Attire on the train?

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In the summer, I've found that a T-shirt and basketball shorts works well for me on Amtrak, as seen two years ago: https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/july-odyssey-cascades-coast-starlight-california-zephyr.83803/ . I did hot-weather pants (Columbia Silver Ridge) on an ICE from Frankfurt to Berlin last August, and they also worked well with the bad A/C on the train. On Brightline in Florida summers, heavier shorts are also fine, but my coastal Florida slacker roots are going to dominate.

My December trip south from DC to Miami on the Silver last December had me mostly in 501s, a T-shirt, and a sport coat when it was a bit cool that first evening.
 
bonzoesc said:
My December trip south from DC to Miami on the Silver last December had me mostly in 501s, a T-shirt, and a sport coat when it was a bit cool that first evening.
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That’s a good look. Since marrying my western wife, 501’s are my favorite. And a sport coat dresses up a casual outfit especially with AC on high and provides lots of pockets for travel documents.
 
I'll pretty much dress for the weather or for the trip - so generally t-shirt and jeans and layer when I need to. I'll keep a pair of shorts available if I'm traveling in a sleeper car and the weather's expected to be warm or the A/C isn't keeping up.

Unlike flying, I don't think it matters as much to dress up on a train these days. Personally I don't like the trend of sweatpants and athleisure clothing on flights, but I understand it more on overnight trains.
 
McLeansvilleAppFan said:
How many of you dress up for a vacation train ride. Riding 2 hours to visit family on the Piedmont and its a shirt and jeans for me.

For some reason since my Crescent rides usually mean "vacation" (family lives on the Piedmont and Carolinian routes.) and that seems more special. I like dressing up a bit more. Maybe an oxford with khaki pants. I might even go for a tie, which I do not wear that often as a high school teacher but I do sometimes. I dress up for train hosting as required.

Wife and I are leaving soon on a week vacation (very long for us) with 5 segments and all are in sleepers. Does being in private rooms or even business class make you want to be a bit more formal? It does me. I am thinking of going with slacks, oxford shirt and a tie on this trip. At least the segments were I board in the day. Boarding at 1:30 AM or midnight on the Cardinal and I might be in sweatpants and something easy to deal with for bed.
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The Oxford shirt and slacks/jeans is fine. Definitely no tie is needed. Basically "business casual" you will well dressed compared to most other passengers. Do bring slippers or flip-flops for trips to the restrooms and shower. Shorts and t-shirts are okay too. Though these days I would avoid any political messages though.
 
Casual me in me skirt - AH-er - thigh length KILT - compression sox (tights/leggings in cold winter)
Polo shirt short or long sleeve or a crew-t-neck as another alternative.,
Low quarter shoes - sneakers - sometimes ankle (hiking type) boots.
Altogether sometimes layers - what ever the weather suggests works with my wardrobe.
Hat sometimes but never in the Diner !

Now about that KILT - a conversation starter - my comfort before any critical comment !
 
I usually upgrade to my new pair of Levi's 501's, and combine with a plaid wool shirt that doesn't wrinkle and keeps me warm. I wear a clean (every day) t-shirt underneath.

I used to sleep in the nude on the train, but realized this was somewhat of a safety hazard. If the car tipped over, I probably wouldn't be able to find my clothes.
 
I'm committed to attire such as we wore in the fine train travel age, so I wear a coat and tie and my wife a dress and bow in hair although sometimes she'll wear a (nice) top and pants instead. Leather (or faux leather) shoes complement the clothes. In our room or in coach I loosen (or skip) the tie. In coach I always have a long coat in winter or something suitable in summer to use as a blanket. Thankfully there's no trouble sleeping well in sleeper or coach. We do not like driving or flying, especially today. Bus is okay if the ride is short, such as from Bloomington/Normal, IL to Champaign/Urbana, with both locations having very nice Amtrak stations where bus connections are co-located.
 
