Again that would be the first category: those who can't or don't want to fly
Who is drawn to slow train travel?
- Thread starter vinceg723
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Yes yes yes, I was going to add this category. Some Americans can't or don't like to drive. Some don't own cars, either because of expense or by choice. (In dense cities being car-free is practical and, often, liberating.) Even before I parted with my trusty Toyota, 21 years old and never gave me a day's trouble, I'd nevertheless take the train between DC and Pittsburgh. "Why?," people asked. Well, my DC office was 3 blocks from Union Station, my Pittsburgh place literally above the train station, an 8-hour train trip with a nice glass of red wine sure beat fetching the car for a stressful 4 to 5 hours on interstates.
A Venn diagram of all of the categories would show vast overlaps. People who take the train, by and large, prefer it to car or bus or plane. For a variety of reasons.
Ding ding ding!
There are many, many coach Amtrak trips that are economically much more feasible than flying. Slow or not.
Very true, if you are lucky enough to be conveniently situated near an Amtrak route.
vinceg723
Train Attendant
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Not a troll at all. I love Amtrak long-distance as much as anyone on this forum. I wish I had the time to use it every time I traveled NYC-Chicago or NYC-San Diego to see my family.
Personally, I fall into the category of someone who just loves train travel.
I figured I was oversimplifying things with those four categories (and noted that), and I appreciate everyone's contributions in helping me further develop the point, which is a smaller part of an overall project.
To the OP: Your project is interesting. As you develop the material I think it will help you to consider more specifically the case you are making.
I fall into the category of car free by choice/expense (though I likely may end that due to the drastic change in convenience a car will afford me professionally).
For 5 years in Boston I managed to avoid driving and enjoy car free life. Couple perks:
-I more or less save $450 a month with gas, insurance, parking space, and parking in general.
-recreation. I don’t drink a lot, but when I do, I never have to worry about driving home.
-speeding and parking tickets don’t exist for me.
-my life is safer because I don’t risk driving in Boston with Massholes.
-I owe my current perfect driving citation record in part to not having a car. Fewer chances to mess up.
-if you really need it, Uber and Lyft exist.
The MBTA isn’t great, but it’s functional (mostly) and the $90 monthly pass is pretty affordable.
Even when traveling:
-Car rental is stressful and extremely expensive.
-it’s cool to travel large distances without ever driving.
-driving in unfamiliar areas is a risk.
that’s why I go out of my way to ensure that LD trains are truly a worse option for travel before I try something else.
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You are correct on all counts. I only fly Southwest for the same reason. Their customer service agents handle the process perfectly. I've never had passengers react negatively. It's quite the reverse, actually, when they realize the middle seat won't be occupied and they can use it for their coat and stuff.
I also make sure to ask the FA for a seat belt extender as I'm boarding, as they can usually reach into that front closet by the door and grab the one they use for the safety demonstration. That way, you don't risk them running out as more people board, and it's more discreet.A couple agents with Alaska once questioned if I was actually fat enough to need two seats, in front of a line of people no less. They said things like, "You don't look that big." Even though they probably meant it as a compliment, it was so embarrassing. I submitted some feedback after my trip because it's really none of their business why a passenger needs two seats. I had paid for them, so it wasn't like I was trying to get free space.
Well said, and I'm sure I'm not alone here in being very interested in reading the OP's final product too.
Most everyone that has commented have exceptionally good reasons for train travel.
As for me, I spent 47 years within the airline industry (both passenger and cargo) starting when I was 16. Doing pretty much everything (including flight attendant) except pilot and aircraft maintenance. I grew up from infancy in the aviation environment as dad was a Miami International airport air traffic control supervisor. As well as owned a plane. And my mother was a bartender in the MIA terminal for over 25 years. And even my sister spent some time in the field. So you can say it was kind of in my DNA to wind up in the industry.
Dad loved trains too. And about 1959 took me on a day trip on the Silver Meteor or Star from Miami up to Jacksonville. And that was where my love of train travel started. Though it was 20 years later before my next train trip the Floridian from Nashville to Miami I enjoyed seeing and watching them. My interests are mainly focused on passenger rail and not as much as freight.
