New member

[Carolyn]

Hello Everyone!

I've been browsing the forum today and enjoyed myself immensely! What a wealth of knowledge & experience in the postings. There seems to be some great comradery between the people posting, and sharing their experiences. I can't tell you how many times I smiled in reading some of them.

I'm looking forward to learning about Amtrak and the different places to visit and experience.

My first trip was from the Cleveland area to WAS, then on to WAB, the following day, in the fall of 2008. How amazingly awesome that first trip was... and I have to say, everyone was so nice... of course we had our favorites... but it was a really great first experience.

My 2nd Amtrak trip will be to DLK (Detroit Lakes, MN)... I just started researching it some today... but it looks like the majority of that trip will be done in the daylight, which I'm very excited about!! Any advise or insight? I'd be happy to hear anything and everything.

Hope to chat with many of you soon!! Thanks so much for allowing me to join, and be apart of this forum!!

C

 

[the_traveler]

Welcome to the forum!

Glad to have you aboard! If you have any questions, no matter if you think it's dumb, ask anyway - someone will provide an answer!

One question for you: Your 1st trip was in 2008 and your 2nd trip is in 2010 (or later)! How did you last so long? :huh: I've been off a train for a whole MONTH - and I'm going crazy! :wacko:

 

[GG-1]

Hello Everyone!
I've been browsing the forum today and enjoyed myself immensely!

Aloha and Welcome

Ask away, the only dumb question is the unasked one. Glad you are enjoying yourself, we are a .... group.

 

[Carolyn]

Welcome to the forum!
Glad to have you aboard! If you have any questions, no matter if you think it's dumb, ask anyway - someone will provide an answer!

One question for you: Your 1st trip was in 2008 and your 2nd trip is in 2010 (or later)! How did you last so long? :huh: I've been off a train for a whole MONTH - and I'm going crazy! :wacko:

Last year our vacation was by car... my Mom and I took off for 2 weeks and ran the roads!! But I'm so excited to be back on the train this year... and I'm bringing a friend that has never been on the train before, so I'm excited about that too. She's gonna love it!!

Ok, here's some questions... (stupid or not) LOL

What's the difference between the 7 EB, 27 EB & the 449 LSL? The pricing is different... but my rookie eyes can't tell any other difference.

Do they all have the sightseer car? It looks like the majority of our travelling will be in daylight, so that's where I think we'll be the majority of the time.

Which train is more scenic or should we do both... take the EB one way, and the LSL the other?

My friend was in a car accident many years ago, she can walk and all that, but her mobility is a bit wobbly. We worry some about the length of the train ride, but with moving around a bit to the different cars I think she'll be ok... my next question is... does it matter where we sit? (can we request seats in a car that's between the cafe car and the sightseer car?)

We have a 5.75 hr. layover of Chicago... I've been surfing the web for something to get into in Chicago that won't make us miss our train and still see alittle bit of Chicago... taste some deep dish pizza I'm thinking... but not sure where to go that's close. Any suggestions on that would be great too!!

Ok, I think I've bombarded you enough for now... LOL

Thanks,

C

 

[AAARGH!]

Hello Everyone!
I've been browsing the forum today and enjoyed myself immensely! What a wealth of knowledge & experience in the postings. There seems to be some great comradery between the people posting, and sharing their experiences. I can't tell you how many times I smiled in reading some of them.

I'm looking forward to learning about Amtrak and the different places to visit and experience.

My first trip was from the Cleveland area to WAS, then on to WAB, the following day, in the fall of 2008. How amazingly awesome that first trip was... and I have to say, everyone was so nice... of course we had our favorites... but it was a really great first experience.

My 2nd Amtrak trip will be to DLK (Detroit Lakes, MN)... I just started researching it some today... but it looks like the majority of that trip will be done in the daylight, which I'm very excited about!! Any advise or insight? I'd be happy to hear anything and everything.

Hope to chat with many of you soon!! Thanks so much for allowing me to join, and be apart of this forum!!

