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Hello everyone, I am from Melbourne, Australia and I am likely to be spending some six weeks travelling in the US in September 2007.
I will be buying a 30-day North American Rail pass and riding the rails of America and Canada - that is, if Amtrak is still breathing in some form at that time. Do you have some specific suggestions as to which trains are best in terms of scenery? (I will be working for a while in Canada before that, and perhaps I might go on the Rocky Mountaineer as well.)
-------------------- Make the most of it before Amtrak dies. Posts: 10 | From: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: Feb 2006
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As grim as things look, Amtrak has tottered on for nearly 35 years now and we're not absolutely ready to give it up for dead.......yet.
Here are some of my favorite Amtrak rides in the order I would recommend them.....
'California Zephyr' - (#5) Denver to Emeryville. Just as good eastbound.
'Coast Starlight' (#14) Los Angeles to Portland. Northbound is best because a late train southbound and you might get the ocean after dark.
'Cardinal' (#50) Chicago to at least Charlottesville. Prefer eastbound because there is a lot of good West Virginia scenery that occurs after dark for the westbound train.
'Capitol Limited' Chicago-DC......good either way.
'Empire Builder' Entire trip although the full day through North Dakota and much of Montana is LOOOONNNNNGGGGG.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Rocky Mountaineer is a great trip, if a little pricey. Probably better westbound because you leave in the AM from the best scenery. Arriving in the scenic part (eastbound) may be in the dark in September. . . You might be able to make a loop from Vancouver - Prince Rupert - Jasper - Vancouver. The Skeena is a daylight-only trip Prince Rupert to Jasper with an overnight in Prince George, Not sure how you get to Prince Rupert from Vancouver (I took a ferry from Port Hardy.)
Posts: 122 | From: Milwaukee, WI USA | Registered: Jun 2004
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I reccomend the: Sunset Limited (#1) New Orleans-Los Angeles it has very good timekeeping (at least the westbound) and you see a lot of scenery that the eastbound passes in the dark.
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If you have followed these forums for any length of time, I am sure you realize that with a few exceptions, Amtrak's published schedules are at best a "not earlier than" and more likely a "within 3 to 6 hours of" the times in the schedules. If you take that into account, then you can relax and enjoy the ride.
George
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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quote:Originally posted by SunsetLtd: I reccomend the: Sunset Limited (#1) New Orleans-Los Angeles it has very good timekeeping (at least the westbound)
Can I have some of that stuff you're smoking? Posts: 286 | From: Knee deep in the retention tank | Registered: Jan 2006
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Zeus - don't forget VIA's Canadian!!!! Great trip either direction.......... (and excellent service too!) Both the eastern end and the western end of the route are quite scenic; however, then there's the flat boring prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in the middle!!!!
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Since the Canadian passes through those boring parts overnight, that's not a problem. I would recommend the Adirondack between New York City and Montreal. And since you mentioned the Rocky Mountaineer, You must know that company plans to serve the very scenic former BC Rail line between Vancouver and Prince George. There'll be (hopefully) lots of choice in the Northwest.
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by SunsetLtd: I reccomend the: Sunset Limited (#1) New Orleans-Los Angeles it has very good timekeeping (at least the westbound)
Can I have some of that stuff you're smoking?
Well most of the time it's NEAR (1 to 2 hours late) it's schedule...
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The one trip you absolutely don't want to miss is the Zephyr between Denver and Sacramento, because it has a lot of the beautiful landscapes styles of elsewhere all packed in one trip. You can take it all the way to Chicago or you can do the loop, LA to Raton on the SW Chief, then bus to Denver, then (after overnight in Denver or perhaps Boulder? I'm not sure of the schedule) west from Denver on the Zephyr--or you can do it the other way.
Related to the above: I also really loved the SW Chief in New Mexico and Arizona (esp the red rocks west of Albuquerque); and you ought to see the Grand Canyon too. I didn't go to Williams and take the Grand Canyon train (I took a tour bus from Flagstaff), but I'm kind of sorry I didn't (although Flagstaff is a very nice college town that I really enjoyed staying in).
Another ride that was pretty spectacular for me was the Coast Starlight. I have taken it only from Sacramento to Portland (thus far) and the morning after leaving all the way to about Eugene OR was really really nice.
Also very fine was the Empire Builder heading east out of Portland down the Columbia River Gorge (I'm sure the trip out of Seattle is lovely too but I haven't done that yet; maybe you can both), and next morning through Glacier Park; also the eastern part from Minneapolis/St Paul along the Mississippi, crossing back and forth a lot along the river, was a reasonably nice stretch; and for me my very first time crossing the Mississippi on a train (I did it on the SW chief) was just in general very exciting.
In the east, the prettiest ride I've taken is far and away on the Adirondack between New York City and Montreal (this train is not double decker observation car, so what you want to do is it on the left side northbound between NYC and Albany and then shift to the right side to be sure to be there from Fort Edward north; or southbound, on the left side from Montreal to Fort Edward, then right side from Albany south to NYC--if this is unfeasible, sit on the right side heading north but go into the small lounge and sit on the other side for the NY-Albany part).
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by SunsetLtd: I reccomend the: Sunset Limited (#1) New Orleans-Los Angeles it has very good timekeeping (at least the westbound)
Can I have some of that stuff you're smoking?
Well most of the time it's NEAR (1 to 2 hours late) it's schedule...
The westbound Sunset Limited won't be late tomorrow in E.P. It was doing 70 or 80mph easy before it had passed out the Beaumont city limits. However it looked kinda short, like 6 coaches. Usually it's 11 coaches.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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[/qb][/QUOTE]The westbound Sunset Limited won't be late tomorrow in E.P. It was doing 70 or 80mph easy before it had passed out the Beaumont city limits. However it looked kinda short, like 6 coaches. Usually it's 11 coaches. [/QB][/QUOTE]
I read that typical consist now for the 'Sunset' east of San Antonio (and the through cars to/from the 'Eagle') is the baggage car, transtion sleeper, diner, lounge, and two or three coaches. The roomette accomodations in the transition sleeper are available for the riding public.
This is because there are not as many people living in New Orleans. The population now is roughly a third of it's pre-Katrina size. That means fewer people taking the train to and from New Orleans. Amtrak is even offering a 20% discount good in both coaches and sleepers right now for passengers who ride the 'Crescent' to or from points south of Atlanta. I don't know if similar incentives are being offered on the 'City of New Orleans' and 'Sunset'.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Only when New Orleans rebuilds or it goes back to Orlando, that's when the Sunset should get its OWN Sleeper back. And trust me everyone misses that.
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