Where do you spend most of your time on a Amtrak trip?

[fredevad]

The exception is with private cars that have the back platform... but those aren't Amtrak's rolling stock...

Speaking of which, do most people try to spend time in a private car if it is attached to an Amtrak train?

They might try... but they can't get there. Amtrak passengers are not allowed to get to the private cars.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The rail fan window is the window in the middle of the locked door at the rear of the train. There is no platform to sit or stand upon on any of Amtrak's current rolling stock and I don't expect them to ever return again.

The exception is with private cars that have the back platform... but those aren't Amtrak's rolling stock...

Speaking of which, do most people try to spend time in a private car if it is attached to an Amtrak train?

Are you asking if they try to sneak on board or something? On most of the trains I ride there is no easy way to travel from the last Amtrak car to the first private car as the last Amtrak door is locked, barred, and completely misaligned with the door of the first private car. You're basically looking at the roof of the next car so unless you're a stuntman it's an unrealistic move for most folks. I suppose you could get off at a station and attempt to board a private car there, but I'm not aware of anyone trying to do that on the trains I've ridden. Buying a ride on a private cars is expensive, but probably cheaper than all the costs and penalties associated with being removed from your train and handed over to some random town's law enforcement to deal with.

 

[the_traveler]

Where do I spend most of my time on an Amtrak trip? Easy - aboard a train!

 

[ThayerATM]

Where do I spend most of my time on an Amtrak trip? Easy - aboard a train!

Yeah. But the rest of us don't have a private car that contains everything we'd ever want to do, complete with staff. :lol:

We're stuck with wanting a dining car, and a sleeping car, and a sightseer car, and a lounge car, and a baggage car. We're stuck with having to move from one car to another to get all that stuff. <_< You just sit there and have all the stuff brought to you.

 

[ThayerATM]

I'm a bit interested to where people usually spend their time while riding on Amtrak.

I've heard a lot of people just tend to hang out in the lounge car, watching the scenery, while many commuters on the NEC use the quiet car as their sanctuary from people blabbering on their cell phones.

Where do you go?

Tell me if I missed any options...

I kind of laid out a table for our upcoming trip on the westbound California Zephyr (train 5) this September. It gets dark that time of the year about 7:00 PM and gets light around 7:00 AM.

The Zephyr is about a 51 hours train, assuming everything is running on time. --- one partial day, followed by a full night, then a second, full day, followed by a second full night, then a partial day.

So I figure we'll spend about 16 hours sleeping in our bedroom. Add to that the four hours of SSSS time (one hour segments) surrounding the two nights in our room, preparing for bed, and getting up.

We'll also spend about five hours total in the diner for the five meals, and certainly that can vary. We've been known to spend five hours at one meal on the City of New Orleans in the CCC, and that included part of the crew who joined us at our table with guests. :lol:

I also figure about two hours of off-board time to stretch our legs, (read smoking) at the regular scheduled longer stops.

I think that adds up to 27 hours of "definite" time, leaving 24 hours of "discretionary" time.

Certainly some of the discretionary time will be taken up by getting from one car to another, but I figure that only about 20 of the 51 travel hours will be spent in our bedroom, and 31 hours will be spent elsewhere.

Still, we hold those 20 hours to be ours alone, and our private space.

So finally, that leaves most of the discretionary time (31 hours) in the SSL, mingling with other passengers, and the crew.

We'll probably be sleep deprived by the time we get to EMY. hboy: :lol:

Lemmie guess, a computer programmer?

I'm not sure I understand the question.

 

[AlanB]

Lemmie guess, a computer programmer?

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Al,

I think that he's referring to your meticlous planning/schedule. I of course know that you're not a computer programmer.

 

[ThayerATM]

Lemmie guess, a computer programmer?

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Al,

I think that he's referring to your meticlous planning/schedule. I of course know that you're not a computer programmer.

That's what I thought he was getting at, but I wasn't sure. Go ahead and tell him that I'm a drug dealer from New York. :blink:

That's what my kids in Michigan introduce me as. :lol:

 

[the_traveler]

Go ahead and tell him that I'm a drug dealer from New York. :blink:

That's what my kids in Michigan introduce me as. :lol:

No wonder Customs always boards the LSL in ROC!

 

[rrdude]

Lemmie guess, a computer programmer?

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Al,

I think that he's referring to your meticlous planning/schedule. I of course know that you're not a computer programmer.

That's what I thought he was getting at, but I wasn't sure. Go ahead and tell him that I'm a drug dealer from New York. :blink:

That's what my kids in Michigan introduce me as. :lol:

Alan was right, as I was reading your breakdown in the posting, I was thinking, "What kind of guy IS this?"