C

COOL, another Buckeye! Welcome aboard!

Are you northern, central or southern Ohio?

O-H...

 

[Ryan]

Which train is more scenic or should we do both... take the EB one way, and the LSL the other?

Where are you trying to go from? The EB and LSL run different directions from Chicago, so I'm having trouble seeing where you'd be able to do this. Do you mean the Capital Limited and the LSL, perhaps?

 

[Bob Dylan]

What's the difference between the 7 EB, 27 EB & the 449 LSL? The pricing is different... but my rookie eyes can't tell any other difference.
Do they all have the sightseer car? It looks like the majority of our travelling will be in daylight, so that's where I think we'll be the majority of the time.

Which train is more scenic or should we do both... take the EB one way, and the LSL the other?

My friend was in a car accident many years ago, she can walk and all that, but her mobility is a bit wobbly. We worry some about the length of the train ride, but with moving around a bit to the different cars I think she'll be ok... my next question is... does it matter where we sit? (can we request seats in a car that's between the cafe car and the sightseer car?)

We have a 5.75 hr. layover of Chicago... I've been surfing the web for something to get into in Chicago that won't make us miss our train and still see alittle bit of Chicago... taste some deep dish pizza I'm thinking... but not sure where to go that's close. Any suggestions on that would be great too!!

Ok, I think I've bombarded you enough for now... LOL

Thanks,

C

Im guessing you want to ride the LSL from Ohio to CHI, this train is a combonation of two trains, #49 out of NYP and #449 out of Boston!It's a single level train , the lounge is combined with a cafe car so the windows arent real big but you can see out. Also from Southern Ohio the Cardinal(#51)runs three days a week from Cinnci-CHI, so dpending on the price it doesnt really matter, ride the cheapest one! Also the Cap Ltd. runs from WAS thru Cleveland daily (Train #29) so you have three choices to get to CHI depending on where you board, the LSL and the Cap get there earlier, the Cardinal is sort of slow and runs late usually!

As to the EB, it's one train with three sections from CHI north, #7 is the Seattle Section, #27 is the Portland section and they add a coach sometimes from CHI-Twin Cities so since youll be going a short distance pick the cheapest fare, youll be assigned a seat by the crew when you board. This train is a Superliner(two level), has a lounge car/cafe with big picture windows, upstairs has the best viewing but there are lower level seats for handicapped, but you still have to climb the stairs to get to the diner/lounge etc.

The CHI layover is just right, the Sears (nee Willis )Tower is two blocks away across the river from the station as is Girodanos (It's on Jackson St. across the river from the station towards the Sears Tower)which has ,most agree, the best deep dish pizza in CHI, perhaps the world! :lol: (you can google it!)

The station also has a food court upstairs with pricey fast food but Gold Coast Hot Dogs are pretty good if the weathers bad and you dont want to leave the station. In the other direction from the above is Lou Mitchells, a famous breakfast and lunch place (no credit cards, cash only). Be sure and look around the Station too, the Great Hall is pretty neat, they have big plans to make this grand old place better! Sounds like a good trip, there is plenty of info available on this route and CHI, read all the trip reports and threads on CHI, ask any questions, we'll all be glad to help! Also you might want to post on Amtrak Rail Discussion now that you are a member!

 

[Carolyn]

I O Northern Ohio... AAARGH very near you in Cleveland, in fact.

Sorry I muddied the waters... now you know why I'm here! LOL

Let me correct myself, because you're right, Ryan, I did mess that up.

It is the CL or the LSL we take into Chicago from our depot. Then the EB will take us on into DLK.

So I guess my questions are:

Is one better then the other to choose? (CL or LSL)

Do all the (CL, LSL, EB) have the siteseer cars?

Are the numbers on the trains, 29 CL, 7 EB, 27 EB, 49 LSL, 449 LSL, just like a license plate to identify them, or does it represent something else? (Now I feel totally stupid, but I don't know!) LOL

Bottom line, I want to see everything we can, keep my friend as comfy as possible, and make sure she has a good time, and a great time riding the train for the first time! So any info that helps me make those things happen, that's what I'm looking for. LOL

Thanks so much for the help, I truly appreicate it!!