Since 2001 air travel has become tedious and very uncomfortable. Having to take your shoes off and pull out your laptop computers and almost strip down to your skivvies just to get to the plane. And the airlines have crammed so mainly seats into every aircraft not to mention the new thing of non-reclining seats. That you have to sit bolt upright with your chin resting on your kneecaps for hours. And your only reward is a bag of peanuts and a cup of orange juice. That sucks! I remember back in 1964 flying by myself from Miami to New York and onto Munich for a summer when I was 11 years old. Big comfortable (LD coach sized) seats and full meals even for economy (known as Y class then) passengers. If you want first class nowadays be ready for to fork over a couple thousand dollars like up to $2320 from Chicago to Los Angeles on United. And just did a quick check of fares from Chicago to Los Angeles. Southwest Airlines: $148 vs Amtrak SWC: $281. So train travel is not necessarily a cheaper form of travel.
Then there is the experiences. You have room to move around and not just stuck in your seat. You see this great nation and not just the tops of clouds. And the best part of it you meet people from all walks of life. Could be an Asian kid seeing the world, a celebrity that is afraid of flying, airline flight personnel traveling for the company to their home base or even a professional prostitute from the Mustang Ranch! All of which I have met and had interesting conversations with. Flying you are lucky to even get a hello out of your seat mate!
I personally enjoy the relaxation and non-rushed feeling onboard the train. I have spent up to 9 consecutive nights/10 days onboard and still did not want to detrain. Sadly health issue have curtailed most of my travels for the last few years. But I still have hope to be able to get back to it. And I still watch the California Zephyr pass my window everyday in/out of Denver.
I enjoy exploring America at see-level!
As for me, I spent 47 years within the airline industry (both passenger and cargo) starting when I was 16. Doing pretty much everything (including flight attendant) except pilot and aircraft maintenance. I grew up from infancy in the aviation environment as dad was a Miami International airport air traffic control supervisor. As well as owned a plane. And my mother was a bartender in the MIA terminal for over 25 years. And even my sister spent some time in the field. So you can say it was kind of in my DNA to wind up in the industry.
Dad loved trains too. And about 1959 took me on a day trip on the Silver Meteor or Star from Miami up to Jacksonville. And that was where my love of train travel started. Though it was 20 years later before my next train trip the Floridian from Nashville to Miami I enjoyed seeing and watching them. My interests are mainly focused on passenger rail and not as much as freight.
Since 2001 air travel has become tedious and very uncomfortable. Having to take your shoes off and pull out your laptop computers and almost strip down to your skivvies just to get to the plane. And the airlines have crammed so mainly seats into every aircraft not to mention the new thing of non-reclining seats. That you have to sit bolt upright with your chin resting on your kneecaps for hours. And your only reward is a bag of peanuts and a cup of orange juice. That sucks! I remember back in 1964 flying by myself from Miami to New York and onto Munich for a summer when I was 11 years old. Big comfortable (LD coach sized) seats and full meals even for economy (known as Y class then) passengers. If you want first class nowadays be ready for to fork over a couple thousand dollars like up to $2320 from Chicago to Los Angeles on United. And just did a quick check of fares from Chicago to Los Angeles. Southwest Airlines: $148 vs Amtrak SWC: $281. So train travel is not necessarily a cheaper form of travel.
Then there is the experiences. You have room to move around and not just stuck in your seat. You see this great nation and not just the tops of clouds. And the best part of it you meet people from all walks of life. Could be an Asian kid seeing the world, a celebrity that is afraid of flying, airline flight personnel traveling for the company to their home base or even a professional prostitute from the Mustang Ranch! All of which I have met and had interesting conversations with. Flying you are lucky to even get a hello out of your seat mate!
I personally enjoy the relaxation and non-rushed feeling onboard the train. I have spent up to 9 consecutive nights/10 days onboard and still did not want to detrain. Sadly health issue have curtailed most of my travels for the last few years. But I still have hope to be able to get back to it. And I still watch the California Zephyr pass my window everyday in/out of Denver.
I enjoy exploring America at see-level!
If only Amtrak would let you purchase the seat next to you,especially on overnight runs. The prospect of having a seatmate on long distance train deters me from Coach. If only sleepers were not so expensive.
- people who do not like to fly (or are afraid to, or cannot for religious or cultural reasons, such as Amish).
- people with a love of train travel.
- retirees or others with a lot of time to spare
- people who live in remote towns served by train but not by air
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Saturday my wife and I did a day trip on Carolinian 80 and Piedmont 75 back for no other reason than just to ride a train.
Done Fort Morgan-Emeryville and back a couple of times just for the ride. Just wish it didn't require an overnight in Emeryville.
Qapla
Engineer
I would love to be able to take a day trip to Savannah - but the NB trains only run at night even if the fare is only $37 each way - it would require an overnight stay ... unlike a daytrip to Tampa or Orlando where I can go down and back on the same day for about the same fare price - even less when they run a "sale" or "Saver Fare" that is $26
The way the train motion feels! Nothing like it. Even the clickety-clack on a slow old route is great! The horn! Not for sleeping so much, but the rest of the time. Some of us _just_love_trains.
