Amtrak (USA)

...the research.

Amtrak Website amtrak.com
---------------------
Having studied the amtrak website it was clear that booking six different rail jouneys was going to be fun.
The site in itself is great, it gives you all the information about routes, schedules, fares, accomadation, you can even look at sleeping roomettes or bedrooms through 360o, dining car menus.
But is mainly geared for US user's , alot of ...
...minutes late, thats good by amtrak standards.
Once out of the never ending New York/Jersey suburbs we picked up a good pace. Most of the Eastern seaboard is electrified from Washington up to Boston with fast and frequent services. The carriage is comfortable with large seats, wide isles, and air conditioned.
By the time we got to Philadelphia our train was getting full, even if you buy tickets in advance make sure they have seat reservation, ... more

I Have been the the States a few times and have "fly drive" each time. Having had an unpleasant experience driving last time I decided this time we would use as much public transport as we could. So to the research.

Amtrak Website amtrak.com
---------------------
Having studied the amtrak website it was clear that booking six different rail jouneys was going to be fun.
The site in itself is great, it gives you all the information about routes, schedules, fares, accomadation, you can even look at sleeping roomettes or bedrooms through 360o, dining car menus.
But is mainly geared for US user's , alot of the promotions and discounts only really apply to US citizens
Although they do a good range of rail passes, with variable time periods and regions.

At this point having worked the route and the dates and we also wanted to travel in comfort in a superliner delux bedroom, I felt I needed to speak to someone rather than input all this over the net.
After more net searches I found this company.

The travelbureau www.thetravelbureau.co.uk 01902 326662

Where you can book online but you can also talk to an agent, who was most helpful and had some good advice regarding trains in the US. We also saved a few dollars as well. The only slight worry was handing over the money and not being sent the tickets, these we had to pick up a day before our first journey at Penn station New York.
Anyway it all worked out, tickets were waiting in the travel bureau at Penn station.

1st train New York to Washington
----------------------------------------------------
We were to find that rail travel in america is quite unlike anything we had expected.
The stations themselves are huge marble paved monuments with ceilings 50ft high ,full of shops and cafe's. If in New York ,I recommend you visit Grand Central it has the most impressive main hall , and you can buy just about anything you want from the gallery malls.
Anyway back to Penn station a little more modest than Grand Central, but clean, well signed and with the usual mod cons.
We had been told about Red Caps, these are the station Porters. Now I don't think I've seen a Porter at a UK station since the 70's, but in the US you can't help falling over them. They tend to be typical New Yorker's ,a little offhand , but they take your bags, find out where your heading, take you to the right gate, book your luggage onto the train, and tell you where to wait.
Like all services in america tipping is important, you need to give theses guys minimum $5 they are good and look out for you.
Waiting for the train felt like being called for the departure at an airport. Once you've checked your bags in you wait in a seating area partitioned off from the main concourse, when the train is ready you get called down to the platform. What a sensible system.
Our train for this short trip to Washington should have been the "Aclea" thier new 150mph high speed train, but guess what, they were having problems with them, to hot or the wrong kind of sun. Anyway our Metroliner train sat waiting for us, our luggage stowed in the end carriage and at 09.27 we were off 17 minutes late, thats good by amtrak standards.
Once out of the never ending New York/Jersey suburbs we picked up a good pace. Most of the Eastern seaboard is electrified from Washington up to Boston with fast and frequent services. The carriage is comfortable with large seats, wide isles, and air conditioned.
By the time we got to Philadelphia our train was getting full, even if you buy tickets in advance make sure they have seat reservation, very important if your using a rail pass.
Metroliner trains have limited catering facilities, they are laid out simularly to UK rails buffet car. They serve hot and cold snacks, and a range of soft drinks,juice, and coffee (forget amtrak tea it's lemon and tastes like gnats p)
Between Phili and Baltimore you skirt along the northern banks of Chesapeake Bay which the scenic highlight on this journey.
Washington, and another station of monumental status, with pillars and beams to match the Capitol Building across the street.

