Southwest Chief, April 2014

[Old MM]

Edited last entry for some typos, hope I got them all. Lion, that is an apt observation about Vegas, so many people on the slots, 24/7. It's humanity so it's worth seeing, in a way, and there are things about humanity that depress me a lot more. And maybe they are enjoying it. Some people budget a certain amount and play until it's gone, and then quit, but unfortunately who knows how many people are losing money they can't afford. It was more fun some years back when the older machines made this kind of burbling sound that was a fun backdrop to the long casino walks, the more modern machines and the more modern music now make me avoid the casino floors to the extent possible.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Very much enjoyed your total trip report. Sorry your last experience on the Wolverine coach was not good.

Only reinforces our commitment to only ride coach from CLE to TOL. If we cannot afford the sleeper, we can't afford the trip. :giggle:

 

[caravanman]

Great report, very honest and matter of fact, warts and all as they say, so all the more realistic of the average train riders expectations.

While I would NOT want to live in Las Vegas, I always try to include it in my trips... hotels are cheap if you don't gamble, and warm weather most times! Great for people watching!

Ed

 

[Old MM]

Ed, I agree with your sentiments. And while researching, for fun, "old Las Vegas" I found a site that mentioned the old Amtrak route that was called "Desert Wind." Service ceased in 1997. I wonder if this was what Jim Hudson was referring to, I took the statement literally and didn't realize it meant anything else. There really was an Amtrak route to the city? Why oh why isn't it there now....

 

[Ryan]

Yes, there was.

It's been extensively discussed here.

 

[SarahZ]

There really was an Amtrak route to the city? Why oh why isn't it there now....

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/33672-pioneer-and-desert-wind/

 

[CaliforniaMom]

Thanks for the entertaining TR, and glad you got home safely!

 

[GG-1]

Ed, I agree with your sentiments. And while researching, for fun, "old Las Vegas" I found a site that mentioned the old Amtrak route that was called "Desert Wind." Service ceased in 1997. I wonder if this was what Jim Hudson was referring to, I took the statement literally and didn't realize it meant anything else. There really was an Amtrak route to the city? Why oh why isn't it there now....

Aloha

Twice when attending a convention in Vegas, I flew from Honolulu to LA visited with my daughter then taking the Desert Wind, which was packed, then flying home. The view as you come into the Valley at dusk was incredible, And when not driving one could look at the valley.

A Plus to Vegas is the diversity of entertainment which way out weighs the sadness of those that let them get hooked on one kind of entertainment and then loose control of themselves.

 

[Old MM]

Thanks for that comment GG. I hope someday they bring back the Desert Wind!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

People I know who came from Las Vegas said it really sucks, not a great place to live, they say Reno is better, even though Reno is just a beat-up stop for transcontinental freight trains, trucks, and buses.

I asked you to take the Greyhound bus from Green River, originating at Denver, it's better, but you rode from Los Angeles anyways, so I really don't know what to say. I think maybe you should've stayed overnight in Flagstaff and taken the Greyhound from there to Las Vegas, that bus would be originating in Phoenix and might be better than the Los Angeles bus, but I don't know about that area for Greyhound.

 

[SarahZ]

I don't gamble, but I'd still love to see Las Vegas someday. I like lights. Plus, there are lots of shows, restaurants, and rides. It's kind of like Disneyland for adults.

 

[greatcats]

I believe there is only one direct Greyhound between Flagstaff and Lad Vegas and it operates in the middle if the night. All the others go through Phoenix. I have examined the schedules from here to LA. And I would have to be pretty stuck to make use if those schedules.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I believe there is only one direct Greyhound between Flagstaff and Lad Vegas and it operates in the middle if the night. All the others go through Phoenix. I have examined the schedules from here to LA. And I would have to be pretty stuck to make use if those schedules.

All Greyhound schedules from Phoenix to Las Vegas go through Flagstaff, they no longer operate on US Route 93. There's two daily runs, and from Flagstaff, there's a 2:30 PM departure arrivng at Las Vegas 8:20 PM, also Kingman 30-minute rest stop from 4:55 PM to 5:25 PM.

So, in hindsight, I think Michigan Mom should've stayed in Flagstaff for a night, maybe go up to the Grand Canyon, then taken the Greyhound to Las Vegas. But that's in hindsight, and I really didn't think of that option when I first asked Michigan Mom to ride from Green River, which would skip out o the SWC.

 

[greatcats]

OK, Swadian, I stand corrected. The 2:30 pm departure from Flagstaff I would consider taking if I was going to Las Vegas and did not wish to drive. Returning, other than a 6:40 am departure from Las Vegas, I think I would opt for the van to Kingman and then the train.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

OK, Swadian, I stand corrected. The 2:30 pm departure from Flagstaff I would consider taking if I was going to Las Vegas and did not wish to drive. Returning, other than a 6:40 am departure from Las Vegas, I think I would opt for the van to Kingman and then the train.

They should delay that 6:40 AM departure, maybe, but that might affect other connections. It's really complicated to change a schedule when you have lots of connecting buses.

 

[Old MM]

Swad: I didn't see any Green River option, when I booked the award this is the routing I was given, which was fine because we wanted to see LAX station. Coming back was a paid fare and again the Kingman routing is what was given. No regrets mind you, it was partly a learning experience, which happens on many vacations.

