What it says on the tin. What is your ideal amount of time on a single train? Obviously, a trip may involve more than one train (Lord only knows how many times I've transferred at WAS, NYP, or CHI); I'm more thinking of time on a single train.
Ideal length of time on a single train
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johnny.menhennet
Conductor
When I traveled EMY-DEN back in April, that seemed like the perfect trip. Any longer and my grandma would have gotten bored or tired of it, but we had 2 full days and a night, with some fantastic territory.
amamba
Engineer
I picked 16-24 hours, presuming I am in a sleeper. It's a nice length of time where I will probably get to have at least one breakfast, lunch & dinner, plus an overnight. Ideally it would be something like 12 pm - 12 pm the next day so I feel like I get the whole experience of every part of the day.
One of the reasons I changed my trip this summer to have an overnight in CHI is that I started to get worried that three nights in a row might be too much for my H. I know by my last 12 hours or so on my long trip last year I was feeling just about done.
As for a day trip, I prefer something like 4-5 hours. Going much farther than BOS - PHL on the acela starts to feel a little long for me. The trip all the way to WAS is fairly long and I get a little tired at the end of just having all those people around me.
One of the reasons I changed my trip this summer to have an overnight in CHI is that I started to get worried that three nights in a row might be too much for my H. I know by my last 12 hours or so on my long trip last year I was feeling just about done.
As for a day trip, I prefer something like 4-5 hours. Going much farther than BOS - PHL on the acela starts to feel a little long for me. The trip all the way to WAS is fairly long and I get a little tired at the end of just having all those people around me.
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
Wish I could have taken a Pullman coast to coast, but I'd settle for a SSL West & East, with an overnight layover in NOL.
Long Train Runnin'
Engineer
The best feeling is that second day on a train west of Chicago. You wake in the morning know you having nothing to do that day but travel through the country enjoy 3 meals, and then fall asleep aboard the train again.
johnny.menhennet
Conductor
While I chose 24-36 hours, this was assuming some sort of sleeping accommodation on an LD train. For corridor services, I found the Acela NYP-WAS to be about the perfect length, and I like the run time VNC-SOL, despite the 25 minute layover in LA (584 is always early because of padding). I would not like starting earlier though, and I would not say that SAN-VEC is good, because just when I took the train SAN-LAX in February, the ride seemed MUCH longer; it may have been the 25 mph tracks through Soledad Canyon and Miramar, but the extra 33 minutes SAN-SOL made the trip MUCH longer. While SOL-VNC is about perfect, I also find SOL-VEC a nice ride too. Going a distance that would be SOL-SBA would be too long in any case for me except for this one, because of the sheer beauty of the Pacific Coast. So for me a corridor train would be acceptable SJC-SAC, SOL-VEC, or BOS-NHV (yay!). I've taken coach GDL-SNS before (yes back when the CS stopped there instead of VNC), and that route was fantastic. It didn;t seem long to me, but I was like 7 and 8. If you attach an SSL to any corridor train, I could live there.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
As with 47.62% of all the voters, I chose 48 hours plus! 
HARDCORE!
HARDCORE!manchacrr
Lead Service Attendant
I chose 48+ hours as my ideal length of time because I like to just get on a train and relax, especially in a sleeper. It's a shame that none of the Amtrak trains travel as far as and for as long as the Canadian though. Four nights and three full days was the perfect trip for relaxation and the ultimate in luxury and comfort in North America.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
The Canadian takes so long becvause it is slow. Amtrak trains are generally faster. However, a SL reextened to San Francisco in the west and MIA in the south would come pretty close to the Canadian. I heard that the Canadian ran for 5 nights, does it still do so?
A corridor route is limited to about 3 hours before peaking and starting to dwindle downward very slowly in enjoyability for me. Possibly more if the scenery is exciting.
Coach on a Long-Distance route is limited to about 14 hours. I really don't have interest in sleeping in a coach seat for more than just a small bit on the bookends of a trip (such as the Coast Starlight heading north from LAX to SAC; the midnight arrival means I might have an hour or so nap before alighting.)
But Sleeper on an LD route? I could go a WEEK or more! Yeah, not an option on the poll. Nor does a week-long trip (at least, a not a scheduled one) aboard a single train exist. But when given a bed, meals, and the ability to have privacy when desired is provided, I could literally live on a train and be happy as a kid in a candy store. I believe I was one of the last people able to book on a North America Rail Pass in 2008, as sale of that pass vaporized a mere three weeks after I purchased mine. I was on the rails for three weeks, traveled sleeper aboard all the overnight trains, and had the time of my life.