jpakala said:
I'm committed to attire such as we wore in the fine train travel age, so I wear a coat and tie and my wife a dress and bow in hair although sometimes she'll wear a (nice) top and pants instead. Leather (or faux leather) shoes complement the clothes. In our room or in coach I loosen (or skip) the tie.
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We understand perfectly your commitment to a dress code of an earlier age of train travel. For us, riding the train is an opportunity to see and experience many of the same things that people who rode on the Santa Fe Chief and the Super Chief experienced back in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. To really relate to the past, you have to act and behave as people did back then, including going to the diner attired as they would have been. We recognize that one cannot turn back the clock to the way things were 80 or more years ago (and before many of the things that people took for granted back then were overwhelmed in the tidal surge of mediocrity that passes for progress.) However, riding the train will always be a special experience to those of us who love the old ways of travel best.
 
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Maglev said:
I used to sleep in the nude on the train, but realized this was somewhat of a safety hazard. If the car tipped over, I probably wouldn't be able to find my clothes.
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I gather this wasn't in coach...though even in the sleepers the air conditioning is often a bit much for au natural sleeping, I would imagine.
 
When a fair amount of my LD travel was combined with professional work as well as pleasure travel, I often wore the blazer I would don for my professional gig when going to the diner. Never thought about pearls, though. I should have. Before retiring, I taught in a university and always wore a "modified" professional dress style in the classroom: a nice blazer, nice black slacks, and often a long necklace over a plain blouse or sweater. I wanted to model for my students that professional dress signals respect for the occasion, and I took seriously my role in training them for their future professional lives. My very last class, almost all of the women (and two of the men!) in my class wore blazers, black slacks, and a long necklace to class!
 
Whenever we travel on Amtrak (and to identify myself as a rail fan), when in public, I wear a ball cap with the Santa Fe Chief emblem. Although we never had the opportunity to ride on The Chief, we’ve read enough about it and have traveled over its former route enough times so that we can relate to it almost as strongly as those who did ride on it during its glory years.
 
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No discussion of attire worn when traveling on Amtrak would be complete without mentioning that worn by the Amish folk. We’ve encountered quite a few Amish while riding on the Capitol Limited and the Southwest Chief and while in Chicago Union Station. Here is link to an article describing the clothing that they typically wear including while riding on Amtrak trains:

https://ohiosamishcountry.com/articles/amish-dress
 
Eric in East County said:
No discussion of attire worn when traveling on Amtrak would be complete without mentioning that worn by the Amish folk. We’ve encountered quite a few Amish while riding on the Capitol Limited and the Southwest Chief and while in Chicago Union Station. Here is link to an article describing the clothing that they typically wear including while riding on Amtrak trains:

https://ohiosamishcountry.com/articles/amish-dress
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There was an Amish couple on the other side of the aisle in our Coach car on the eastbound Missouri River Runner last fall; can't recall if they continued on the northbound Lincoln Service after St. Louis. They had brought food from home, which looked a lot more appetizing than the Cafe Car offerings! ;)
 
cirdan said:
I often seem to encounter Amish folk on trains, even trains not serving the areas traditionally associated with Amish folk.
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Amish frequently ride the Chief and the Sunset Ltd. since many go to Mexico for Medical Care.( also lots of them have relatives living in Mexico, as do Mormons)
 
Bob Dylan said:
Amish frequently ride the Chief and the Sunset Ltd. since many go to Mexico for Medical Care.( also lots of them have relatives living in Mexico, as do Mormons)
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I remember when I was tutoring my kids after school, one of the Mennonite publishers whose materials I used had Spanish-language editions of many of their publications, so Amish living in Mexico (who their Amish relatives on Amtrak might be going to visit) makes sense, as they'd be using those Spanish-language Mennonite homeschool textbooks.
 
When we're on vacation, we don't like to dress up. That's why we're on vacation..to get away from all that. Hubby usually wears jeans, but I wear ladie's slacks. It's been a while since we've taken a train ride, so I don't know how people are dressing now.
I've also heard that if you stay in your cabin, you can wear nothing at all.
 

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