Your "bring list" for riding the rails?

[BCL]

Aloha

What is your source/price for this version

I'd recommend this (I have one myself):

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Mini-Surge-Protector-Charger/dp/B0015DYMVO

This one is a surge protector, so it will protect against spikes in the power supply since the power supplied by a locomotive can be unpredictable. You don't see it in this photo, but there are two USB power-only outlets, and the plug swiwels 360 degrees if you need to route in strange ways. I've used it on some trains under tables, where I had to turn the plug to get it to fit.

They don't seem to have the even cheaper "Amazon Painless Packaging" version I bought, but it's less than $12 right now in retail packaging.

 

[ScottC4746]

I'm sure it has been mentioned but duct tape and I prefer to take a roll of contriband toilet paper with me, although my last trip SWC #3 in the transdorm it was not needed, they had improved the stuff or at least the staff gets a better quality.

 

[oldtimer]

Scott,

Here is the information about the TP from an earlier post in this topic. The use of "personal TP and other personal products in the waste treatment system is the most prevalent cause of failures.

"It is imperative that only the toilet paper issued by Amtrak be used. It is a special quick acting biodegradable type that keeps the waste treatment system operating. In the 35+ years I was employed by Amtrak in the mechanical department I have had the "pleasure" of working on retention toilets from the first in 1973 until my retirement in 2008. The root cause of the majority of toilet failures is foreign objects blocking the system at one point or another. This includes "soft" toilet paper wads.

The only objects that should go into Amtrak toilets are human waste and the Amtrak supplied paper. For any other products that you would need to dispose of in a restroom I would suggest that you bring your personal supply of zipper seal type plastic bags and use the waste containers.

PS at a presentation on waste systems that I gave in Philadelphia the CMO's comment was that I really know my s**t!"

 

[white rabbitt]

i say bring your laptop your dvds and blu rays duct tape blankets and a clean shirt and pants

soap and towel for the shower

 

[Eric308]

I typically bring $2 bills for tips.

I was at a restaurant a few weeks ago, and the people at the next table left a $2 bill. Clearly, the waitstaff would have been less insulted if they left nothing at all.

For all practical purposes, $2 bills are worthless. Especially for someone who needs their tips to pay their bills. The one waiter remarked they had a stack of $2 bills at home, from all the jerks that leave them as tips, but just didn't have the time to go to a bank to trade them in for some usable currency.

BTW, I felt really sorry for the guy, he works really hard for his tips, and traded him two $1 bills for the $2. Gave the $2 bill to my grandkid as a novelty item.

What is wrong with a $2 bill? It is worth $2, same as 2 singles. Are you saying that $4 as 2 $2s is somehow different than 4 $1s? Spends just the same on any transaction in any store or bank in the US. Only difference is vending machines often don't recognize it, but the machines that take $1s often don't work anyway.

Absolutely NOTHING is wrong with a $2 bill! I used to tend bar, was a server, and also a ski resort limo driver. I truly appreciated all my tips including the "worthless" $2 bills. Thomas Jefferson would truly be insulted if he knew he wasn't getting the recognition he deserves.

 

[MiRider]

When I first started taking the train I used to pack like a doomsday prepper :giggle:

I've pared it down a lot.

A power strip with a 6' cord

Phone

iPod Touch just because

Mobile broadband hotspot

Headphones/buds

My iPad

On my iPad :

4-6 movies rented from iTunes

Nook App (free) with the books I'm reading or want to start downloaded

Next Issue App ($10/month) with all of my current magazines downloaded

http://www.nextissue.com

Handi Wipes

Tervis Tumbler with lid and straw

http://www.tervis.com/

A couple of snacks and a few cans of Diet Pepsi

Cash for tips for everyone

 

[AlanB]

This one is a surge protector, so it will protect against spikes in the power supply since the power supplied by a locomotive can be unpredictable.

While the power supply is unpredictable, in that it can turn off without any warning, surges aren't an issue. There are no power surges on a train. A backup battery, though heavy to carry, would be far more helpful to you than a surge protector. An outlet strip with no surge protection is all that one truly needs on the train. An outlet strip with surge protection will never need the surge protection and essentially just becomes another outlet strip when on the train.

