effects for train passengers haven’t been as severe as those facing air travelers, but they haven’t been unavoidable.

Amtrak’s problems have been more controlled, partly because it tends not to overschedule, as has been a practice for airlines. The company generally has added trains as demand rises, having flexibility that comes with travelers buying tickets closer to their travel date.

“We’re facing the same challenges as other travel segments,” Amtrak president Roger Harris said in an interview. “We know it’s a tough summer … We certainly expected delays and cancellations, but we tried to get ahead of it as much as possible.”
Guess who's heading out on Amtrak tomorrow? :cantlook:
I will say this. Generally passengers on Amtrak are well behaved (e.g., don't put their bare feet up on seat backs). The only time I've seen one misbehave, the train was stopped and the noxious drunk was ceremoniously ejected. Something airlines unfortunately can't do. :lol:
Passengers are better behaved. Maybe it has something to do with just being generally more comfortable, not feeling like cattle.

Amtrak has had some policy changes, not for the better. Would it surprise anyone that DFO hired an ex-airline executive to run the trains?
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
User avatar
northland10
Posts: 5598
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:47 pm
Location: Northeast Illinois
Occupation: Organist/Choir Director/Fundraising Data Analyst
Verified: ✅ I'm me.

Re: Train Travel

#83

Post by northland10 »

AndyinPA wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 7:10 pm Amtrak has had some policy changes, not for the better. Would it surprise anyone that DFO hired an ex-airline executive to run the trains?
To be fair, the President does not select the CEO. The Amtrak board selects the CEO. The only choice the President has is to nominate members of the board, some of which have to be from the other party. As it happened, when Anderson was selected as CEO, the board had 4 democrats and 3 republicans. It actually remained that way until at least 2020 since Trump did not nominate replacements for expiring terms and the law for Amtrak says board members stay beyond their term until replaced (or resignation/death).

By the looks of things, his 2020 nominees never ended up confirmed (Senate foot-dragging) or Amtrak is really slow at updating their website.
101010 :towel:
User avatar
AndyinPA
Posts: 9859
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:42 am
Location: Pittsburgh
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#84

Post by AndyinPA »

northland10 wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 8:03 pm
AndyinPA wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 7:10 pm Amtrak has had some policy changes, not for the better. Would it surprise anyone that DFO hired an ex-airline executive to run the trains?
To be fair, the President does not select the CEO. The Amtrak board selects the CEO. The only choice the President has is to nominate members of the board, some of which have to be from the other party. As it happened, when Anderson was selected as CEO, the board had 4 democrats and 3 republicans. It actually remained that way until at least 2020 since Trump did not nominate replacements for expiring terms and the law for Amtrak says board members stay beyond their term until replaced (or resignation/death).

By the looks of things, his 2020 nominees never ended up confirmed (Senate foot-dragging) or Amtrak is really slow at updating their website.
Thanks. I did know that. :bag:
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
User avatar
keith
Posts: 3706
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:23 pm
Location: The Swamp in Victorian Oz
Occupation: Retired Computer Systems Analyst Project Manager Super Coder
Verified: ✅lunatic

Re: Train Travel

#85

Post by keith »

We have a booking on the Indian-Pacific (Sydney to Perth) in April.

But we'll probably take the train to Adelaide in September for a few days in someplace different,
Has everybody heard about the bird?
User avatar
Foggy
Dick Tater
Posts: 9554
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:45 am
Location: Fogbow HQ
Occupation: Dick Tater/Space Cadet
Verified: as seen on qvc zombie apocalypse

Re: Train Travel

#86

Post by Foggy »

I was on a train down San Diego way that hit some debris on the tracks, which damaged the brakes. At one point they used the PA system to ask if any of us had a roll of duct tape.

Did you know, a roll of duct tape would fit perfectly in the conductor's hat? :?

They had to bring another train up next to us and we climbed down and back up before we finally got to the station. Wonderful adventure for two boys aged 2 and 4. Our train broke, so they brought us a new one. That doesn't happen every day of the week.

But if I had been carrying duct tape, I could have fixed a train. :rockon:
Out from under. :thumbsup:
User avatar
pipistrelle
Posts: 6695
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 11:27 am

Re: Train Travel

#87

Post by pipistrelle »

User avatar
keith
Posts: 3706
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:23 pm
Location: The Swamp in Victorian Oz
Occupation: Retired Computer Systems Analyst Project Manager Super Coder
Verified: ✅lunatic

Re: Train Travel

#88

Post by keith »

Foggy wrote: Sat Jul 23, 2022 6:41 am I was on a train down San Diego way that hit some debris on the tracks, which damaged the brakes. At one point they used the PA system to ask if any of us had a roll of duct tape.

Did you know, a roll of duct tape would fit perfectly in the conductor's hat? :?

They had to bring another train up next to us and we climbed down and back up before we finally got to the station. Wonderful adventure for two boys aged 2 and 4. Our train broke, so they brought us a new one. That doesn't happen every day of the week.

