Trip across Canada and to Florida

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Welcome Home Penny! Its 25 degrees here in Austin, finally had a couple of inches of Rain and our first freeze, we arent used to all this Cold and Wet! :lol:

Hope the Starlight and Zephyr rides are warm, on time and the food is good and tyhe OBS better on your way home! Dont forget and look for a Dome car or the Parlor(except the PPC on the Starlight! :wub: ), Amtrak is fresh out! ^_^ At least theres only two directions on the Train, forwards and backwards! Rest up and enjoy the Loooooong ride home to Sunny Florida! Perhaps you can shed a few layers of Winter Clothing on the way home!

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

 We'll be passing one another tonight somewhere between Chico and Redding. We've got really clear skies and a nearly full moon this evening, so be on the lookout for Mt. Shasta gleaming above the train. It may be a beautiful sight! 

 

[pennyk]

 We'll be passing one another tonight somewhere between Chico and Redding. We've got really clear skies and a nearly full moon this evening, so be on the lookout for Mt. Shasta gleaming above the train. It may be a beautiful sight! 

I likely will be sleeping when we pass but I will pretend to wave. I have seen the moon and it is beautiful. I likely will not see Mt. Shasta - i am on the wrong side of the train and hopefully will be sleeping soundly.

 

[the_traveler]

will be sleeping soundly.

After all those Canadian beers I'm sure you'll be sleeping like a rock!

 

[pennyk]

will be sleeping soundly.

After all those Canadian beers I'm sure you'll be sleeping like a rock!

I am in MTZ, CA right now after sleeping very well on the CS. I did not drink any Canadian beer yesterday (Thursday, I think), but I did partake in the CS wine tasting and i finished every drop that was poured.

I am connecting to the CZ in Martinez at the suggestion of jimhudson - thanks Jim. The phone agent would not permit an EMY connection, so it was either SAC or MTZ. We arrived in SAC before 5:30 am, and I am sure glad I did not have to get off the train there. I was able to eat breakfast and relax for a few minutes. The MTZ station is nice, but the wooden benches are hard if you have a boney butt :lol: ...... but - it is much better than SAC.

 

[the_traveler]

The MTZ station is nice, but the wooden benches are hard if you have a boney butt :lol: ...... but - it is much better than SAC.

Yes it is, and yes it is! Put some more "junk in the trunk"

- have some more deserts!

 

[pennyk]

I am on the CZ now - sitting in the sightseer lounge. Although I was told that there is a low pax load, the lounge is packed. The conductor announced that 100 people were going to be getting off in Reno. I believe it because I am sitting at a table and everyone around me is going to Reno. There is a group of friends/family occupying 3 tables. They are from Sonoma and some of them grow grapes and make wine. The brought many bottles of their "home grown" with them and are enjoying it in the lounge car. My guess is that against the rules, but no one has said anything. One of the men said that he asked if it was OK and he was told yes.

We are at about 1 mile elevation and the is snow outside.

 

[manchacrr]

Just curious, how was the phone service in Canada? I have an iPhone and plan on purchasing an international calling card when I get to Toronto.

 

[pennyk]

Just curious, how was the phone service in Canada? I have an iPhone and plan on purchasing an international calling card when I get to Toronto.

I normally use a tracfone, prepaid phone, which does not work at all in Canada. For emergency purposes, so i would have a phone, I purchased a $10 AT&T go phone and put $25 on it. In Canada, it worked on Rogers roaming network, and i was charged 38¢ per minute for calls and 25¢ for texts. I had service around cities - about the same as the Canadians.

BTW - right now we are in Elko, Nevada (arriving a few minutes early).

 

[caravanman]

Hi Penny,

Seated in my hotel in hot hot Trivandrum, South India, your cold Canadian journey has some appeal, one can be just too warm, methinks.

I took the Canadian myself earlier this year, my memory is of consuming vast amounts of champaign, and yes, I was happy to consume every drop too!

I am coming to the end of my rail tour here, maybe I will take a contrasting winter trip on the Canadian soon.

Be Lucky,

Ed

 

[pennyk]

I woke up early in order to see the lunar eclipse. I was able to see portions of it when we were not in a canyon. We are just east of Helper, UT and we are running pretty much on time.

