:hi: Nice Nom de Train! I wish Id tried harder when I was "Forced" to take Piano Lessons as a Kid! :giggle: Welcome to a New Member! And Happy Rails to you! 
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jis
Permanent Way Inspector
Staff member
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Wow! That is almost like my thing with having flown twice in specific aircraft that was later blown up by terrorists (as mentioned in another thread). But this collision was much more immediate in your case, like within hours!
Welcome Aboard on AU!
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Ocala Mike
Lead Service Attendant
Welcome aboard, pianocat. If I ever need a chord "cheat sheet" for my keyboard dabbling, I know who to ask.
Wife and I rode Amtrak from Williamsburg, VA to New York last February for a long weekend and Jersey Boys. We're going to Charleston, SC this winter (hopefully a little warmer than NY!) the same weekend. Prior experience was as a youngster between Norfolk and Crewe, VA to visit grandparents on the N&W Powhatan Arrow. Those were the days, back in early 60s! Looking forward to retirement and more Amtrak trips....
Welcome to vabiker and bgiaquin!
Welcome to what? this site?
Well, yeah, although you've been busily posting for a couple of months. But better late than never (this is about Amtrak, after all
)Lots of good topics floating around. Thanks for a warm welcoming!Well, yeah, although you've been busily posting for a couple of months. But better late than never (this is about Amtrak, after all
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Welcome, fellow Minnesotan!
I'm going to use this as an excuse to finally post to this topic and "introduce" myself. I am a 21-year-old Minnesotan, currently working for a telecom as an internet support technician. When not at work, I'll try to find a way to travel. Some of my friends know me for my crazy antics with bus deals (I once traveled from Omaha to DC and back to Minneapolis for under $20, and originally had tickets for a roundtrip MSP-DC for under $20.) I've recently grown to enjoy train travel and willing, at times, to pay more for the comfort of the train. Ultimately, I hope alternate modes of transportation other than the car gain a comeback, and Amtrak plays a vital role in that picture.
Plus, sometimes I'll bus to Chicago just to ride trains all day. :help:
Nice to meet you. I believe that public transportation is the future for our country, whether it be bus, train, plane.
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2013
- Messages
- 6
Greetings fellow rail lovers;
It's great to find this web site & such a well traveled group. My first introduction to train travel was while frequently traveling between Seattle & Portland. I did many of these trips on the Coast Starlight. From the first time I boarded it was everything I thought train travel should be. The comfortable seating, beautiful view, & room to move around just to name a few. I've now done parts of the Southwest Chief, California Zephyr, & City of New Orleans..
Our most recent adventure was from Jackson to Memphis on the City of New Orleans. We departed at a decent time, arrived at a decent time, got a nice motel room, & woke up ready to tour Memphis. Soon we are taking the Coast Starlight from L.A. up to SLO & spending the next day tripping around wine country. The famous ride between Denver & Glenwood Springs was fantastic & can't wait to take my girlfriend on that one.
Hopefully, this story wasn't too long & would appreciate any suggestions for our future adventures. I'll try to start posting in the language I read here so I don't sound like a total newbee.
Airjnke
It's great to find this web site & such a well traveled group. My first introduction to train travel was while frequently traveling between Seattle & Portland. I did many of these trips on the Coast Starlight. From the first time I boarded it was everything I thought train travel should be. The comfortable seating, beautiful view, & room to move around just to name a few. I've now done parts of the Southwest Chief, California Zephyr, & City of New Orleans..
Our most recent adventure was from Jackson to Memphis on the City of New Orleans. We departed at a decent time, arrived at a decent time, got a nice motel room, & woke up ready to tour Memphis. Soon we are taking the Coast Starlight from L.A. up to SLO & spending the next day tripping around wine country. The famous ride between Denver & Glenwood Springs was fantastic & can't wait to take my girlfriend on that one.
Hopefully, this story wasn't too long & would appreciate any suggestions for our future adventures. I'll try to start posting in the language I read here so I don't sound like a total newbee.