 

[Opiatephoto]

I pack in a Domke 804, so I travel pretty light. It's made of waterproof material and can be carried like a sling bag, a back pack, or a satchel, is tough and unobtrusive. I take:

iPad/iPhone combo- with Kindle and Overdrive apps for books, Zinio app for magazines,

A couple of New Trent Power Packs- one for the iPad, one for the iPod. They weigh close to nothing and can recharge the devices if an outlet is not available.

wide gaffer tape (duct tape leaves residue),

Propel packets to dump in to water in a liter Nalgene (Nalgenes are the official fashion accessory of Colorado)

Two cameras. Mostly one SLR and one pocket camera. I'll have film for each and LM44 batteries. I mostly use Portra 400 for color and Ilford Delta 400 for black and white.

 

[lthanlon]

My list:GPS

Multiple Laptops

20 ft extension cord

8" fan

Small space heater

Scanner

Rechargeable Blue Max Marine Spotlight (looking out window at night)

Wine

Hair Dryer

Window Tint (Temporary Kind)

Earplugs

Ipad

Window Mount Video Camera

LED strip lights

Small Generator(Under 2KW)

Driveway Alert(Lets me know if someone goes in my room while i'm in the lounge)

LED Video Projector

5X5 white sheet (to project movies onto)

Gaffer Tape, NOT DUCT TAPE

Wireless Router/Booster

Windex

Multitool

Swiss Army Knife

Thats it.....

Neat list! And I absolutely agree about bringing gaffer tape instead of duct tape. Two items intrigue me...

1. Rechargeable Blue Max Marine Spotlight (looking out window at night). Does this really let you see all that much more? I had considered borrowing a friend's cheapie handheld night-vision monocular for similar reasons.

2. Driveway Alert (Lets me know if someone goes in my room while i'm in the lounge). How does this work? Does it sound an alarm when triggered or do you just look at it upon your return to see an indication of intrusion?

 

[tricia]

Two items I've not yet seen in this thread, both of which add to my enjoyment of a ride:

---AAA state maps of the states I'll be traveling through, with the train's route marked on them

---times of sunrise and sunset for wherever the train will be around then.

 

[Meat Puppet]

My list:GPS

Multiple Laptops

20 ft extension cord

8" fan

Small space heater

Scanner

Rechargeable Blue Max Marine Spotlight (looking out window at night)

Wine

Hair Dryer

Window Tint (Temporary Kind)

Earplugs

Ipad

Window Mount Video Camera

LED strip lights

Small Generator(Under 2KW)

Driveway Alert(Lets me know if someone goes in my room while i'm in the lounge)

LED Video Projector

5X5 white sheet (to project movies onto)

Gaffer Tape, NOT DUCT TAPE

Wireless Router/Booster

Windex

Multitool

Swiss Army Knife

Thats it.....

Neat list! And I absolutely agree about bringing gaffer tape instead of duct tape. Two items intrigue me...

1. Rechargeable Blue Max Marine Spotlight (looking out window at night). Does this really let you see all that much more? I had considered borrowing a friend's cheapie handheld night-vision monocular for similar reasons.

2. Driveway Alert (Lets me know if someone goes in my room while i'm in the lounge). How does this work? Does it sound an alarm when triggered or do you just look at it upon your return to see an indication of intrusion?

1> The spotlight is great for sending out 3 million candle power into the middle of darkness of fields, ravines, & gullys in the middle of the night especially on the empire builder to view bear, moose, coyote etc. Their eyes really glow with the light on them and the are easy to spot. Also great for just looking at a big open space at night to see whats there. Since this this has the lighter plug in the end I would recommend purchasing the lighter plug to ac converter plug. Less than $5 on ebay. Go with the narrow beam not wide....press it right to the window when looking out its pretty amazing what you can see.

2> Driveway alert works well even a few cars away but your drapes have to be closed(window and hallway) and also you have to have it securely mounted to something that moves in conjuction with the train. Such as a suction cup to a window or taped securely to a post or bar in the room. Just throwing it on a pillow is gonna give you all kinds of false alarms . It is slightly adjustable so you can play around with settings to see what works best for you. Driveway alert is also onsale this week at harbor freight for 10.99. Def worth a try. I paid 24 and its the exact same one.