Coach on a Long-Distance route is limited to about 14 hours. I really don't have interest in sleeping in a coach seat for more than just a small bit on the bookends of a trip (such as the Coast Starlight heading north from LAX to SAC; the midnight arrival means I might have an hour or so nap before alighting.)
But Sleeper on an LD route? I could go a WEEK or more! Yeah, not an option on the poll. Nor does a week-long trip (at least, a not a scheduled one) aboard a single train exist. But when given a bed, meals, and the ability to have privacy when desired is provided, I could literally live on a train and be happy as a kid in a candy store. I believe I was one of the last people able to book on a North America Rail Pass in 2008, as sale of that pass vaporized a mere three weeks after I purchased mine. I was on the rails for three weeks, traveled sleeper aboard all the overnight trains, and had the time of my life.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
There are sleepers on the famous Rossiya from Moscow to Vladivostok, and that takes SEVEN nights! Just over a week! Then again, the sleepers are not as good as the American ones.
Good to hear at least some people are agreeing with me on a poll!
Good to hear at least some people are agreeing with me on a poll!
The times I have taken the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle from Los Angeles to Chicago, it was 60 hours, but it went by so quickly! I only go via Sleeping Car on any train that is overnight.
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I made that trip last October. It was a long ride. I was in a bedroom which made it more comfortable.
I prefer one overnight like the Lake Shore and Cardinal.
russianrail
Train Attendant
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I voted for the 48+ hours, only because there was not a LONGER option. I have an upcoming 7-day trip: SEA to WAS via #11 to #422 (with some Surfliner during the free time as I booked before the schedule change) to # 30. Days to just relax (without a computer or internet), meet great people, and watch America roll on by. Doing a mix of sleeper and coach.
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As much as I enjoyed taking the CZ from CHI to PRO (and the CL from WAS to CHI), I wasn't sad to end the trip when I got to PRO. I do hope to make another LD trip someday.
Rail Freak
Engineer
My very first Train Trip was great!!!! STP-WAS-CHI-PDX-SAC-CHI-WAS-STP!(9 nites) Enjoyed every minute!!!!
Michael061282
Lead Service Attendant
excluding the Canadian, which I think I could LIVE on, I think the longest I could take would be the Texas Eagle. I've done coast to coast about a dozen times and by the time the Western LD trains reach there destination, it's time for a small break. That being said.. I would love a thru car option with the Capitol Limited. but even that would have a (or scheduled to have) 3 hour or so layover break eastbound, and a 5 hour-ish break westbound in Chicago where I could recharge.
I chose 48+
My first Amtrak trip is coming up in October. EMY - LAX, LAX - NOL, NOL - NYP, NYP - CHI - EMY. 6 nights in total with the longest continuous trip is 3 nights from NYP - EMY and we have a bedroom all the way. Both of us Can't wait, I'm sure it's going to be wonderful.
Anthony
My first Amtrak trip is coming up in October. EMY - LAX, LAX - NOL, NOL - NYP, NYP - CHI - EMY. 6 nights in total with the longest continuous trip is 3 nights from NYP - EMY and we have a bedroom all the way. Both of us Can't wait, I'm sure it's going to be wonderful.
Anthony
Bierboy
OBS Chief
This.
I've nulled the vote because I've never travel more than 2 nights. I'll take longer trip if I'm in a sleeper.
I went with 10-16 overnight. To answer my own question, in general, my feeling is that while I love being on the train, I also do enjoy the break I get in Chicago to have a few hours to wander the city and so forth. I've found that a trip that starts before dinner time and that ends either after breakfast (or after lunch at the latest) tends to be about ideal.
Of course, I'm also a rather devoted fan of the "overnight trip" where I can get from wherever I am to my destination with as much of the travel time occurring while I am sleeping as possible, and I wish there were still a set-out sleeper for NYP coming from the south so I could go up there without burning half a day in transit (even flying is going to more or less do this...I really can't see getting into Manhattan, for example, taking less than about four hours) or being discharged in the middle of the night (as the Twilight Shoreliner does).
With that said...from where I am (in Virginia), Florida and Chicago are ideal distances away. However, the "break" in Chicago tends to be a nice gap in the trip for heading further west (which tend to run between a few hours and a day or so, depending on the trip). I've only spent two nights on the same train one and two halves times (I say it like that because I spent two full nights on the Chief EB LAX-KCY...I spent one and a half nights WB CHI-FLG when the train was catastrophically late one time, disembarking at about 4 AM; and I spent a similar amount of time on the CZ EB, boarding at SLC at about 3 AM and disembarking at CHI a bit late as well)...and while it's not bad, I find the slightly shorter trips to be a hair more enjoyable (I like both plenty, though).
