First time on Amtrak - was scared but now am impressed!

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nora_roan

nora_roan

Train Attendant
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
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I am a newbie to train travel. I boarded the Capitol Limited (#29) at Cumberland MD on Tuesday for my very first train trip. I was nervous and scared, and as the train pulled into the station and came to a screeching stop I had half a mind to run away! Haha! But within moments Amtrak staff (not sure what their titles are) got off the train and greeted the awaiting passengers. I had reserved a roomette and was directed to the train by a very friendly and polite gentleman who not only assisted me on board but also carried my heavier luggage to my roomette. I sat in my roomette, waving out the window to my husband who remained on the platform, talking to me via cell phone while I waited for the train to depart. I think he was as nervous as I was, putting his wife on a train all by herself to travel all the way to Iowa! The train finally departed and I enjoyed the scenery. I declined the included meal because my husband and I had already dined out for the evening. As darkness fell I delighted in watching the train round corners and bends, and I could see the engines in the turn ahead, the lights illuminating the tracks. I got a good night's sleep, only woke up a few times, and finally in the morning we were entering Chicago. This scared me too, I am a small town girl and was scared of this "big station". But I soon found there was nothing to worry about. After getting off my train I found my way to the Metropolitan Lounge where I spent a rather long layover in relative comfort. There were comfortable chairs and couches, my larger baggage could be checked so I didn't have to lug it around, and there were TVs to watch, snacks and soft drinks free of charge, friendly staff, and other passengers to chat with and pass the time. Then I boarded my second train (Southwest Chief) that would take me to my destination (Ft. Madison IA). I had a roomette on this portion of the journey as well. Again I was impressed. Mind you, at this point I was suffering from a bit of motion sickness. The Amtrak employee (again I don't know the appropriate titles to refer to them by) who worked my car noted that I did not look well. And he kept checking on me to make sure I was ok. Every so often he would stop at my roomette and ask me if I needed anything and if I was alright. He checked on me regularly and called me by name. He was a very nice gentleman. When my train was about to arrive in Ft. Madison IA he came to let me know, helped me with my baggage, helped me off the train upon arrival at the station, etc. All in all, I am highly impressed with the courtesy, efficiency, friendliness, care, and concern that Amtrak and it's employees give to their passengers. And here I was scared to death to ride the train, and now I feel as if I was treated like royalty! :D Am not dreading my return trip at all, I know I will be in good hands!
 
Great that you had a smooth and pleasant first trip. Hope it encourages you to do some more. Not all will be a perfect as it sounds like yours was, but even when not, the good usually outweighs the bad. By the way, I am writing this while riding a train. On my way to Fresno from San Francisco.
 
Thanks for the refreshing trip report! Most of the trip reports here are written by those of us who have traveled many miles on Amtrak and it's nice to hear about someone's first trip. Thank you for sharing.
 
I'm curious whether you had breakfast in the diner on the Capitol Limited before you arrived in Chicago. If you did not, make sure to have at least one meal in the diner on your return trip. Service is sometimes a little slow but eating on board is one of the highlights of long-distance rail travel...... and it's complimentary if you're in the sleeper going home.
 
Notelvis said:
I'm curious whether you had breakfast in the diner on the Capitol Limited before you arrived in Chicago. If you did not, make sure to have at least one meal in the diner on your return trip. Service is sometimes a little slow but eating on board is one of the highlights of long-distance rail travel...... and it's complimentary if you're in the sleeper going home.
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I TOTALLY second this. To fully understand the royal treatment one must use the dining car at least once. :p Dining on the train is like in the movies, you get seated with someone else and before long you generally become fast friends. You share stories either of life or Amtrak travel, etc. it's just really cool! I'm married, but most of my long distance travel is alone. I had lunch with a really nice lady and when we got to Fort Worth (I think that was the station) we arrived over an hour ahead of time and had some site-seeing time to kill. Alone I would have sat on the train, but I went out and explored the city (we had over an hour and a half including the normal layover). We saw all kinds of cool stuff that we'd have never seen otherwise. As single ladies, it's sometimes difficult to get up the nerve to walk around a big city. But with a friend, I get more courage. I LOVE Amtrak travel, and a sleeper is the only way to go. :giggle:
 
The gentleman who was helpful in your room, you luggage etc is known as a sleeping car attendant. Long ago,quite long ago, they were called porters. For that matter sleeping cars used to be called pullmans but that, too, is in the distant preAmtrack past; mid 60s..