2nd train Washington to Chicago "The Capitol Limited"
============================================
This was our first superliner train, and this is where amtrak gives you the railroad experience .
We waited in the superliner lounge, complimentary coffee and cookies, newspapers, private restrooms.
Our luggage was booked through to Denver, and I had slight missgivings as to the cases getting off the train at Chicago and transfered to the California Zepher.
We left our waiting room and down track 23 to where our superliner deluxe bedroom awaited us, each car has an attendant who greets his guests. Now at this point if travelling overnight make sure you have your night clothes, washbag and next days clothes in an overnight bag as your main luggage is up the front of the train in sealed boxcar. Climbing the two flights of stairs you are now over 20ft above ground and felt weired being this high up.
Our train was clean and seemed almost new, our attendant told us that this train had just been refurbished, and our bedroom was nicely prepared .
The layout of the bedroom is good given the space, you have a long bench seat forward facing and a movable armchair rear facing. The bench seat converts to the lower bunk, the upper dropping front the ceiling. By the door you have a washbasin with large mirror with shaver point. An array of light switches with dimmer, and air con. controls. To the side of the armchair is the loo , which doubles as the shower.
The conductor shouts "All Aboard" and we gently sail out of Washington off into the late Maryland afternoon.
After getting our bearings and sorting our stuff out there is a tap at our door. It is our attendant, he is a firm well mannered man in his forties. He runs through all the equiment in the room , and takes a booking for the evening meal. There is great attention to detail on this train with water coolers and coffee perks at each end of the corridoor. One half of the carriage is bedroom accomadation the other half roomettes, with family room and disabled room on the lower deck. Thank god we choose the deluxe bedroom. I would not fancy the race down to the showers in the morning. On the subject of showers, as i said the loo doubles as the shower, and it takes abit of getting used to, not only showering over the loo, but trying to shower with the train rocking around, anyway it was warm and wet.
Our route to Chicago would take us out through Harpers ferry and up over the Shenandoah River, through the Shenandoah Mountains down to Pittsburgh, South Bend. What beautiful scenery worth a closer look sometime.
We opted for diner at 8:00 pm, by the time we were seated it was nearer 9:00pm. two of the menu choices were sold out so I went for the steak, mrs scenic ordered the salmon, how they produce such good freshly cooked food in such a tiny space I don't know, later in the trip I sneaked a look in the kitchen and it was a mass of bodies preparing food, no prepacked stuff all cooked on the move. we only had to pay for wine as meals were included in the fare, but coach class passengers pay and looking at the menu one could get a 3 course meal for about $30 +tip = £25.
Night had drawn in by the time we eat, so the visit to the observation car did not reveal alot, but down stairs was a buffet bar serving alcohol and snacks and tv showing feature film.
It was very relaxed and friendly with passengers and staff alike.
Back to our room and our attendant chatted before we turned in, he had transformed our room into a bedroom while we were at diner, and so to bed, but not much sleep. I managed about two hours, mrs scenic out like a light. The problem is we were now on tracks owned by the freight companies, where amtrak come second, we seem to stop and start a move very slowly that night and the train is not an express by any means it makes about 15 stops altogether.
Anyway a new day and early breakfast again very good and we were set for Chicago.

3rd train Chicago-Denver "The California Zepher"
=======================================
The incoming train was two hour late, so we had about 3 hours to kill in Chicago. Again a huge station but modern construction with shops and offices above. Walgreens is the shop for needy passengers and there is always one on or near the station, it's like a cross between boots and woolworth, and has all the essentails for life on the road.
Back at the station, and the news is bad our train would be leaving 3 hour late, so back to the lounge.
Both amtrak and thier passengers don't seem to worry much about delays, it's an excepted part of travelling by rail in the US, and I must admit we were not to fussed.
On our second superliner, and this one was a bit shabby, we were told they had to use this spare train as the incoming train was delayed by 9 hours!
But that was more than compensated by the staff on this train, pure entertainment from this crew of african americans. Our cabin attendant was great, a real sense of humour. But the star of the show was the dining car manager, imagine a 30 year old bill cosby, thats him to a tee. He managed to seat and feed 150 people in just over three hours, whilst trying to seat people, taking orders, serving tables, clearing away, he keep us in raptures of laughter all evening. Please tip theses guys well, they work 18 hour days, four days on 3 days off for $35k ,yes thats dollars not pounds. Our server Martha used to say each time we tipped her " My bank Manager thanks you, cos he owns me".
This train was reeling off the states, Illinos,Iowa,Nebraska, and finally Colorado. We left the train at Denver , tired but happy.
And our luggage made it too!

