# Epic family train adventure!



## Mjo (May 4, 2016)

This summer we are taking our 7 and 10 year old kids on an epic train adventure! We have an annual family reunion in Clayton/1000 Islands in upstate NY, and we usually bring our pop up and camp in VT or Canada on the way home as our family vacation. This year we’re seriously shaking things up instead. We are doing this over 16 days, using a 15 day rail pass and paying separately for one leg since it’s a 16 day trip, and still incorporating hitting up the family reunion. I’ve been planning this out since November.

The federal government also instituted this “Every Kid in a Park” initiative this year to drum up interest in our national parks and monuments (and I suppose because it’s the 100th birthday of the NPS). The parameters are that every family with a 4th grader present and carrying their pass, gets free admission to all national parks and monuments, from Labor day 2015 to this coming labor day 2016. And wouldn’t you know it, we’ve got a 4th grader. So we’re spending several $K on train tickets to save a couple hundred bucks at the parks, ha ha. Still, the kids are the perfect age for it and it’s a great excuse to get to several parks and have them see the country. Great idea.

Here’s the itinerary. I know many of you suggest never having an Amtrak connection depart the same day, but that would put us well past the amount of time we can take off from work. We just aren’t in a stage of our lives where we can operate like that. I think the riskiest connections have the most time built in, so hopefully this will be okay. Please let me know if you think otherwise!

We leave NH by C&J bus bound for South Station in Boston.

We take the Lakeshore Limited from Boston to Syracuse, arriving an 9:49pm and taking a taxi to the airport for a rental car. This leg is our one leg in coach. I’m a little worried about making it to the airport in time to rent our car. There’s a slight possibility we might have to stay over. Then we drive up to Clayton NY (1000 Islands) for our 2 day annual family reunion. After the reunion, we drive up into Canada, through Toronto and down to Niagara Falls (park#1). At midnight, we get back on the Lakeshore limited in Buffalo, headed to Chicago. We are in roomettes, so hopefully kids get some sleep. Do you think the Amtrak attendants will see that we have kid passengers boarding at midnight and already have beds pulled down? In Chicago (arriving at 9:45 am), if Amtrak isn’t too late, we’ll spend a few hours with my cousin, walking around downtown a little. Then it’s on to the Southwest Chief to Williams JCT AZ (departing at 3pm), where we take the Amtrak shuttle bus to Williams.

We arrive at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel fairly late even if on time, and then the next morning take the Grand Canyon Railway up to the south rim. None of us have been to the Grand Canyon before, so REALLY looking forward to this. We spend one night at the South Rim at the Maswik Lodge. The next day we catch the train back down to Williams and take an Amtrak shuttle coach to Williams JCT (which arrives only 13 min before the SWC departs, which worries me but the Amtrak agent told me not to worry, this is normal. We have no checked luggage, for what it’s worth- does this sound crazy?).

We get back on the SWC, still headed west and again in roomettes. It’s a late hour again when kids get to sleep, and we arrive in LA at 8:15 am, so not sure how much of this stretch the kids will see. Once in LA, we again rent a car and go visit my sister in Oxnard. She is very close to the beach, and the hope is that the kids can swim in the Pacific, if it’s nice weather. They’ve only ever swam in the ocean in Maine (which they love), so this should be a great treat and hit the spot after all the busy train stuff. Check off seeing the Pacific Ocean. We depart by rental after dinner, making progress toward Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.

The next morning we enjoy Kings Canyon and Sequoia, and make our way to Yosemite. We spend one night in Yosemite valley at the Yosemite Valley Lodge. The next evening we return the rental again in Merced, and get on Amtrak’s San Joaquin train to Emeryville/SF. We spend two nights in SF, and then leave bright and early on the California Zephyr, bound for Chicago. We have roomettes on this leg as well. REALLY looking forward to this part of the journey, we’ve heard such good things about the CZ views.

Hopefully the CZ isn’t more than 6 hours late into Chicago (arrival should be 2:50 pm), as we visit downtown again and then hop the Lakeshore Limited back to Boston at 9:30 pm), again with roomettes. I REALLY don’t want to get bumped on this leg. I hear the CZ is a lot more on time now than it used to be- hoping this is true! This is the only time our roomettes aren’t directly across from each other, they are offset by one (3 and 6 vs 3 and 4) but at least they are on opposite sides so we have either view. If roomette passengers in either 4 or 5 are also going from Chicago to Boston and were agreeable to swap rooms when we board, will Amtrak allow this? Not a big deal either way, but it would probably be better for everyone, so why not?

It will be 8pm when we get to Boston, but we then hop a bus up to Dover NH, grab our car, and drive home. If the LL is very late, we might miss our bus window, in which case we might be able to stay at my brother’s till buses resume the next day, not sure.

