First Time Train Traveler

[auxplage]

My girlfriend and I are flying to Reno in mid-May, and I came up with the idea of taking a train all the way back to Newport News, VA in early June.

It most likely will end up more expensive, but as college-aged adults (19 and 18), I could not pass up this opportunity to travel cross-country via train. I know it is not glamorous, but I love just going at a slow pace and looking at scenery.

I know that I should have booked the trip a long time ago; however, at this point, when is the best time to do it (I assume ASAP)?

There are a few worries and curiosities of mine.

1) My girlfriend and I are vegetarians. Amtrak's website says that they provide vegetarian options, but how good are that and how likely is it that they will have it?

2) I am going with a roomette from Reno to Chicago, and just coach from Chicago to D. C. and from D. C. to Newport News. Does that make sense or will we miss the roomette from Chicago to D. C.?

3) I understand that "carry-on" really means basically a full bag; however, there is checked baggage from Reno all the way to D. C., which is fine. Here I get confused. In Newport News there is no checked baggage, so what does this mean for us when we arrive in D. C.? Will we have to get our baggage and then take it with us on the train as a carry-on on the way to Newport News?

4) I am also confused about ticketing. In Reno, do we get a ticket that is good the length of the trip, or do we get separate tickets for each time we must change trains?

5) Would $900 for coach tickets from Reno to Newport News including a roomette from Reno to Chicago be a "rip-off"? What would be a great price or a horrible price?

6) How great are the views while traveling through the Rockies? I know that the train is at high elevations, but are there any points at which there are drop offs; i. e., one can look over the edge?

7) Finally, this main seem an odd question especially in today's world, but Amtrak does not frown upon young adults traveling (Sorry, I am weird).

Obviously, I know nothing about trains but am very excited about this. I am also a bit obsessive compulsive and must know everything about this.

 

[jackal]

Welcome to the board, auxplage! I'm not an expert, but I'll try to provide some info:

1) I'm not a vegetarian and didn't pay attention to the menus last time I took the train, but the dining car is bound to have something that will work for you. Amtrak does list some of their menus online (though the type of menu varies by each train, since different trains have different levels of dining service), so a search through Amtrak's website for menus may help. Also, search this board for "menu" and you might come up with a link or two--I seem to recall a few links posted recently.

2) Makes sense to me. Reno to Chicago's a pretty long run. The overnight run from Chicago to DC on the Capitol Limited (which is what I assume you're taking there) is doable in coach (I did it last fall just fine), but if you really must sleep horizontally (I do, but I value my money more than my sleep...and that's saying a lot, because I value my sleep!), you may want to splurge for the roomette on that run, too.

3) I believe that is the case. You can check your bags to DC and then pick them up and carry them on. There is usually plenty of room for carry-ons on trains, although I'm not personally knowledgeable about the carry-on situation on the Regional you'll be riding to Newport News.

4) You will get three separate tickets: RNO-CHI (on the California Zephyr), CHI-WAS (on the Capitol Limited), and WAS-Newport News (on the Regional).

5) That's $450/person, including meals for two and a "hotel room" on the Zephyr. I don't think that's a rip-off at all, especially given the beauty of the route you're going (between Grand Junction and Denver is supposedly some of the best scenery on the Amtrak system). It's definitely worth it to do once in your life...and possibly more!

6) See #5

7) Not at all. While Amtrak service attendants tend to be either wonderful or surly (one or the other), they're equally wonderful or equally surly to all people and all ages. There is absolutely no reason you should feel bad for traveling on Amtrak at your age (heck, I'm only a couple years older)--in fact, young college-age people are among the most prominent Amtrak travelers.

You're certainly right to be excited about the trip! I'm envious, as I've never done any of the western east-west routes (I did the Coast Starlight as a kid and did the Cardinal and Capitol Limited last year). Make sure to post a trip report afterwards!

 

[meatpuff]

Welcome to our fair forum, I can answer some of your questions.

First of all, seems like a perfectly good idea to me; you will find lots of people on this board who would look forward to that kind of trip! A trip most of the way across the country is a grand train trip indeed.

If you're new to Amtrak, read some of the stickies at the top of the forum about tips for Amtrak travel and especially this:

http://www.on-track-on-line.com/amtrak-tips.shtml

1) A sample menu for Amtrak can be found here, and this should be very close to what you find available on the train. So there are vegetarian options...but there is also this page somewhere in the Amtrak webuniverse here. The upshot is that after you make your reservation (or when you do if by phone) you should probably call Amtrak, ask to speak to an agent, and let know about your situation in reference to the reservation you made. It is not critical, but Amtrak does run out of certain entrees en route, and this is inconvenient for most, but could be disastrous if you are vegetarian! You would be best off calling ahead.

