posted
This summer my wife, my son (age 20), and I will be going to Texas to see family out there. Rather than fly, I talked my wife into going by train.
The Amtrak WEB pages were helpful in picking the route (Sunset Limited) from LA (California) to Houston (Texas), but there are some things where I'm a bit unsure about my plans....
(1) Sleeping in Coach seeting: There are two nights were we will need to sleep on the train. Do we bring a blanket or pillows or do they give us those items?
(2) Car rental in Houston: The Amtrak page suggests that some cities have car rentals, but they don't give a list of the cities. Going to the Hertz WEB page says there are rental places in Houston, but it doesn't say which is close to the train station. Does anyone know which Hertz is next to (or near) the station?
(3) When trains run late: I've heard that you can expect the train to run late, but have no idea how late is typical. 1 hour, 2, 3, 4, ... ????
(4) Any FAQ for first timers like me to read? If you know of nay links, it would be helpful.
Thanks,
Bob Diaz
Posts: 2 | From: Southern California | Registered: May 2006
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1) Sleeping in Coach seeting: There are two nights were we will need to sleep on the train. Do we bring a blanket or pillows or do they give us those items? Bring your own pillows and blankets
(2) Car rental in Houston: Do a google search for car rentals near the Houston Amtrak Station
(3) When trains run late: I've heard that you can expect the train to run late, but have no idea how late is typical. Each trip is diffrernt with no set patterns. I have been on time to over 11 hous late on this route. Like I say "Every Trip is an Adventure"
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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Bob just took that trip in reverse on my Poor Boys US train Trip.I will be posting about it in the next month or so . Went Wash DC- Chicago- San Antionao- LA- Galesburg Ill - Sacraments- Porlanld-Chicago- Detroit- Grand Rapids Mi- Chicago= Wash DC
Lived in the coach and took my own food. By best seat buddies were an inflatbale seat cushion, infaltable pillow, and a blanket. It allways feels cold to me at night on the train. They furnish a small about 12x!2" pillow , and that is it.
I figure that the trains an hour behind schedule is is early, two hours it, is on time, and more that that it is just running a little behind schedule. Ifgure on arriving later that you expected and cushion for it.
We were 9 huous late into La and darned near missed connections. Problem we were told was construction near Hosrton and frieght has priority. there must have been 15-20 mile long frieght trains we had to pull over and wait for.
I am retired so time dosen't mean much to me. all in all It was my trip of a live time.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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Houston station is downtown. Cabs, Bus, and light rail nearby. Getting transportation in Houston won't be a problem. Your train suppose to arrive in Houston at 5:45 am. So you will have daylight and a Houston skyline greeting you. Everytime I visit the Houston station, there is always a cab, a police car, and ticket agent to help you. Enjoy your trip. Remember, if you are in a hurry, fly. Riding the rails is for relaxings and scenery. You won't enjoy yourself if your in a rush.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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(1) Sleeping in Coach seeting: There are two nights were we will need to sleep on the train. Do we bring a blanket or pillows or do they give us those items?
Once again I offer my usual advice, if at all financially possible (likely trebling the cost of your rail transportation), go Sleeper....period.
Since I note your reference to a rented auto (as distinct from asking family to come and get you), this tells me the trip is not being made totally "on the cheap'. Possibly you are drawing analogies to air travel where the difference between Coach and First Class is marginal and even to Amtrak reservationists who lead passengers to believe the difference between Coach and Sleeper is also marginal.
Well, with lifetime 250K miles of 'been there done that', to me Sleeper will represent the difference of having reasonable expectation of an enjoyable travel experience and the certainty of an 'are we there yet?' or a "why...tell me why we ever did this?" travel experience.
If Sleeper is simply out of the financial question, then I would suggest thinking of the trip as an adventure. Simply by grace of available space, your Coach comfort level will be greater than that on Greyhound, but a Coach seat is still a chair rolling over a hard surface. Regardless of class of service, and especially if Coach, if you cannot accept that you will 'get there when you get there', then I would suggest considering air transport.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I live simply on the rails, and after twenty years of railfanning and 12,000 miles of trips, I'm looking to my first sleeper jaunt next month, on one leg of a four-day trip.
Simple advice on sleeping in coach: You'll have a decent amount of space, and since you're traveling with someone not totally foreign to you, the conductor will make his or her best effort to seat the three of you together. If you can sleep in a car or bus in motion, you'll probably get some sleep on the train. The second part of that: if you can sleep in a recliner, you'll probably get some sleep on the train. I don't sleep well on my back (never did, not accustomed to it) so if I don't have a pair of seats to myself on a train I'll have difficulty the first night, but the second will be fine. They do give you a mini-pillow, but bring your own and a blanket too. Train cars are tough to keep at one temperature, especially with the car-end doors opening from time to time and the draft up or down the stairwell (doesn't apply to single-level coaches of the eastern routes). And the temperature controls are finnicky. Sometimes the AC is on full blast in the summer and it's 60 degrees at night and other times the heat gets stuck on and people are opening the vestibule doors because it's 85 degrees in the middle of February. Horror stories aside, expect it to be comfortable to cool overnight.
