Most Interesting Destination By Amtrak?

[Ziv]

West Glacier. The coolest stop there is. If you like doing stuff outdoors, that is. Both the grinders and the buses are great, the first for getting a once over, the second for getting to trailheads without a car.

(East Glacier looks interesting, never been, but it is supposed to have great hiking too.)

Washington DC. Capital Hill is just around the corner and the Smithsonians are lined up along the mall like cabs outside a Hyatt. Pick one, any of them, they are all good.

New Orleans. Best. Food. Anywhere. And they know how to party too. (maybe I should have said best food in the US but Amtrak doesn't service Thailand or Italy so I think I am good.)

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

I've never heard of Surf Beach, Ca.! I googled it & it looks like a great place! I must have gone thru it (or by it) as I have been on the CS a few times! Then again, maybe not!

Thanx

That's impossible - according to Google Maps, it's south of LA.

No, Surf is a sliver of coastline within the Vandenberg AFB property, reachable by public road from Lompoc. It is the site where a bodyboarder was fatally attacked by a great white shark back in 2010. RF, you indeed passed through it on your CS rides. But blink and you'll miss it! 

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

the Amtrak stop that I believe is the singlemost unspoiled, natural location on the entire rail network, with no infrastructure or civilization around to speak of.

Unspoiled, natural, in the boonies? Try Alderson or Thurmond WV on the Cardinal.

I agree. I talked about Thurmond in a previous post. Most unspoiled destination IMO.

 

[NY Penn]

This is hilarious:

Thurmond is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, on the New River. The population was five at the 2010 census.

Judging by Street View, it looks like the definition of rural.

 

[guest in the west]

the Amtrak stop that I believe is the singlemost unspoiled, natural location on the entire rail network, with no infrastructure or civilization around to speak of.

Unspoiled, natural, in the boonies? Try Alderson or Thurmond WV on the Cardinal.

No doubt those former Appalachian-area coal towns, once roaring with life similar to gold/silver/copper mining towns in the West, are pretty much historic sites and not much more today. But Surf is simply nothing but a gorgeous unspoiled beach stop which has never had a store, phone, or living person within miles. Again, it's unique as a station stop IMHO.

 

[the_traveler]

This is hilarious:

Thurmond is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, on the New River. The population was five at the 2010 census.

Judging by Street View, it looks like the definition of rural.

Oh how I remember Thurmond!

Because of a freight derailment up ahead that shut down the line, the Cardinal was stopped on the mainline in Thurmond! Not one of the town's 5 people came out!

(Maybe they were all in the woods cooking "white lightning" - and they didn't share!

) The Cardinal had to go to Prince to find some people. (But all the stores and restaurants --including like McD's - were closed!)

 

[OCL1]

I've only been on the Empire Builder, and I did enjoy the Glacier Nat. Park.. Here is my v

Thanks for posting your video. It was excellent. I plan to show it to my son and his family to interest them in a trip on the Empire Builder this spring.

 

[edding]

No one has mentioned yet San Juan Capistrano. Lots of interesting things within walking distance of the train station plus some great restaurants and an Antique Mall. Plus the Mission ( which I've never ponied up the money to go inside but it looks interesting). A great Amtrak daytrip from either San Diego or LA.

 

[TraneMan]

I've only been on the Empire Builder, and I did enjoy the Glacier Nat. Park.. Here is my v

Thanks! Glad to share the video.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

No one has mentioned yet San Juan Capistrano. Lots of interesting things within walking distance of the train station plus some great restaurants and an Antique Mall. Plus the Mission ( which I've never ponied up the money to go inside but it looks interesting). A great Amtrak daytrip from either San Diego or LA.

The $9 is surely worth it. I was just there with Golden grrl and scientist and had an amazing day.

 

[jis]

I like the three little Amtrak stops in the Juniata Valley in the Alleghenies - Lewistown, Huntingdon and Tyrone. Nice little towns and if you can get your hands on a rental car you can go to East Broadtop Railroad from Lewistown or Huntingdon, a great Narrow Gauge Line.

 

[MARC Rider]

1. Baltimore -- lots of trains, a neat 100 year old station, and an interesting city.

2. White River Junction, VT. Theyhave a steam locomotve on display on the station platform. When you arrive, you can walk over to the Hotel Coolidge and spend the night, with a couple of good places to eat wihtin walking distance. The next morning, the rental car company will pick you up to get your car, and you can spend some time touring the scenic Green or White Mountains.

 

[fairviewroad]

the Amtrak stop that I believe is the singlemost unspoiled, natural location on the entire rail network, with no infrastructure or civilization around to speak of.

Unspoiled, natural, in the boonies? Try Alderson or Thurmond WV on the Cardinal.

No doubt those former Appalachian-area coal towns, once roaring with life similar to gold/silver/copper mining towns in the West, are pretty much historic sites and not much more today. But Surf is simply nothing but a gorgeous unspoiled beach stop which has never had a store, phone, or living person within miles. Again, it's unique as a station stop IMHO.

I agree. Alderson, Thurmond (and Williams Jnct, also mentioned) are in the middle of towns. Yes, they're small and in the case of Thurmond exceedingly small. But the Surf station is a strip of concrete with waves practically lapping at it. Here are three great shots of it:

http://maps.google.com/?ll=34.682752,-120.605308&spn=0.013975,0.01929&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=34.682752,-120.605308&cbp=12,0,,0,0&photoid=po-43790525

http://maps.google.com/?ll=34.682752,-120.605308&spn=0.013975,0.01929&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=34.682752,-120.605308&cbp=12,0,,0,0&photoid=po-37760901

http://maps.google.com/?ll=34.682752,-120.605308&spn=0.013975,0.01929&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=34.682752,-120.605308&cbp=12,0,,0,0&photoid=po-55300140

And yes, the Coast Starlight passes through each day without stopping. There are two stops in each direction each day on the Pacific Surfliners.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

the Amtrak stop that I believe is the singlemost unspoiled, natural location on the entire rail network, with no infrastructure or civilization around to speak of.

Unspoiled, natural, in the boonies? Try Alderson or Thurmond WV on the Cardinal.

No doubt those former Appalachian-area coal towns, once roaring with life similar to gold/silver/copper mining towns in the West, are pretty much historic sites and not much more today. But Surf is simply nothing but a gorgeous unspoiled beach stop which has never had a store, phone, or living person within miles. Again, it's unique as a station stop IMHO.

I agree. Alderson, Thurmond (and Williams Jnct, also mentioned) are in the middle of towns. Yes, they're small and in the case of Thurmond exceedingly small. But the Surf station is a strip of concrete with waves practically lapping at it. Here are three great shots of it:

http://maps.google.c...oid=po-43790525

http://maps.google.c...oid=po-37760901

http://maps.google.c...oid=po-55300140

And yes, the Coast Starlight passes through each day without stopping. There are two stops in each direction each day on the Pacific Surfliners.

Looks great! I'm usually not a beach person, but it looks secluded enough that I might try it out the next time a get a chance, which is not going to be too soon......

 

[Ana]

I've only been on the Empire Builder, and I did enjoy the Glacier Nat. Park.. Here is my v

Thank you for posting this video, TraneMan - it was awesome to see what I'll be seeing on my trip in July!

Even more excited now.

 

[TraneMan]

I've only been on the Empire Builder, and I did enjoy the Glacier Nat. Park.. Here is my v

When are you going in July? We are on #27 on the 25th, and return on #28th on the 31st.

 

[DET63]

I can't believe that Elyria, Ohio, and Del Rio, Texas, have failed to make this thread! I mean, what can be more interesting than getting off the train in either of those two cosmopolitan burgs?