pennsy484 posted:Joe, thank you very much for this thread. I have been thinking about your recap for a few days.
The only train travel I have done is DC or BWI (Baltimore) to NYC (NE regional and acela) My wife would hate what you described, daughter probably would be only slightly less cantankerous. As a train enthusiast it is sad to me that the trains run so terribly late on top of the already long trip. But it is what is, just have to keep suffering awful domestic airlines.
Thanks for the "thanks". We travel on Amtrak at least 3 times a year from Philadelphia to Boston (Rt128). Frankly, the scenery is more interesting on that trip than it is on the New Orleans (Crescent) or Florida (Silver Meteor) runs. Seeing the NYC skyline, Queens neighborhoods, going over the Hell Gate Bridge, traveling along the Long Island Sound, water and boats sometimes on both sides of the train, and neat railroad stations along the way, makes for a nice trip. We do NOT travel on the Acela (see no need to pay double the price to save 30 minutes).
On the Florida run in March, the sky is dark by the time you get to Baltimore, so you miss some interesting towns in MD, VA, NC, SC, and wake up in GA...where you ride through solid pine trees. Entering Florida, you ride through solid regular trees for hours. After Seebring, you ride through an Orange Grove for 5 minutes. From West Palm on down, interesting stuff to look at. On the New Orleans run, much of the same, except the trees are growing in swamps. The run to the West Coast has more interesting scenery, but by Arizona, it's dark again.
Their ARE positives: Your vacation starts as soon as you turn over your bags to a Red Cap, who will take you and your baggage down to the platform on an elevator to your correct sleeping car location. He will hand it over to your car attendant, who will get you set up in your TWO roomettets (trust me on this one). Pick what time you want to have dinner in the dining car (meals included in your sleeper ticket price), and usually be seated with another couple for a nice chat. This trip will not save you any money over flying, but no annoying check-ins or security lines to put up with.
After all of our long distance trips, we fly home. We will probably repeat the Florida trip, but not the Crescent/Sunset Limited trips, although we do not regret taking them.
