#4-START FROM LOS ANGELES OR NEEDLES

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I WILL BE BOOKING ON TRIP ON TRAIN #4 DURING THE HOLIDAYS. I PLAN TO FLY TO LAS VEGAS, STAY TWO NIGHTS THEN BOARD TRAIN #4 TO CHICAGO. I WILL HAVE A ROOMETTE BOOKED ON THAT TRIP. I HAVE A CHOICE OF WHERE TO CATCH #4..BUS FROM VEGAS TO L.A. LEAVING AT 10:25AM. THE ADVANTAGE IS I WILL GET TO HAVE DINNER ON THE TRAIN OUT OF L.A. THE 2ND OPTION IS TO BUS FROM VEGAS TO NEEDLES, CA. AND BOARD #4 AT 1:30AM. THE ADVANTAGE TO THAT IS ITS ONLY A 2 HOUR BUS RIDE.

WHAT DOES ANYONE SUGGEST I DO? THE TRAIN FARE IS $56 MORE IF I GO TO L.A.
 
Needles station is well lit and populated but there is limited seating and no protection from the elements. On the other hand, by leaving from Los Angeles, you can get to bed earlier after a proper dinner, and be asleep at 1:30. If a dining car meal and a proper rest the first night isn't critical, save the $56. :)
 
I'd spend the extra day in Vegas and take the Amtrak Thruway into Needles to catch Train 4. You shouldn't have to wait at the Needles station very long since the train is on time into Needles most of the time.

By taking the Amtrak Thruway van from Vegas to Needles, you will avoid a 6+ hour trip on the Stinkdog (yep - Amtrak will sell you the ticket and then put you on a Greyhound) from Vegas to Los Angeles.

Whichever you decide, make sure to note the Vegas to Los Angeles buses leave from the downtown Greyhound depot and the Vegas to Needles Amtrak Thruway leaves from the Vegas Airport. The Amtrak website it not as clear as it could be on this.

P.S.: the extra $56 can buy one heck of a five course dinner in Vegas! B)
 
Aloha

Our guest didn't say his destination but it does seem to me, he has voted for LV service.

Mahalo
 
Aloha again

Don't know how a poll is conducted but if Anthony would allow or put up a poll on LV service I will cc it to my Congressmen and senators, maybe someone in each state will do the same and push for more service.

Mahalo, again
 
Do you mean a forum poll you can vote in? Anyone can create one - click the "New Poll" button next to "New Topic" :)
 
Well, I don't know how "valid" a poll of this sort would be. Ask a bunch of Amtrak supporters whether they support additional Amtrak service, and I think the results will be quite predictable.

For the purposes of writing elected officials, I'd point out the various surveys already performed that indicated a significant percentage of the population (70-80% or so) support continued funding for Amtrak service.
 
WELL I FINALLY GOT A NAME..I'VE BEEN A YOUNG FAITHFUL AMTRAKER SINCE 1972, MY FIRST CROSS COUNTRY RIDE ON THE ZEPHYR.

EVEN THOUGH I LIKE HANGING OUT IN LA UNION STATION'S COURTYARD & OLVERA STREET, LOOKS LIKE I'LL OPT FOR THE THRUWAY BUS TO NEEDLES. SURE BEATS THE HELL OUT OF A 6 HOUR GREYHOUND RIDE.

I'M TAKING #4 TO CHI, WHERE I'LL BE CONNECTING TO #59 TO NOL, JUST IN TIME FOR NEW YEARS EVE. SHOULD BE VERY WILD!!
 
I think you made the right call there. Since you'll be able to get Dinner other nights (Amtrak's best meal IMHO) you're making the right call to spend more time in Sin City.
 
I JUST DISCOVERED ANOTHER ROUTING I CAN USE. I CAN GET AN EARLY MORNING CHEAP FLIGHT TO SACRAMENTO ON 12/28, ARRIVE SAC AT 8AM, WHICH WOULD LEAVE ME PLENTY OF TIME TO GET FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE TRAIN STATION. I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE CALIFORNIA RAILROAD MUSEUM SO I MAY HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT THERE.

I CAN CATCH #6 EB TO CHICAGO AND THEN CONNECT TO #59 AT CHI. ARRIVE NEW ORLEANS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE.

ALSO, THE RAIL FARE IS CHEAPER. I HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE ZEPHYR EB IN A LONG TIME, SO I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE ROCKIES IN THE WINTER AND SEE SNOW CAPPED PEAKS.

WHAT DOES ANYONE THINK OF THIS ROUTING..FLY TO VEGAS, 2 NIGHTS, QUICK FLIGHT TO SAC. TO CONNECT TO #6 THEN #59 2 DAYS LATER?
 