Of course, I'm also a rather devoted fan of the "overnight trip" where I can get from wherever I am to my destination with as much of the travel time occurring while I am sleeping as possible, and I wish there were still a set-out sleeper for NYP coming from the south so I could go up there without burning half a day in transit (even flying is going to more or less do this...I really can't see getting into Manhattan, for example, taking less than about four hours) or being discharged in the middle of the night (as the Twilight Shoreliner does).
With that said...from where I am (in Virginia), Florida and Chicago are ideal distances away. However, the "break" in Chicago tends to be a nice gap in the trip for heading further west (which tend to run between a few hours and a day or so, depending on the trip). I've only spent two nights on the same train one and two halves times (I say it like that because I spent two full nights on the Chief EB LAX-KCY...I spent one and a half nights WB CHI-FLG when the train was catastrophically late one time, disembarking at about 4 AM; and I spent a similar amount of time on the CZ EB, boarding at SLC at about 3 AM and disembarking at CHI a bit late as well)...and while it's not bad, I find the slightly shorter trips to be a hair more enjoyable (I like both plenty, though).
Shawn Ryu
Conductor
Waiting for NER at DC. Was on CL 3 hrs ago. I def prefer long distance trains.
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I really enjoy a 48+ hr trip.You get into the routine and can relax.We have been on all the long Amtrak routes with the exception being the Texas Eagle (soon on the Eagle I hope). We have enjoyed them all.
ColdRain&Snow
Lead Service Attendant
I find that each of the LDTs has its own tempo and sense of time. Of all of them, I most enjoy the tempo of the full length California Zephyr between Emeryville and Chicago. After spending two full days crossing the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain ranges, you wake up on the third day and still have another afternoon of railroading before reaching Chicago. When I think back to the morning I boarded at Emeryville, it feels like several days have passed because we have covered so many unique landscapes across those 52+ hours.
I have mixed feelings about the tempo of LDTs with morning arrivals. On one hand, it's nice to arrive at your destination with most of the day ahead of you to pursue your interests. On the other hand, there is usually a palpable sense of urgency upon waking up that it will soon be time to detrain. Bunks are banging back up and cabinet doors are slamming open/closed to access fresh sheets. It's not the most relaxing way to end a long distance trip. [As an aside, I have spoken with a few SCAs in my recent travels about the Sunset's new LA arrival policy where sleeper pax can detrain as late as 6:30A. Their reaction was consistent and reaffirmed my concerns when I learned of the plan. That is, their eyes rolled when I asked them about the 6:30A occupancy. The handwriting is on the wall, so I will be doing what I can to stay off Train 1 after early May.]
And then there are the LDTs that just feel too short and hurried for me. Train 29 would be an example. Not long after boarding, it's time for dinner followed eventually by bedtime. Then it's an early rise and time to get off. I don't even bother setting up my GPS or scanner for these shorties under normal circumstances.
Though I enjoy ride durations like that of the Zephyr, I am always stoked to get off on that third day and head to the hotel for a hot shower and some regional cuisine. Sometimes those "buffer" nights in between LDTs can be a regenerative way to regroup in the middle of your journey. Riding trains for 6 or 7 nights straight, even by sleeper, would be masochistic in my book, but more power to those who summon the stamina to make such marathon runs and enjoy themselves doing it.
I have mixed feelings about the tempo of LDTs with morning arrivals. On one hand, it's nice to arrive at your destination with most of the day ahead of you to pursue your interests. On the other hand, there is usually a palpable sense of urgency upon waking up that it will soon be time to detrain. Bunks are banging back up and cabinet doors are slamming open/closed to access fresh sheets. It's not the most relaxing way to end a long distance trip. [As an aside, I have spoken with a few SCAs in my recent travels about the Sunset's new LA arrival policy where sleeper pax can detrain as late as 6:30A. Their reaction was consistent and reaffirmed my concerns when I learned of the plan. That is, their eyes rolled when I asked them about the 6:30A occupancy. The handwriting is on the wall, so I will be doing what I can to stay off Train 1 after early May.]
And then there are the LDTs that just feel too short and hurried for me. Train 29 would be an example. Not long after boarding, it's time for dinner followed eventually by bedtime. Then it's an early rise and time to get off. I don't even bother setting up my GPS or scanner for these shorties under normal circumstances.
Though I enjoy ride durations like that of the Zephyr, I am always stoked to get off on that third day and head to the hotel for a hot shower and some regional cuisine. Sometimes those "buffer" nights in between LDTs can be a regenerative way to regroup in the middle of your journey. Riding trains for 6 or 7 nights straight, even by sleeper, would be masochistic in my book, but more power to those who summon the stamina to make such marathon runs and enjoy themselves doing it.
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