First train ride completed and some lessons learned

[bthomas67wagon]

Well, my first Amtrak trip is complete and here are some things I learned and my over all experience.
I took the Empire from Ohio to Montana.
I enjoyed the socialization with other travelers and learned some valuable lessons along the way.

1. Make sure you know if the stops have checked stations for firearms. While some say they do, they can't due to having a ticketing agent and could change your planning.
2. The observation car is available to anyone and is a great way to see the landscape and get out of your chair and stretch out a little. (especially if it is a full train and sit next to someone who uses their space plus some of yours)
3. Boarding the trains was very simple and nothing to stress about. I stressed out about it, but was very easy and straight forward once doing it.
4. Pack some snacks and food to keep the costs down and be able to snack whenever you want and not just when the snack area is open.
5. If you can't sleep in a chair, book a roomette. (I didn't but will next time)

My trip out West was pretty good despite not being able to sleep at all in a Coach Seat. My body just couldn't do it, regardless if I had 1 or 2 seats available.

My trip back, was well, not good. The train started out a couple hours behind and ended up being close to 5 hours late. (due to a fire on the tracks on WA) Since it was so late, I missed my connection in Chicago by about 30 mins. There was a lot of drama finding my/our Checked bags while Amtrak figured out who goes where and when with all the passengers that missing connections. Eventually the group I was in was loaded into a bus and delivered passengers by bus through Indiana and then into Ohio. After about 6 hours of night time bus riding, I made it to Ohio station to drive home.

It's all part of the adventure in my eyes.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Nice pictures. Where did you board in Ohio and what train?

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Well, my first Amtrak trip is complete and here are some things I learned and my over all experience.
I took the Empire from Ohio to Montana.
I enjoyed the socialization with other travelers and learned some valuable lessons along the way.

1. Make sure you know if the stops have checked stations for firearms. While some say they do, they can't due to having a ticketing agent and could change your planning.
2. The observation car is available to anyone and is a great way to see the landscape and get out of your chair and stretch out a little. (especially if it is a full train and sit next to someone who uses their space plus some of yours)
3. Boarding the trains was very simple and nothing to stress about. I stressed out about it, but was very easy and straight forward once doing it.
4. Pack some snacks and food to keep the costs down and be able to snack whenever you want and not just when the snack area is open.
5. If you can't sleep in a chair, book a roomette. (I didn't but will next time)

My trip out West was pretty good despite not being able to sleep at all in a Coach Seat. My body just couldn't do it, regardless if I had 1 or 2 seats available.

My trip back, was well, not good. The train started out a couple hours behind and ended up being close to 5 hours late. (due to a fire on the tracks on WA) Since it was so late, I missed my connection in Chicago by about 30 mins. There was a lot of drama finding my/our Checked bags while Amtrak figured out who goes where and when with all the passengers that missing connections. Eventually the group I was in was loaded into a bus and delivered passengers by bus through Indiana and then into Ohio. After about 6 hours of night time bus riding, I made it to Ohio station to drive home.

It's all part of the adventure in my eyes.

Very nice report—thank you! I’m glad the trip out was excellent. And on the way back you learned valuable lessons for the next time!

Your photos are lovely. What is that gorgeous body of water (the one with the man in the boat)? And where is the little pond?

If finances allow, next time you might consider staying overnight between trains.

I always put a buffer day in between. Not just on Amtrak. If I were flying to go on a cruise, for example, I would fly to the cruise port and stay in a hotel there overnight.

A buffer day takes away a lot of stress and concern about making connections.

 

[Maglev]

Thanks for the trip report! I've traveled much of the Amtrak system, mostly in Bedrooms, but now find the cost out-of-reach, and am planning my next two-night trip in coach. I learned on a recent one-night excursion that I am able to sleep okay in a coach seat. Traveling in a private room on Amtrak is a very special experience, and I hope you do it soon.

 

[Asher]

Bth67 wago say’s
It's all part of the adventure in my eyes. Great way to look at it.

 

[bthomas67wagon]

Maineiac - I drove up to Toledo, Ohio from Columbus, Ohio. Took the Toledo train (Lake Shore Limited 48 and 49) to Chicago, then Empire Builder (27 and 28) to Shelby, Montana. Next time I will go to Whitefish since they accept Checked bags with firearms. (in fact, the Shelby train station manager was so nice, she gave me a free lift to a hotel after the station closed when I arrived. It's only a mile away, but it was hot that day and so I wouldn't have to walk with all my bags. (and they don't have Uber or Lyft in Shelby) I doubt anyone in a bigger station would have made that offer.