After Reno, the passenger load thinned out considerably. I heard the LSA mention that there are only 27 sleeping car pax - apparently there were 30 for dinner last night and we "lost" 3.

Ed - you may be warm in India, but I am warm in Utah! I think they are over heating the train. I am in short sleeves, as are many of the sleeping car pax. I will put on some layers when i get fresh air. Dave - there is some of that northern "sand" outdoors.

 

[pennyk]

Before I forget, I want to comment about my SCa on the CZ. His name is Pete and i think he is the best SCA that i have EVER had.

I am in a bedroom and he has emptied my trash bag several times, cleaned my mirror, and cleaned my toilet. He comes by regularly to see if I need anything. He is efficient, friendly and attentive - but not overbearing.

 

[gswager]

According to our guy caves, he's overdoing!

 

[pennyk]

We are in Iowa now and running a little late. According to the LSA, if we are late in Iowa, we should blame Warren Buffet and "his" coal trains. So far today, I have seen 2 empty coal trains and one full coal train, which we passed. Iowa, to me, looks a lot better with snow on the ground. It is quite scenic.

I am in the SSL, and for the first time this trip, I am cold inside the train. It was so warm inside my room, that i was tempted to put on shorts - i am glad I chose to continue to wear my yoga pants (which I can roll up if I get warm).

We just stopped along side of another full coal train. Neither train is moving now. I hope we get to go first.

I remain very happy with my SCA Pete. Apparently he is keeping the community restrooms very clean. I heard a woman pax compliment him.

 

[jis]

Just curious, how was the phone service in Canada? I have an iPhone and plan on purchasing an international calling card when I get to Toronto.

I normally use a tracfone, prepaid phone, which does not work at all in Canada. For emergency purposes, so i would have a phone, I purchased a $10 AT&T go phone and put $25 on it. In Canada, it worked on Rogers roaming network, and i was charged 38¢ per minute for calls and 25¢ for texts. I had service around cities - about the same as the Canadians.

BTW - right now we are in Elko, Nevada (arriving a few minutes early).

I usually just add on Canada Roaming to my AT&T All US plan (including metered Data) whenever I go to Canada, just for the duration of the plan. Surprisngly, Rogers actually provides better service where there is coverage than AT&T does at my home in the middle of NJ subrbia!

 

[PRR 60]

Just curious, how was the phone service in Canada? I have an iPhone and plan on purchasing an international calling card when I get to Toronto.

The big issue with iPhone outside the US is data. If you want to use things like e-mail, apps, or even just Google maps on the 3G system, then you should buy an international data plan. Otherwise, be sure that all your data-stuff, including e-mail fetching and push notifications, is turned off for 3G and only used when you have W-Fi access.

Earlier this year I was in Europe for a week. I purchased a 100MB international data plan from AT&T for $120 (price is now $50 for 125MB). I used 85MB in 7 days (being careful to not downloads videos and other data-rich stuff, and using Wi-Fi where I could). Had I used that same data on pay-as-you-go roaming, it would have cost about $1400. That would have been a rude wake-up call when the AT&T bill arrived.

 

[jis]

Just curious, how was the phone service in Canada? I have an iPhone and plan on purchasing an international calling card when I get to Toronto.

The big issue with iPhone outside the US is data. If you want to use things like e-mail, apps, or even just Google maps on the 3G system, then you should buy an international data plan. Otherwise, be sure that all your data-stuff, including e-mail fetching and push notifications, is turned off for 3G and only used when you have W-Fi access.

Earlier this year I was in Europe for a week. I purchased a 100MB international data plan from AT&T for $120 (price is now $50 for 125MB). I used 85MB in 7 days (being careful to not downloads videos and other data-rich stuff, and using Wi-Fi where I could). Had I used that same data on pay-as-you-go roaming, it would have cost about $1400. That would have been a rude wake-up call when the AT&T bill arrived.

