posted
I am a new member to this forum so will give you a little background information. If it is too long or too personal, I apologize.
My first introduction to train travel was when my mother took me from where we lived in eastern South Dakota to Wisconsin to visit my maternal grandparents when I was 4 or 5 years old. I have no recollection of the trip but know it was coach all the way. My next train trip didn’t come until I was in the army. I made several cross country trips at government expense because the army couldn’t decide whether they needed my services in Europe or the Pacific so they compromised and sent me first to Europe and then to the Pacific. At that time I was living in the Bay Area and remember that SP was running what was called The Daylight from Oakland to Los Angeles because my wife and I took it from Oakland to Los Angeles for a 3-day honeymoon when we were married in 1944. (I believe there was also a San Joaquin Daylight at that time.) My next experience and first with Amtrak was what I think was in early 1987. I pinpoint it at that time because our daughter-in-law was managing a travel agency at the time and got us extremely low promotion fares with Amtrak and also very low cost reservations at the Willard Hotel in Washington which had just recently reopened and was promoting the hotel with travel agents. It is that trip that gives rise to this posting and the questions herein.
At that time we were living in the Bay Area and took the train from Oakland north to Seattle, from Seattle to Chicago and then into Washington. We had Superliner sleeping car accommodations all the way except for the Chicago to Washington part of the trip. We were told at the time that the Superliner cars could not be used on that part of the trip because of bridge and tunnel height restrictions. We loved that trip and said we wanted to do it again. When I retired we moved to Arizona and actually booked the trip in 1996 but then we purchased a motorhome and decided to see the USA by motorhome which we proceeded to do and enjoyed immensely but we kept saying that we wanted to take that train trip again. Then my wife was diagnosed with a heart problem and had to have a pacemaker implanted when we were half way through one of our motorhome trips. Shortly after we returned home, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma for which we immediately learned there was no cure but only the hope that chemo would bring about a remission. Then followed the diagnosis of postherpetic neuralgia. (For those who may not know, PHN is shingles pain which doesn’t go away and for which there is also no cure or even treatment.) Of course there were no more motorhome or train trips. In 2006 my wife said she would like to visit our son and his wife in North Carolina and see his new home there. There was no way she could stand the long lines at the airport or 5 hours in the hard seats of an airplane. We decided that if we took the train with bedroom accommodations all the way it might be bearable for her. But there was no possibility of redoing the circular trip we had enjoyed so much. We made the trip by the most direct routing and she was very happy that we did but last October she lost her battle with the cancer and the Lord called her home.
Now for the questions. (1) I have decided that I want to now make that circular trip on the train and have reservations for May. The Chicago to Washington part of the trip is on the Capitol Limited and is in a Superliner roomette. Since the trip in 1987 was not in a Superliner car, does anyone know what route we might have taken from Chicago to Washington that year? (2) I plan on being in Washington for at least 4 days before going on to visit my son in North Carolina. Can anyone give suggestions on “must see” museums, etc. in Washington? We had to layover in Washington one day in 2006 but the only place we visited was the WW2 memorial. We did visit many of the historical sights south of Washington when we were traveling by motorhome but not Washington itself. (3) Any suggestions on hotels in Washington? I would love to book into the Willard again but doubt if I could afford a cot in the furnace room today. I have tentatively booked into the Harrington Hotel but don’t really know anything about it other than the location seems to be good and the price is right.
Posts: 8 | From: Mesa, AZ | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
I can help out a little bit here, but not much.
First, your hotel. I know nothing about it, but here is a link to TripAdvisor.com, and people give their opinions on the place after they have stayed there, and they post pictures as well:
When in DC, there are so many things to do I don't even know where to begin. A very short list:
-Take Acela (Amtrak's premier, high speed train) from DC to somewhere, and then come back---and it won't take all day. Do as short or as long a trip as you'd like. The trains are very nice.
-Take the "Tourmobile" around DC to get a feel for what is located where. Tourmobile allows you to buy an all-day ticket, and get on/off as you please. There are "trams" like you would see in the Disneyland parking lot. In winter, they put clear plastic shades over the open areas so it's not too cold. Web site:
-Go out to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum out by Dulles Airport. It's part of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, but they built it wayyyyyy out by Dulles. There is a space shuttle there, as well as a location where you can watch (and listen) to planes landing/taking off from Dulles. There are transportation options out there---ask any tourist info center. Here is their web page:
posted
The trains would have been the Capitol Limited or the Cardinal,same as tody. The Harrington is not fancy but has a good reputation. I wouldn't bother going out to Dulles with out a car. Instead go to the Air and Space Museum on the mall. Definitely take the tour mobile. Also there is one that goes to Arlington Cemetary and the tombs of the unknowns. A lot depends on your nterests. There are a number of fine museums on the mall including the National Gallery of Art and the new Museum of the American Indian.Both great. If you are interested in politics contact your senator or representive\s office well in advance and get passes to the house or senate. I suggest you check google and washington which will give you official tourist sites and that way you can make a decision. Depending on the time in May if you want a change check out the canal boat trip that leaves from Georgetown. It is a mule drawn boat that goes down the C &O canal and is quite nice. Just a couple of hours. My sympathy on the death of your wife.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Welcome to the board. I hope that you'll tell us how your trip goes and become a regular poster here.
