Your packed suitcase!

[Skeets]

Are you an "everything but the kitchen sink" or a "minimalist" kinda' packer? Do you start packing a week or more before or are you a pack the night before your train leaves kinda' person?!!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Are you an "everything but the kitchen sink" or a "minimalist" kinda' packer? Do you start packing a week or more before or are you a pack the night before your train leaves kinda' person?!!

Minimalist traveler, but keep my travel stuff packed and ready to go so "Spur of the Moment" trips can be done!

 

[zephyr17]

Well, my clothes and toiletries are the same irrespective of type of trip.

Items specific to train trips in my "toy bag" backpack:
1. Duct tape (yeah, I know the gaffers tape argument).
2. Power Strip
3. Scanner
4. Old Altamont Press Railfan Timetables
5. Binder clips
6. Kindle
7. Small Samsung Tablet
8. Noise Reducing Headphones
9. Earbuds for scanner use
10. OTOL Frequency lists for itinerary.

 

[Dakota 400]

I dislike packing for any length of a trip. I do it a bit at a time. I have my travel clothes separated from those that are not.

I have baggies for that contain items that I must always take with me. That includes a baggie with empty medicine bottles that I must refill each time before I depart for a trip.

For a long trip, I will consult my packing list from such trips.

Doing this helps to insure that I don't overlook something important.

Usually works, at least for me.

 

[allanorn]

Generally I use one carry-on bag, though I carry a backpack as a second bag.

I have a “go bag” that has three days of clothing, a small toiletry bag, and a shopping bag packed. My goal with this bag is to be out the door within 30-60 minutes of a call requesting my presence to be somewhere. It also happens to be the bag that forms the basis for packing any other trip. Longer trips use a larger toiletry bag and a larger carry-on bag.

All packing outside of the “go bag” tends to get done the night before, but there have been times where I’ve packed same-day or two days out… usually depends on laundry.

The last trip on Amtrak I had my Brompton folding bicycle and a bag to fit most of the “go bag” and a couple of extra items. However, that trip was only SAN-ANA and back via the Surfliner.

 

[Eric in East County]

When we first started taking long distance train trips, we packed like movie stars or visiting royalty with at least TWO large suitcases, to be checked, plus our carry-on items. Early on, we wrote out lists with everything we had packed and which we would refer to when it came time to pack for the next trip. Over the years, we’ve reduced what we pack based on what we’ll actually need and use at our destination. We’re now down to one large suitcase to be checked. There is also a smaller carry-on suitcase with the essentials that we’ll need in our bedroom on the train and to tide us over should our checked suitcase get delayed. There is also a rolling case for our laptop, and a large shoulder bag for camera, scanner, maps, GPS device, etc. Pat also has a cloth shopping bag into which goes whatever is left over. All in all, we are still are able to bring with us more than the average airline passenger is allowed.

We like to start packing at least two weeks before we’re due to leave. This gives us plenty of time to make further refinements to our packing lists. One new item we’re bringing along this year is some gaffer’s tape in case we need to cover up the air conditioning vent to warm up our bedroom.

Eric & Pat

 

[bratkinson]

When I used to make 1-3 business trips in the '70s and '80s, of course I had to fly mostly, and packed 'on the fly'. Almost all those trips were garment bag and briefcase...no checked luggage. My record was to finish packing about 1 hour before the flight and make it! I lived about 15 minutes from the airport. The downside of that was I found I forgot my ties one trip, underwear twice, and even my toothbrush on another trip.

Almost no airport security back then, either. One time, I had less than 2 minutes to board and was running full speed to make it. At the checkpoint, the agent(s) told the other passengers to step aside for the runner and they did. They let me run right through.

That was in the days before airline deregulation, and the cost of flying wasn't cheap. I proved to my boss that the train with roomette cost less, and he let me take the train back as long as I didn't miss any work days. So I conveniently made most of my customer calls on Fridays.

Packing for the train sometimes has been on the fly, but more than once I had to buy toiletries the first morning in Chicago, or Florida, etc. So, these days, I actually pull out my rolling carry on bag and gym bag a couple days early and pack the 'usual' stuff in advance...electronics, spare bathroom items, maps, socks, underwear, and other loose ends other than outerwear and bathroom items including meds. In the 15-20 minutes before I have to be out the door, I pack the clothing that I've already separated in my closet so it's simply grab and go, clean off the bathroom sink and put that in, and go.

 

[Cal]

Last time I packed clothes the night before, and the rest the day of (I boarded train #4 in Fullerton, in the evening).