2) No question being in a roomette is better, but coach is manageable overnight...one night. So I think you did the right thing, if you were trying to save money. No roomette for the two nights on the CA Zephyr (Reno->CHI) would be kind of miserable, but will be ok for the one night on the Capitol Limited. There are discussions elsewhere on this board about sleeping in coach overnight. It's fine. If I could give only one tip, bring a blanket.

4) You will get tickets for each leg: three of them (per person). When you get to Chicago, the train you were on gets cleaned up and turned around to go somewhere else, and you get on a new set of equipment for Washington, after a few hours' wait. So, since you're reboarding the train, new ticket.

5) The main part of the price is going to be the roomette. This (portion) ranges on how early you book from about $260 to about $540. In early June they seem to be running around $450, for a price for two for the entire trip around $900. So this is in the middle. The summer is the prime time for Amtrak, so this is to be expected unless you book many months in advance. Two points to make clear: your cost Reno->CHI for two is two coach fares plus one room charge. And your meals (B,L & D) are included with the room price. So that makes the price hurt a little less.

So you're not getting ripped off. However, I would recommend that if you know want to take this trip that you book as soon as possible! As other people book that trip, the price will increase without notice, which could be at any time. Even if something changes, you can cancel without penalty so long as you do it seven days before you travel: just call them, and they will refund your credit card.

6) The California Zephyr (N. Cali to CHI) is considered by a plurality of people on this board to be the most scenic route in the Amtrak system. I will leave it to others to elaborate, except that indeed the biggest reason is the views going through the Rockies.

7) You are quite young, but you're adults, and Amtrak or their employees won't care so long as everything is on the up and up. You are required to carry identification as an Amtrak passenger, BTW, but of course you would on a cross-country trip. I kind of understand you asking, I remember when I was that age it always felt like cops, security guards and any other authority figure had it in for me, even though I didn't act any differently in public than I do now. Just reminiscing.

There is one more thing. The eastbound CA Zephyr can often run late into Chicago at certain times of the year. If this happens you may miss the connection to the Capitol Limited. In this case, it's Amtrak's fault, and they will see to it that you get to Newport News at no further cost to you. By far the most likely result would be Amtrak would pay for a hotel room in Chicago so that you can catch the next day's Capitol Limited. Anyway, don't schedule anything until a day after you're supposed to be home, just in case. There is one caveat: this only works if the whole thing was booked as one trip. If you're not sure, call Amtrak and ask if the connection in Chicago is a "guaranteed connection" on your reservation. Those are the magic words.

We'd be happy to hear more about how your planning goes.

 

[auxplage]

Wow! Thanks for the quick responses. I love forums in which people are not only knowledgeable but also friendly.

Train travel really seems to excite passion in certain people, me included, and this forum is no different. I am very excited, and you people are exciting me more.

Thanks for the answers and wisdom.

As mentioned before, I am not concerned about the speed of the trip, but for curiosity's sake, at what speed do Amtrak trains travel, on average (obviously there exist numerous factors that affect it)?

 

[jackal]

As mentioned before, I am not concerned about the speed of the trip, but for curiosity's sake, at what speed do Amtrak trains travel, on average (obviously there exist numerous factors that affect it)?

Well, you can get an average by taking the mileage between two given cities and dividing by the number of hours it takes to get between those cities. I'm not sure where you would easily obtain the railroad mileage for a given route (I might have heard that Amtrak's timetable may include it somewhere, though for an exact measure, you'd need to actually obtain the host freight railroad's timetable and add up the mileage for all the different divisions you're on. (I did this once to calculate speed and mileage for a freight train routing up the coast of California versus going inland through the Central Valley!).

So, I'll leave it to you and others to figure out what the "average" speed is. However, here are a few generalities:

*The typical maximum speed on most of Amtrak's lines is 79mph, which is a limit of the Federal Railroad Administration for the class of track and signaling systems used across most of the railroad.

*Speed limits vary from that 79mph all the way down to 10mph, depending on lots of things, but basically: straight=fast, curvy=slow--you'll see a lot of the former going across the plains and a lot of the latter going through the Rockies

*Some routes have higher speed limits. The Southwest Chief, for example, travels over trackage owned by BNSF (a freight railroad company) that employs extra technology, allowing a speed limit of 90mph. Some of the Michigan and Illinois services have been experimenting with technologies (Positive Train Control, I believe) that allow speeds up to 110mph. And the most famous of all would be the Northeast Corridor between Washington and Boston, where (due to a combination of signaling technology and high-quality track) there is a high of 150mph for a stretch near Providence, RI. (All of these maximum limits are regulations imposed by the FRA--they have very exacting standards for this kind of thing.)

