Ideal length of time on a single train

[pennyk]

I chose 48+ hours as my ideal length of time because I like to just get on a train and relax, especially in a sleeper. It's a shame that none of the Amtrak trains travel as far as and for as long as the Canadian though. Four nights and three full days was the perfect trip for relaxation and the ultimate in luxury and comfort in North America.

Ditto

 

[TimePeace]

+-48 hours is right, especially if it's the Zephyr! Best train ride in the US. Do it before it's gone.

 

[thully]

I'd say 48 hr+, though it also depends on the train. I really enjoyed myself on the Southwest Chief and Sunset Limited back in December/January (even though I was in coach the entire time!). However, on some other routes, a lesser amount of time may seem like too long (an example of this in my personal experience was the Cardinal - given the lack of SSL/diner and other amenities found on most other LD trains, the 20+ hrs seemed too long). The CL and LSL, on the other hand, feel too short - though this may be in part because I'm boarding/detraining in TOL in both cases. On the flip-side, the CL/LSL are great for quick weekend trips when a western LD trip would take too long - I'm probably taking the pair over Memorial Day weekend to go to the northeast (likely CL eastbound, LSL westbound - the best timing to/from TOL).

As for corridor trains, I guess I don't know that any would be too long - though any less than 3 hours and it seems too quick (practically a commuter train). I do like the feel of SAN-LAX - though only 3 hrs or so, the Surfliner equipment and views on that train are great. ARB-CHI is also a nice length (and works for a quick weekend trip, with no time off needed to make it work) and has decent scenery in Michigan. Even the 7+ hr trip I took on the regional WAS-SPG was fine - I found it interesting just to see all the different cities we went through and the various different types of commuter rail we passed. I don't know if I could stand 18 hours+ in a Horizon car, though (or in any single-level train, for that matter - the SSL/Superliner really makes a difference).

 

[GoldenSpike]

There are sleepers on the famous Rossiya from Moscow to Vladivostok, and that takes SEVEN nights! Just over a week! Then again, the sleepers are not as good as the American ones.

After 4 days, we were trained-out when we got off in Irkutsk for several days of sightseeing before continuing on for another 3 days to Vladivostok in our around-the-world trip.

Imagine taking the 10-day milk run which doesn't have FC!

Sadly had to settle for Alaska Airlines: Vlad-Anchorage-Seattle - no RR :angry: .

 

[the_traveler]

It wasn't a choice, but my answer would have been 37 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds!

So I picked 48+ hours!

 

[oldtimer]

It wasn't a choice, but my answer would have been 37 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds!

So I picked 48+ hours!

How did you know the exact length of time I worked for Amtrak?

:help: hboy: :wacko: :giggle:

 

[the_traveler]

It wasn't a choice, but my answer would have been 37 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds!

So I picked 48+ hours!

How did you know the exact length of time I worked for Amtrak?

:help: hboy: :wacko: :giggle:

A little birdie told me!

(Actually the pointless Arrow pointed the way!

)

 

[AlanB]

I chose 48+ hours as my ideal length of time because I like to just get on a train and relax, especially in a sleeper. It's a shame that none of the Amtrak trains travel as far as and for as long as the Canadian though. Four nights and three full days was the perfect trip for relaxation and the ultimate in luxury and comfort in North America.

The Canadian takes so long becvause it is slow. Amtrak trains are generally faster. However, a SL reextened to San Francisco in the west and MIA in the south would come pretty close to the Canadian. I heard that the Canadian ran for 5 nights, does it still do so?

Up until a few years ago, the Canadian used to be 3 nights. Then they through in extra padding at major stations, where if on time the train sits for several hours, and made it a 4 night run. With proper coordination from the host RR, the Canadian could make its run much faster than it actually does.

From what I was told by one of the supervisors on the Canadian, if the train is on time the law requires the host to give them priority to keep them on time. However, if the train is late for any reason, then the host no longer has to give VIA priority. On my trip we were several hours late out of Vancouver and we never made that up, despite the padding. We'd gain back some time thanks to the padding at those major stations, but because we had lost priority, we'd start losing what we'd gain back as soon as we started rolling again.

