This trip was Denver thruway to Raton. SWC Raton to Kingman. Thruway, Kingman to Laughlin and back.
A little stressed before my trip, even though I enjoy visiting with people, I had decided I would be quiet on this trip and try to not get in to conversations with anyone.
Well, I had a woman attach herself to me in Denver, she had never been on a train before, her destination was Flagstaff. I really did not enjoy her but it was what it was. I still made the best out of it and enjoyed my train trip. Escaped my newly found friend finally at dinner time. I know it sounds horrilbe of me but after hearing the same thing for hours and her following me everywhere, dinner was a relief. :blush:
Anyway,
I want to say, going out, the Amtrak staff were very friendly. The car attendant was just as sweet as could be. He assigned me and my friend to seats, while we sat down I noticed the front four seats were empty. Always wanting these and not being able to get them, I went down and asked the attendant if I could switch, no problem, sit wherever you would like. Of course my friend switched too. I finally could use the calf rest and totally stretch out my legs, loved it!
I was going to give the attendant a tip when I got off the train. However I did not realize he would not be down while I got off. I felt bad he missed the tip.
For lunch we sat with a gentleman who was nice but quiet.
Dinner that night, I splurged and had the steak dinner(New York Strip I heard someone say), oh was it good. The chocolate peanut butter ice cream is wonderful also. Sat with a couple and another woman, all very friendly and interesting.
The toilets seemed cleaner on the this trip. I don't know if the attendants were wiping them down or just clean passengers.
Arriving in Kingman, I got on the thruway to Laughlin and the driver, super friendly.
Return trip...
Thruway from Laughlin to Kingman, again, driver was super friendly.
In Kingman, the waiting area was ok, I had read somewhere about dead scorpions in the bathroom, there were none. It was pretty clean in there.
The conductor getting on in Kingman was very nice.
The other staff were ok, not super friendly but not sour either.
It was a nice train ride. There was a man in the viewing lounge with a scanner, I listed a bit to it but it didn't make much sense to me.
There was another conductor who I saw after Albuquerque, he was very nice also. I remember him from a past train ride. His looks remind me of the actor who played in Pretty Woman and Princess diaries, Hector Elizondo.
While waiting to get off in Raton, I asked him if he knew why the thruway came down to Raton and did not drop us off in Trinidad. He said he wasn't sure but there was talk about the drop off being changed to Trinidad. I mentioned my biggest disappointment of eliminating the Desert Wind. He told me....Wait for it!!!...there was talk about bringing it back! I know, I have read about the Desert Wind here but, maybe just a little hope in it coming back.
The one thing which really stood out on this whole trip was the friendliness of a lot of Amtrak employees. I know I have seen some who were not nice. So good to see the nice ones.
Hopefully my next train journey will be to Reno this summer.
A little stressed before my trip, even though I enjoy visiting with people, I had decided I would be quiet on this trip and try to not get in to conversations with anyone.
Well, I had a woman attach herself to me in Denver, she had never been on a train before, her destination was Flagstaff. I really did not enjoy her but it was what it was. I still made the best out of it and enjoyed my train trip. Escaped my newly found friend finally at dinner time. I know it sounds horrilbe of me but after hearing the same thing for hours and her following me everywhere, dinner was a relief. :blush:
Anyway,
I want to say, going out, the Amtrak staff were very friendly. The car attendant was just as sweet as could be. He assigned me and my friend to seats, while we sat down I noticed the front four seats were empty. Always wanting these and not being able to get them, I went down and asked the attendant if I could switch, no problem, sit wherever you would like. Of course my friend switched too. I finally could use the calf rest and totally stretch out my legs, loved it!
I was going to give the attendant a tip when I got off the train. However I did not realize he would not be down while I got off. I felt bad he missed the tip.
For lunch we sat with a gentleman who was nice but quiet.
Dinner that night, I splurged and had the steak dinner(New York Strip I heard someone say), oh was it good. The chocolate peanut butter ice cream is wonderful also. Sat with a couple and another woman, all very friendly and interesting.
The toilets seemed cleaner on the this trip. I don't know if the attendants were wiping them down or just clean passengers.
Arriving in Kingman, I got on the thruway to Laughlin and the driver, super friendly.
Return trip...
Thruway from Laughlin to Kingman, again, driver was super friendly.
In Kingman, the waiting area was ok, I had read somewhere about dead scorpions in the bathroom, there were none. It was pretty clean in there.
The conductor getting on in Kingman was very nice.
The other staff were ok, not super friendly but not sour either.
It was a nice train ride. There was a man in the viewing lounge with a scanner, I listed a bit to it but it didn't make much sense to me.
There was another conductor who I saw after Albuquerque, he was very nice also. I remember him from a past train ride. His looks remind me of the actor who played in Pretty Woman and Princess diaries, Hector Elizondo.
While waiting to get off in Raton, I asked him if he knew why the thruway came down to Raton and did not drop us off in Trinidad. He said he wasn't sure but there was talk about the drop off being changed to Trinidad. I mentioned my biggest disappointment of eliminating the Desert Wind. He told me....Wait for it!!!...there was talk about bringing it back! I know, I have read about the Desert Wind here but, maybe just a little hope in it coming back.
The one thing which really stood out on this whole trip was the friendliness of a lot of Amtrak employees. I know I have seen some who were not nice. So good to see the nice ones.
Hopefully my next train journey will be to Reno this summer.