I've got a railroad timetable for the UP's Rocky Mountain region...I should look it up and see what the speeds are between Reno and Denver! I'll post back if I find it. Also, if you're on the right side of the train, keep an eye out for small green signs with yellow numbering or yellow signs with black numbering--these are the speed limits. (Yellow on green is a speed increase and takes effect after the last car passes the sign, and black on yellow is a speed decrease and takes effect at the front end of the train. Also, for speed decreases, in advance of the speed change will be a diagonal version of the same sign.)

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

Welcom to the forum.

I would bring a few extra veggy food items with you, such as energy bars, just in case. I have known dinning car equipment to fail, and the replacement "inclusive meal" offered to sleeping car passengers was 101% non veg.. just wise to have backup food plans. The menu is not varied much, you get 95% the same few options on every Amtrak train in America.

For most of the wonderfull mountain scenery section, the train ambles along, it is a twisty track, and I would estimate speeds of 20-30 mph, 50 mph max. The views honestly are amazing, some sections have stunning views both up to the peaks and down to the rivers on valley floors far below.

After Denver, the rails hit the plains, and speeds increase up to maybe 70 mph.

Train travel takes one out of ones "regulated" lifestyle, and introduces random elements.. delays, weird fellow passengers, etc, this is a big part of Amtraks attraction for me. It is exciting, and tailor made for a mini adventure for all ages. If you honestly prefer no surprises you might feel challenged by these elements?

Good Luck and enjoy your trip, you are only young once!

Ed B)

 

[user 1215]

A couple of things to add - If you get a sleeper, the cost of the upgrade is the same whether you are one person or two, so really, like a hotel room, you get a better deal with double occupancy. You'll also get dinner, breakfast, lunch, dinner, breakfast and lunch - 6 meals included with your two night stay. You probably paid about $900 for a one-way air ticket for two and all you got was speed.

Finally, even when just arriving in Chicago as a sleeper passenger, you're entitled to enjoy the Metropolitan Lounge where you can check your carry on bags and walk around town for a couple hours before getting your bags and boarding. Be sure to pick up a juice and danish...

 

[auxplage]

Hi,
Welcom to the forum.

I would bring a few extra veggy food items with you, such as energy bars, just in case. I have known dinning car equipment to fail, and the replacement "inclusive meal" offered to sleeping car passengers was 101% non veg.. just wise to have backup food plans. The menu is not varied much, you get 95% the same few options on every Amtrak train in America.

For most of the wonderfull mountain scenery section, the train ambles along, it is a twisty track, and I would estimate speeds of 20-30 mph, 50 mph max. The views honestly are amazing, some sections have stunning views both up to the peaks and down to the rivers on valley floors far below.

After Denver, the rails hit the plains, and speeds increase up to maybe 70 mph.

Train travel takes one out of ones "regulated" lifestyle, and introduces random elements.. delays, weird fellow passengers, etc, this is a big part of Amtraks attraction for me. It is exciting, and tailor made for a mini adventure for all ages. If you honestly prefer no surprises you might feel challenged by these elements?

Good Luck and enjoy your trip, you are only young once!

Ed B)

I like surprises and mini-adventures, but I also like to know, in general, what I am getting myself into since this is my first time. :unsure:

I thank you and everyone else who has been so very helpful thus far.

 

[caravanman]

Great that you like adventures! I wanted to sound a cautionary note just in case you suffered from stress, and were not aware of some of possibile stress factors.

Ed B)

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I took train #67 from Boston to Williamsburg last summer and wished I'd gotten a sleeper (except, of course, that that train hasn't offered sleepers in the last few years). So I think there are varied opinions as to whether traveling overnight in coach makes sense.

If you get a copy of the printed ``Amtrak System Timetable'' (which you can get for free; I think amtrakvacations.com is what I've found to be the easiest place to order it), that tells you the number of track miles covered.

Amtrak's size limits for carry-ons are fairly generous, and I think you may be able to get help from Amtrak employees loading/unloading your carry-ons if you need it (I never have, so I haven't investigated the details).

 

[nr272]

1) My girlfriend and I are vegetarians. Amtrak's website says that they provide vegetarian options, but how good are that and how likely is it that they will have it?