If you just want to know if your room was entered while you were away just put a 1"X 4" strip of gaffer tape on the bottom of the door and the frame. If its not stuck when you return, That will tell you if someone entered while you were out.

 

[Meat Puppet]

Two items I've not yet seen in this thread, both of which add to my enjoyment of a ride:
---AAA state maps of the states I'll be traveling through, with the train's route marked on them

---times of sunrise and sunset for wherever the train will be around then.

Even will all the electronics stuff I still think the aaa maps & atlas are great and more fun that the digital maps.

 

[Henry Kisor]

Wouldn't it be easier to just share a room with McGyver?

 

[jsreeves]

A 3 million candle power spotlight seems a bit much to me.

Spotlighting wildlife is illegal in many states, even if you aren't hunting because it is considered harassing the wildlife.

Besides, I would be afraid I would accidentally spotlight a home or someone in a vehicle.

 

[crescent2]

I'm adding a china service for 12 in addition to my radiation detector. Your turn, meat puppet.

 

[Meat Puppet]

I'm adding a china service for 12 in addition to my radiation detector. Your turn, meat puppet.

2 easy ones... glade plug in air freshener & 8ft telescoping handle window squeegee

 

[MiRider]

Wouldn't it be easier to just share a room with McGyver?

:lol:

Exactly!

I thought that was a humorous list but, alas, it looks like I was mistaken :blink:

and now it looks like I was right originally

Hey, I take a mini aromatherapy room spray from Bath & Body Works with me.

Not overwhelming when sprayed once and gets rid of all unpleasant odors.

 

[BCL]

Wouldn't it be easier to just share a room with McGyver?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxCj6cstr-c

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I'd recommend this (I have one myself):
http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Mini-Surge-Protector-Charger/dp/B0015DYMVO

This one is a surge protector, so it will protect against spikes in the power supply since the power supplied by a locomotive can be unpredictable. You don't see it in this photo, but there are two USB power-only outlets, and the plug swiwels 360 degrees if you need to route in strange ways. I've used it on some trains under tables, where I had to turn the plug to get it to fit.

I own this product as well but I would not recommend it to others. My primary problems with it are the bloated size, poorly arranged outlets, and low power USB ports. I'm not sure why Belkin felt the need to make a travel protector this large or why the USB ports are so underpowered, but it was enough to sour me on my purchase. This wall wart isn't just unattractive, it sticks out like a sore thumb and you often lose access to at least one power connector due to the fact that they're all stuck together along the same edge. I routinely pack nearly a hundred separate items into a regulation sized roll-aboard but this thing messes me up by taking up twice as much room as should be necessary for a product of this type. It's fine for tight connections in the home though, which is where I intend to leave it from now on.

 

[Alexandria Nick]

Only things I pack that I wouldn't normally pack for a plane or car trip are:

1) Dr Pepper because they don't sell that on the train

2) Bag of chips

 

[City of Miami]

8ft telescoping handle window squeegee

That's hilarious.

 

[rene50]

Wow, some of these lists are extensive! Whew, I'm tired just reading about all that stuff, packing it, carrying it, keeping up with it, unpacking it, etc.

I'm planning our first trip, and I can tell you, I'll be packing light. I-phones, a book, a few changes of clothes, and our preferred booze. (I always keep a pair of flip-flops in my bag to wear in hotel rooms, so that's covered) After working for an airline for 20+ years, I've learned the art of traveling liight. It's so much nicer than lugging all that stuff around!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

After working for an airline for 20+ years...

Say what?! OK, now you've got my interest. Time to dish on what that was like.

 

[rene50]

After working for an airline for 20+ years...

Say what?! OK, now you've got my interest. Time to dish on what that was like.

After working for an airline for 20+ years...

Say what?! OK, now you've got my interest. Time to dish on what that was like.

I don't know why I said it like I don't still work for an airline because I do. I worked as a flight attendant, but now on the ground. It used to be a great job, and now, not so much. I still enjoy meeting interesting people, and just when I think I've seen or heard it all, some goofball will surprise me.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

When I find lounge cars that still have the video games downstairs, I push them out the door at the first stop & set this up instead.

In case you're curious, I fill it up with ice I've stolen from the ice buckets in all the sleeper cars. The heater in the tub melts the ice. And I take all the ice out of the ice buckets with my bare, dirty hands.