4th train Denver-Grand Junction "California Zepher
============================================
Travel was by coach class on reserved day seats, this was the truely scenic part of the trip where the rails go where the road don't. On leaving Denver you go through Etnes National Park. Make sure you you get a reservation on the right hand side of the carriage, as this is where the views are.
The journey follows the Colorado River gorge as it snakes it's way down to New Mexico. The train almost bends back on itself at some points as it hangs on the edge of the gorge. It is hard to imagine that in 300-400 miles it opens out into the 10 mile wide Grand Canyon. After Glenwood Springs the valley heads south into much dryer arrid landscape, but no less beautiful.
At Grand Junction we leave the train and head south by Greyhound Bus (see next review)

5th train Flagstaff - Los Angeles "Southwest Chief"
=============================================
Another overnight journey from the tiny Flagstaff station, again luggage is booked in with the station master but no lounge here, just wooden seats. We have about an hour to wait as the train is already 12 hour late. Always ring amtrak( toll free number on tickets ) to check how the train is running, saves alot of hanging about, and prolongs your sightseeing.
This line runs from LA to Chicago and is one of the main routes for frieght from the huge container terminals at Longbeach and Oakland. In one hour I counted 25 eastbound frieght, and 12 westbound. Each train was carrying containers stacked 2 high, 6 to a wagon, and the longest was 102 wagons pulled by 4 huge loco's. You can see where the US trade deficite is coming from as most containers had "China Lines" on the side.

6th train Los Angeles- Oakland (San Francisco) "The Coastal Starlight"
=================================================
Los Angeles station, another jewel of a station, a lot of spanish styling ques here, with a beautiful garden with fountains ,flowerbeds and outdoor cafe.
A 9:00am departure would get us into Oakland at 10:00 pm
10:00am still waiting.
10:30 were off , but at a snails pace. reason heavy frieght traffic ahead ,we have to wait our turn.
On this trip you need to be on the lefthand side to get the coastal views, and at Santa Barbara you are right on the shoreline. We pass rugged outcrops and sheltered bays, and even saw dolphines skipping over the waves. Further north we head up into the hills of San Benito and the Big Sur, but our pace is slow , this is single track and we have to wait in passing loops for the 1/2 mile long freight trains to pass. But it did not matter sitting back in the observation car you can watch the world go by in comfortable seats facing sideways to get the best view. We reach San Jose at midnight and it's nearly 02:00am before we get to Oakland, we fall exhausted into the bus that connects to San Francisco and finally reach our hotel at 03:00.

Summary
========
There is no doubt that amtrak are struggling, State and Govt. funding are bearly covering costs, and some of the rolling stock has seen better days.

Was it enjoyable? Yes,the scenery and meeting real america alone was worth it. If I were 20 years younger I would rough it in coach class and buy a rail pass.

Would I do it again? Yes, but I would do a smaller trip, maybe a circular trip, say New York- Washington-Chicago- Boston-New York.

Is it safe? Yes, You feel safe on the train as they do have conductors trained to handle situations, and you have an attendant while your sleeping.
Stations you need to be vilgilant, like all public places in the US there alot of street people.

Can I smoke? No, but on long distance trains they stop every couple of hours for about 10 minutes, you get off , have a fag, but when that horn sounds get back on, once the door lock thats it!

How Much? well see list below for sample fares and passes.
I think it's good value.

New York- Washington
The "Acela Express" 1st class £95.00(inc. meal)

Wasington-Chicago
"Capitol Limited" coach class £115 standard sleeper £218
deluxe spleeper £324

Rail Pass
peak may-oct adult £605 child £495
This is the go anywhere pass for Amtrak and VIA (canada) in coach class.

On standard tickets children 2-15 50% reduction
some reductions for over 62's

So there we are america at 20ft and 45MPH , see alot more, and meet more people. 

...less