I'm also a vegetarian and didn't have any problems with my Amtrak trip this past summer (I'm also 18, by the way). I went from Boston to Seattle (in coach) and never had any problems finding anything vegetarian. It's probably a good idea to call ahead thought just to make sure though. If for some reason they run out of vegetarian food in the diner, there is always the lounge car which sells bagels and smaller snacks (albeit, not at a cheap price). I'd suggest bringing along snack such as bagels, fruit, bread, etc.

You will meet all sorts of people on the train; young, old, middle-aged, families, etc. Everybody is going someplace different, everyone is from someplace different, and everyone has a different reason for riding the train. Thats what makes train travel so fun! Like caravanman said, you're bound to experience random elements..... which makes the trip all the more interesting! Have fun!

Noah

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I could move all my clothes, all my girlfriends clothes, and all of my smaller possessions (not my desktop computer, safes, or the like) in the luggage allotment Amtrak gives.

My girlfriend and I are both AmFans, and we are both young (23 and 18) and we have no problems on Amtrak vis a vis our age. There are three things you can do that will make the crew dislike you. 1) get **** drunk- not mildly drunk, really drunk. A lot of people are mildly drunk in the lounge car (this shouldn't apply to you) 2) annoy the heck out of your fellow passengers (talking loudly at 2AM for example) 3) Ask them how late you are every ten minutes and then whine and complain about it. Its ok to occasionally ask how late you are, but don't complain. Trust me, they don't want to be late, either. The number of hours they are stuck on the job directly correlates to how late the train is.

No matter how strange you might be, there will be a score of passengers on the train that are stranger.

 

[the_traveler]

I envy you for taking this trip! B) I didn't take my 1st X-country rail trip until my late 20's! (Boy, do I feel old! )

I think the idea of taking the roomette for the 2 day portion and going coach for the 1 day portion. That's what I did to cut expenses.

The trip thru the Rockies is VERY scenic! Personally, I am in the Sightseer Lounge car most of the day during this crossing. In case, you're not familiar with it, this car has (almost) floor to (beyond) ceiling windows for the length of the car! And at times, the rock ledges are almost straight up from the tracks!

No matter how strange you might be, there will be a score of passengers on the train that are stranger.

... like most of us on this forum! :lol: :lol:

 

[Green Maned Lion]

You know it.

Meeting strange people is half the fun. Our last trip, partial list: The old, wise jewish dude with few teeth who kept going on about how Bush is a monkey. The increasingly drunk woman from Ohio who was in the sightseer expounding to an interested audience her political views, while standing up and jumping up and down (drunk, remember, on a moving train). The couple accross from us in the sleeper who both deaf (to each other) with the husband trying to tell his wife he was half naked, close the darn door, and her telling him she needs the car attendant. The bozo who was singing in our coach car on the way back. Or a really friendly, extremely nice, and interesting guy we chatted with for about four hours straight, who is basically a hobo moving between members of his family via Amtrak train.

 

[auxplage]

You know it.
Meeting strange people is half the fun. Our last trip, partial list: The old, wise jewish dude with few teeth who kept going on about how Bush is a monkey. The increasingly drunk woman from Ohio who was in the sightseer expounding to an interested audience her political views, while standing up and jumping up and down (drunk, remember, on a moving train). The couple accross from us in the sleeper who both deaf (to each other) with the husband trying to tell his wife he was half naked, close the darn door, and her telling him she needs the car attendant. The bozo who was singing in our coach car on the way back. Or a really friendly, extremely nice, and interesting guy we chatted with for about four hours straight, who is basically a hobo moving between members of his family via Amtrak train.

I have not laughed that hard in such a long time, which perhaps speaks volumes to my possibly boring life. :blink: I need a train trip.

This forum is very encouraging, knowledgeable, entertaining.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Given that the typical Amtrak train has hundreds of passengers, I would be surprised if it's terribly common for Amtrak to run a train that has fewer than a dozen vegetarians on it. Though I guess it is possible that vegetarianism may be much more common among my friends than it is among Amtrak riders.

 

[auxplage]

So, I just got done booking my train ride from Newport News to Reno!

It is very exciting.

It says that I will be in car 532 room 003 (from Chicago to Reno in a roomette as mentioned above).

I was wondering if any of you could shed any light on the placement of that room. I looked at floor plans, and room 003 in a Superliner (which I assume it is one) seems to be on the upper level in the middle. Is that good or bad? I have no idea.

This is just so amazing to be able to do this trip; these forums are wonderful.

