Best side of various trains for views

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

penfrydd

Service Attendant
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
111
Retirement cross country trip next July. All in roomettes. Curious as to best side of train to sit on in the various lounge cars. Here's the plan:

LSL - NYP to CHI

CZ - CHI to SAC

SJ - SAC to MCD

SJ - MCD to EMY

CS - EMY to PDX

EB - PDX to GPK

EB - GPK to CHI

CL - CHI to WAS

regional to NYP

All opinions welcome. I had planned on the whole trip in a counterclockwise direction, but after consulting this forum, changed it to clockwise. I am so looking forward to this trip! And retirement!!!
 
If you are in it for scenery, I would consider taking the Cardinal from NYP to CHI. The views through the gorge are some of the best in the East.

Of course, you may not want to spring for the roomette, but next July is probably still a pretty low bucket.
 
Personally, I prefer the inside on all of those trains...

Seriously, the only one I know is LSL from NYP to CHI, you want to be on the left to see the Hudson.

I'd head to CHI on the Card and take the LSL CHI-NYP for the best scenery.
 
Sounds like a great trip! If it were I, I'd wait until after the summer. The trains are less crowded. Hotels are less expensive.

Best views on the LSL are on the left side...along the Hudson. In Denver, you want to get a seat in the SSL as views change from left to right many times. When first leaving Denver, everything is on the right hand side. When you're in the tunnel, look for the ski resort on the left as you emerge. For the next few hours, sometimes the best views will change from left to right then back again. You will be following the Colorado River.

On the second day, you'll want to be on the right hand side (north) after leaving Reno. Donner Pass and Lake are the Sierra attractions.

You can't go wrong if you're in the SSL.
 
Thanks for the tip regarding the Cardinal. I don't know why I didn't consider it before. (might be the 6:45 departure from NYC), but looks well worth it.
 
penfrydd said:
Thanks for the tip regarding the Cardinal. I don't know why I didn't consider it before. (might be the 6:45 departure from NYC), but looks well worth it.
Click to expand...
That's alright, sometimes I think Amtrak forgets about the Cardinal too. :(
 
Of the trains I have been on.

LSL - Left Side (Even numbered room) for best view up the Hudson.

CZ - Right side would be slightly better (better view of front range and it seems like the Colorado River is on the right side more of the trip after the Moffet Tunnel), That being said, you don't know how the car will be turned, so you don't know which roomette to be on.

CL - I don't know that it really matters.
 
looshi said:
If you are in it for scenery, I would consider taking the Cardinal from NYP to CHI. The views through the gorge are some of the best in the East.

Of course, you may not want to spring for the roomette, but next July is probably still a pretty low bucket.
Click to expand...
Eastbound gives you best viewing, and right side is best going east.
 
Wow! Now that's a trip. But might I suggest a change?

Rather than

SJ - SAC to MCD

SJ - MCD to EMY

CS - EMY to PDX

consider

SJ - SAC to LAX (thruway bus from BFD to LAX)

CS - LAX to PDX

The southern stretch of the Starlight is mighty pretty, especially the portion whey the only thing west of the tracks is ocean.
 
Sometimes the choice of side isn't so much about the view, but about not getting cooked - the south side of the CZ in the summer can be uncomfortably warm... it took exactly one trip to learn this. Also, photographically, having sun shining on the glass can blur the viewing - eyeball or camera - generally the north side is better for such.
 
The only change I can make in my trip is the departing train. I could take the Cardinal to CHI instead of the LSL. It's a little more expensive, but how often will I do a round the country trip???

If I go west on the Cardinal, will it be daytime for the best scenery? I won't get to KY until night. Is West Virginia scenic too? So many questions, and I'm not leaving until July...
 
The best scenery is in WV, the Card is absolutely worth doing westbound in the summer.

The LSL returning to NYP is out of the question? If you can find a way to do it, it is worthwhile.

Edit:although since you seem to live in NY, you can do a run to Albany and back anytime and see the good parts.

Also on the Cap or LSL just east of Chicago, awesome industrial scenery and some lake views on the north side on the train.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for all the suggestions. I've taken the LSL several times in the past. I'll take the Cardinal west and the CL back east. That way I get to see the sights on the Cardinal, and have arranged for a several hour stop in WAS to walk around the sights. I love that Washington stop. This will be my wife's first train trip, so we're really looking forward to it.
 
EB - PDX to GPK

EB - GPK to CHI
Click to expand...
Hope you have at least a day layover in Portland walk around and love it. -- East from Portland the Columbia is gorge is impressive - on the right side the BIG river - going from coastal rainy to tumbleweed dry.

Glacier -- do your homework -- so much to see, savor every minute there.

GPK to SCD -- friends from near London could only exclaim -- "The VASTNESS - the VASTNESS!"

A few minutes east from Saint Cloud is (on the right) the totally classic Saint Cloud Reformatory -- looks like a prison should look - 30 foot high granite walls with watchtowers, but if the EB is on time :blink: you'll probably be sleeping.

Out of MSP the best part is after Red Wing, on your left, Lake Pepin, upper Mississippi, -- eagles and herons and river bluffs - not like the Columbia, but worth watching.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top