The on-board crew will dim the lights in the coaches around 11 PM with the aisle and emergency lights staying on. The seats themselves will recline quite a ways if you need them to, and you'll have a leg rest that can double as a seat extension. I don't remember if the Superliner (twin-level eqipment of the west) coaches have an adjustable leg rest or if it's in or out only.
On my last trip, where I finally got some solid sleep on the train, I found that the blanket, pillow, and ear plugs work wonders. The train's motion may sway back and forth, but it's reasonably well-damped. Some stretches of track, maintained by freight railroads, are in better shape than others. Over rough track, or always out my way, walk down the aisles with a widened stance. It may look funny, but there's a much smaller chance a sudden lurch will throw you into the lap of that lawyer you just happened to be walking by.
The best way to go, if you travel in coach (or the smaller sleeper rooms) is to pack all the items for later in your trip in a separate bag and check it. You can check two bags (I think) at no charge, and bring a small, satellite carry-on bag or backpack with only what you need. I bring on a change of clothes, a blanket and pillow, medication, a small set of hygiene stuff (toothbrush, paste, floss and a washcloth) and entertainment items in the carry-on bag and leave everything else in the checked bag. It's the best way to make use of the baggage service and not have to lug around things you're not using for the whole trip. You'll have a sizeable luggage rack above the seats, possibly a compartment downstairs for baggage or garment bags, and space under your seat or ahead of your feet. Get to the station early, at least half an hour if you are going to check bags. Also, get to know Droolie, the yammering computer that can give you train status information, before rushing off to the station. Trains are prohibited from leaving early, but they will make every attempt (usually) to regain time with quick stops if (ahem, when) you are behind schedule. Some stations (still San Antonio, I think) have time to refuel and service the train; try to get outside and upwind of all the smokers to stretch your legs when you're there.
Some cars have at-seat power outlets, some do not, so don't count on them. Half of the cars were made in 1982, and that's firmly pre-laptop and pre-DVD era. Before you go to bed, head down to the head and use the washcloth on your face. I find it helps. Coach passengers do not have access to a shower, but for a single overnight I find a way to manage.
Focus on getting there being part of the journey. Have dinner in the dining car if you're at all hungry. You'll meet other passengers and be able to share stories and destinations over a decent meal while the country rolls by. Also take advantage of the lounge car as the western trains have humungous windows in them. If you find yourself eyeing the timetable and your watch constantly, you're in the wrong mindset. Bring a book to read, a deck of cards if you and your family play, and sit back and enjoy the ride.
Different on-board crews perform differently. Some do the airline-esque approach always announcing what's going on and why you are staring at the side of the same freight container for half an hour, and others do not over-use the public address system. You may or may not have a visible coach attendant, if not you can bring matters to the rest of the crew, usually sitting in the diner (off-hours) or lounge. Be courteous to them and they'll be courteous to you, but take the grain of salt along. If you're running really late (3+ hours, no guarantees since you're on Union Pacific) keep in mind you will not be the first person wondering why your train is late, a situation the crew can do amazingly little to correct. You will get there, and Amtrak is a good way to go if you want to be safe, comfortable, and fairly relaxed when you get there. They've probably had a dozen people yelling at them (yes, yelling) already, and again, they're powerless to prevent it. If you find an unusually unruly crewmember or someone who regularly goes above and beyond, get their name(s) since Amtrak likes to hear about both.
I haven't been on the Sunset since I was twelve, and all I remember are the west Texas deserts, absolutely gorgeous scenery, even for a twelve-year-old. The train lived up to its name and gave me my best sunset ever, and I've seen some great ones, but that's why I'm determined to go back this year. It was at the end of August, it went on forever, purple and red and yellow and on fire (sorry to any Orb fans out there, it was in Texas) as the typically beautiful desert sunset was injected with an extra dose of color with Hurricane Andrew lurking 400 miles away.
Walking the train is a good way to stretch out. You will not be permitted in the (first class) sleeping cars or the crew dorm, but the rest of the train (coaches, lounge, diner) is a treadmill to me sometimes.
Lots of the folks on this board like rail travel because it's safe, it's not as cramped as riding a bus or car, not as sterile as flying, and not as nerve-wracking as both. Keep in mind it's statistically as safe as flying in an airplane (maybe better lately) without 36,000 feet between you and the ground. Railcars are strong (I'm a structural engineer) and typically take good care of you should anything go wrong, and it won't, so take it easy. If anyone in your family suffers from motion discomfort, you may have trouble with it, but only if automotive or especially bus travel brings it on. The ride is not as detatched as air travel (your mind can see the outside moving around as your inner ear detects it) or small vessel sailing. I have experienced discomfort on a bus (once), on a boat (twice) and in an airplane (once) but it's extremely rare, and I have no problems on a train. If you do, get a window seat if it'll help you or pre-treat if you have doubts.
Oh, and it's impossible to fall over in a Superliner bathroom since they're smaller than the smallest of closets.
Enjoy, and please tell us how the trip went when you're done! You don't have to get engine numbers for the hard-core 'foamers' among us, just drop a line and say what you liked and how it went.
