Having first become enamored of train travel in 1976 when I had to take a few business trips between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia (Broadway Limited mostly), I made a point of studying the Amtrak (and later VIA) systems, timetables, etc. Then, in my mid-20s, I learned about Amtrak's USA Railpass. The 14-day pass then cost $150 and allowed unlimited riding in coach, with upgrades sometimes available enroute.
I was self employed and my workflow allowed me about 10 days of travel at the beginning of each month. I concocted many itineraries involving direct connections, being careful not to cut it too close in case of late trains. Every three says or so, I found a place to take a shower. Most nights were spent on trains. On rare occasions, I had to tweak my plans on account of missed connections.
By 1990, I had amassed about 105,000 train miles in the US and Canada—everything available up to that time, starting in 1976. Although I found occasional deals in Canada, nothing compared to the low cost USA Railpass.
One advantage to being a “regular” was that I got to know some of the OBS staff who were working on successive trips—especially younger people who had taken positions formerly held by old timers pre-Amtrak, as they retired. A few years in, I even managed to stay with them sometimes in their assigned hotels near crew bases. One was the rather rundown Savoy Hotel in Seattle. What it lacked in amenities it made up for in fostering youthful abandon.
These journeys allowed me to tweak itineraries to also ride the D&RG Zephyr and the Southern Crescent while they still operated outside of Amtrak. The D&RG day train segments were always the highlight of many travels. Once, I encountered the famed writer, Rogers E.M. Whitaker and his alter ego, “Frimbo,” holding court in the rear of the D&RG observation car. I wish I could say it was a pleasant encounter. He was in a foul mood that day, though still quite the conversationalist within that impairment.
After 1990, my train travel was severely cut back due to major life changes, though I still try to ride when I can. I quit keeping track of mileage, but I’d guess my lifetime mileage hovers between 127,000 and 130,000 now.
