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L
LA Resident
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Magazine or book?
Read the Trip Reports area on this forum - 100's and 100's of reports from trips all over the country.
And, you can print them out if you want.
Looking for a book.
I have been browsing the Trip Reprts section, but am looking for something a bit more descriptive .
Many of the posts say we departed on " " arrived in " " on "" "" left for " " at "" "" etc.
I would like a bit more of a description of what they were experiencing.
Anyone know any books? I thought I would take a trip into the Globe Corner Bookstore here in Boston and see if they had anything on the armchair traveler idea.
supergrandmother
Train Attendant
I used USA by Rail to prepare for my trip. There is not much in the way of recent books on train travel. BTW, I went Atlanta-New Orleans-Chicago-Los Angeles-Santa Barbara-San Francisco-Chicago-Washington DC-Atlanta. West on SWC and east on CZ. I got the majority of my information from this forum.
G
Guest
Guest
Please take a second look, there are tons of trip reports with pictures,videos, very descriptive comments about scenery,happenings, cities and towns,people and places etc. etc.
Some are even written by or include professional writers and the price is great, Free!
There are lots of books out there, google them up, then check out a bookstore or your local library but it's not really necessary to spend money to get info! Second hand bookstores are better than retail places it says here!
Some are even written by or include professional writers and the price is great, Free!
There are lots of books out there, google them up, then check out a bookstore or your local library but it's not really necessary to spend money to get info! Second hand bookstores are better than retail places it says here!
Thanks all!Please take a second look, there are tons of trip reports with pictures,videos, very descriptive comments about scenery,happenings, cities and towns,people and places etc. etc.
Some are even written by or include professional writers and the price is great, Free!
There are lots of books out there, google them up, then check out a bookstore or your local library but it's not really necessary to spend money to get info! Second hand bookstores are better than retail places it says here!
I will do more to spend time searching trough the threads here.I was just thinking of something portable.
I can't believe the wealth of information on this site. One can spends hours!
lthanlon
OBS Chief
Eva J. Hoffman did a great two-volume guide to the California Zephyr that I found useful the times I've ridden this train. It covers, in detail, most of the scenery, history, communities and station stops from Chicago to Emeryville. The books might be hard to get; I found mine at the Colorado Railroard Museum in Golden, Colo., at a reasonable price.
Hoffman also wrote a set about the Southwest Chief, I believe.
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Devil's Advocate
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If portability is the issue then what is your target format?
L
LA Resident
Guest
I'm not too sure about a guidebook to the CZ that only covers Chicago to Denver! The best part of the route isn't part of the story!!! :wacko:
Eva J. Hoffman did a great two-volume guide to the California Zephyr that I found useful the times I've ridden this train. It covers, in detail, most of the scenery, history, communities and station stops from Chicago to Emeryville. The books might be hard to get; I found mine at the Colorado Railroard Museum in Golden, Colo., at a reasonable price.
Hoffman also wrote a set about the Southwest Chief, I believe.
lthanlon
OBS Chief
The second volume covers the route from Denver west.I'm not too sure about a guidebook to the CZ that only covers Chicago to Denver! The best part of the route isn't part of the story!!! :wacko:
Eva J. Hoffman did a great two-volume guide to the California Zephyr that I found useful the times I've ridden this train. It covers, in detail, most of the scenery, history, communities and station stops from Chicago to Emeryville. The books might be hard to get; I found mine at the Colorado Railroard Museum in Golden, Colo., at a reasonable price.
Hoffman also wrote a set about the Southwest Chief, I believe.
lthanlon
OBS Chief
I wonder if anybody has published a recording that can be played en route for some Amtrak trains?
Amtrak currently has one for the Sunset Limited.
I believe that they eventually plan to do the same for some of the other routes.
ColdRain&Snow
Lead Service Attendant
I have corresponded with Eva a few times and ordered all of her guide books. They're outstanding and full of unique information about each route. Both the CZ and SWC series have three volumes, and she has done others on routes including the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle. She handles all of her sales through mail-order, so if you are interested in seeing a list of her current titles, please PM me and I will be happy to email you a PDF of her order form. I scanned it after my last order since it is in hardcopy. I don't have it on my work machine, so I can email it tonight when I get home.The second volume covers the route from Denver west.I'm not too sure about a guidebook to the CZ that only covers Chicago to Denver! The best part of the route isn't part of the story!!! :wacko:
Eva J. Hoffman did a great two-volume guide to the California Zephyr that I found useful the times I've ridden this train. It covers, in detail, most of the scenery, history, communities and station stops from Chicago to Emeryville. The books might be hard to get; I found mine at the Colorado Railroard Museum in Golden, Colo., at a reasonable price.
Hoffman also wrote a set about the Southwest Chief, I believe.
When I say 'a book that is portable' I do not mean something to read on the trip. I am looking for a book to read NOW in prep for the trip other than the J. Pitt guide that I have. I appreciate the articles on the travelog thread, but
rather than printing short posts out I would love to have an in depth book to carry around when I am in a waiting room, when I am in my easy chair, etc.
So many replies that are helpful, and that publication looks good. I will email the poster for the link or pdf.
rather than printing short posts out I would love to have an in depth book to carry around when I am in a waiting room, when I am in my easy chair, etc.
So many replies that are helpful, and that publication looks good. I will email the poster for the link or pdf.
caravanman
Engineer
Hi Teresa,
For a book that is quite bit different, I recommend Jenny Diski, and her book, "Stranger on a Train: Daydreaming and Smoking Around America" . I find her a fascinating writer, her books work for me on several levels.. I am always left unsure what was fact, what was fiction. (She won an award for this travel book.)
My own trip report states: "I would like this to be about my feelings, what I see, who I meet, as well as the train aspect of the trip." Whether it worked or not, I am not sure, but you can have a quick read at: A few weeks around America by train..
Cheers,
Eddie
For a book that is quite bit different, I recommend Jenny Diski, and her book, "Stranger on a Train: Daydreaming and Smoking Around America" . I find her a fascinating writer, her books work for me on several levels.. I am always left unsure what was fact, what was fiction. (She won an award for this travel book.)
My own trip report states: "I would like this to be about my feelings, what I see, who I meet, as well as the train aspect of the trip." Whether it worked or not, I am not sure, but you can have a quick read at: A few weeks around America by train..
Cheers,
Eddie
Excellent travel blog. That is the kind of writing I am looking for in book form.Hi Teresa,
For a book that is quite bit different, I recommend Jenny Diski, and her book, "Stranger on a Train: Daydreaming and Smoking Around America" . I find her a fascinating writer, her books work for me on several levels.. I am always left unsure what was fact, what was fiction. (She won an award for this travel book.)
My own trip report states: "I would like this to be about my feelings, what I see, who I meet, as well as the train aspect of the trip." Whether it worked or not, I am not sure, but you can have a quick read at: A few weeks around America by train..
Cheers,
Eddie
Great photos .
I will secure a copy of the Diski from my library which has a few copies.
Cheers
caravanman
Engineer
Thanks for the compliments, both on the blog and the photo's.. nice to get positive feedback!
Ed.
Ed.
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