Airjnke
:hi: Welcome to AU! Since youve done Parts of Amtrak Routes already, and you want to Introduce your Girlfriend to Train Travel Id suggest a Day Trip to a Place like New Orleans on the Crescent from Atlanta (you can get really Good Prices on Roomettes on this Route which includes all 3 Meals for Both People even though its a !@-14 Hour "Day Trip!), spend some time in the City,then ride the City of New Orleans Overnite in a Sleeping Car to Chicago which is a great Place to Visit!
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the_traveler
Engineer
Welcome aboard, Airjnke! :hi:
Don't worry about "sounding like a newbie". Remember all of us on AU were newbies once ourselves!
I do that too. I have a goal to ride every line of the L from end to end. I'm about halfway there.
the_traveler
Engineer
I was told to run 3 miles a day. Now I'm 654 miles from home!
Garethe7
Train Attendant
I posted a bio in the intro forum, but I will reply here as well for people that prefer this thread.
I'm 44 and make my living as a machinist, but hope to transition into something less physical now that I've earned an A.S. My current job takes me into the rail yards of Kansas City to unload materials for my company and I'm often having to climb on top of them. As I said in the other thread, you have no idea how high up you are until you're literally on top of them. I don't really care for it to be honest, I prefer to be IN one, preferably a roomette please.
I was born and spent my early years in Blue Island, Illinois' Little Italy; in fact Illinois Central commuter trains literally ran about 10 feet from the house and we got so used to the shaking that we never even noticed it. Later years were spent in the Tinley Park/Oak Forest area. My ancestors came straight from Italy and worked for Rock Island in various capacities. And a couple of my best buddies work for BNSF and they keep me informed of all the "happenings". So yeah, trains have been a big part of my entire life.
Most of my adult life has been in the Seattle area, 20+ years, along with Atlanta and Kansas City. My interests center around tattoos (I have over 200 of em), the World of Warcraft computer game, nature, fitness/exercise, hockey (Canucks), soccer with Arsenal and the Sounders to be favorite teams, although I like em all, the sport is bigger than any one team, and music (I'm a huge fan of trance/progressive/techno).
I have always been deathly afraid of flying and so trains have really helped me see much of the country and I'm grateful for it. I love Amtrak, I love the food, I love the experience that an airplane doesn't come close to, even on the long international flights that I have done. I've been on various cruises and train travel reminds me of it a little, especially in a sleeper, but at a fraction of the cost and much more scenic.
There are many web groups not unlike this one devoted to cruise travel and I have been looking for years for something along the lines of trains and here you are! I hope to get to know all of you as time goes on. I will be on the SWC/EB in early November as I relocate back to Seattle, Washington.
I'm 44 and make my living as a machinist, but hope to transition into something less physical now that I've earned an A.S. My current job takes me into the rail yards of Kansas City to unload materials for my company and I'm often having to climb on top of them. As I said in the other thread, you have no idea how high up you are until you're literally on top of them. I don't really care for it to be honest, I prefer to be IN one, preferably a roomette please.
I was born and spent my early years in Blue Island, Illinois' Little Italy; in fact Illinois Central commuter trains literally ran about 10 feet from the house and we got so used to the shaking that we never even noticed it. Later years were spent in the Tinley Park/Oak Forest area. My ancestors came straight from Italy and worked for Rock Island in various capacities. And a couple of my best buddies work for BNSF and they keep me informed of all the "happenings". So yeah, trains have been a big part of my entire life.
Most of my adult life has been in the Seattle area, 20+ years, along with Atlanta and Kansas City. My interests center around tattoos (I have over 200 of em), the World of Warcraft computer game, nature, fitness/exercise, hockey (Canucks), soccer with Arsenal and the Sounders to be favorite teams, although I like em all, the sport is bigger than any one team, and music (I'm a huge fan of trance/progressive/techno).
I have always been deathly afraid of flying and so trains have really helped me see much of the country and I'm grateful for it. I love Amtrak, I love the food, I love the experience that an airplane doesn't come close to, even on the long international flights that I have done. I've been on various cruises and train travel reminds me of it a little, especially in a sleeper, but at a fraction of the cost and much more scenic.
There are many web groups not unlike this one devoted to cruise travel and I have been looking for years for something along the lines of trains and here you are! I hope to get to know all of you as time goes on. I will be on the SWC/EB in early November as I relocate back to Seattle, Washington.
Alliance or Horde?