 

[ThayerATM]

Go ahead and tell him that I'm a drug dealer from New York. :blink:

That's what my kids in Michigan introduce me as. :lol:

No wonder Customs always boards the LSL in ROC!

Actually, that's kind of an interesting observation. When I step outside the store to have a smoke, I've seen the Border Patrol SUVs going down the street on MANY occasions. We're about three miles from the train station, and about three miles from the Lake Ontario. I've often wondered why they would be passing by so frequently. If they're looking for me, they're wasting their time. I've got a license to carry. :lol:

 

[ThayerATM]

Lemmie guess, a computer programmer?

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Al,

I think that he's referring to your meticlous planning/schedule. I of course know that you're not a computer programmer.

That's what I thought he was getting at, but I wasn't sure. Go ahead and tell him that I'm a drug dealer from New York. :blink:

That's what my kids in Michigan introduce me as. :lol:

Alan was right, as I was reading your breakdown in the posting, I was thinking, "What kind of guy IS this?"

:hi: And you couldn't figure out that I'm a pharmacist? :lol: What kind of guy ARE you? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[JayPea]

On long-distance trains, I tend to spend most of my time in my sleeper room. On short distances, when I ride coach, it depends. Virtually all my trips in coach has been from Spokane to either Seattle or Portland, or from those cities back to Spokane. On the Seattle run, I stay put in the coach seat as there is, of course, no SSL. On the Portland runs, I usually spend most of my time in the SSL.

 

[PA Traveler]

It depends. On the EB last year, we were almost exclusively in the sleeper as the lounge cars and observation cars were packed. But on a day trip from Pittsburgh to DC on the CL last fall, we had seats in coach, but spent all our time in the lounge car, which wasn't nearly as crowded. It's a beautiful trip through the mountains, so I was glad we got to spend so much time where we could really see the scenery. We also seemed in both cases to spend a lot of time in the dining car, where you can meet some interesting people to talk to.

 

[Railroad Bill]

When riding on the CL or LSL to CHI we usually stay in coach seat or in our room. On LD trains we try to spend an hour or so in the Lounge Car if it is not too crowded.

Obnoxious people in the Lounge usually will drive us back to our sleeper for peace and quiet.

Really enjoy talking to people on the train so Lounge Car, Dining Car and Walking The Train at smoke stops and crew change points are always fun too.

But all in all, anyplace on a train is a great ride!!

 

[Bierboy]

...The rail fan window is the window in the middle of the locked door at the rear of the train. There is no platform to sit or stand upon on any of Amtrak's current rolling stock and I don't expect them to ever return again.

That's my favorite place....especially if the window is clean and the weather is nice!

 

[Ozark Southern]

Well, I've only been on an LD train once, the Texas Eagle for last year's Gathering, so I can confidently say I have spent all of my time on an LD train with y'all!

When we take the MORR with the kids, we stay in our seats, and one or the other of us gets up occasionally for snacks & drinks. We bring the laptop and a movie for the kids. When the kids stay with the grandparents and we get away for a weekend, we spend as much time as possible in the cafe car, but we do try to give others a chance, too. Those cafe/BC cars are tight on space!

 

[GlobalistPotato]

Yeah, staying in the seats is probably the easier thing to do if you have electronics or other distractions. Even better if you're traveling as a pair.

 

[dlagrua]

We spend most of our time in our room on LD trains. We visit the SSL /lounge for maybe an hour during the whole trip and of course show up for all the meals. On the NEC/Acela runs I alternate between coach and (if there is room) will sit in the cafe car and have coffee and snacks.

 

[sttsxm]

If i booked a sleeper. i am generally comatose inside!! i generally only come out for meals, rest room/shower use and possibly free booze...otherwise i am out cold, which i why when people talk about the nice scenery out of the train, i sometimes look at them like they are crazy!!! LOL...............i generally see the backs of my eyelids.....

on the NEC trains, i try to sit in the semi-quiet car....though the other day there were some major quiet car cops on the train....sheesh, they made more noise than the people talking....

 

[ScottC4746]

I had said my sleeper not because I am an elitist or anything, but I want to hear the horn and what little I can hear of the wheels on the track and not have my ear yakked off.

 

[GlobalistPotato]

If I had a sleeper, then I could see why I'd want to be in there most of the time. Especially because I feel SLEEPY right now!

(it's about 10 pm...)

But otherwise, I'd like to spend most of my time in the SSL.

 

[gregsandiego]

For us regulars on the West Coast, and I almost hate to reveal our secrets, but it's the Cafe Car all the way....

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