 

[EB_OBS]

I spent two full weeks on the Operation Lifesaver, special train, that went through Washington, Oregon and Montana a few years ago.

Luckily we spent most days stopped in small towns and even Helena and Missoula, MT, however living in a roomette for 12 days was not something I'd want to do again.

 

[Ozark Southern]

I've actually never been on a train for more than 8 hours, a Deutsche Bahn from Berlin to Warsaw (standard speed, not ICE). Longest Amtrak I've been on was the 5.5-hour Lincoln from STL to CHI. Would love to do a longer one, but I can't afford it right now. We're saving up some AGR points, pretty close to a 1-zone roomette RT now. Since we're in the Central Zone, we can go a huge number of places with that redemption!

 

[Thunder Road]

For me, a day trip is ideal. So I said 6-10.

The Pennsy in BC was excellent. I can't seem to fall asleep in Superliner coach though, which is why I think a day trip is best.

That's just me though.

 

[Ziv]

My favorite train trip took just over 8 months but there was a little 'down time' involved! LOL

For me here in the US, I can't rationalize the roomette prices so my favorite distance is overnight so I can shower and clean up before I get back on a train again. Overseas I usually do soft sleeper of 2nd Class sleeper and I like to make the trips longer. When I do the Trans-Siberian from Beijing to Moscow I get off in Irkutsk and just chill for a few days. 5 nights in one compartment is just too much of a good thing!

In Thailand and Malaysia the longest trips are overnight so they are very cool. I don't think I even saw a sleeper in Indo, though they must be there. Jakarta to Surabaya isn't that long a trip though.

China has great choices for longer trips but overnight from Kunming to Beijing and from Beijing to Pingyao were very cool, well worth trying. Incredible diversity of scenery. My feet stick out of the end of the hard sleeper but my neighbors thought it was funny not irritating. Cool having neighbors you can't share much more than 3 words with, asking via gestures if you would like to try their mixture of tea leaves in your tea brewing cup. Travel is a language all its own.

 

[Linda T]

What it says on the tin. What is your ideal amount of time on a single train? Obviously, a trip may involve more than one train (Lord only knows how many times I've transferred at WAS, NYP, or CHI); I'm more thinking of time on a single train.

I chose 48+ (of course sleeper accommodations only). Did the CZ from SAC to CHI instead of being the usual 50 hours it was 58, that was great for me, not so great for the coach people. hboy: Does a "single train" count if you take it down and immediately get back up and bring it home? I'll be doing that was the TE in a couple weeks now. Thirty-two hours from CHI to SAS and then wait for re-boarding back to CHI -- 31 more hours home (all on the TE) = 63 hours on the TE, that doesn't count coming and going from CIN, but you said same train. I was intentionally looking for the longest one zone trip departing from CHI (mid zone) or CIN (east zone), this was it, plus something like 9 meals all on the TE! Yum... I can't get enough on board time -- it always ends too soon.

 

[thully]

Interesting - I said 40+ hrs as well, but either coach or sleeper is OK for me (of course I'd prefer sleeper, but it often ends up being cost-prohibitive when I want to travel - as such I usually end up just doing it on short trips where I'm returning to work on the day of the arrival like the LSL westbound). I did a loop trip much like yours on the Texas Eagle, though it involved 3 different routes - I took the Cardinal to DC, switched to the #66 Northeast Regional, and then caught the Lake Shore Limited from BOS (coach on the Card, business class on the Regional, and sleeper on the LSL). I'd say what you are doing isn't quite the same as a single 60-hr trip (more like a connecting train) but is close. Nice idea for an AGR award, though - though you could actually go as far as ELP in one zone (though you would probably have to stay over to return).

 

[Linda T]

Interesting - I said 40+ hrs as well, but either coach or sleeper is OK for me (of course I'd prefer sleeper, but it often ends up being cost-prohibitive when I want to travel - as such I usually end up just doing it on short trips where I'm returning to work on the day of the arrival like the LSL westbound). I did a loop trip much like yours on the Texas Eagle, though it involved 3 different routes - I took the Cardinal to DC, switched to the #66 Northeast Regional, and then caught the Lake Shore Limited from BOS (coach on the Card, business class on the Regional, and sleeper on the LSL). I'd say what you are doing isn't quite the same as a single 60-hr trip (more like a connecting train) but is close. Nice idea for an AGR award, though - though you could actually go as far as ELP in one zone (though you would probably have to stay over to return).