But if I had been carrying duct tape, I could have fixed a train. :rockon:
Not quite the same as fixing a train, but last week I fixed a Dyson vacuum cleaner with duct tape.
Has everybody heard about the bird?
W. Kevin Vicklund
Posts: 2134
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2021 4:26 pm

Re: Train Travel

#89

Post by W. Kevin Vicklund »

Foggy wrote: Sat Jul 23, 2022 6:41 am I was on a train down San Diego way that hit some debris on the tracks, which damaged the brakes. At one point they used the PA system to ask if any of us had a roll of duct tape.

Did you know, a roll of duct tape would fit perfectly in the conductor's hat? :?

They had to bring another train up next to us and we climbed down and back up before we finally got to the station. Wonderful adventure for two boys aged 2 and 4. Our train broke, so they brought us a new one. That doesn't happen every day of the week.

But if I had been carrying duct tape, I could have fixed a train. :rockon:
Off Topic
I once fixed a power plant with a paperclip and saved Detroit from rolling blackouts.

I was driving in to work following the 4th of July holiday when I got a frantic call from the plant engineer. I had recently upgraded the demineralizer control system, and the demineralizer had suddenly stopped working. (A demineralizer purifies water for steam turbines - without this, scale builds up on the blades and they snap off, which is a Very Bad Thing). So I called my boss and diverted to the power plant. I had less than six hours to diagnose and then fix the problem, otherwise we would have to shut down the turbine when we ran out of demineralized water. I got it narrowed down to a single step, but couldn't tell if it wasn't getting an input or it wasn't reading the input. So I found a paperclip and jumpered the input, which triggered the next step. Okay, now I know that the input wasn't being generated, so I can focus my efforts on why. A couple hours later, I was able to determine that a valve had somehow been manually closed - they had a different crew than usual in over the holiday weekend, so likely that they turned off the wrong valve.

Long story short, I used a paperclip to save Detroit from rolling blackouts when I fixed Train A of the demineralizer with 2 hours to spare.
Maybe not off topic after all :P
User avatar
Slim Cognito
Posts: 6556
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:15 am
Location: Too close to trump
Occupation: Hats. I do hats.
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#90

Post by Slim Cognito »

When I lived in a suburb of KC, we had our own Amtrak station. Occasionally, we'd take the kids from Lee's Summit* to Union Station which now consists predominatly of a smallish Amtrak depot, some restaurants, including a very nice one, and their Science City museum.

I think the kids liked the train ride best of all.
Off Topic
*Yep, named after Robert E. Lee. There was a lot of civil war skirmishes in the area, although I can't be sure Lee himself was at any of them. Lee's Summit is also the hometown of Cole Younger, who is buried in the old cemetery. Cool place, nice historical downtown, FYI.
Pup Dennis in training to be a guide dog & given to a deserving vet. Thx! ImageImageImage x4
User avatar
AndyinPA
Posts: 9859
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:42 am
Location: Pittsburgh
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#91

Post by AndyinPA »

We put somewhere 2,500-3,000 miles on six different trains in the last three weeks. The trains are mostly packed. We travel in the sleeping car, which keeps us separated from the coach passengers. Coach passengers are not permitted in the dining car yet. It used to be that while sleeping-car passengers had first choice, the dining car was open to all.

We had no problem on the Pittsburgh-Chicago-East Glacier National Park sections, nor the one that we got back on two days later to Seattle at the beginning of the trip with on-schedule. The staff is clearly shorted, by a lot. It made their jobs very difficult, and staff helped out others when they could. Service was generally very good, but the service was stretched thin, and you could tell. In total, though, service was still pretty good in sleeping cars and probably was in coach.

The major issue we ran into was the east-bound Train 6, The California Zephyr. We got on in Sacramento, after taking the Coast Starlight down from Seattle. It was pretty much on time there, but not long after started running late. Some of it was the usual freight traffic. Mostly, there was a lot of track work. Also, the heat (usually above 90) slows the trains down considerably. At one point, one of the engineers/conductors (can't remember which) had to go out and manually flip a switch. At that point, the engineer had to back the train up a long distance to get it onto another track to be able to get onto another track to go forward. We got into Denver four hours late, missing some wonderful scenery. We got off the train in Denver for the night to break up the train travel (four nights is too many at a time).

The next night, the Train 6 we got back onto was five hours late. We were sure we were going to be overnighted in Chicago because our train to Pittsburgh would be gone by the time we got into Chicago. As it turns out, Train 30 to DC had electrical problems and was still there when we got in on Train 6 at 7:40 pm when it should have arrived at 2:50 pm. That was not good, but was lucky for us as it left three hours late, and we were there in plenty of time. That allowed us to not have to get up at 4:30 am for a 5:05 scheduled stop. So the train to Pittsburgh/DC never lost any more time.