We did the Cardinal last week RT just for the ride. It turned out the full day in Maysville KY was also outstanding, but that wasn't why we went. On vacations, we always count the train trip as part of the vacation, not just a way to get to a vacation. When people compare costs of sleepers to flying, they sometimes forget to add in the lodging and meals you'd have to pay for using the same number of days at a destination. Oh yeah and the incredible tour, how much would that cost?
Yall just missed the devastating Tornado(s)that hit Kentucky and did extensive damage to Maysville!
No that was Mayfield, southwest part of the state. Maysville is in the northeast near Cincinnati. The tornado cluster path was definitely headed up there but did not get that far. So tragic for Mayfield, absolutely flattened.
PS Someone did mention that the Cardinal had to stop because of downed trees in Indiana. Probably everything in Kentucky and neighboring states was messed up. Really terrible.
My bad,hopefully tge good good people of Kentucky will recover and rebuild quickly and the Trains will once again be running.
Because my Dad worked for a Railroad, I grew up riding trains without any concern for speed. Later on in Life, I had to fly for business trips because trains weren't practical. As has been mentioned, Flying is alot more stressful. Now that I am retired, I have more time to travel by train but the option is 2 trains per day (the Texas Eagle from Malvern or Arkadelphia, AR).
Here in Maine, going from Portland to Boston you have several options. You can fly Cape Air/JetBlue for about $300 and a 1 hour flight (plus you have security etc.). There is pretty good bus service hourly pre COVID buses are clean and drivers courteous but it is still just a bus and the scenery along I95 is mostly trees until you get to the Boston burbs. The Downeaster is roughly equivalent to the bus in tIme and expense but you can move around, go to the excellent cafe, and get some good scenery especially just South of Portland plus going through the charming towns in Maine and New Hampshire that the highway bypasses. So generally we take the train going to Boston, the only exception being to connect to flights at Logan we might take the bus as it goes directly to the airport terminal thereby avoiding taking the T, especially if one has luggage.
When I first started to ride trains I loved the various color schemes of the outsides and insides, not just one cookie cutter for all runs like today. It was fun to ride a name train and know you were on it. However there were a couple things that got me hooked. One was personally I don't care to fly and have refused to do so since the early 60s. What I do like though is the feeling of going somewhere and what is in between. To me going to an air port and getting back off in an airport only in a different location just seems like your missing the real feeling the distance and the landscape of the country. I really liked it when the Pullman Company cars were on the rear of the train. I always feel more unsafe right up front. My comment about taking the train was in a really bad wreck a lot of people walk away with there suitcases. But in an air liner crash often no one is unhurt, or even survives. And I suppose like others I simply also don't like to drive long distances.
Saddleshoes
Service Attendant
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Did anyone bring up the importance of transition as a reason to go by train?
When we fly we lose all prospective between the two locations. When we go by train we see the transition in land, flora, fauna, architecture, and people.
To me the greatest thing about train travel is taking note of the transition.
When we fly we lose all prospective between the two locations. When we go by train we see the transition in land, flora, fauna, architecture, and people.
To me the greatest thing about train travel is taking note of the transition.
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
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Very similar situation for me.
My Grandfather worked for the railroad - Bengal Nagpur Railway in India. He was initially a Permanent Way inspector and rose through the ranks to a post at the HQ in Garden Reach in Calcutta. So I jokingly say that trains are etched in my DNA.
I had not flown except for a trip to the US in 1965-66, until I came to the US more permanently in 1977. It was all trains to everywhere. In the US unfortunately a generally usable national network does not exist. So one has to ride trains opportunistically and sometimes one rides trains because one just wants to ride a train as opposed to go anywhere specific - that is when the DNA kicks in.
When I lived in NEC-land I rode trains a lot, both Amtrak and Commuter (NJT, LIRR, MNRR mostly). Now out in the Space Coast 60 miles from the closest train station (until Brightline deigns to build and serve a station in Cocoa) I don't ride trains too much. Even though Orlando International is also 55 miles away I tend to fly out of there much more as my destinations would take many days to reach by Amtrak. Fortunately as a legacy of my extreme amount of flying when I was working I have very high status at some appropriate places so flying is not all that stressful for me.
And yes, I am retired too, now working on disengaging from many frivolous attachments with various things that I have collected over the years, and going back to the basics, and trains are definitely in the basics.
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