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The CL was my first Superliner--bedroom unit WAS-CHI. My friend much preferred the upper bunk in the Viewliners, however. Everything else was great; glad your trip was too.
 
The OBS (my sca was bill and the lsa was jordan) were super helpful, we were late (2hrs) but I didn't care. I was worried the views would suck (I was in #12) but it was really nice. All in all I like the viewliner equipent a bit better due to the high cellings etc, but my sca was better than both the sca's on the cardinal. Passengers were facinating as usual.
 
Going back on the 29 on sunday, should be fun. LOL my neighbor was griping about train food, I was like, are you nuts it's awesome? She had been on the train for 3 days and I guess doesn't like eating the same thing. I'm on the upper level (#4) on the 29 so I"ll be able to compare. I was furthest from the engine, so the whistle at 3am was less of an issue than on the 50 (tho I learned my lesson and brought ear plugs)
 
FormerOBS said:
Jay:

I absolutely love your enthusiasm! You approach travel like the adventure it should be. Your theme song ought to be "Forever Young".

Tom
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Ditto!

I still get the thrill I had when young just planning and booking a Train trip, but like most experienced travelers tend to notice and remember the flaws and negatives that occur on all travel!

Really looking forward to the trip to the Bay Area for the Gathering, D- Day is 23 Days away!
 
Good to hear the positive things! Daughter #4 and I embark on a western USA tour on Friday afternoon on a Superliner. SO EXCITED!!
 
The roomette toilet is convenient, but ultimately kinda gross imo. Superliners are best imo can't beat that upper deck view.
 
Jay ---

Be sure to spend the evening in the lounge & diner, where you can get a good view of the upper Potomac River valley. The scenery starts to get pretty around Point of Rocks. Beautiful station on the right; the river on the left. Then be on the left side at Harpers Ferry where you cross the Potomac into West Virginia. Somewhere around Martinsburg you'll want to switch to the right side before you rejoin the Potomac at Cherry Run. Around Hansrote, you'll run onto the Magnolia cutoff into Paw Paw (four tunnels & two crossings of the Potomac on the cutoff). It'll start getting dark after Cumberland, but you may still have a bit of daylight when you go through Sand Patch Tunnel and crest the Alleghenies. Then you'll follow the Casselman River from Meyersdale PA to Confluence, PA; the Youghiogheny River (pronounced Yock-a GAY-nee) to McKeesport; and the Monongahela to Pittsburgh. You'll be asleep by then. G'nite.

Tom
 
In the pre-Amtrak days, I remember riding the B&O Capitol Limited through the McKeesport/Pittsburgh area in the winter. I was in the dome car when we passed by one of the active steel mills. Even though we were inside a closed-up train, and despite the fact that the weather was cold outside, we could feel the heat from the furnaces as we passed.

Tom
 
FormerOBS said:
Jay ---

Be sure to spend the evening in the lounge & diner, where you can get a good view of the upper Potomac River valley. The scenery starts to get pretty around Point of Rocks. Beautiful station on the right; the river on the left. Then be on the left side at Harpers Ferry where you cross the Potomac into West Virginia. Somewhere around Martinsburg you'll want to switch to the right side before you rejoin the Potomac at Cherry Run. Around Hansrote, you'll run onto the Magnolia cutoff into Paw Paw (four tunnels & two crossings of the Potomac on the cutoff). It'll start getting dark after Cumberland, but you may still have a bit of daylight when you go through Sand Patch Tunnel and crest the Alleghenies. Then you'll follow the Casselman River from Meyersdale PA to Confluence, PA; the Youghiogheny River (pronounced Yock-a GAY-nee) to McKeesport; and the Monongahela to Pittsburgh. You'll be asleep by then. G'nite.

