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PaunchyPirate

Train Attendant
Joined
Apr 18, 2022
Messages
57
Location
Pennsylvania
Hello there! I'm a 59 (very soon to be 60) year old single man who lives in a rural community in Northwestern Pennsylvania. I retired 3 1/2 years ago from being a software sales engineer. I've traveled the USA a lot (business travel and quite a bit on pleasure trips as well). However, up till now, I have not been on an Amtrak train. I have traveled a few times on European long distance trains, however. I've taken the Eurostar from Paris to London via the channel tunnel (a great experience) and I've also taken a train from Prague, Czech Republic to Vienna, Austria.

I just booked the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville, followed by the Coast Starlight from Emeryville to Seattle, followed by the Empire Builder from Seattle back to Chicago. The trip is scheduled to begin June 29, 2022 and I'm traveling solo in a roomette on all legs of the trip. I'm quite excited about this experience and I have a few questions that I will likely post about on this forum. I've been reading these forum posts for a couple days now and have enjoyed the level of detail and information that is here coming from the experienced Amtrak travelers. I look forward to learning more.

I won't be at all surprised if I love this experience so much that I book additional Amtrak travel afterwards. It really seems like my kind of thing. But time will tell, I suppose.
 
PaunchyPirate said:
Hello there! I'm a 59 (very soon to be 60) year old single man who lives in a rural community in Northwestern Pennsylvania. I retired 3 1/2 years ago from being a software sales engineer. I've traveled the USA a lot (business travel and quite a bit on pleasure trips as well). However, up till now, I have not been on an Amtrak train. I have traveled a few times on European long distance trains, however. I've taken the Eurostar from Paris to London via the channel tunnel (a great experience) and I've also taken a train from Prague, Czech Republic to Vienna, Austria.

I just booked the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville, followed by the Coast Starlight from Emeryville to Seattle, followed by the Empire Builder from Seattle back to Chicago. The trip is scheduled to begin June 29, 2022 and I'm traveling solo in a roomette on all legs of the trip. I'm quite excited about this experience and I have a few questions that I will likely post about on this forum. I've been reading these forum posts for a couple days now and have enjoyed the level of detail and information that is here coming from the experienced Amtrak travelers. I look forward to learning more.

I won't be at all surprised if I love this experience so much that I book additional Amtrak travel afterwards. It really seems like my kind of thing. But time will tell, I suppose.
Click to expand...
Welcome.

You will love the trip, as you are booked on 3 of Amtrak's best trains.

But be forewarned that if you then decide to do more train travel, set your expectations lower. Most of the trains east of the Mississippi are not as special, having a lower class of food service, usually no Sightseer Lounge, and less spectacular scenery. But they're still enjoyable if you discover that you really like train travel.
 
joelkfla said:
Welcome.

You will love the trip, as you are booked on 3 of Amtrak's best trains.

But be forewarned that if you then decide to do more train travel, set your expectations lower. Most of the trains east of the Mississippi are not as special, having a lower class of food service, usually no Sightseer Lounge, and less spectacular scenery. But they're still enjoyable if you discover that you really like train travel.
Click to expand...

That makes sense. To be honest, I don’t see myself focusing too much on the Eastern routes. I can do that easily by car (and already have for much of it). But, certainly, the Southwest Chief, Texas Eagle, CONO, and the remaining portion of the Coast Starlight are attractive to me.
 

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