Look at Alfred Hitchcocks old movie North by Northwest sometime. The helpful guy who was shown a time or two would, then, have been known as a pullman porter.
 
Glad to hear you had a great frist trip. Hope it is the beginning of a long list, of great trips.
 
It's refreshing to hear positive vibes from someone riding Amtrak for the first time. Hope you have many more pleasant experiences riding the rails.
 
I third the idea of having at least one meal in the Dining Car. If you are a group of less than 4, generally there will be other "strangers" sharing your table. But that is the great think about dining on a train, before long they will no longer be strangers!

Yes some may be bores, but most are not. Some of the most interesting people I've met while traveling on a train have been those I've shared a table with in the Dining Car! :)

I've shared many meals with people on their first train trip. Because they shared a table with someone who has taken the train many times, it also helped them enjoy the trip more.
 
I am glad you all enjoyed my post about my first train trip! I loved it! It really is a more civilized means of travel. And yes, I do plan to travel by Amtrak again in the future. As for the dining car, well...I am pretty shy around strangers. But maybe on my return trip I will get up the courage to go. Only thing is that I am kinda afraid to leave my luggage unattended in my roomette. I did note that the roomettes can't be locked from the outside and that the doors sometimes slide open with the motion of the train. Maybe I am being too paranoid, but that's just me. Perhaps I am fretting too much about it. In any case, I am impressed. Had I known train travel was so nice I would have done this long ago! And I have to mention again how nice the Amtrak employees were. They really did seem to care that the passengers were comfortable and enjoying their trip. Wow...you don't see that kind of courtesy much these days. :)
 
As long as you are careful with your valuables (like your purse, etc...), I wouldn't be too worried about leaving things in your room. Just remember, the only other passengers allowed in sleepers are other sleeping car passengers - who also have the same "problem"! And if when you leave, just close your door and curtains. Others can't tell if you're in the room or not. And sometimes as extra "security", I just messily throw my coat/pillows/blankets/etc... over my stuff to hide them out of view.

As far as being shy, I understand. Off a train, I'm very shy. But on the train I'm not. (I even talk with these AU bums! :giggle: )
 
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daveyb99 said:
Glad you had a good trip ... but why would you be nervous and scared. That escapes me.
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Some people have anxiety when doing new things. Anxieties are not always easy to overcome.
 
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I'm glad your first trip was so nice. Even though we had traveled from time to time on Amtrak or other trains around the world, we didn't start traveling on Amtrak seriously until about three years ago. We love it. I understand not knowing what to expect. And, yes, you are right, that's it's a very civilized way to travel, and relaxing.

We were on a tour in Patagonia in February, running constantly, and ten different airline flights. What kept me going was the thought that our next major trip was an Amtrak trip around the country in September! Well, that trip has been canceled since we will be greeting a grandson in September, but I can't wait to reschedule it in late May next year. We have settled for taking our three-year-old granddaughter on a three-hour trip to Altoona from Pittsburgh next month. It's not around the country, but it's Amtrak! :)
 
Nora:

Glad it was such a positive experience for you. Most of us here feel that way most of the time - it is indeed a great and very civilized way to travel.
 
Glad to hear you had a wonderful time on your first trip, and will be taking more down the rail (road)! Yes, life on the train is much more civilized, and down to earth.. Give the dinning car a chance.. I am a quiet person myself, but when I am on the train, I am a chatter in the dinning car!

Yes, there may be a trip that you may not have the best attendent or staff on the train, but don't let that down on you. Just think of your good trips in the past!
 
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