Pictures - Some are from Mt Helena, some are from a hike in Helena National Forest, the colorful springs are from Yellowstone and the fishing pic was from Tiber Lake up near Shelby, MT.

I knew I had a fear of heights, but in Montana, I found out that it is a VERY HEALTHY fear of heights. I had to bail out of a couple hikes and even bailed on the hiking path up to the Lewis and Clark Caverns. (Something I need to work on since I'll be back to Montana to visit my son again and again)

 

[Brian Battuello]

Great report, pictures and attitude! Some of us have been riding in roomettes and bedrooms for years, usually in the off season when things used to be much cheaper. Until the post-pandemic bounce, the trains were pretty empty in January and February. Nice time for a quick Chicago or Florida run. This was also pre-flex, when dinner was really special. Very glad many of the trains have gone back to real food.

Glad you were able to work through the challenges, and hope to see you on board again soon!

 

[Bembidion]

Well, my first Amtrak trip is complete and here are some things I learned and my over all experience.
I took the Empire from Ohio to Montana.
I enjoyed the socialization with other travelers and learned some valuable lessons along the way.

1. Make sure you know if the stops have checked stations for firearms. While some say they do, they can't due to having a ticketing agent and could change your planning.
2. The observation car is available to anyone and is a great way to see the landscape and get out of your chair and stretch out a little. (especially if it is a full train and sit next to someone who uses their space plus some of yours)
3. Boarding the trains was very simple and nothing to stress about. I stressed out about it, but was very easy and straight forward once doing it.
4. Pack some snacks and food to keep the costs down and be able to snack whenever you want and not just when the snack area is open.
5. If you can't sleep in a chair, book a roomette. (I didn't but will next time)

My trip out West was pretty good despite not being able to sleep at all in a Coach Seat. My body just couldn't do it, regardless if I had 1 or 2 seats available.

My trip back, was well, not good. The train started out a couple hours behind and ended up being close to 5 hours late. (due to a fire on the tracks on WA) Since it was so late, I missed my connection in Chicago by about 30 mins. There was a lot of drama finding my/our Checked bags while Amtrak figured out who goes where and when with all the passengers that missing connections. Eventually the group I was in was loaded into a bus and delivered passengers by bus through Indiana and then into Ohio. After about 6 hours of night time bus riding, I made it to Ohio station to drive home.

It's all part of the adventure in my eyes.

I look at it the way you stated in your last sentence. My wife and I had a fine trip from CT to Oklahoma City a few days ago, but the last return leg was very late due to a storm. On the other hand, a couple of years ago we went to Florida with a stop on the return trip in the Carolinas to visit friends. We went on several trains and I don't recall any being late. There was a fantastic dining car attendant Johnnie on (I think) the Silver Star who was the best Amtrak employee I've ever met. I also talked extensively with an older gentleman who fought with Fidel Castro's forces in Florida for awhile. He became disillusioned with the communists, escaped to Florida, and had a highly successful career with Disney. I could go on and on, but I don't judge Amtrak by one bad experience. I agree that it can be tough to sleep in the coach. We try to splurge for a sleeper if at all possible.

 

[jpakala]

When with my wife we choose a roomette if Viewliner or either a bedroom or two roomettes if Superliner (owing to the low ceilings making the upper berth unpleasant in roomettes). If alone, I'm fine in coach as long as there are leg rests and the seats recline well back. But a blanket or long coat or such is a necessity.

 

[zephyr17]

Great report, thanks for it. Nice to know how it turned out after your queries about firearms transport. I at least learned something I didn't know before from that, that offering checked baggage service at a station doesn't mean there will always be checked baggage storage.

Glad you enjoyed your trip, especially with the issues on the return. Amtrak used to do buses regularly before COVID with relatively short haul passengers mis-connecting at Chicago (especially to Michigan). They haven't seemed to have done that very much recently, but based on your report they've started doing it again. I'd prefer the hotel/next day's train response myself, but you have to take what they give you for the guarantee (unless you just want to take a partial refund of the fare and make your own arrangements at your own expense).

As you found out, eastbound connections at Chicago can be a problem. Like others here, I often build in an overnight layover there if traveling to the east coast.