- Joined
- Jan 7, 2009
- Messages
- 4
I just returned from an 18-day trip to visit friends and family that included:
The Capital limited between Martinsburg, WV and Chicago (both ways)
The Zepher between Chicago and Sacramento
The Coast Starlight between Sacramento and Eugene
The Cascades between Eugene and Seattle
The Empire Builder between Seattle and Chicago.
I take about 2 long train trips a year, using an economy sleeper unless a trip is daytime only. Here's some feedback on my experience on this trip:
The trains were usually on time, and one was even more than half an hour early. One was nearly two hours late because of problems that developed with a private car it was carrying at the end. (Is this an argument for Amtrak not carrying private cars?) The only other late train was on time until the end when it was slowed by freights and commuter trains, and even with that slowdown it was less than half an hour late. For Amtrak this is a remarkably good schedule.
I was surprised at the disparity in the sleeping car attendants as I usually have had wonderful attendants. The one on the Zepher was terrible. In fact, we hardly ever saw him and the attendant in the neighboring car twice made up beds for several of us because we had't gotten a response from our attendant after more than an hour of waiting for him. Needless to say the neighboring attendant got the gratuity--a large one. Our attendant wasn't even present to assist us when we left the train.
My experience on the Empire Builder was the opposite. The attendant was almost always present and quick to respond to calls for his attention by various passengers. He was also quick to help passengers and do thoughtful things without being asked.
Food varied from ok to better than ok, but the biggest problem Amtrak seems to have is serving hot food that is really hot. Inevitably it is at best warm. But I appreciate the moderate serving sizes and the fact that one can eat healthy on Amtrak. I also like the community seating in the dining room as it almost always means really interesting conversations at meals.
Overall, the trip was spectacular and as usual, I didn't want it to end. I think I could happily live on a train if I had satellite communication that enabled me to access the Internet wherever the train happened to be. AT&T's ad that claims they cover 73% of Americans became a joke. We decided that even if they do provide service to that percentage of the population, they only have service over a small percentage of the geographic U.S.
I have to repost the warning about the Martinsburg, WV station parking. Although the city will sell one a long-term ticket for station parking that is very inexpensive (but must be purchased in advance), they don't keep commuters from parking in the spaces reserved for those passes. One can arrive and find that although they paid for a space, there is none available. Nor are there parking lots or garages anywhere near by. I now use a transportation service to and from Hagerstown at considerable expense. I rather hope someone sues the city of Martinsburg some day for making them miss the train. The first time I planned to park at the station I was able to find a solution to the reality that there was no parking place available, only because I arrived very early and before the city parking office had closed. The attitude of everyone in Martinsburg at both the visitor's center and city hall, was totally unsympathetic.
The Capital limited between Martinsburg, WV and Chicago (both ways)
The Zepher between Chicago and Sacramento
The Coast Starlight between Sacramento and Eugene
The Cascades between Eugene and Seattle
The Empire Builder between Seattle and Chicago.
I take about 2 long train trips a year, using an economy sleeper unless a trip is daytime only. Here's some feedback on my experience on this trip:
The trains were usually on time, and one was even more than half an hour early. One was nearly two hours late because of problems that developed with a private car it was carrying at the end. (Is this an argument for Amtrak not carrying private cars?) The only other late train was on time until the end when it was slowed by freights and commuter trains, and even with that slowdown it was less than half an hour late. For Amtrak this is a remarkably good schedule.
I was surprised at the disparity in the sleeping car attendants as I usually have had wonderful attendants. The one on the Zepher was terrible. In fact, we hardly ever saw him and the attendant in the neighboring car twice made up beds for several of us because we had't gotten a response from our attendant after more than an hour of waiting for him. Needless to say the neighboring attendant got the gratuity--a large one. Our attendant wasn't even present to assist us when we left the train.
My experience on the Empire Builder was the opposite. The attendant was almost always present and quick to respond to calls for his attention by various passengers. He was also quick to help passengers and do thoughtful things without being asked.
Food varied from ok to better than ok, but the biggest problem Amtrak seems to have is serving hot food that is really hot. Inevitably it is at best warm. But I appreciate the moderate serving sizes and the fact that one can eat healthy on Amtrak. I also like the community seating in the dining room as it almost always means really interesting conversations at meals.
Overall, the trip was spectacular and as usual, I didn't want it to end. I think I could happily live on a train if I had satellite communication that enabled me to access the Internet wherever the train happened to be. AT&T's ad that claims they cover 73% of Americans became a joke. We decided that even if they do provide service to that percentage of the population, they only have service over a small percentage of the geographic U.S.
I have to repost the warning about the Martinsburg, WV station parking. Although the city will sell one a long-term ticket for station parking that is very inexpensive (but must be purchased in advance), they don't keep commuters from parking in the spaces reserved for those passes. One can arrive and find that although they paid for a space, there is none available. Nor are there parking lots or garages anywhere near by. I now use a transportation service to and from Hagerstown at considerable expense. I rather hope someone sues the city of Martinsburg some day for making them miss the train. The first time I planned to park at the station I was able to find a solution to the reality that there was no parking place available, only because I arrived very early and before the city parking office had closed. The attitude of everyone in Martinsburg at both the visitor's center and city hall, was totally unsympathetic.
lso!