You've not told us which train you will be departing Washington on for North Carolina. If it's any train other than #19 (The Crescent), I have a unique hotel suggestion.
The Henry Clay Inn in Ashland, VA about 95 miles south of Washington, DC is about 50 feet from the Amtrak station. It's a modern (circa mid-1990's) re-creation of the small railroad hotel which once stood nearby. The new Henry Clay has about 14 guest rooms and breakfast is included. There is also a restuarant with a track view about half a block from the hotel.
I like Ashland for the proximity of the hotel to the train. You could literally checkout five minutes before your train departs and make the train with ease. It's more reasonably priced than what you would find in DC and the adjacent Randolph-Macon College campus provides a safe, level place for the stroll you might welcome after spending several days on the train.
Getting to Ashland is a little tricky......from DC you would have to catch one of the 'Regional Service' northeast corridor trains. Leaving the following day you would have to continue on a 'regional' train the 10 miles on to the Richmond Staples Mill Road Station and transfer to your North Carolina bound train there. It's a frustration that the trains for Florida and the Carolinas pass through Ashland, VA without stopping.
Ashland is a unique stopover that I enjoy but I do recognize that the extra travel arrangements may not be worth the trouble.
If you are becoming a full-blown railfan and spending a couple of nights in the DC area, you might want to look into taking a weekday MARC Camden Line commuter train up to Baltimore and visit the famous B&O Railroad Museum there. It's one of the outstanding railroad museums in the country.
-------------------- 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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It's current route is Chicago - Toledo - Cleveland on the old New York Central and thence to Pittsburgh. From Pittsburgh it's on the old B&O through Cumberland, MD and Harpers Ferry, WV.
When you took it before, it was probably combined with the Broadway Limited on the old Pennsy line through Ft. Wayne to Pittsburgh. This line has been downgraded and is no longer used by any scheduled passenger train. The Broadway has been discontinued altogether.
The Capitol route could have used Superliners at that time BUT the Broadway could not given it's lower clearances from Harrisburg, PA to Philadelphia and New York. Amtrak had no desire to operate a combined train half Superliner and half conventional single level cars at that time. Probably best that they didn't try. I imagine that trying to do so would have presented a number of problems given that the Superliners were 30 years newer than the sleepers and diners being used on the Broadway during the 1980's.
-------------------- 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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posted
Hi, I'm logging in from on the road (having Amtrakked to Arizona!) to post!!!
Must see museums in Washington depend on your tastes. I personally find Air & space boring (though I've never been out to the Virginia section, to which there is a bus). But one thing to remember, since most DC museums are free, you can bop in and out without feeling the need to see everything because you paid a large fee to get in.
Currently, if you like art, I would strongly recommend a visit to the National Gallery, on the Union Station side of the Mall, to see the fantabulous Hopper (in the East Wing/new building) and Turner (in the West Wing/old building) exhibits.
The newly reopened National Portrait Gallery is well worth a visit; see the historical pictures of famous Americans. Though part of the Smithsonian, it's not on the Mall but in the Penn Quarter (you might eat in Jaleo if you like tapas and get there when not busy) near Chinatown (good inexpensive places to eat; try Eat First, upstairs, have the big Singapore noodles) and not too far from Union Station.
Also in this area is the National Buildings Museum, again part of the Smithsonian. The exhibits are not necessarily interesting, but you should bop in to see the building and if possible even take the free building tour offered; it's magnificent, used for inaugural balls etc.
The gems & minerals collection in the Natural History Museum is well worth seeing; if you bop in just to see this it wouldn't take too long.
I would also strongly recommend visiting the Library of Congress (original Jefferson Building). Go in the morning before it opens; there's a line to get in but it moves fairly quickly, and once inside, look to take the building tour, which usually isn't so busy. The building is magnificent. Also be sure to see the display of Jefferson's original collection, if it's not on tour or anything.
I also am a fan of the Folger Library behind the Library of Congress.
The Capitol is very interesting, though it depends on your tour guide; and I also got a kick out of seeing all the famous documents in the NAtional Archives. I find the current White House tour very boring, though if you can arrange one through your Congressperson and get in earlier, that might be better.
Another place near Washington I found well worth visiting was George Washington's home of Mount Vernon. I'm not sure how to get there without a car but imagine there is a bus tour.
If you like colonial-19C architecture, I also recommmend walking around in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Georgetown, and in that area past Dupont circle up where the embassies are, weather permitting.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Mt. Vernon is quite interesting now that the new visitor's center is opened. The movies there are really incredible. However it really does take most of the day to really se the place. As to proof how different people see things love Air and Space and while the section at Dulllesis interesting I like the one on the mall better. If you have never been here before I would suggest you go up in the Washington monument. The view is fabulous on a clear day.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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