Other than the necessities, I usually pack my laptop (and phone), along with chargers, a power strip, a pillow, a book or two, sometimes my own blanket (I do usually end up using Amtrak's because it's part of the Amtrak experience), an extra pair of shoes (usually sandals that I don't end up wearing), and snacks.

I always travel with a companion, and so we usually have clothes and other things we won't need most of the time in a large bag and we keep it downstairs. Snacks, and things that we keep in the room or use frequently are put in the carry on which usually gets taken to the room (usually a roomette) where we unpack, and then put it downstairs. However when we travel in a bedroom that suitcase stays there.

Overall, I usually pack more than I need, just in case. And I always pack last minute!

 

[JayPea]

I used to pack several days in advance. Now I just wad my clothes up and throw them in my suitcase half an hour before I leave. I pack my clothes in my suitcase which I leave downstairs. As I go downstairs to the shower in the morning I grab clean clothes for the day out of my suitcase. I also have a trash bag in the suitcase for dirty clothes. I also pack a carry-on bag in which I pack my medicines, toiletries, and an empty pill bottle I fill with my medicines for each day. I also take phone chargers, my GPS and adapter, my video camera and batteries. Also I bring a carton or two of powdered drink mixes to spruce up the bottles water. I also bring snacks along. Finally I carry another bag in which I put car keys, my glasses and spare glasses, and loose change (pre-Covid) at night. And I carry my tip money in another zippered pouch so I don't have to lug that around everywhere. I guess that does it.

 

[Willbridge]

Here's the opposite issue. I finally got up the courage to dispose of the battered, falling apart German briefcase/overnight bag that I bought for my first trip to Paris in 1969. It had gone lots of places since; ideal for swinging it up onto a baggage rack or for pushing a path through station crowds. It even posed for a photo in London.



It's in the picture below. Otherwise it just hung around, organizing my timetables, notebooks and some clothes and toiletries.

 

[uncleboots]

My trips are normally 10 Days. What I like to do is pack for 5 days. Half way through the trip I hit the Laundry Mat. It works out great for me.

 

[caravanman]

In my head I travel light, but I often find myself trying to stuff extra "these might suddenly become essential items" into my bag. (Although said items never ever used in the last 5 years!)
I have been quite happy to travel to the US for many weeks away with just a carry on size roller bag, and a laptop size shoulder bag for the personal items. I usually have an idea of what I am taking, always broadly similar, and pack the day before, but find myself adjusting things according to my mood and the weather as I am going out the door!
Sadly, I had my favourite travel bag pinched, but I took a photo of my recent companion, with covid mask, waiting for a train at Nottingham!

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Nothing more now than a small roll-aboard and if it's only a short 3 or 4 day trip....just a backpack.

I also used to load up a carry-on with two cameras (still and video) laptop, GPS, chargers, powerbar, an assortment of timetables, maps, atlases and track-guides along with a folder with my tickets and reservations. But now that’s all in my pocket on my phone. A better experience that lugging a bunch of stuff around!

Everything I need is on my phone from my VIA and Amtrak, Transit and Commuter Rail Ticket Apps to Reservation Apps for Hotels and Airlines along with some great GPS and Mapping Apps. I even find the camera quality better than what I had before.

Now my hands are free to tow that one roll-aboard or just a back-pack over my shoulder!

 

[MARC Rider]

I usually travel with an LL Bean rollerbag and a backpack. I definitely take too much stuff for short trips, but I like to have a laptop, phone chargers, spare battery, headlamp, etc. Also, I put my CPAP in the rollerbag unless I'm flying, in which case it needs to be in its separate case so that the TSA folks can look at it. I also end up having to take a pair of shower slippers, and my toiletries end up taking a bit of room.



The bag's a bit too big to be airline carry-on, but it's fine for Amtrak carry-on

 

[JeanA]

Here's the opposite issue. I finally got up the courage to dispose of the battered, falling apart German briefcase/overnight bag that I bought for my first trip to Paris in 1969. It had gone lots of places since; ideal for swinging it up onto a baggage rack or for pushing a path through station crowds. It even posed for a photo in London.

View attachment 22994

It's in the picture below. Otherwise it just hung around, organizing my timetables, notebooks and some clothes and toiletries.
View attachment 22995

Love the photos!

 

[JontyMort]

Here's the opposite issue. I finally got up the courage to dispose of the battered, falling apart German briefcase/overnight bag that I bought for my first trip to Paris in 1969. It's in the picture below.

Love the picture of Fleet Street. Judging by the traffic, the bag must have been very new then. Of rail interest, you can (just) see the Ludgate Hill viaduct over your left shoulder in front of St Paul’s. That’s now gone, as the line has been diverted underground.