I'd advise the Southwest Chief by way of Needles - just my personal preference having rode both routes a few times. The Chief's atmosphere/on board staff is consistently better than that of the Zephyr.
 
If you want more train riding, can't you take a bus from Vegas to Bakersfield where you catch the San Joquins up to Sacramento? Or will that not fit your schedule? Just another thought I had.

Chris
 
saxman66 said:
If you want more train riding, can't you take a bus from Vegas to Bakersfield where you catch the San Joquins up to Sacramento? Or will that not fit your schedule? Just another thought I had.
Chris
Click to expand...
Sure can. On a positive note the Amtrak Thruway motorcoach service from Las Vegas, NV to Bakersfield, CA connecting to the San Joaquin trains to Oakland or Sacramento are actual Amtrak Thruway motorcoaches operated by Amtrak. The Las Vegas to Bakersfield motorcoaches are nearly brand new, very clean, comfortable and spacious. They are nothing like the packed Greyhound buses from Vegas to LA.
 
One good thing about flying into Sacramento is that you can take a bus from the airport direct to downtown a few blocks from the RR museum and it only costs $1.50.
 
Aloha

Think I need to chalenge the statement that the Southwest chief crew is better. I rode both in the middle of september. How can perfect, but different, be better. What I would worry about more is if the connection will be made. I was susposed to follow just that route from 6 to 59. Amtrak late missed it. Check out my trip report "Honolulu to New Orleans". Also check out several other reports of the Zephyr performance in the travelog section.

Depending on other travels I think the scenery and the fact that much of the trip is historical, riding on the original transcontinental route, the Zephyr is better, allow a day in Chicago for safety
 
I agree with you that the scenery is a bit better on the Zephyr than the Chief, but the thing that drives me crazy on the Zephyr is it is constantly stopped to allow freights to pass and at UP's mercy of running on time. Don't get me wrong, I love the Zephyr too (hey, I live in Reno and see the train go through town nearly every day and ride it at least twice a month for short trips), but I really enjoy the speed and consistency of the Chief. When the Southwest Chief comes to a stop, 90+% of the time if is a real station stop. The opposite is true on the Zephyr. This all leads down to the Chief consistently arriving into stations early and being 30+ minutes early into the endpoints of Chicago and Los Angeles. Check the train status on Amtrak's website to verify this. The Zephyr on the other hand, constantly runs late and is mmore difficult to make same day connections from.

If all freight railroads dispatched Amtrak's long distance passenger trains like BNSF does for Amtrak's Southwest Chief, our LD trains would be wildly popular and regularly sold out.
 
No other freight railroads dispatch Amtrak's long distance passenger trains like BNSF does for Amtrak's Southwest Chief, and our LD trains are still wildly popular and regularly sold out. Try getting a sleeper on the Zephyr within a week of departure any time from May till September.
 
RIGHT NOW I'M LEANING TOWARDS THE CHIEF BECAUSE OF BETTER ODDS OF MAKING CONNECTION TO #59. I HAVE BEEN CHECKING THE ON-TIME STATUS OF #6 INTO CHICAGO LATELY. ITS ACTUALLY BEEN ARRIVING EARLY THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.

HAS ANYONE RIDDEN THE ZEPHYR EB IN THE WINTER? WHAT ARE THE ROCKIES LIKE AT THAT TIME OF YEAR..WORTH SEEING?
 
YOUNG FAITHFUL said:
HAS ANYONE RIDDEN THE ZEPHYR EB IN THE WINTER? WHAT ARE THE ROCKIES LIKE AT THAT TIME OF YEAR..WORTH SEEING?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Possibly the best scenery in the Amtrak system.
 
jccollins said:
saxman66 said:
If you want more train riding, can't you take a bus from Vegas to Bakersfield where you catch the San Joquins up to Sacramento? Or will that not fit your schedule? Just another thought I had.
Chris
Click to expand...
Sure can. On a positive note the Amtrak Thruway motorcoach service from Las Vegas, NV to Bakersfield, CA connecting to the San Joaquin trains to Oakland or Sacramento are actual Amtrak Thruway motorcoaches operated by Amtrak. The Las Vegas to Bakersfield motorcoaches are nearly brand new, very clean, comfortable and spacious. They are nothing like the packed Greyhound buses from Vegas to LA.
Click to expand...
The Amtrak Thruway buses between Las Vegas and Bakersfield are operated by Coach USA/Antelope. They always use brand new Van Hool C2045L coaches, very nice buses!

My advice to anyone using this service: Stay in the Union Plaza Casino until 15 minutes prior to departure time to minimize the Greyhound experience. It's just across the driveway.

By the way, the Amtrak buses board at door # 6.
 
At 1 in the morning? ;) I'd advise eating before leaving Las Vegas; besides the wait between the thruway bus and train is not very long.
 

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