Fall Trips

[whistler]

I admit I think my trip in mid-October will be interesting.

Syracuse to Toronto and then onto Cochrane and Moosonee Ontario on Ontario Northlands Northlander and Polar Bear Express. Then return to Toronto and leave the next day for Montreal to take the Chaleur to Gaspe for one day of relaxation and then back to Toronto, via Montreal. A day of exploring in Toronto, take a look at the old round house and see what I can see in that area.

 

[Trogdor]

This coming Wednesday (conveniently, two days after the start of the double-points promotion): Empire Builder Chicago to Seattle, followed by a connecting bus, Seattle to Vancouver.

The Monday after, Vancouver to Seattle on the Cascades Superliner set. This train had been sold out for quite some time (which seemed strange). Then, last week, I noted that a few seats had opened up, so I was finally able to book it. Otherwise, I'd have taken another bus. Nothing wrong with the bus trip, but I'd like the opportunity to ride that route in a Superliner, and to sample the diner-lounge again.

Then, on Wednesday, Seattle to Chicago on the Empire Builder again. I was able to take $209 off the original price by checking back (at the same time that I saw seats on the Cascades train had opened up).

Hopefully, there will be no unpleasant surprises on this trip. However, I'm a bit nervous due to some unanticipated troubles I encountered the last time I crossed the border. I hope I'm not permanently flagged in the computer system to get searched every time I cross the border now.

 

[AlanB]

Hopefully, there will be no unpleasant surprises on this trip. However, I'm a bit nervous due to some unanticipated troubles I encountered the last time I crossed the border. I hope I'm not permanently flagged in the computer system to get searched every time I cross the border now.

They seem to have a system that drops out previous data after a year or so.

I had no problems what-so-ever crossing this past August, despite having been thrown out of Canada and banned for a year in May of 2006. Mind you I was very nervous from Platsburg on until they actually release the train to continue on to Montreal.

 

[Trogdor]

Well, fortunately for me, I've never been "banned" from any country (that I know of). My troubles were actually re-entering the United States. Go figure.

 

[The Metropolitan]

Fall is certainly one of my prime seasons to travel, and since getting reinvigorated by train travel a year and a half ago, I've been looking to undertake more and more trips to new destinations...

This Weekend, I'm supposed to head to Raliegh on Friday, then to Charlotte aboard the Piedmont on Saturday, hanging around there the entire day before loading aboard the Crescent when it rolls through in the wee hours of Sunday morning to return home. Finding a cheaper bedroom rate on this train was the catalyst for this one.

Columbus Day, I have my AGR Select Marathon of 8 trains in one day between here and Harrisburg - Looking forward to getting some interesting rides in and seeing some new places, and yeah, racking up some points.

That following weekend, I was thinking of flying to Pittsburgh and returning on the Pennsylvanian to get the Fall Colors at their best - still up in the air on this one.

Late October, am flying to Chicago, hanging out there 2 days and taking in a couple of Horizon rides among others before returning on the Capitol. An Lowest Bucket Roomette was the catalyst.

And then there's Veterans' Day - May try a roundabout trip via NJT's Atlantic City Line, possibly winding up in New York before all is said and done.

Of course, looking at that Train Excursion Bob posted did leave me checking into the cost of going to Salisbury, then taking the excursion to Charlottesville and riding the Cardinal home from there. There is a Day's Inn not too far away. Hmmmmm.....

 

[JayPea]

Mid-October, I have an Empire Builder trip planned: Spokane to Seattle, THEN the entire Seattle-Chicago length of the Builder, and a short Chicago-Champaign jaunt on the City of New Orleans. Compared to many on here, I feel like a relative Amtrak "rookie", yet I've figured that a few miles out of the station stop at Rugby, ND, I will have crossed the 10,000 Amtrak mileage barrier.

Now that I have more time for vacations at work, now that I have more money to spend and now that the Cascades have added more trains, my next Amtrak trip (sometime next spring) may involve a Spokane-Portlland-Seattle-Spokane round-trip, or Spokane-Seattle-Portland-Spokane--whichever one makes the easier connections between the Empire Builder and the Cascades.

 

[jnik]

Mine doesn't involve much traveling... Just an overnight trip in mid-December on the GrandLuxe (formerly AOE) Washington to Orlando, a week there, then overnight back home on the Silver Star.

It will be my first time on the AOE equipment, and on return, my first experience with the SDS.

It ALMOST makes up for my cancelled Summer vacation to Eastern Canada last July on the Ocean, Chaleur, and Adirondack (among others). [Cancelled when I came down with shingles :angry: ].

 

[Railroad Bill]

My wife and I are taking the Capitol from Cleveland to Rockville, Md for our 29th Anniversary in October and then spending three days in Washington DC. Going to ride the Metro from our hotel in Rockville each day and enjoy the sites. Leaving on a Sunday from WAS on a train to Philly, then across Pennsylvania on the Pennsylvanian to Pittsburgh and then back on the Capitol to Cleveland. Just four days on the rails but should be a great time.

 

[had8ley]

My wife and I are taking the Capitol from Cleveland to Rockville, Md for our 29th Anniversary in October and then spending three days in Washington DC. Going to ride the Metro from our hotel in Rockville each day and enjoy the sites. Leaving on a Sunday from WAS on a train to Philly, then across Pennsylvania on the Pennsylvanian to Pittsburgh and then back on the Capitol to Cleveland. Just four days on the rails but should be a great time.

Bill;

You sound like the type of person who has fun before you start your trips. Enjoy and I hope your wife has as much fun as you plan on having. Happy Anniversary.

 

[AlanB]

I'll be Chicago bound on the Capitol on Oct. 11th, after a run on the regional down to DC, for the AU Gathering in Chicago. Returning via the LSL on Monday the 15th.

 

[gswager]

Riding on Southwest Chief to Chicago for AU gathering. It'll be my first complete route of Southwest Chief. Hopefully, I'll see the fall colors on the trees.

 

[rmgreenesq]

My fall amtrak trips have all been business. I've been on #67 the overnight regional to Washington DC. I usually finish up in DC around lunch and take the Acela back north. Lately, work has been taking me further south (RVR) or staying in DC well into the evening. I've been taking #66 north. Sixty-seven south isn't bad, but two nights in a row in an Amseat is a bit much. Wish this train had a sleeper.

Rick

 

[AlanB]

My fall amtrak trips have all been business. I've been on #67 the overnight regional to Washington DC. I usually finish up in DC around lunch and take the Acela back north. Lately, work has been taking me further south (RVR) or staying in DC well into the evening. I've been taking #66 north. Sixty-seven south isn't bad, but two nights in a row in an Amseat is a bit much. Wish this train had a sleeper.
Rick

You, myself, and many other's wish that they would bring back the sleeper on 66/67. I hope that you are at least booking the business class seat for the extra room that it provides, as well as the fact that at least in the past it was supposed to include a pillow and a blanket. Not sure if it still does, but at one time it did.