 

[jiml]

Here's the opposite issue. I finally got up the courage to dispose of the battered, falling apart German briefcase/overnight bag that I bought for my first trip to Paris in 1969. It had gone lots of places since; ideal for swinging it up onto a baggage rack or for pushing a path through station crowds. It even posed for a photo in London.

View attachment 22994

It's in the picture below. Otherwise it just hung around, organizing my timetables, notebooks and some clothes and toiletries.
View attachment 22995

Your two pictures wouldn't be out-of-place on the cover of a period spy novel.

 

[Way2Kewl]

My “Rail Bag” stays packed. I simply add clothes and a ticket and I’m off.

Standard packing:
Toiletries Bag/Shaver/Brush
Lysol to Go
Wet Wipes (Disinfectant)
Natural Air Freshener
Clips (for curtains)
Gaffers Tape
Velcro Strips

iPad
Radio
BT transmitter (for radio)
BT Headset
“Bedroom chair” seat pad
Ice Chest (6 pack)
iPad Clamp
iPad Stand
Surge Power Strip
Extension cord (grounded)

 

[Deni]

View attachment 22995

Well that is just a dashing young world traveler right there.

 

[Deni]

I'm definitely a minimalist. I've got it down so that my wife, our daughter (now 12), and me can easily do a month-long trip overseas with two Osprey travel backpacks, one large (65 liters) and one small (46 liters), and try to have them packed lightly enough to have room for souvenirs. I've also got a daypack that clips on to the travel pack so that when we are traveling from one place to another I still only have one thing to wear and don't have to carry anything with my hands. I'm a big believer in washing clothes as you travel. Pair of pants, pair of shorts, a few shirts. And I try to take a pair of sandals, a pair of hiking shoes (trail runners, not boots) and only a couple pairs of quick drying socks.

 

[Old MM]

Fairly minimalist, still end up bringing odds and ends that are not really needed. Florida has been the easiest destination to pack for - less clothing required. Shorts, T shirts and bathing suits take less room.

 

[Willbridge]

Love the picture of Fleet Street. Judging by the traffic, the bag must have been very new then. Of rail interest, you can (just) see the Ludgate Hill viaduct over your left shoulder in front of St Paul’s. That’s now gone, as the line has been diverted underground.

Lots of things in that photo are gone! Thanks for the note about the viaduct. I'll look it up.

 

[Willbridge]

Well that is just a dashing young world traveler right there.

Probably why it was so hard to chuck the bag when I moved into a smaller place.

 

[JontyMort]

Lots of things in that photo are gone! Thanks for the note about the viaduct. I'll look it up.

When that photo was taken, the line was carrying traffic from south London (right to left as you look at the picture) to what was then a somewhat down-at-heel terminus at Holborn Viaduct. But there was also a line - out of use at the time of that photo - that descended to the Snow Hill Tunnel, emerging on to the Metropolitan at Farringdon, eventually giving access to some of the north London commuter lines. This was re-opened in the 1980s, the terminus was closed, and after some further improvements we ended with a very useful north-south cross-London link.
That’s a simplification of a complex project - search on Thameslink for the detail.
Putting some parts underground involved some ferocious - albeit short - gradients - there’s a section that is steeper than 3%.

 

[Skeets]

When we first started taking long distance train trips, we packed like movie stars or visiting royalty with at least TWO large suitcases, to be checked, plus our carry-on items. Early on, we wrote out lists with everything we had packed and which we would refer to when it came time to pack for the next trip. Over the years, we’ve reduced what we pack based on what we’ll actually need and use at our destination. We’re now down to one large suitcase to be checked. There is also a smaller carry-on suitcase with the essentials that we’ll need in our bedroom on the train and to tide us over should our checked suitcase get delayed. There is also a rolling case for our laptop, and a large shoulder bag for camera, scanner, maps, GPS device, etc. Pat also has a cloth shopping bag into which goes whatever is left over. All in all, we are still are able to bring with us more than the average airline passenger is allowed.

We like to start packing at least two weeks before we’re due to leave. This gives us plenty of time to make further refinements to our packing lists. One new item we’re bringing along this year is some gaffer’s tape in case we need to cover up the air conditioning vent to warm up our bedroom.

Eric & Pat

I fit THAT category Eric! I used to carry SO MUCH STUFF! Past trips though I was always going from Point A to Point B with someone there to help me when I arrived. Also, in past years LA Union Station (where I typically leave from...) had big luggage carts. This next trip will be my first time to use a Rail Pass and I am on my OWN! (I know there are red caps, but you know, I mean in general...) I am working on downsizing in my mind, everything I have been able to bring in the past and make this trip to where I can carry everything myself.