So that’s our epic adventure planned out. Like I said, been planning since November. I AM SO EXCITED!!! I think I’ve seen every Amtrak Youtube that’s ever been made, more than once. We had to wait a few months to book, but got everything we hoped to, except for roomettes across from each other on that last stretch. The rail passes are really very reasonably priced, but WOW do they get you with the sleeper pricing! I definitely don’t want to do this whole trip coach with a 7 and 10 year old, though.

I took the LL and SWC from NYC to LA as a kid, went from LA to Springfield, MA as a teen, and have done NYC to D.C. and the Downeaster as an adult so I have some idea what we are in for, but aside from the Downeaster, it’s been decades. The kids have only ever done the Downeaster. I’m a total noob to this site, but very glad I found it!

Thanks for reading. Suggestions and advice very welcome!


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## Bob Dylan (May 4, 2016)

What a great trip, we're envious! 

Don't worry about your connections @ Williams Junction, as the agent said this is an every day thing for Amtrak and it's a guaranteed connection! If anything the Chief might be late, and the van or bus will be your waiting room since there's nothing except a light and platform where you catch the train.

And your rooms should be made up for night when you board, this is SOP on late night boarding unless someone has occupied the room until your stop and then the SCA will have to make up the room for you!

Remember to take snacks and drinks with you when you board, it'll save you lots of money and be lots healthier and tastier than the stuff sold in the Cafe.

I suggest you call Amtrak and see if they can reassign the rooomettes on the leg where you're not across from each other. If not, ask the SCA when you board, they often can work out such things while aboard the train.

Please write a travel report and share it with us, we love to read about other folks adventures! Bon Voyage!


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## MnMotherMary (May 4, 2016)

Wow! What an awesome trip & very well planned out! It's good to know your options. I love those trips. The attendants are usually very accommodating & might even notice the same names and put you across from each other right away. I wouldn't worry about snacks on your roomette accommodations because all meals are included and there is plenty. I would bring a collapsible cooler along for when you are in coach. The CZ views are the best.

Sit back, relax & enjoy the ride.


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## TinCan782 (May 4, 2016)

Correct on the connection at Williams Junction..everyday thing. Did that several years ago and even with late trains, the connection will be made. The Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel will be in contact with Amtrak to keep abreast of train status so the shuttle van will be at the platform at the appropriate time. BTW, that GCRY shuttle is the only way to get from WMJ into town (and back)!

Enjoy!


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## the_traveler (May 4, 2016)

The SCA (Sleeping Car Attendant) should have the rooms set up prior to your boarding. If it's not, just ask him or her.

As far as when your rooms are 3 and 6, just ask your SCA when you board and explain the situation. No guarantees, but they will most likely move you to 3 & 4 or 5 & 6 and ask the other party to switch rooms!  Most passengers and SCAs will be glad to do this.

Sit back and enjoy your trip!

And please come back and let us know how you liked it.


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## pennyk (May 4, 2016)

the_traveler said:


> As far as when your rooms are 3 and 6, just ask your SCA when you board and explain the situation. No guarantees, but they will most likely move you to 3 & 4 or 5 & 6 and ask the other party to switch rooms!  Most passengers and SCAs will be glad to do this.


I beg to differ... I think any room changes should be accomplished before you board. If passengers are already "settled" in the rooms they reserved, they may be reluctant to switch. Also some passengers go out of their way to choose specific rooms and may not be receptive to changing rooms once they have boarded.

I suggest that you phone Amtrak before starting your trip. Sounds like a terrific trip. Enjoy!!


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## oregon pioneer (May 4, 2016)

Wow, what a wonderful trip you have planned! Your family will remember this forever.

I've been in the ocean at Rye Beach, NH, and on the north side of Cape Cod. Brrrr!! Wading or swimming in the Pacific is much, much more pleasant, even on a warm winter's day, I assure you (I vacation in February at the Oregon Coast, and yes I roll up my pants legs and wade in the surf). I hope you get good weather for it.

I agree with those who say call before you go to try and switch the room assignments. There are often cancellations that open up rooms. Just be sure to ask for a "modification" to your reservation, so will not get dinged if the price "bucket" has increased (which it does as the train fills up).


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## Guest (May 4, 2016)

Thanks for the reassurance and great tips! Very happy to hear that I really don't have to worry about the Williams-Williams Jct. shuttle. I'll keep the advice on the room swap handy. I did call once, a month or so after the initial reservation, and the sleepers were still full (well, not full but no way to configure us across from each other in the same car. I'll try again from time to time. I definitely wouldn't ask someone settled to move, but if everyone is still not moved in, I would think that people would appreciate us not going past their room every two seconds just to get to our other room, when they could be further away with us more contained, or at least it mostly likely wouldn't matter to them. Maybe it would, and it's certainly their reservation so that's fine. I figure it can't hurt to ask. It's like on a plane or in coach, and people trying to keep families with kids together. It's better for everyone. Good to know the SCAs may be sympathetic to this as well.

