amtrac travel questions

[mama to a toddler train fan]

It is sometimes easy to get caught up in other peoples imagined difficulties...I am sure you will have an easy time..just ask for a little help from your fellow train passengers if you need to, and you will get all the support you need. I find train travel folk quite "civilized" especially in sleepers, and the sleeping car attendants will assist with baggage too.Be Brave! Enjoy! Salute!

Ed  B)

Thanks for the encouragement!

I received my paper tickets via the USPS service yesterday and I am so getting so excited!

On a side note...I am riding a train later today. Thomas the Tank Engine! LOL! He does none of the work but gets all the glory!

 

[mama to a toddler train fan]

Have you considered using a harness for the toddler?  George

I have been rethinking this. As a general way of thinking I have always shyed away from them. Thinking them to be too much of a crutch. Traveling through LA with so many things to juggle is quite a bit different than walking through a mall. I will be investing in one. Thanks for directing my thinking to this issue.

He really is an obedient child who stays very close to me but I fear the excitement of the trains may be too much. So, as the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure", I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[dan72]

"On a side note...I am riding a train later today. Thomas the Tank Engine! LOL! He does none of the work but gets all the glory! "

Ah, yes, we've ridden on a Thomas train on a couple of occassions as well. An you're right, the real work takes place at the other end fo the train, not with Thomas!

My wife and I took the SWC this last May out to AZ and really enjoyed the trip. Our car attendant, Lori, was wonderful and very helpful. Hopefully you'll get somebody of her caliber.

We didn't take our two boys (2 and 6) this time around as we wanted to see how the trip goes. Hopefully in a few years, I'll have enough AGR points (and the SWC still exists) and will take them then. Have a fun trip. You're 3 year old will love the tunnel at Raton Pass!

Dan

 

[AlanB]

I think I will brave LA. We will be switching to a commuter train there and heading south to Anaheim where we will rent our car. Will they have redcaps at Anaheim?

Sadly, no Anaheim does not offer Redcap service. You will be on your own there. You do know that Hertz has a rental counter right in the station at LA?

By Commuter do you mean Metrolink? Or are you taking an Amtrak Surfliner? If you are taking the later, then you can have the redcap help you get onto that train too. If you are taking the former, I'd look into spending the extra few dollars to switch to the Surfliner, just for the luxury of knowing that the redcap can still help you to board that train. He'll place all of your bags onto that train for you, and probably drive you and the kids right out to the train.

 

[mama to a toddler train fan]

I think I will brave LA. We will be switching to a commuter train there and heading south to Anaheim where we will rent our car. Will they have redcaps at Anaheim?

Sadly, no Anaheim does not offer Redcap service. You will be on your own there. You do know that Hertz has a rental counter right in the station at LA?

By Commuter do you mean Metrolink? Or are you taking an Amtrak Surfliner? If you are taking the later, then you can have the redcap help you get onto that train too. If you are taking the former, I'd look into spending the extra few dollars to switch to the Surfliner, just for the luxury of knowing that the redcap can still help you to board that train. He'll place all of your bags onto that train for you, and probably drive you and the kids right out to the train.

No, I did not know that Hertz had a place in the train station. Thanks for the information! That is very handy for my needs.

It is the Surfliner we will be taking, business class.

Would you rent the car from LA so as to avoid the hassle of no aid in Anaheim? I know that would come with the hassle of driving in LA traffic....how bad can it be? OR would you take a train and rent the car in Anaheim with no redcaps? I don't think there are on site rental places in Anaheim. But the rental place I talked to will pick us up. We are just supposed to call them when we get in the station. Could mean some extra waiting.

 

[mama to a toddler train fan]

"On a side note...I am riding a train later today. Thomas the Tank Engine! LOL! He does none of the work but gets all the glory! "
Ah, yes, we've ridden on a Thomas train on a couple of occassions as well.  An you're right, the real work takes place at the other end fo the train, not with Thomas!

My wife and I took the SWC this last May out to AZ and really enjoyed the trip.  Our car attendant, Lori, was wonderful and very helpful.  Hopefully you'll get somebody of her caliber.

