1st trip

[Rail Freak]

Taking my first rail trip in Sept.

Silver Meteor - orlando to dc

Capital Unlimited - dc to chicago

Empire Builder - chicago to seatle

Coast Starlight - seatle to sacramento

California Zephyr-sacramento to chicago

& back to dc and orlando

Any TIPS?

 

[MrFSS]

Taking my first rail trip in Sept.
Silver Meteor - orlando to dc

Capital Unlimited - dc to chicago

Empire Builder - chicago to seatle

Coast Starlight - seatle to sacramento

California Zephyr-sacramento to chicago

& back to dc and orlando

Any TIPS?

Read the TRIP REPORT section of the forums to see what others say. Use the search function for past threads on specific questions you have, or ask the group any specific questions you might have. We'll try to help!

 

[the_traveler]

Taking my first rail trip in Sept.
Any TIPS?

The best tip - ENJOY YOUR TRIP!

You may also want to read these train travel tips. But if you have any specific questions, ask away!

 

[Rail Freak]

Requested assistance at each station, as I can't walk far at all! will they wheel me around the station a bit or too busy for that?

 

[AlanB]

Requested assistance at each station, as I can't walk far at all! will they wheel me around the station a bit or too busy for that?

In DC and Chicago they should be able to run you to/from the train, as the redcaps have motorized carts to both carry luggage and passengers. I'm not sure about Seattle or Sacramento, but someone else may know. I would think at the very least though they should be able to provide a wheel chair pushed by a redcap.

One word of warning though, don't rely on the fact that you requested assistance in advance. I would mention your needs to each car attendant about an hour or so before arriving into a transfer city. This way they can have the conductor confirm things for you, and will be on the lookout for the redcap when you get there.

 

[Rail Freak]

Should I carry on food,booze etc? I am in a sleeper.

 

[Rail Freak]

Taking a 11 day trip from orlando to seatle and back. Heard different opinions of food quality. How is it recently?

Thanx,

1st trip

 

[Galls]

Taking a 11 day trip from orlando to seatle and back. Heard different opinions of food quality. How is it recently?Thanx,

1st trip

You sir are brave.

 

[TransAtlantic]

You can, but as a sleeper passenger your meals will be included, so you won't need much beyond an occasional snack (and FYI, your personal booze stash has to stay in your room with you)

 

[cascadia]

If you have trouble walking then be darn careful on those steep narrow stairwells on the Superliners. Those can be pretty treacherous - hold onto the hand rail!

 

[the_traveler]

And if you have trouble walking (and even if you don't), you can request that your attendant bring your meals to you in your room!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Sounds fun, but your schedule confuses me.

You are changing to the Coast Starlight early in the morning at Sacramento, which makes sense: you are omiting an overnight connection.

BUT you are also taking the Empire Builder to Seattle, as opposed to Portland, which means that A) you are overnighting in Seattle, and incurring an unneeded off-train overnight, but making an uncomfortably early (to me) connection to avoid an overnight in San Francisco, one of the most interesting cities in the country. Why?

It also means you are not going to have the Sightseer lounge for the last day of your Empire Builder routing.

If I were you, I'd change it to:

Silver Meteor - orlando to dc

Capital Limited - dc to chicago

Empire Builder - Chicago to Portland (same-day connection)

Coast Starlight - Portland to EMY (Overnight in the city by the bay!)

California Zephyr - EMY to CHI

Finally, from this point, Do NOT take the Capitol Limited again!

Instead, take the Cardinal, and connect to the Silver Meteor.

 

[AlanB]

Finally, from this point, Do NOT take the Capitol Limited again!
Instead, take the Cardinal, and connect to the Silver Meteor.

I'm not sure that the Cardinal is a guaranteed connection to the Meteor in DC, and if it's not, then that means a bus ride that he may wish to avoid.

Additonally there is the consideration of the 3 day per week schedule of the Cardinal, which may not meet his plans; as well as the fact that the Cardinal is typically more expensive than the Capitol.

 

[the_traveler]

Sounds fun, but your schedule confuses me.
You are changing to the Coast Starlight early in the morning at Sacramento, which makes sense: you are omiting an overnight connection.

BUT you are also taking the Empire Builder to Seattle, as opposed to Portland

Perhaps the OP actually has a reason to go to Seattle, and wants to go to Seattle!

If I were you, I'd change it to:
...

Finally, from this point, Do NOT take the Capitol Limited again!

Instead, take the Cardinal, and connect to the Silver Meteor.

The only thing about the Cardinal/Meteor connection is that it only allows ~ 1:30 to connect in WAS!

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Then it makes sense. I guess my tendency to take train trips for the heck of it shows.