Our understanding is that the east-bound Train 6 is running about that late nearly every day. I didn't hear that any other train was having the same bad problems consistently.

One of our car attendants told us that Amtrak is back up to about 85 percent of its Pre-Covid numbers, although they expect that to ease somewhat after the travel and back-to-college seasons end.

If you're a train person, you're a train person. Would I do it again? YEP!
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
User avatar
Kriselda Gray
Posts: 3125
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2021 10:48 pm
Location: Asgard
Occupation: Aspiring Novelist
Verified:
Contact:

Re: Train Travel

#92

Post by Kriselda Gray »

If coach passengers don't eat in the dining car, where do they get food and eat it? On my only train trip (round way), we went coach but used the dining room for meals.
User avatar
AndyinPA
Posts: 9859
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:42 am
Location: Pittsburgh
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#93

Post by AndyinPA »

Kriselda Gray wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 10:01 pm If coach passengers don't eat in the dining car, where do they get food and eat it? On my only train trip (round way), we went coach but used the dining room for meals.
There is a café car where you can get pizza type things. It's definitely not as good. I think you are informed of this so that you can also bring your own stuff. I guess it would depend on how far you are going. The farther you are going, the worse the option.
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
User avatar
pipistrelle
Posts: 6695
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 11:27 am

Re: Train Travel

#94

Post by pipistrelle »

AndyinPA wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 10:06 pm
Kriselda Gray wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 10:01 pm If coach passengers don't eat in the dining car, where do they get food and eat it? On my only train trip (round way), we went coach but used the dining room for meals.
There is a café car where you can get pizza type things. It's definitely not as good. I think you are informed of this so that you can also bring your own stuff. I guess it would depend on how far you are going. The farther you are going, the worse the option.
I haven't taken any trips longer than (theoretically) 12 to 14 hours, but the pro train travelers seem to bring a lot with them-pillows, food, snacks, drinks, games for kids, and of course something to watch and/or listen to. You couldn't carry enough for a really long trip but if you're getting on and off I suppose you can stock up.
User avatar
AndyinPA
Posts: 9859
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:42 am
Location: Pittsburgh
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#95

Post by AndyinPA »

I agree. Coach passengers seem to be pretty well prepared.

We use points for most of our travel on Amtrak from using their Bank of America card. We really splurged on this one, partially because my husband couldn't get on the top bunk because of knee surgery. I didn't anticipate this when I made the reservations last October, but it worked out well. I used points to get a bedroom "suite." It's two bedrooms opened up. Lots of space, two baths. I would never pay real money for this as in dollars it is really, really expensive. Probably over $2,000 a night. We did three nights where the scenery was best.

Speaking of scenery, there is now a 40-mile-long natural gas field before you hit the Rockies coming east. I was shocked. The conductor said the state had made them only put in low buildings and equipment. Not good enough. This was my third time through here. The last time was only a year ago. :crying:
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
User avatar
Volkonski
Posts: 11592
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 11:06 am
Location: Texoma and North Fork of Long Island
Occupation: Retired mechanical engineer
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#96

Post by Volkonski »

In preparation for Friday's announced rail workers strike, Amtrak has begun suspending service between Chicago and the west coast and also between Los Angeles and San Antonio.
“If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war.” ― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
User avatar
Slim Cognito
Posts: 6556
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:15 am
Location: Too close to trump
Occupation: Hats. I do hats.
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#97

Post by Slim Cognito »

Volkonski wrote: Tue Sep 13, 2022 2:05 pm In preparation for Friday's announced rail workers strike, Amtrak has begun suspending service between Chicago and the west coast and also between Los Angeles and San Antonio.
SHIT!! I'm supposed to travel from KC to ABQ Oct 8. I know that's not long distance but just one more thing for me to freak out about.
Pup Dennis in training to be a guide dog & given to a deserving vet. Thx! ImageImageImage x4
User avatar
Volkonski
Posts: 11592
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 11:06 am
Location: Texoma and North Fork of Long Island
Occupation: Retired mechanical engineer
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#98

Post by Volkonski »

“If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war.” ― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
User avatar
Volkonski
Posts: 11592
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 11:06 am
Location: Texoma and North Fork of Long Island
Occupation: Retired mechanical engineer
Verified:

Re: Train Travel

#99

Post by Volkonski »

Will affect many food products including meat animals that feed on corn and soybeans.

But the big danger is that vodka supplies could run low. :eek:
“If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war.” ― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
User avatar
raison de arizona
Posts: 17657
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:21 am
Location: Nothing, Arizona
Occupation: bit twiddler
Verified: ✔️ he/him/his

Re: Train Travel

#100

Post by raison de arizona »

Breaking911 @Breaking911 wrote:Amtrak cancels all long-distance service nationwide over looming rail strike - WNBC
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/amtrak- ... e/3865423/
https://www.amtrak.com/tickets/train-status.html
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
Post Reply

Return to “General Stuff”