Helping People Travel By Train
Any long distance trip on AMTRAK seems to end in Chicago (at least for most all of the Long Distance trains). If you are changing trains, chances are you will do it in Chicago. This is actually a good thing. Union Station Chicago is right in the loop, so you are close to public transportation…
I live in Los Angeles and the train I would hear called nightly, as I waited for my Metrolink train to arrive, was the Amtrak Southwest Chief. In those days they would announce all station stops along the route and I would dream of someday riding on it: Flagstaff, Winslow, Gallup, Albuquerque, Fort Madison, Galesburg,…
If you book a Cross-Country trip on Amtrak, chances are you are going to make a connection. Chicago isthe biggest transfer station, and for this exercise, let’s use it. Your train is running late and you begin toworry that you will miss your transfer to another train. What happens? If you have booked the different…
I have wanted to go back to The Grand Canyon for decades. It was 43 years since my last visit and after doing extensive research on the history of the railroads, for my paper, I was ready. The Santa Fe Railroad was instrumental in bringing the passengers from the East Coast, over to the beautiful…
One of the most beautiful times to travel on The Empire Builder is the winter. Note that there are some real reasons to think twice before booking a winter reservation. The biggest reason is the possibility that your trip will be interrupted by the weather. If you are booked in the sleeper, chances are that…
One of the best ways to travel with children or grandchildren, is on a train. I remember my first ride at 5 years old. We could safely walk around, get ourselves snacks, color, read and of course, sleep. It was unforgettable and probably set the stage for my late in life love affair with trains….
In the Fall of 2022 I had an opportunity to ride from Los Angeles to Flagstaff Arizona for free. Since it was just an overnight journey, my husband and I took a gamble, and booked 2 seats in the Coach car. We used our saved money to book a lovely hotel room right near the…
There are several stations along a long-distance Amtrak route, that have “Fresh Air” breaks. What is a fresh air break and what can you do during one? A fresh air break is a stop that takes a bit longer then just loading and unloading passengers. If you want, you can get out of your car…
I got COVID-19! I didn’t feel terrible, but I did lose my sense of smell. After 2 ½ years of checking it every day, it left me the minute I tested positive. To say the least, I am heartbroken about that. I worry about my husband. Will he get it? Yes, indeed. He got it…
If you decide to take a 2-day journey on one of the Long-Distance Trains (LDT), you have a choice. You can spend a small amount of money in the Coach Car and have to bring all your food (or buy food in the Sightseer Lounge). The bathrooms are pretty icky, and there is no shower….
