Rails and Trails - Several questions

[wintersummer]

I'm leaving for my Empire Builder trip this week and have several Rails and Trails related questions.

How do we know when the program will be held? Is it announced in advance? Is it announced on the train? Where are these generally held on the train? Do a lot of riders take advantage of these programs? Do they have multiple sessions each day? Are the rails-and-trails representatives around during the trip to ask questions? Do they mind questions? Thanks!

 

[MrFSS]

I'm leaving for my Empire Builder trip this week and have several Rails and Trails related questions.
How do we know when the program will be held? Is it announced in advance? Is it announced on the train? Where are these generally held on the train? Do a lot of riders take advantage of these programs? Do they have multiple sessions each day? Are the rails-and-trails representatives around during the trip to ask questions? Do they mind questions? Thanks!

We actually have a member of this forum who is an EB Rails and Trails person on the EB. If he sees this thread before you leave I'm sure he will answer. I think he is on Sat and Sun every other week from Chicago to Winona.

 

[RailBirder]

In July on the California Zephyr, the Rail and Trails person was at a table in the lower level of the lounge car. She had a script/notes and would talk about sites as we came upon them. I don't recall when she started or stopped, but it was pretty much all day long. She used the train anouncement system, so there was no "missing it" or need to be where she was. Made it pretty hard to take a nap in our sleeper, didn't know how to turn it off.

 

[Foodman53]

Having ridden the Empire Builder earlier this summer, I can tell you that they'll make several announcements along the way regarding the Rails to Trails presentations. Also, since the programs are all presented in the lounge, the attendant would know the schedule.

Enjoy your trip!! Other than a 6 hour delay, we enjoyed ours!!

From the Florida Funnel

Foodman53

 

[wintersummer]

I'm prepared for whatever delays might come our way! Any other special insight you can give? (oh, what about meals when you have such a delay? I'm always ready to eat!)

 

[Guest]

Having ridden the Empire Builder earlier this summer, I can tell you that they'll make several announcements along the way regarding the Rails to Trails presentations. Also, since the programs are all presented in the lounge, the attendant would know the schedule.
Enjoy your trip!! Other than a 6 hour delay, we enjoyed ours!!

From the Florida Funnel

Foodman53

Actually the name of the program is Trails & Rails - which is administered by Amtrak and the National Park Service. They use both actual NPS Rangers and volunteers who are trained on the specific areas along the various routes. They generally operate duing the summer months when there are heavyily traveled routes.

There is also a program called Rails to Trails that creates hiking, biking, etc. trails along the route of abandonded rail lines. In Atlanta, the Silver Comet Trail is the result of one of these programs.

Both are great programs that add value to the traveling/hiking/biking/exercising public.

 

[Chatter163]

When I rode the Cardinal a few years back, the T&R rep broadcast his narrations trainwide over the P.A., as anther member mentioned. But when I rode the Southwest Chief, the rep did everything in the upper level of the lounge car, so only folks there could hear.

 

[PerRock]

Having just gotten of the EB (only part of the trip, but having talked to someone) right now they are having the presentation in the upper part of the sightseer lounge every day. oit is mic'ed arround and is VERY easy to hear (and hard to not hear on your headphones) for the leg of the trip I was on there were too guys that sat and read a script the whole way. The two I had were very friendly and answered most of my questions.

Also a couple years ago I took the EB from CHI to portland and we had a T&R person (actually a NP ranger) on thru Glacier who had furs, flint and steel, pictures, pressed flowers, etc and was set up in the upper sales booth in the Lounge. his presentation was not mic'ed and was more of a 1 on 1 type deal.

peter

 

[wisEBfan]

I'm leaving for my Empire Builder trip this week and have several Rails and Trails related questions.
How do we know when the program will be held? Is it announced in advance? Is it announced on the train? Where are these generally held on the train? Do a lot of riders take advantage of these programs? Do they have multiple sessions each day? Are the rails-and-trails representatives around during the trip to ask questions? Do they mind questions? Thanks!

I rode the Empire Builder from Chicago up to Columbus, WI on May 25th of this year. On that trip, the Trails & Rails persons (there were two of them), made an announcement that was broadcast throughout the entire train that they would be giving a lecture, etc in the Lounge car, and that it could only be heard in the Lounge car. They did this twice, once upon leaving Chicago, and once upon leaving Milwaukee. So if you wished to hear the program, you left your assigned seat and went to the Lounge car. They had a large looseleaf notebook filled with information about passing sights, which they read and then also added extra comments. It wasn't a continuous lecture, just from time-to-time. I thought it was informative and interesting. They said they would be on the train up until Winona, MN. I don't know when the next T&R people boarded the train further west.

 

[john h]

When I rode the Cardinal a few years back, the T&R rep broadcast his narrations trainwide over the P.A., as anther member mentioned. But when I rode the Southwest Chief, the rep did everything in the upper level of the lounge car, so only folks there could hear.

On the Texas Eagle, after the initail annoucement trainwide, from SAS to FTW they only had it in the upper area of the lounge car.