My boyfriend and I met on WoW. It was totally not our intention to meet anyone, as we were solely on there to play a game and get epic loot; it just kind of happened. I'm very much NOT the stereotypical gamer girl who tee-hees her way into a 25-man Heroic.
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Garethe7
Train Attendant
Suh-weet! Always up for some wow discussion....Alliance mostly, I like the quest lines/zones better, and I mostly pvp, although I've been going back and doing the old raids, I just got fiery warhorse, can you believe it? Only 50 tries, there are some people that have been trying for 5 years!
I play on Wyrmrest Accord. My mains are 90 sub rogue, 90 holy priest, and a 90 fury warrior, although he's pretty much shelved this expac.
Edit: I also love blood elf lore and my warrior is a BE, so I do play both sides, but Alliance only for pvp because I love 40 mans which happen to be the only bg's alliance can ever win, lol.
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You saved yourself in that edit.
Our mains are Horde. You're right about BGs, though. Alliance pretty much owns those.I absolutely adore the blood elves. My main is a BE mage, and I have a few other blood elf toons. My boyfriend's main is a Tauren druid (he used to tank, but he's been healing a lot lately).
I do have a space goat on another server. I got bored of the same old quest lines, even after the xpacs, and I wanted to see the Alliance areas without getting attacked. We play our Horde toons on Terenas; I can't remember which server my space goat is on, though. Blood something. Or maybe it's Burning Blade. I haven't been on that toon in ages.
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Garethe7
Train Attendant
I will have to check out Terenas sometime. Most of the time my low lvl alts are Blood Elves, because they look fantastic, the music in their zones is fantastic, and the best transmogs are from Outland and BE's pretty much owned that expac. BE gear doesn't look right on the other races. My rogue is human because they have the best stealth animations and my priest is a gnome because they have the best casting animations. My all time favorite class are death knights, I love the lore and I love the lich king, but ironically I have never leveled one past 70 or so, but for rp you really don't need to be level capped.
I was the same as your boyfriend, I tanked up until early cata when heroics were a nightmare, the healers complained they couldn't keep me alive so I rolled a healer to learn more about it and fell in love with it, I started pvp healing and I never really looked back. My rogue is used for some pvp, but mostly rp and solo pve, when I wanna play and not be bothered by anybody, plus it's fun to sneak around all the time.
I have a level 87 I think gnome mage, a favorite toon, but never get much time for a 4th level 90, it's taking me forever to get through Pandaria. They have great utility though and jump on him for world events when I need to get someplace fast, like Moonglade. Even alliance rarely go to Darnassus, lol.
I was the same as your boyfriend, I tanked up until early cata when heroics were a nightmare, the healers complained they couldn't keep me alive so I rolled a healer to learn more about it and fell in love with it, I started pvp healing and I never really looked back. My rogue is used for some pvp, but mostly rp and solo pve, when I wanna play and not be bothered by anybody, plus it's fun to sneak around all the time.
I have a level 87 I think gnome mage, a favorite toon, but never get much time for a 4th level 90, it's taking me forever to get through Pandaria. They have great utility though and jump on him for world events when I need to get someplace fast, like Moonglade. Even alliance rarely go to Darnassus, lol.
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Ryan
Court Jester
Joe F
Train Attendant
Greetings, AU people! I’ve been lurking here for some time, and finally decided to sign up.
I grew up in the Detroit area and, after a few years in northeastern Wisconsin, settled in St. Paul nearly 30 years ago. I still have family in Detroit, so I make the Amtrak MSP-CHI-DER trip once or twice a year. I have a sister in Los Angeles, and have made the MSP-PDX-LAX trip a couple of times to visit her. Some friends think I’m crazy for spending 3 days on a train when I could fly to LA in 3 hours, but they simply don’t understand! I have nothing against flying, but the train is a lot more fun.
I am a structural engineer, and spent many years designing components for offshore cranes and mooring systems. For the past 12 years I’ve worked for Minnesota DOT, first in bridge design and more recently in bridge inspection. The job takes me all over the state from April through October, and on most days I am very glad to be outdoors and not chained to a desk. (My profile picture shows a late eastbound Empire Builder at Red Wing, MN in June 2012, taken from a Snooper hanging below the US-63 bridge).