Posts: 391 | From: Schenectady | Registered: Jan 2002
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207, super job on the info!! I'd like to add one thing..whether coach or sleeper take some snacks along. Dried fruit, nuts, crackers or what ever appeals to you. Snacks are expensive in the cafe car. Also I always carry a couple of bottles of water, even in sleepers. the water on board while certainly drinkable is pretty poor in my estimation.I sometimes carry a few small cans of juice as well. Mr. Diaz, do report back to us upon your return. We are always interestd in others adventures.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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By the way, the "Droolie" I mentioned is connected to Amtrak's reservations 800 number (800) 872-7245. I recommend numerous calls before you leave for the station on your way back since it is not an originating station for the train. It'll get you there on time, and it may save you a couple of hours of waiting at the station.
Posts: 391 | From: Schenectady | Registered: Jan 2002
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Car rental in Houston: The Hertz location nearest to the train station is located downtown at 2120 Louisiana street. They are open from 7a-6p Monday-Friday, and 8a-4p on Saturday and Sunday. If you telephone them when you get in, they will pick you up at the station. I don't know off the top of my head if they have any arrangements for after hours car returns.
Let me add my voice to the chorus of those who are urging you to consider sleeper accomodations if it is at all financially feasible. It may well make the difference between a trip to remember and a trip to be endured. I'm not trying to scare you off--I've taken and enjoyed several overnight trips in coach--but there is nothing quite like having a private compartment with a real bed to sleep on. And, of course, all of your dining car meals are included if you go first class. I'm taking the same trip (in the opposite direction) myself in a week along with ten other family members; we have five sleeper rooms (4 roomettes and the family bedroom) and I consider it money well spent.
Coach class on Amtrak is quite nice--on overnight trains you get as much seat width and legroom as you would in first class on an airliner, and the seats recline waaaay back and have legrests for long distance comfort. Even so, in my estimation sleeper service is well worth the upgrade charge. But I do hope that you enjoy the trip, regardless of which class you choose to travel in.
(If this is indeed your first long distance Amtrak trip, then you might want to sample how BOTH halves live. Take coach going out; take a sleeper coming back. Do this and I'll bet a six-pack you take the sleeper both ways on your next Amtrak trip!)
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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I read thru to see if anyone had mentioned bringing 'eye masks'. Several times I was unable to close the curtains to keep the halogen city lights from flooding thru the windows. Also been parked under an overhead light too, and even dimmed can be a nuisance. Eye masks work great.
That along with ear plugs, headphones (some Michael Jones Narada After the Rain or Pianoscapes music) and methol Breathe Right Nasal Strips put me away every night...zzzzzzzzzz.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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Anyone, is it safe to leave your car at the Houston station? It seems safe, just checking for my sister. I wouldn't recommend it at the Great Union station in Beaumont.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by gp35: Anyone, is it safe to leave your car at the Houston station? It seems safe, just checking for my sister. I wouldn't recommend it at the Great Union station in Beaumont.
I would not recommend leaving your car at the Houston station. There is no security when the station is closed.
For our trip to L.A., I plan to leave our car at my place of employment downtown and catch a cab to and from the station.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Being one who simply will not leave my own auto at O'Hare (Amtrak travel a non-issue as METRA is an .06mi walk from my home and my standard rule of travel is "if you can't carry it don't bring it") and when at a hotel always trys to park where I can see it from my room (and then still sleep "with one eye open'), I totally concur with any advice anywhere to avoid driving to and leaving your auto at a station.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Maybe I should explain. My sister and her Family was planning to take the Early East-bound Sunset to Beaumont,10 hours later, then take the 6:45 pm west bound back to Houston that same day. Is it safe for that 1 day during daylight hours?
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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Thanks to all for your input. I've done shorter day trips via Amtrak: Las Vegas (when the Desert Wind ran), San Diego (very fun), and Sacramento (also interesting and fun). There's a mindset I get into when riding the train, time no longer matters, just relax and enjoy.
I plan on going to the Amtrak Station in Los Angeles via the Blue Rail Line with a transfer to the Red Rail Line. The Blue, Red, Gold, and Green are all short local rail lines in the LA area. I hate to drive in LA, but will take any of the local rail lines that go to where I want to go.
Thanks again for all of the information; it's very helpful to know this before going on a long trip.
I'll be going late June and get back in mid July, so I'll be posting my experiences and photos when I get back.
Bob Diaz
Posts: 2 | From: Southern California | Registered: May 2006
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quote:Originally posted by gp35: Maybe I should explain. My sister and her Family was planning to take the Early East-bound Sunset to Beaumont,10 hours later, then take the 6:45 pm west bound back to Houston that same day. Is it safe for that 1 day during daylight hours?
Obviously I can't give you a money-back guarantee, but I think that if you're going to make the Friday day trip to Beaumont, you should be OK leaving your car there for the day. The station will be attended most of the day.
Just hope that the eastbound Sunset is (close to) on time! A seniors group from our church was planning to make the same trip (before the schedule was padded) and the eastbound Sunset that day was 10 hours late!
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Noted the 10 hours. I'll tell them wait to buy their ticket at the station.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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