C

 

[the_traveler]

Is one better then the other to choose? (CL or LSL) Do all the (CL, LSL, EB) have the siteseer cars?

Are the numbers on the trains, 29 CL, 7 EB, 27 EB, 49 LSL, 449 LSL, just like a license plate to identify them, or does it represent something else? (Now I feel totally stupid, but I don't know!) LOL

The CL is a Superliner train (2 levels), the LSL is an Amfleet train (single level). The EB is a Superliner train. Only Superliner trains have a Sightseer Lounge! Amfleeet trains have a lounge that is really just a cafe car.

Due to the limitations of Arrow (the reservation system), they must number "each train" differently if they go to the different destinations - even if most of the route is the same! #49 goes from NYP to CHI and #449 goes from BOS-CHI - but they combine into 1 train at ALB. Thus, both #49 and #449 go ALB-BUF or CLE-CHI! #7 and #27 are similar between CHI and SPK. (#7 goes to SEA and #27 goes to PDX from there.)

It is similar to one flight being "United #148", "Air Canada #2749", LH #4825", etc...

Choose the lower priced one. (If you insist on paying more, send me the extra money! :lol: )

 

[Carolyn]

Is one better then the other to choose? (CL or LSL) Do all the (CL, LSL, EB) have the siteseer cars?

Are the numbers on the trains, 29 CL, 7 EB, 27 EB, 49 LSL, 449 LSL, just like a license plate to identify them, or does it represent something else? (Now I feel totally stupid, but I don't know!) LOL

The CL is a Superliner train (2 levels), the LSL is an Amfleet train (single level). The EB is a Superliner train. Only Superliner trains have a Sightseer Lounge! Amfleeet trains have a lounge that is really just a cafe car.

Due to the limitations of Arrow (the reservation system), they must number "each train" differently if they go to the different destinations - even if most of the route is the same! #49 goes from NYP to CHI and #449 goes from BOS-CHI - but they combine into 1 train at ALB. Thus, both #49 and #449 go ALB-BUF or CLE-CHI! #7 and #27 are similar between CHI and SPK. (#7 goes to SEA and #27 goes to PDX from there.)

It is similar to one flight being "United #148", "Air Canada #2749", LH #4825", etc...

Choose the lower priced one. (If you insist on paying more, send me the extra money! :lol: )

Thanks so much everyone I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself!!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far... we're just trying to stay ahead of the snow. LOL

Take care,

C

 

[Rail Freak]

Is one better then the other to choose? (CL or LSL) Do all the (CL, LSL, EB) have the siteseer cars?

Are the numbers on the trains, 29 CL, 7 EB, 27 EB, 49 LSL, 449 LSL, just like a license plate to identify them, or does it represent something else? (Now I feel totally stupid, but I don't know!) LOL

The CL is a Superliner train (2 levels), the LSL is an Amfleet train (single level). The EB is a Superliner train. Only Superliner trains have a Sightseer Lounge! Amfleeet trains have a lounge that is really just a cafe car.

Due to the limitations of Arrow (the reservation system), they must number "each train" differently if they go to the different destinations - even if most of the route is the same! #49 goes from NYP to CHI and #449 goes from BOS-CHI - but they combine into 1 train at ALB. Thus, both #49 and #449 go ALB-BUF or CLE-CHI! #7 and #27 are similar between CHI and SPK. (#7 goes to SEA and #27 goes to PDX from there.)

It is similar to one flight being "United #148", "Air Canada #2749", LH #4825", etc...

Choose the lower priced one. (If you insist on paying more, send me the extra money! :lol: )

Thanks so much everyone I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself!!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far... we're just trying to stay ahead of the snow. LOL

Take care,

C

I know what ya mean, it's been below 60 a few times down here!!! :lol:

RF

WELCOME ABOARD!!!