And Sarah, your comment on Vegas: It is indeed Disneyland for adults. There are kid elements too, you can "customize" a Vegas vacation in different ways, from family to adult, from budget to luxury, really an endless number of ways to slice the pie. You can dine anywhere from food courts to gourmet. The same can be said for the entertainment; family to adult and expensive or not. People do go there to gamble but you would have no problem planning fun stuff to do and never touch a slot machine.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

The Green River and Flagstaff options both have to be booked directly from Greyhound. Sorry, I didn't realize this was not possible under your circumstances, since I'm a Greyhound Road Rewards member, it really doesn't matter to me. Road Rewards is great for me because I ride Greyhound so much and I can get a free ticket to anywhere almost every year because the points are done for number of trips, not distance or price paid.

My bad. Yeah, Greyhound has grumpy drivers and some of the routes aren't so timely, but you gotta understand that things happen. Nobody is going to friendly every day. Since you described yourself as "possibly riff-raff", I guess the driver might've thought you really did wnat to abandon your kids. But Greyhound Los Angeles does suck more than over here or in the mountains because of the high loads, congestion, and lots of suspicious passengers.

Still, at least the bus wans't a stinking G4500 that gets passengers sick.

 

[Old MM]

The bus equipment, itself, was fine. I saw some considerably less appealing equipment at one of the stops. But the self description of me as "riff raff" was meant to be humorous and convey a nonjudgmental tone, not meant to be taken literally. I think if you met me in person you would not have for one minute pegged me as someone who would even think of doing what you said. The point is more that the driver, or the security guy, or both, had evidently seen or heard of that happening before. Just like the driver evidently felt the need to warn passengers repeatedly not to drink, do drugs or engage in unruly or hostile behavior. I can tell you the drinking thing was ignored by at least one passenger, in the seats in front of us, but he was very careful and to tell the truth, it actually helped his mood so it was for the best. He was a little scary, OK? I'm happy that it mellowed him out. I am glad you have had good experiences, I was just reporting our experience. We had adventure - it was interesting, to be sure, it makes for some good stories but you couldn't pay me to get on another Greyhound absent some really dire circumstance. Like maybe if it was the only way out of town ahead of a nuclear attack or earthquake. Certainly my kids won't let me book this routing again on purpose. Every day, every trip is probably different, so each person will have their own experience. C'est la vie!!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Oh the security guy! I hate some Greyhound security too, they detained me for taking pictures of buses in Sacramento, and they gave me pat-downs at the Oakland and San Francisco stations. The guys in Oakland and SFD weren't that bad, but SAC security is really bad. They're not nice at all, and they don't give a damn if you try to explain that you are a bus enthusiast, because they don't work for Greyhound, they're contractors, and you can't expect anything much from "rent-a-cops".

As for the driver, probably just having a bad day, common with LAD drivers having to deal with suspicious passengers. The good Greyhound drivers, like the Denver, SLC, and Reno ones, they don't make long announcements but if you break the rules then you'll get a stern warning, next time you get kicked off the bus at the next exit of the road. Or if you happen to be on US 40, I guess they would just pull over and kick him/her out then and there.

At least I'm glad for Greyhound that you didn't post a big rant saying, "Greyhound sucks! The bus smelled like shte. The ac was broken! The seats were broken and dirty! The restroom leaked and the door caved in! The bus rocked around like a boat! The engine overheated and broke down! Never again!" Shows that the G4500 rebuilds had to come first and foremost on Greyhound's To-Do List.

Usually if you see a driver displaying "GO GREYHOUND", then he's probably a bus fan and a good driver.

 

[Guest]

I don't gamble, but I'd still love to see Las Vegas someday. I like lights. Plus, there are lots of shows, restaurants, and rides. It's kind of like Disneyland for adults.

Yes it is and it is definitely worth the while!

 

[AlienSwarm]

I don't gamble, but I'd still love to see Las Vegas someday. I like lights. Plus, there are lots of shows, restaurants, and rides. It's kind of like Disneyland for adults.

Yes it is and it is definitely worth the while!

Can only agree here. I've been several times and I've had a lot of fun wasting my time there.

 

[GG-1]

I don't gamble, but I'd still love to see Las Vegas someday. I like lights. Plus, there are lots of shows, restaurants, and rides. It's kind of like Disneyland for adults.

Yes it is and it is definitely worth the while!

Can only agree here. I've been several times and I've had a lot of fun wasting my time there.

Having a Good time is never wasting time.

Aloha

 

[Old MM]

agreed GG1 Wise words

Swadian, meant to tell you, there is a Trinity bus service that runs between Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Toledo and Jackson. Probably not in that order. Anyway the Greyhound equipment out of LAX is similar, definitely comfortable and the only difference I could see is that the Trinity bus line has screens where the driver can evidently choose to show a movie. That really does help pass the time.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Greyhound actually has some buses with TV screens, where the driver can show a movie, but passengers complained about blaring audio. They also said most of the movies were boring, G-rated. So Greyhound installed an audio system where passengers can plug in their own headphones, but that caused more complications from screens "disrupting" sleeping passengers and eventually they just gave up.

I agree that Greyhound is sometimes boring if you don't sit in a window seat, but sitting in a window seat really helps a lot, and the older buses with quieter HVAC actually let you hear the engine which is surprisingly entertaining, especially when the turbo kicks in going uphill or passing a truck.

I think Greyhound Canada still has the buses with screens, maybe some Canadian drivers still show movies based on his personal preference. This bus used to have it: http://cptdb.ca/wiki/images/f/f2/Greyhound_Canada_1118-a.jpg, but they took them out during rebuilds. As you can see, it doesn't have screens anymore. But it does have VIP seats!