Hi, I just joined today, and thought I'd let ya'll know a little about myself. I have had a bit of a rough past with rail travel, my first trip, I took with my parents, and it didnt turn out well, when an alleged 7 hr trip turned into an 18 hr trip from hell, complete with cancelled motel rooms, and medical problems. However, as I matured, I warmed up to the idea of rail travel, and went on another trip, this time, discovering the sightseer lounge . Now, after my mother just had a preplanned trip to newyork ruined by the airlines, she is thinking she might want to try another rail journey, and if I could talk her into it, I would love to take my girlfriend on the experience. My main question is, which routes offer the most scenic views, out of the current routes? Also, aside from the lack of TSA hastle, what other benefits does rail travel offer over airline travel?