We didn't take our two boys (2 and 6) this time around as we wanted to see how the trip goes.  Hopefully in a few years, I'll have enough AGR points (and the SWC still exists) and will take them then.  Have a fun trip.  You're 3 year old will love the tunnel at Raton Pass!

Dan

Thomas was fun yesterday! I just love how excited the kids get when Thomas pulls in the station! We saved the gift shop for last...it was the only thing that could get him off the train without a major scene, though I saw plenty of those yesterday, lol.

We'll be on the lookout for the tunnel at Raton Pass!

 

[AlanB]

It is the Surfliner we will be taking, business class.Would you rent the car from LA so as to avoid the hassle of no aid in Anaheim? I know that would come with the hassle of driving in LA traffic....how bad can it be? OR would you take a train and rent the car in Anaheim with no redcaps? I don't think there are on site rental places in Anaheim. But the rental place I talked to will pick us up. We are just supposed to call them when we get in the station. Could mean some extra waiting.

Well being on the Surfliner and in Business Class will help a bit. As I already mentioned, the LA redcap will take you right out to that train with no worries. Then the fact that you are in business class will help a bit, since that car has a special attendant. Give that attendant a few bucks and ask nicely, and they'll probably help you get your bags off the train at least.

After that though, you'll be on your own to get from the platform into the station and of course your rental car.

As for your traffic question, that's one that I sadly can't answer. While I was just in the LA area on my recent trip, my only driving experience was over 50 miles west of downtown LA, near Ontario. But I can tell you that along the I-10 corridor, which paralled the commuter train that I rode several times, traffic didn't look very nice during rush hour in the peak direction. Avoid peak driving times and you'd probably be ok, but again I'm hardly the best expert to answer that question.

Perhaps one of our members who lives out that way might know more.

 

[gswager]

It is the Surfliner we will be taking, business class.Would you rent the car from LA so as to avoid the hassle of no aid in Anaheim? I know that would come with the hassle of driving in LA traffic....how bad can it be? OR would you take a train and rent the car in Anaheim with no redcaps? I don't think there are on site rental places in Anaheim. But the rental place I talked to will pick us up. We are just supposed to call them when we get in the station. Could mean some extra waiting.

I used to live near Los Angeles (actually Ontario area) most of my early years and the traffic are getting worst each year on the freeways and even commuter lines. Metrolink is already placed an order for more cars and locomotives.

Los Angeles is the center of jobs, so imagine of a spider web. In the morning, the surrounding areas, as far as San Bernardino, Escondino, Antelope Valley, etc. will drive toward Los Angeles with heavy traffic jam. In the afternoon, usually after 3:00 pm, everybody rushes home at the same time from Los Angeles. Friday afternoon is the worst time due to going to Las Vegas, NV or Colorado river. That'll give you an idea.

The train will arrive into LA in the morning and if you're heading to Anahiem, you will not be encountering a heavy traffic on freeway. Same thing if you're heading back to LA for departure on Southwest Chief which the train leaves at 6:45 pm.

Hertz at LAUS (LA Union Station to avoid confusion with LAX for airport for non-rail fans) is in the station, right next to the baggage area (I've seen the desk several years ago and I don't know if it's still in the same place or relocated). So is Budget car rental.

To minimize waiting time at Anahiem and if you have cell phone with you, call ahead of time, allowing some time for deboarding with those suitcases and kids in tow.

If I have too many suitcases and kids, then I would recommend to rent at LAUS to lessen the hassle and less traffic on freeway.

 

[mama to a toddler train fan]

The train will arrive into LA in the morning and if you're heading to Anahiem, you will not be encountering a heavy traffic on freeway.  Same thing if you're heading back to LA for departure on Southwest Chief which the train leaves at 6:45 pm.  

If I have too many suitcases and kids, then I would recommend to rent at LAUS to lessen the hassle and less traffic on freeway.

Good point! I think I will brave the traffic so I don't have to wait and switch the train or wait around for the car rental place, who will probably forget the car seat I need for the three year thus creating another wait while they retrieve it.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Hello again, Mama to Toddler. I was wondering if you have taken your trip yet? If so, did it go well for you and the children?