I am a strong advocate for Amtrak, but they don’t make it easy for me. I have a hard time recommending the train for friends who are going beyond Chicago, as the perpetually-late Empire Builder almost guarantees a missed connection. I know people who gave Amtrak a try, had a bad experience or a bustitution, and said “Never again!” Amtrak really needs to fix this, either by modifying schedules to reflect reality or adding a second train between MSP and CHI. OK, rant over!
I grew up in the Detroit area and, after a few years in northeastern Wisconsin, settled in St. Paul nearly 30 years ago. I still have family in Detroit, so I make the Amtrak MSP-CHI-DER trip once or twice a year. I have a sister in Los Angeles, and have made the MSP-PDX-LAX trip a couple of times to visit her. Some friends think I’m crazy for spending 3 days on a train when I could fly to LA in 3 hours, but they simply don’t understand! I have nothing against flying, but the train is a lot more fun.
I am a structural engineer, and spent many years designing components for offshore cranes and mooring systems. For the past 12 years I’ve worked for Minnesota DOT, first in bridge design and more recently in bridge inspection. The job takes me all over the state from April through October, and on most days I am very glad to be outdoors and not chained to a desk. (My profile picture shows a late eastbound Empire Builder at Red Wing, MN in June 2012, taken from a Snooper hanging below the US-63 bridge).
I am a strong advocate for Amtrak, but they don’t make it easy for me. I have a hard time recommending the train for friends who are going beyond Chicago, as the perpetually-late Empire Builder almost guarantees a missed connection. I know people who gave Amtrak a try, had a bad experience or a bustitution, and said “Never again!” Amtrak really needs to fix this, either by modifying schedules to reflect reality or adding a second train between MSP and CHI. OK, rant over!
Hi Everyone,
I've stumbled across this message board a few times when thinking about taking another journey on Amtrak and I've had fun reading lots of post on train travel. I'm not nearly as prolific a train rider as all of you from what I've read but I love riding the train and I wish I could ride it everywhere.
I'm originally from Northeast Jersey (Jersey City to be exact) so most of my experience growing up on trains, railroads and the like were on the nyc subway, NJ Transit, NYNJ PATH and later the light rail system.
My first Amtrak train ride was the first time I ever traveled by myself away from home. I was 13 years old and heading to visit my Aunt in Georgia around winter break/holiday season (I hadn't been down there to see her in about 3 or so years but we would drive/fly when I was a kid). My mom brought me a train ticket to get to Atlanta from Newark Penn Station. Having never ridden Amtrak (and never having gone anywhere far without some form of family with me) I didn't really know what to expect and I'll admit to being a little apprehensive. Being a city kid I was pretty self sufficient so I was mostly only worried about finding my Aunt once I got off the train at my destination since she lived in the suburbs of ATL. I was very concerned she wouldn't be there! lol Of course my train was late.... We stopped somewhere for some reason for hours, I think the actual journey took more like 20+ hours (supposed to be 17+) and that put some butterflies in my stomach concerning being on my own once in Atlanta. I shouldn't have worried of course, my Aunt knew of the delays and was there waiting for me upon arrival.
The actual time on the train is something I'll probably never forget. My mom was with me on the platform when the train pulled up but once I got on I was on my own! I ended up in a window seat near the door between cars (big mistake). I guess the opening and closing of that door made it very cold where I was and my long johns were not keeping my ankles warm and my toes were cold, maybe the car wasn't sufficiently heated though? I was sitting next to a nice, big, and very talkative women who told me all about her decision to move to ATL, GA and how this was her final trip down for good. I don't recall doing much talking back to her, but she was one of those people who could hold a conversation all on her own. She probably thought me being a kid traveling by myself that I would like someone to talk to. I didn't move from my seat the entire journey :lol: , mostly because the women next to me didn't move and I didn't want to make her get up. Luckily I'm one of those people that once settled will stay in my seat, I usually never have to go to the bathroom or need to walk around.
I believe the train I rode was the Crescent, if the name wasn't different 15 some odd years ago. The ride back was uneventful, as most journeys back home tend to be. No worries about being picked up or train being late because I know Jersey, and I could get home from Newark on my own if need be.