Tom
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FormerOBS can you re-write these for Eastbound? Thank you
 
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tommylicious said:
FormerOBS said:
Jay ---

Be sure to spend the evening in the lounge & diner, where you can get a good view of the upper Potomac River valley. The scenery starts to get pretty around Point of Rocks. Beautiful station on the right; the river on the left. Then be on the left side at Harpers Ferry where you cross the Potomac into West Virginia. Somewhere around Martinsburg you'll want to switch to the right side before you rejoin the Potomac at Cherry Run. Around Hansrote, you'll run onto the Magnolia cutoff into Paw Paw (four tunnels & two crossings of the Potomac on the cutoff). It'll start getting dark after Cumberland, but you may still have a bit of daylight when you go through Sand Patch Tunnel and crest the Alleghenies. Then you'll follow the Casselman River from Meyersdale PA to Confluence, PA; the Youghiogheny River (pronounced Yock-a GAY-nee) to McKeesport; and the Monongahela to Pittsburgh. You'll be asleep by then. G'nite.

Tom
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FormerOBS is this advice for eastbound or westbound?
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Based on the order of the stations, this would be westbound.
 
Tommylicious:

You asked for it. Serious recent delays on the west end could change this significantly. If eastbound no. 30 is running on time, it should go something like this:

Join the Ohio River somewhere around Beaver Falls. The river will be on your right. Cross the Allegheny River and arrive Pittsburgh 5:05 a.m.

5:20 depart Pittsburgh. Run through the old industrial area in the Pittsburgh area, joining the Monongahela at McKeesport. For most of this distance, the river will be on your right. Join the Youghiogheny River a short distance past McKeesport. The Youghiogheny (usually called the "Yough" --- pronounced "Yock" --- by locals) will be on the right.

6:59 stop at Connellsville. The old B&O yard should be visible on your right as you leave town. Follow the Yough to Confluence, PA. There are two alternate routes out of Confluence. The train usually leaves the Yough valley for a few miles, then passes through a tunnel and joins the Casselman River. Best views usually on the right side for most of this distance to Meyersdale. Just before Meyersdale, you'll pass under a very impressive steel bridge known as the Salisbury Viaduct, that used to carry the Western Maryland Railway across the valley. It now carries a bike/hiking trail. After Meyersdale, the train goes up a little valley and crosses the Eastern Continental Divide just before Sand Patch Tunnel. Note the little concrete marker on the left side of the track which says "Summit of Alleghenies Altitude 2258 ft." (I think it's still there). After Sand Patch, the train drops down a steep grade along Wills Creek to Cumberland, MD. Speed severely restricted. Just before Cumberland, you'll pass through a narrow part of the valley called the Cumberland Narrows. This IS NOT the Cumberland Gap (that's down in Kentucky, I think. These places were all named after the Duke of Cumberland, who probably never saw them). Arrive Cumberland 9:19 a.m.

9:31 a.m., depart Cumberland. Pass the very large Cumberland RR Yard on the right, then cross the Potomac River and enter West Virginia. The Potomac will be on your left all the way to Cherry Run, and you may get glimpses of the C&O Canal on the far side of the river. About 20 miles east of Cumberland is Paw Paw, WV. This is the beginning of the Magnolia Cutoff, which includes four tunnels and two crossings of the Potomac. It will put you very briefly in Maryland between the two river crossings. Continue following the Potomac through Hancock (which can be seen on the Maryland side of the river), then leave the Potomac valley around Cherry Run. Coming into Martinsburg, the station is on the right, and remains of very old railroad shop buildings on the left. Arrive Martinsburg 11:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m. depart Martinsburg & pass through pleasant rural area of apple & peach orchards. As you approach Harpers Ferry, you'll want to be on the right side.

11:25 a.m. Harpers Ferry. Cross the Potomac for the last time and see where the Shenandoah joins on the right. For the next several miles, you'll follow the Potomac, with the canal between the tracks and the river. Pass the beautiful Point of Rocks station on the left, and leave the Potomac River. From here, rural farmland gradually gives way to suburban development and the views are less scenic. Stop at Rockville at 12:10 p.m.

1:10 p.m. Arrive Washington.

Claim your baggage & start planning your next trip.

Tom

P.S. Don't ask me to redo the westbound in this much detail. Just turn this thing upside down & read it that way.
 
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