# What to wear on the train?



## Grannie_Roz (May 30, 2011)

Not knowing what the air conditioning is like on the SWC, can someone tell me what type of clothing is suitable for LD travel in June? And if you suggest shorts, will they be warm enough thru the night? (Going coach, so no sleeper)


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## ScottC4746 (May 30, 2011)

You will see a bit of everything. Personally, I tend to dress up when I dress down.

Shorts and a shirt with a collar breakfast, lunch, and througout the day and then I change into jeans for dinner.


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## pennyk (May 30, 2011)

I generally dress for comfort. Since I normally travel from Orlando, where it is warm, I usually wear long shorts or capris on the train. Rarely, have I been too cold. I travel in a sleeper, so it is convenient to change if I am too cold. In early May, I traveled from WAS to BOS on the Acela and I wore yoga pants (as did my sister). We both were very comfortable. If I had been wearing shorts, I would have been very cold when I got off the train in Boston.

I am 58 years old and I tend to dress like a 40 year old at times, but I would not wear short shorts on the train. However, I see many younger women wearing short shorts, especially in Florida. I have also seen a few women older than 40 wearing short shorts. I assume they were comfortable wearing them (or had really good looking legs :lol: ).


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## GlobalistPotato (May 30, 2011)

I've heard people recommend wearing layers, as it can be scorching hot one moment and arctic cold the next...

Although right now I'm wondering if women back in the golden age of railroading (the 1950s) wore one of the particular styles that was popular at the time while riding on the train... :giggle:


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## amtkstn (May 30, 2011)

I stick to a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt. A t-shirt with some railroad theme is the best.


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## Acela150 (May 30, 2011)

IMO and I think this is the real answer wear what you feel is comfortable. For instance A T-Shirt, Jeans or Shorts, sneakers.

When I go FC on AE I try to dress nice. I wear a Polo, Kakhis, Sometimes jeans, and nice shoes.

BC on anything, it's comfortable clothes. A T-shirt jeans or shorts and sneakers.

Always wear shoes or sneakers. Never wear high heels or flip flops. If your toes get caught in between cars there not coming back! :blink:


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## jdcnosse (May 30, 2011)

Honestly I always wore sweatpants and a t-shirt/sweatshirt. Then again I was traveling in beginning of March and end of April, but nonetheless I wanted to be comfy above all else.


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## Gingee (May 30, 2011)

I was on that route a few weeks ago. I wore shorts and a sweatshirt. You can get out in Alburqurque (sp?) and it is hot there. I usually take a lightweight blanket for hanging out in the rooms. If you forget one, they sometimes have spare ones.


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## chandj (May 31, 2011)

I suggest light-weight pants and a short-sleeved shirt plus a sweater, hoodie or other cover-up in case the ac kicks into high gear. I also take a light weight travel blanket which is good for privacy on long plane flights so would work the same in coach on a train.


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## Grannie_Roz (May 31, 2011)

As if to let me know that I'm not overly obsessing about what to wear, when I checked the weather in Flagstaff this morning it was TWENTY SEVEN degrees. Brrrrrr....

Anyway, thanks to all of you that responded. I guess I'll give shorts a try (cargo shorts -- so not so short short) and see how it goes. If need be, I guess a quick trip to my luggage on the lower level will be in order, where most of my clothes will be.


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## Peter KG6LSE (May 31, 2011)

in summer I wear some black compression leggings and some light weight shorts and a nice shirt.. winter same with pants over the leggings ..

I ues them to keep my legs from being in pain .massages my clafs ect WORKS WONDERS!!. no more sore legs from coach seating..

peter


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## Anderson (May 31, 2011)

My SOP is to make sure I've got at least one jacket and tie along (primarily for the diner), ergo one pair of long pants...and one pair of shorts. So I usually have at least one of each along. As to what to wear at a given time...as a rule, go for comfort...though I frankly feel out of place without my jacket and tie in the diner (as I wound up doing this weekend...man, that felt awkward).


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## dlagrua (May 31, 2011)

Our std train wear is jeans and a short sleeve shirt in spring/summer, except for dinner. For dinner I wear lightweight dress pants, a golf shirt and polished sneakers. My wife usually wears a nice summer dress and flats (leather shoes). Most of the time we find that we are paired in the dining car with another couple similiarly dressed.


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## leemell (Jun 1, 2011)

Acela150 said:


> [snip]
> 
> Always wear shoes or sneakers. Never wear high heels or flip flops. If your toes get caught in between cars there not coming back! :blink:


Can't emphasize that enough, shoes are a must. Crew will let you know if you don't. We found that river walkers are very comfortable and are more than adequate. They also take up very little room in the luggage.


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## Roger (Jun 1, 2011)

leemell said:


> Acela150 said:
> 
> 
> > [snip]
> ...


I always wear flip flops. NEVER had crew say a word to me in over 20 LD trips. Also. NEVER heard a credible story about an injured foot due to flp flops. It's an urban legend.


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## leemell (Jun 1, 2011)

Roger said:


> leemell said:
> 
> 
> > Acela150 said:
> ...


This is what Amtrak has to say:

*"Personal Safety*

*Onboard Safety*

While onboard any Amtrak train please note the following for a safer and more enjoyable trip:

...


Wear shoes at all times and use caution when wearing shoes without rubber soles."
Here.


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## MJL (Jun 1, 2011)

Roger, it's just common sense to wear closed toed shoes.


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## Ryan (Jun 1, 2011)

Common Sense: It ain't so common anymore.


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## AmtrakBlue (Jun 1, 2011)

Ryan said:


> Common Sense: It ain't so common anymore.


That's why there are signs everywhere telling us what to do or not to do.


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## chandj (Jun 1, 2011)

I haven't worn flip flops on a train, but in warm weather I do wear open-toed sandals with rubber soles. I don't recall anything on the Amtrak site on this subject except that one should wear shoes at all times when walking, and that rubber soles are preferable.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Jun 1, 2011)

GlobalistPotato said:


> I've heard people recommend wearing layers, as it can be scorching hot one moment and arctic cold the next...
> 
> Although right now I'm wondering if women back in the golden age of railroading (the 1950s) wore one of the particular styles that was popular at the time while riding on the train... :giggle:


The train, like almost everything else, was dressier. I seem to remember I would wear a suit to dinner in the diner if I was in a sleeper. I recall there was kind of an unwritten custom of wearing a suit just to check into a hotel, but not thereafter, unless, perhaps at a hotel's fancier restaurants. You look at brochures from those periods and it shows models well dressed.Though I am not sure if it was really that consistent.

Some where in my many boxes of souvenirs I have a handwritten note from my dear mother reminding me to hang up my suit as soon as I boarded my pullman.


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## Bob Dylan (Jun 1, 2011)

Bill Haithcoat said:


> GlobalistPotato said:
> 
> 
> > I've heard people recommend wearing layers, as it can be scorching hot one moment and arctic cold the next...
> ...


Excellent Post Bill! I can recall that Passengers used to wear Robes over their Night Clothes in the Pullmans but NEVER Outside the Sleeping Car! As you indicated People would Dress up in their Best Clothes to take Trips, Go into Nice Resturants and the Diners on Trains EVEN if they were riding in a NON-Air Conditioned Coach of which there were Many as you Remember! I usually wear jeans, a Nicer Shirt and Shoes when Eating in the Diner but the Rest of the Time Wear more Casual Clothing, Depends on the Weather and the Time of the Year! As another Poster said Layering comes in handy on Trains in Cold Weather!


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