Rye and Cape Cod- yeah! We usually do Scarborough Beach in Maine as we have friends nearby. The kids LOVE to boogie board but have never done it in water over 64 degrees, and that was unusually high. Like I said, this could be a nice treat!


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## the_traveler (May 4, 2016)

The "station" (platform) at Williams Junction is fenced off, and is unlocked/locked by the driver of the shuttle to/from the hotel - and who also turns the platform lights on and off. So the hotel stays in contact as to when the train will arrive.


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## tomfuller (May 4, 2016)

I try to avoid driving a rental car in Canada. If you brought the rental car back to SYR and then took the Empire Service out at 3:44PM to Niagara Falls NY(NFL) it might work out better than going through Toronto in a rental car.

Otherwise it sounds like a great plan.


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## TinCan782 (May 5, 2016)

Williams Junction - Our early morning arrival from Los Angeles on #4

https://www.flickr.com/photos/frensicpic/6784106341/in/album-72157629086690003/

Williams Junction on a 20 degree January evening for our departure on #3 back to LA

https://www.flickr.com/photos/frensicpic/6784743919/in/album-72157629086690003/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/frensicpic/6784745035/in/album-72157629086690003/


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## Fred Wis. (May 5, 2016)

As others have said, the shuttle connection from Williams is no problem. The hotel runs the bus/ van, and the front desk is in contact with Amtrak, and will hold you in the hotel, if Amtrak is late, to avoid a long wait in the shuttle bus. And will leave you on the bus, till the moment the train pulls in . After you arrive at the rim of the canyon,be sure to take the rim shuttle bus west past the Bright Angel stop, for some of the best viewing and smaller crowds. One of my favorite places on earth to visit. Pictures do not do it justice. And the sunrises and sunsets are incredible. Back many years ago, we took our kids on the Grand Canyon Railway, and even today as adults they talk about the entertainment on the train. Be sure to have pocket chain or small bills to tip the entertainers, they do a great job of getting kids involved.


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## shelzp (May 16, 2016)

What a great and well thought out trip!!

I live about ten miles from Oxnard and I will say that the water in the Pacific doesn't get very warm in our area. It can be hot hot hot out and that water will cool you right off! But whatever the case the air tends to be warm in the summer and (although we have worn sweatshirts on July 4th) kids always enjoy the beach don't they! It could be foggy and they want to go.


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## Guest (May 20, 2016)

shelzp said:


> What a great and well thought out trip!!
> 
> I live about ten miles from Oxnard and I will say that the water in the Pacific doesn't get very warm in our area. It can be hot hot hot out and that water will cool you right off! But whatever the case the air tends to be warm in the summer and (although we have worn sweatshirts on July 4th) kids always enjoy the beach don't they! It could be foggy and they want to go.


Hmmm... what is "not very warm?" We usually swim in Maine during the 3rd week of August, and the water is 62-65. Because it's salty and if it's a hot day it's great for running in and out for a couple hours. If Oxnard is warmer than that, we'll be fine! Thanks for the reply!

Mjo


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## Mjo (May 20, 2016)

This is the same guest, just finally as a member. Another question about this trip:

I got an automated call from Amtrak a couple days ago about a change to our first leg, the non-rail pass leg, Lake Shore Limited Boston to Syracuse. Normally, in Albany, the Boston train cars would be concatenated onto the train coming up from NYC, and they would both continue on as the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago (449). Because of rail construction, instead they will have us de-board in Albany, and get on the train that came up from NYC. This was already our only coach leg, and there's no big change here. I wasn't phased.

BUT... I was just reading about this elsewhere and now I am very confused. Apparently this will be an issue on the return trip, too, which we have not been called about. In the same article, I read that there are no sleepers on the Boston-Albany stretch (?!). We have a reservation for a roomette from Chicago to Boston, and I might add it cost a small freaking fortune. I already heard that there's no diner care on the Boston stretch, but according to the published plans, if you have an early dinner before Albany, you don't really get "gypped" the included dinner meal before continuing to Boston so it was of no concern to me. However, if we have to re-board on the return, too, and there's no roomette... we need to see a serious prorated chunk of money back for our roomette (and we will be very disappointed, as that was important to us for that piece of the trip).

Anyone know what the real deal is? I've been reading everything and telling myself to roll with it, it's Amtrak and there will be unplanned changes, but I planned this so carefully that it's still bothering me and we are still 6 weeks out!

Thank you!