 

[RailFanLNK]

Be openminded and things will be a-ok! I just got off the CZ last night in LNK. Onboard was a Jewish Rabbi from Israel via NYC who I think (and others) was on the wrong train. Kept talking about how Arizona was going to be. We told the onboard staff that he may need to be on the SWC and that his last chance was Galesburg. He spoke broken english and had them long curly pigtails (?) hangin down his face and beanie on his head. (sorry, I know I'm not real educated but I just don't know the proper names for those things) I had a guy sit by me who I swore was a "gang-banger". He dressed and acted that way but ended up getting off in LNK and was a loving father of two daughters, gainfully employed, takes Amtrak to see his family in CHI and was really quite pleasant. I also remember meeting a guy who I thought was a member of the Bloods street gang. He was an owner and rap record label producer from CHI, quite business astute, cordial and a gem to talk to. So don't freak out if you have been raised quite conservatively and there is Rabbi's, multitudes of different ethnic races, religions etc onboard. Be kind, look them in the eye when you speak and don't judge. The "gang guy" who got off in LNK like I did, well....the crew on the #5 last night was real, REAL "chatty". I mean, every single thing they could speak about on the trip (and repeated several hundred times) over the PA system. We would look at each other and make signals with our hands like our hands were a mouth. (you know, yap, yap, yap) We were laughing so hard. Its nice to be notified of stuff but this was like ......the crew was on methamphetamine and couldn't shut up! :lol: ie: "If you all now will look to your left, you will see a marshland just prior to crossing the Mississippi River. In this marshland, water fowl and mammals co-exist to make our eco-structure and important and viable entity to our lovely United States of America that was founded in 1776. Prior to 1776, the USA was mere colonies................................................"

Al

 

[AlanB]

It says that I will be in car 532 room 003 (from Chicago to Reno in a roomette as mentioned above).
I was wondering if any of you could shed any light on the placement of that room. I looked at floor plans, and room 003 in a Superliner (which I assume it is one) seems to be on the upper level in the middle. Is that good or bad? I have no idea.

I think that's a great room. You're one room away from the attendant's room, two away from the one bathroom on the upper level, and far away from the end of the car and the noise that one can hear when the door is opened by people passing through to the next car.

And yes, you'll be in a Superliner car from Chicago to Reno.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

He spoke broken english and had them long curly pigtails (?) hangin down his face and beanie on his head. (sorry, I know I'm not real educated but I just don't know the proper names for those things)

Sounds highly religious, from the description. You mentioned he was from Israel. Hebrew, structurally, makes it very difficult to speak english without a lot of work. Trust me, I know- hebrew was my first language.

The "pigtails" are pronounced in english as: PAY-ahsk. I couldn't think of a way to spell it in english. They are there because, according to several ultra-religious sects of judaism, and as believed by others, it is not kosher (kashrut goes far beyond food) to cut ones facial hair beyond a certain point. For many, that point is above where the beard ends and the head hair begins, resulting in ultra long strands of hair, most easily tended to by curling them up.

The "beanie" is called a yahmika. (Pronounced: Yah-meh-kah by most). It can also be called a Kippah (Kee-pah), with the plural "kepot" pronounced "Kee-pote" as in rhyming with mote.

Lastly, calling him a Rabbi may or may not have been correct. A fair term would be ultra-orthodox, and he probably belonged to one of several sects, the most US popular being the Hassidic (adj, Hah-see-dik or Hah-sid-ick depending on origin), also Hassid (noun, Hah-sid) or Hassidim (plural, both adj and noun, Hah-si-deem). In American parlance, Rabbi is generally the name given to jewish religious leaders. To do this is not incorrect- almost all jewish religious service leaders ARE rabbis.

Rabbi, however, does not mean religious leader. In fact, it directly translates simply as "teacher". There are many Rabbis who never lead congregations. Many are simply school teachers. Keep in mind that Judaism, at its core, places learning as the among the most noble of deeds. Rabbi can also be a word, therefore, bestowed upon someone highly respected, a noble, knowledgeable, trusted person. Judaism, interestingly enough, places worshipping god last. First and foremost, you must believe in the idea that there is one god, after that you must be fair, good, and charitable to ones fellow man (why so many seem to forget this, I don't know), third you must study and learn, particularly the Torah, and lastly, you must pray to and worship god.

However, the man you met may or may not have been israeli (many don't speak good english because english was simply not spoken in the home) and he may or may not have been a Rabbi. Not all hassidim are Rabbis. Most are not. Among that sect, being a Rabbi is one of the most respected professions. Not many hold it.

 

[opaque]

Surely one question is how did he get on the CZ if he was supposed to be on the SWC?

Don't they check tickets?