Yep. And the other advantage of buying a international roaming data plan is that even the overage gets charged at a relatively modest rate per additional 10M blocks as I recall. Which reminds me, I better up my international roaming data plan for 3 weeks stay in India

 

[pennyk]

In CHI metro lounge and Wi-Fi is working. it is pretty quiet. The CZ and SWC have already arrived and I think the Empire Builder is arriving now. As always, it is way too warm in here and i have removed 4 of the layers I wore for my walk to Whole Foods. I will be boarding the CL in about a half hour,

 

[Bob Dylan]

In CHI metro lounge and Wi-Fi is working. it is pretty quiet. The CZ and SWC have already arrived and I think the Empire Builder is arriving now. As always, it is way too warm in here and i have removed 4 of the layers I wore for my walk to Whole Foods. I will be boarding the CL in about a half hour,

:hi: Glad you made it on time Penny! #6 had been really late the past week or so! Have enjoyed the up-dates re your fellow pax/the snow/scenery etc. Nice pics! Hope the Cap has a Good Sleeper, Good OBS and runs On Time! Enjoy the Diner, hope there's something you can eat, bet youre ready to be back in Orlando, its 40s and cloudy/drizzly here! :help: Know the trip has been Loooooong but still Memory Book stuff! All aboard! Jim

 

[pennyk]

On CL now, still in station. I'm in a Superliner II, room B, with the couch facing forward, for the 3rd time this trip!!

 

[pennyk]

One additional comment about the CZ - on my first trip (westbound in 2010), our train was "mooned" by people canoing on the Colorado River. Since the river is almost frozen, that would be very cold. Yesterday, right after our train emerged from the Moffat tunnel, we were mooned by some men who had stopped by the side of the road. Everyone in the lounge car was amused! :giggle:

As a current note, I am on the CL now and we are running over an hour late and we are still in Indiana. I hope we will not have a bustitution.

 

[manchacrr]

Just curious, how was the phone service in Canada? I have an iPhone and plan on purchasing an international calling card when I get to Toronto.

The big issue with iPhone outside the US is data. If you want to use things like e-mail, apps, or even just Google maps on the 3G system, then you should buy an international data plan. Otherwise, be sure that all your data-stuff, including e-mail fetching and push notifications, is turned off for 3G and only used when you have W-Fi access.

Earlier this year I was in Europe for a week. I purchased a 100MB international data plan from AT&T for $120 (price is now $50 for 125MB). I used 85MB in 7 days (being careful to not downloads videos and other data-rich stuff, and using Wi-Fi where I could). Had I used that same data on pay-as-you-go roaming, it would have cost about $1400. That would have been a rude wake-up call when the AT&T bill arrived.

Yep. And the other advantage of buying a international roaming data plan is that even the overage gets charged at a relatively modest rate per additional 10M blocks as I recall. Which reminds me, I better up my international roaming data plan for 3 weeks stay in India

Thanks for the information.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I just went outdoors for a few minutes when it was 6 below F. I did not last long even though I was wearing long underwear, jeans, t shirt, turtleneck, sweater, down vest, wool peacoat, wool scarf, glove liners, mittens and lined hat with ear flaps. I also was wearing wool socks and boots and had hand warmers in my pockets . Everything was fine except for my face.

We still have about another hour + here, so i might try again and cover my face with my scarf.

Anything below, say 20 F, and the only skin you can see on me is around my eyes...if I don't have sunglasses on.

I live in Delaware, so I am "used to" the cold...as long as I dress for it. And I do wear the layers like you posted.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

One additional comment about the CZ - on my first trip (westbound in 2010), our train was "mooned" by people canoing on the Colorado River. Since the river is almost frozen, that would be very cold. Yesterday, right after our train emerged from the Moffat tunnel, we were mooned by some men who had stopped by the side of the road. Everyone in the lounge car was amused!

Down here in Texas "mooning" can be charged as indecent exposure and can provide you with a lifetime membership to the sex offender registry. Or at least that's what I've read. h34r:

 

[pennyk]

I arrived in WAS a couple of hours late on the CL.

My sister, who lives in Maryland, took MARC and met me at Union Station. We were on our way to walk around outside when we ran into none other than our Anthony - just hanging out in front of Barnes and Noble. What a treat and what a surprise!

I am waiting to board the Silver Meteor, the last train of this epic trip. It will be very strange returning home to 70°+ temperatures.