I've ridden Amtrak a lot since then, mostly I frequent the short trips on the Northeast Regional between Newark and Washington D.C. where I currently live (but have taken it further up to Boston). I've ridden a few other lines on trips to N.C. (Palmetto), had to sleep in a train station in NC after a storm downed trees and my train was delayed 8 + hours. I had already checked out of my hotel and didn't feel like leaving just have to come back. Fun times! (I've had to do this at an airport too). The Amtrak personnel at the station were very nice in a frustrating situation and I even got a very nice voucher for my troubles.
I'm always trying to find excuses to ride the train somewhere instead of drive or fly (I hate flying), even when time or money wise it makes sense to NOT take the train. But it's so much more enjoyable to kick back on the train and watch the scenery go by. I love it. I hope to do a cross country trip by train soon (I've done a cross country road trip with friends already), but it's hard to get others to understand that the train ride is part of, if not the best part of the journey.
I've stumbled across this message board a few times when thinking about taking another journey on Amtrak and I've had fun reading lots of post on train travel. I'm not nearly as prolific a train rider as all of you from what I've read but I love riding the train and I wish I could ride it everywhere.
I'm originally from Northeast Jersey (Jersey City to be exact) so most of my experience growing up on trains, railroads and the like were on the nyc subway, NJ Transit, NYNJ PATH and later the light rail system.
My first Amtrak train ride was the first time I ever traveled by myself away from home. I was 13 years old and heading to visit my Aunt in Georgia around winter break/holiday season (I hadn't been down there to see her in about 3 or so years but we would drive/fly when I was a kid). My mom brought me a train ticket to get to Atlanta from Newark Penn Station. Having never ridden Amtrak (and never having gone anywhere far without some form of family with me) I didn't really know what to expect and I'll admit to being a little apprehensive. Being a city kid I was pretty self sufficient so I was mostly only worried about finding my Aunt once I got off the train at my destination since she lived in the suburbs of ATL. I was very concerned she wouldn't be there! lol Of course my train was late.... We stopped somewhere for some reason for hours, I think the actual journey took more like 20+ hours (supposed to be 17+) and that put some butterflies in my stomach concerning being on my own once in Atlanta. I shouldn't have worried of course, my Aunt knew of the delays and was there waiting for me upon arrival.
The actual time on the train is something I'll probably never forget. My mom was with me on the platform when the train pulled up but once I got on I was on my own! I ended up in a window seat near the door between cars (big mistake). I guess the opening and closing of that door made it very cold where I was and my long johns were not keeping my ankles warm and my toes were cold, maybe the car wasn't sufficiently heated though? I was sitting next to a nice, big, and very talkative women who told me all about her decision to move to ATL, GA and how this was her final trip down for good. I don't recall doing much talking back to her, but she was one of those people who could hold a conversation all on her own. She probably thought me being a kid traveling by myself that I would like someone to talk to.
I didn't move from my seat the entire journey :lol: , mostly because the women next to me didn't move and I didn't want to make her get up. Luckily I'm one of those people that once settled will stay in my seat, I usually never have to go to the bathroom or need to walk around.I believe the train I rode was the Crescent, if the name wasn't different 15 some odd years ago. The ride back was uneventful, as most journeys back home tend to be. No worries about being picked up or train being late because I know Jersey, and I could get home from Newark on my own if need be.
I've ridden Amtrak a lot since then, mostly I frequent the short trips on the Northeast Regional between Newark and Washington D.C. where I currently live (but have taken it further up to Boston). I've ridden a few other lines on trips to N.C. (Palmetto), had to sleep in a train station in NC after a storm downed trees and my train was delayed 8 + hours. I had already checked out of my hotel and didn't feel like leaving just have to come back. Fun times!
(I've had to do this at an airport too). The Amtrak personnel at the station were very nice in a frustrating situation and I even got a very nice voucher for my troubles.I'm always trying to find excuses to ride the train somewhere instead of drive or fly (I hate flying), even when time or money wise it makes sense to NOT take the train. But it's so much more enjoyable to kick back on the train and watch the scenery go by. I love it. I hope to do a cross country trip by train soon (I've done a cross country road trip with friends already), but it's hard to get others to understand that the train ride is part of, if not the best part of the journey.
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