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Welcome to the forum Enrico. My best advice would be to pay the extra to get a Business class seat on the LSL. They seem to be more comfortable than the standard coach seat. If you've never been in Chicago you may want to pay to take the elevator to the observation deck of the Willis (Sears)...

Was Denver a choice just because it was near the middle of the CZ route? My choice for a break from the CZ for 24 hours has been Glenwood Springs. How about the SWC out of Chicago to Los Angeles and connecting the same morning to the Coast Starlight to EMY? How about taking the CS all the way...

My wife and I are going back east in May and returning in early June. We are going in roomette from Winnemucca to Chicago on my wife's points. Chicago to Erie (cash) in Business class seats. On the way back we have seats on the LSL and the CZ as far as Omaha (cash). We get in a roomette in...

Ask your Dr. about TransDerm Scop (scopolomine). The only time I get motion sickness is onboard a boat on rough water. You stick the patch behind your ear and you're good to go for 3 days. I do remember riding a Keystone backward from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. It was interesting seeing the...

The good news is that the Sacramento station remodel is now complete. The old hard seating is still there. Check your bags to your final destination on the CZ and go to breakfast. Jim Denny's and the Fox & Goose are my favorites for breakfast in SAC. I have been early to SAC more times than late...

My wife and I were on the SWC one November when the clocks were turning back an hour. We arrived in Barstow 40 minutes late and waited 20 minutes and then left on time. This Sunday morning, all Amtrak trains will be at least an hour late (maybe more if they were running late going in).

On my first Amtrak trip (2001 North America Railpass), I was to connect to the SWC in San Bernardino. About 10 minutes out of Bakersfield, driver side rear duals blew. We were hoping for another bus to come along to transfer to. They sent out a truck to jack the bus up and put on new tires...

My crazy idea would be to get off the CS in Olympia-Lacy about 6 to 6:30PM and stay there for the night. In the morning the Cascades train #500 picks up shortly after 10 and gets you to SEA about noon.

On a trip northbound on the CS from CMO to EUG, I was assigned a seat in the rear half of the car. When I got to the top of the stairs, there was a rather large guy sleeping in the first seats. He did have a leash attached to the collar of the dog (over 20 lb). The dog (also sleeping) had no...

I did my own version of points plus cash for the trip with my wife in late May early June. Winnemucca to Chicago in a roomette with my wife's points. LSL overnight in Business Class CHI to ERI (cash). Breakfast in Erie before picking up an Enterprise rental car (earning more AGR points)...

My favorite is 2 or 3 string cheeses for a lunch if I'm in coach. Sounds good for a vegetarian unless they are an ovolacto.

I've taken the CS both ways. I agree with the others - northbound from LAX. trainfanmom think about 1 night in Portland and then take a Cascades train to Seattle the next day. Portland and Seattle each have a HI hostel within walking distance of the station.

It depends on how good your SCA is whether you get a meal.When I got on the westbound SL at Tucson, the SCA told me that they had saved a steak for me. I sat down in the dining car at 8:05PM. I was the only diner in the car. Since the chef started his shift in Seattle, there should not be a...

I have stayed at the Northwest Portland HI Hostel. http://nwportlandhostel.com/ Friendly staff and it looks like they are making improvements. Walk west on Glisan over I-5 until you get to 18th Avenue.

The cost from LAX to Santa Barbara transferring to the 8 hour bus to Oakland is $59 leaving at 9:20AM. If you leave LAX at 10:30AM on the bus to Bakersfield you get to see the "grapevine" and ride up through the Central Valley on the San Joaquin to Stockton where you transfer to another bus for...

Austruck, I was looking at your trip listed on the upcoming trips. Is the Thruway bus the one that is 8 hours overnight from Santa Barbara to Emeryville? I would take the 2.5 to 3 hour bus from LAX to BFD and then the San Joaquin to either Martinez or Stockton. Stockton has a bus to Sacramento...

You can't beat the Enterprise rental place about 100 yards from the station in GBB. Both the CZ and the SWC stop in Galesburg. On my last big solo trip I rode the CZ east from Sacramento to Galesburg and rented the car. I got 50 AGR points/day. I returned the car and took the SWC back to Los...

I was a bit unsure whether I would get a meal on the Sunset Limited (westbound) at Tucson. It was a bit after 8PM before I got into the Roomette. The SCA told me that "We saved a steak for you Tom ". I went to the dining car and ordered the steak. I had just started eating when a lot of smoke...

You'll still have to spend a night in Sacramento. The museum opens 10 or 11 the next morning. Don't get up early to get on the southbound CS. Spend the time at the museum and then ride a later train to Emeryville or over to SF (pay cash) instead of using a segment or 2. The place I like to...

I'm guessing that you will be renting a car wherever you are getting off the SWC. Since the SWC is scheduled into FLG after 9PM and may be late, you might want to get off In Albuquerque and rent the car there. You might be lucky enough to get a rental car before they close in ABQ. Fort Madison...