Mjo


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## Mjo (May 20, 2016)

FrensicPic said:


> Correct on the connection at Williams Junction..everyday thing. Did that several years ago and even with late trains, the connection will be made. The Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel will be in contact with Amtrak to keep abreast of train status so the shuttle van will be at the platform at the appropriate time. BTW, that GCRY shuttle is the only way to get from WMJ into town (and back)!
> 
> Enjoy!


Shuttle picture helps a lot, thanks. This 10 minute piece is why we can't check luggage for the whole trip, and at first I was annoyed until I realized this did us a HUGE favor. Planned out how to bring everything without checking, and now happy with how much simpler virtually everything will be.


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## the_traveler (May 20, 2016)

That is true, there are no sleepers going between Albany and Boston. What they do (or should do) is book you in business class (a separate car) for that segment, and also provide an included meal from the cafe for dinner. (There is not an "early dinner" before Albany, as you arrive in Albany at mid afternoon. The last meal served is lunch.)

What you can do is book a room between Chicago and Albany only, and coach between Albany and Boston.


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## Mjo (May 20, 2016)

the_traveler said:


> That is true, there are no sleepers going between Albany and Boston. What they do (or should do) is book you in business class (a separate car) for that segment, and also provide an included meal from the cafe for dinner. (There is not an "early dinner" before Albany, as you arrive in Albany at mid afternoon. The last meal served is lunch.)
> 
> What you can do is book a room between Chicago and Albany only, and coach between Albany and Boston.


Thanks! Looking at it again, I'm not sure where I got that early dinner thing from. What you say makes perfect sense.

Is this sleeper car change just because of the extended construction? I've got a reservation that says sleeper from Chicago to Boston with a room number and no caveats. It's only 5 hours from Albany to Boston and not over night, so not the end of the universe, but it's the very last stretch with 2 young kids after a 16 day rail trip and we have 2 hours by bus to get to our car which is 40 min from home after getting off the train, wont get home till very late, and kids were looking forward to the 2nd level windows in the viewliner roomette (and it really did cost an insane amount of money, so... sitting in coach with a business title isn't something I would bother to pay extra for, I'd just pay coach and pack a little more food or pay in the cafe). Do you think Amtrak will be calling about this, or should I be calling them to avoid a surprise? Will they prorate a roomette ticket?


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## the_traveler (May 21, 2016)

Yes, the change is temporary due to the construction at Albany. (At one time, due to this construction the necessary switches were unusable.) Amtrak should be calling you about this, but they may wait until they know for certain if they need to notify you.

Example (and these are NOT the actual days): If your trip back is on June 4, and the construction is scheduled to end on June 1, they may wait to see if that's the actual completion date. The track construction was done months ago, but currently they're extending the platform lengths. So they are still using the stub train to/from Boston.


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## J-1 3235 (May 22, 2016)

You will be re-booked into coach for the ALB>BOS segment. There has been a 1/2 café-1/2 business car in the consist for the displaced sleeper passengers.

You will be offered a selection from the café. In the past, when the sleeper ran through, you could choose between two different meal offerings. If neither appealed to you, you could select something from the regular café menu. On a recent (last Sunday) trip, the choices were from four different sandwiches. One passenger asked for a hot dog, but was asked to choose from the four sandwiches only.

When Amtrak does advise you of the downgrade, you will most likely be offered a small refund (which will be worth about one third of the actual value of the roomette from ALB to BOS). Feel free to call Customer Relations and express your disappointment with the downgrade. You should be offered something more.

Enjoy your wonderful trip!

Mike


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## PVD (May 22, 2016)

Just came home from a NYSAHA meeting in Verona, NY and one of the best people in the organization is from Clayton. Small world. Thosand Islands Bridge has always been the easiest border crossing in NY for me.


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## shelzp (May 22, 2016)

Hmmm... what is "not very warm?" We usually swim in Maine during the 3rd week of August, and the water is 62-65. Because it's salty and if it's a hot day it's great for running in and out for a couple hours. If Oxnard is warmer than that, we'll be fine! Thanks for the reply!

You'll feel comfortable then!! I'm always amazed when I go to Florida and the water is about as warm as the air. I was pointing out that even though it gets hot out here the water never seems to warm up but who cares since it feels good that way!! But when I take relatives from the east to the beach out here they tend to be surprised it can be so hot outside and cool in the water. We'll call it refreshing. I don't know what the water temperature is.


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## SarahZ (May 22, 2016)

Even if the water is a bit cold, it's still fun to hike up your pant legs and wade in. I did that when I went to CA the first couple times, because then I could say I'd been in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.  The water was chilly, but it was worth it. I love the ocean.

That sounds like an amazing trip!


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## AmtrakBlue (May 22, 2016)

When I was younger (so many moons ago), if I went to the beach (Delaware) before the water warmed up and it was a hot day, I went in the water regardless of how cold it was.


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