What *new* train(s) do you want to ride this year?

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T

The Metropolitan

OBS Chief
Joined
Apr 13, 2006
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849
Location
Baltimore, MD
I know a few of you folks may have every bit of Amtrak mileage done from bumping post to bumping post, but there are many of us who have a long way to go - I'm just one of those people.

Now with the holidays out of the way and prices still reasonable, its getting time to figure out our travels for the coming year.

So I ask, what's new on the list?

As of right now, it looks like I'll have 3 new entries under the belt.

In March, I'll be heading to Boston, it'll be my first time past Stamford on the NEC.

While there, a r/t on the Downeaster is par for the course.

And in June, I'm putting the final touches together to plan a triangle trip to both New Orleans and Chicago, with the CONO as the vehicle of choice to get between the two cities.
 
I'm hoping to finish my "transcon quad" by taking the Southwest Chief late in the year, with maybe the City of New Orleans (also new to me) from Chicago as part of the deal. I was in the Big Easy a year - almost to the day - before Katrina, so I'd kinda like to go back and see what's what these days. And I don't mean the French Quarter.
 
I will ride the SWC next month and that will only leave the Sunset for western trains. The Canadian was the best!
 
2007 was an exciting year of travel as wife and I have been on Empire Builder (CHI-PDX), California Zephyr (CHI-SAC) (SAC-CHI) and SWC (FUL-CHI) along with our trips to Chicago on LSL and Capitol Limited from Cleveland. Also took the CL to Washington DC, Pennsylvanian (Philly to PGH) and Hoosier (Indy to CHI). This last month we also added Capitol Corridor (SAC-EMY), Coast Starlight (SAC-SBA) Surfliner (SBA-FUL).

Our planned trips in later 2008 include: LSL (CLE-CHI), SWC (CHI-FUL) Surfliner (FUL-SAN and return). Coast Starlight (LAX-PDX), Cascades (PDX-SEA) and EB (SEA-CHI) Capitol Limited (CHI-CLE)

Our 30th anniversary trip will be LSL (CLE-BOS), Downeaster (BOS-Portland,Me and return). Acela (first ride) BOS-NYP. and LSL (NYP to CLE) (a freebee trip courtesy of Guest Rewards points)

A couple of weekend excursions to CHI may also be in order (my kind of town CHICAGO IS !!)

Yes, we have fallen in love with Amtrak!!. :rolleyes:
 
I have a lot of routes to go, as I'm a virtual rookie. I'm kicking around a Spokane-Seattle trip on the EB, then Seattle-Eugene on the Cascades, which is new for me, and a return trip to Portland from Eugene on the Cascades, and then from Portland-Spokane. On the back burner is a possible trip on the Starlight as well.
 
Well...since I rode my first Amtrak train in March 2006, I have ridden the California Zephyr 7 times. My next trip on the CZ will be to Chicago in March making almost 8 trips via Amtrak in 24 months. This summer, if things hold out financially, my girlfriend and her two daughters and I will be going from LNK-CHI-NYC-WAS-CHI-LNK. We will be riding the Lakeshore Limited for the first time. It will be my first train that will be different than the CZ and it will be the first time I will ride Acela from NYP-WAS. We will then be on the Capital Limited as well. I am still trying to figure out how I will get to the coast for the Get Together so it might be the Southwest Chief. My niece lives in West Palm Beach (I think...its where the St. Louis Cardinals have spring training) and I plan on taking the CZ and then make my way to the east coast and take the Silver Service to FLA in March 2009. So I will have ridden quite a few new trains in the next 400 days......

Al
 
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I want to cover as much of the commuter rail system around here as I can this year. Its cheap, and I have no money xD.

Other than that, I am planning to cover the Capitol Limited this year, and I am going to take my first full run on the Lake Shore in 15 years. If I can book more travel, I will do so. I'm hoping maybe I can buy a railpass for next winter. We'll see.
 
2007 was a good year for me as well. Took my two boys on their first Amtrak trip from Red Wing to LaCrosse in June and I went out to Boston in July which also included an Acela trip to NYP and back west again. I hope to repeat that again sometime.

This year could be a pretty busy year for me as far as riding Amtrak. My father and I are taking the EB/SWC to Flagstaff in early March. My wife has a conference in Chicago in July and wants to take Amtrak down from MSP. If that works out, I'm hoping to do some railfanning on Metra as well. The other big trip I'm hoping with work out is a trip to Seattle on the EB. If it works out, I plan on taking it to SEA, then the Cascades to Portland and then the Portland leg back to MSP. The first trip is pretty much a for sure deal, but the other two I'll have a wait a bit on.

Dan
 
Anything going east, so far all my train trips were north/south direction or west. but then I did take the EB once, from Seattle to Chicago, oh, and once, the CZ to Chicago. Both were great rides with no "airline" hassles.

Well I guess I have to select any train I can get on, hopefully to Florida this year.

Aloha

Eric aka GG-1
 
Heartland Flyer. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to make it on that train when the Hi-level coaches were in service.

I'm not sure yet how I'll pull it off, but I'm thinking of doing a weekend circle trip CHI-KCY-OKC-FTW-CHI, using the bus connection KCY-OKC. The only other way to do it would be to spend the night in Oklahoma City. Noting against OKC but...what would I do there? On the other hand, it would only have to be one night, and I'd leave first thing the next morning. But still...
 
rmadisonwi said:
On the other hand, it would only have to be one night, and I'd leave first thing the next morning. But still...
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Think I would spend it in the station, or if closed at a nearby Denny's, rather than take a bus. :( Did that between a NB Coast Starlight and the EB California Zephyr in Emeryville. The people in the Denny's there put me in a back booth, told me to sleep and served the breakfast I had ordered earlier, right on time. Now that is service, the Tip I left was more than the meal. :)
 
rmadisonwi said:
Heartland Flyer. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to make it on that train when the Hi-level coaches were in service.
I'm not sure yet how I'll pull it off, but I'm thinking of doing a weekend circle trip CHI-KCY-OKC-FTW-CHI, using the bus connection KCY-OKC. The only other way to do it would be to spend the night in Oklahoma City. Noting against OKC but...what would I do there? On the other hand, it would only have to be one night, and I'd leave first thing the next morning. But still...
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Take a pretty girl along with you. Solves that problem. :lol:
 
JayPea said:
I have a lot of routes to go, as I'm a virtual rookie. I'm kicking around a Spokane-Seattle trip on the EB, then Seattle-Eugene on the Cascades, which is new for me, and a return trip to Portland from Eugene on the Cascades, and then from Portland-Spokane. On the back burner is a possible trip on the Starlight as well.
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And I've gone from kicking it around to doing it. I'm doing my Spokane-Seattle-Eugene-Portland-Spokane trip in mid-June. Have to spend part of that $600 from the government some way, and I may as well do it for Amtrak travel. Since it's on the government's dime :lol: I upgraded to business class on both Cascades legs of the trip. I've wanted to travel on the Cascades for a while; now I will. Looking forward to it!
 
RailBirder said:
I'm taking the Cascades from Vancouver BC to Bellingham and then from Bellingham to Portland this May. Exciting to take a new train. Yahoo.
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I'm making the big loop this May. I'm taking the cardinal to Chi and the the EB to sea. From there I'm on CS if it is runnihg as my first time taking the CS from Sea to OKJ. To come back I'm on the CZ to chi then the CL to was and then home. Takes about sixteens of my vacation. :)
 
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