I looked into getting to El Paso, (but it becomes a 3 day a week train). I need to catch the Cardinal (also a 3 day a week train) so it left me with having to travel from CIN on Thursday and I can't leave ELP till the following Thursday. Since it's all about the train and not the destination I don't have anything to do in ELP let alone for 7 days! Thus I'm just going to SAS. If anyone knows how to beat the system of a minimum 7 day stay I'm all ears!

 

[thully]

That's what I figured - particularly with the need to connect to the Cardinal. However, you still do have a long overnight layover at SAS for the northbound Eagle (arrive 9:55pm, leave 7am), so depending on what day you're going you may be able to go a stop or two past SAS and then catch the inbound Eagle.

In any case, I will say the 3x weekly schedules are annoying - back in January I took the Sunset Limited and had to cross my fingers for on-time arrival into NOL to get to the Sugar Bowl (I didn't want to have to pay for 3 nights in a hotel). Luckily, we were on-time (in fact early) and that was a great trip (probably tied with the westbound SWC trip I had taken a week before)...

 

[Linda T]

That's what I figured - particularly with the need to connect to the Cardinal. However, you still do have a long overnight layover at SAS for the northbound Eagle (arrive 9:55pm, leave 7am), so depending on what day you're going you may be able to go a stop or two past SAS and then catch the inbound Eagle.

In any case, I will say the 3x weekly schedules are annoying - back in January I took the Sunset Limited and had to cross my fingers for on-time arrival into NOL to get to the Sugar Bowl (I didn't want to have to pay for 3 nights in a hotel). Luckily, we were on-time (in fact early) and that was a great trip (probably tied with the westbound SWC trip I had taken a week before)...

I leave CHI on Monday the 23 arriving in SAS on Tuesday the 24. The problem is, the northbound Eagle gets into SAS about the same time as the southbound (actually, five minutes earlier, if they're both on time). So that's not really an option. I'm just hoping that the service alert makes us run a couple hours late getting into SAS! It says the westbound TE, "will operate on a later schedule from St. Louis to Little Rock." So hopefully that means later into SAS?

Yeah, it's annoying enough to have a three week a train at the top of my travel plans, but it gets worse when coupled with a 3 day a week train at the end too.

 

[thully]

From what it says, the later schedule will only be to Little Rock, so it seems they probably anticipate making up time from Little Rock to SAS. Also, the northbound Eagle will be originating in SAS on April 25th (as that isn't a day in which the Sunset Limited through-cars go to SAS). As such, I think you are likely looking at a 10 hr layover in SAS (9:55pm to 7am). Not sure there are any good options as far as things to do with this layover - you can't stay on the arriving train since It terminates in SAS, and the departing train won't be boarding until 7am... On a different pair of days, you might be able to book one of the legs to/from one stop west of SAS and sleep on the train at SAS until it departs, but that won't work for the days you've chosen...

 

[rrdude]

I usually don't care HOW LONG I'm personally on the train, though sometimes I have that "Can't wait to get off this damned Tin Can" feeling.

But the BEST TIME to get off a train is when the train arrives at YOUR destination, as close to ON TIME as possible...........

 

[Linda T]

From what it says, the later schedule will only be to Little Rock, so it seems they probably anticipate making up time from Little Rock to SAS. Also, the northbound Eagle will be originating in SAS on April 25th (as that isn't a day in which the Sunset Limited through-cars go to SAS). As such, I think you are likely looking at a 10 hr layover in SAS (9:55pm to 7am). Not sure there are any good options as far as things to do with this layover - you can't stay on the arriving train since It terminates in SAS, and the departing train won't be boarding until 7am... On a different pair of days, you might be able to book one of the legs to/from one stop west of SAS and sleep on the train at SAS until it departs, but that won't work for the days you've chosen...

Thanks! It's annoying that the Card's 3 days a week and I want a sleeper. My choice of days is limited. :angry: