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The question of being railroaded (long)...
We travel by train when we can, and I don't mean commuter rail, though sometimes we do commuter rail segments when we travel. So, since I've been asked for some thoughts on the subject... remember, these are my thoughts, sprinkled in short writing sessions and not ranked by importance. YMMV.
1. I like it. Some people hate it. It happens that I can sleep in the top bunk of a roomette if I have to -- east of Chicago it isn't bad... west of Chicago, well, I may be too old for it in another few years. The larger rooms can be quite comfortable ... to sleep in. All the rooms are better than coach for day travel. So that means,if possible, travel first class or at least business if you travel overnight. Assuming you're going long distance and can use the baggage check, do. We have had luggage arrive late once and damaged (the luggage itself, not the contents!) once. We lost a pair of (dirty) jeans packed in an outside pocket once. Travel as light as you can: space is at a premium. This is a good way to travel if you want to get a feel for submarines or spaceships, though having windows helps... and can be distracting if you plan to work while on the go.
Business class travelers get more room if there's no first class accommodations. In general, FC will get you at least one meal on board; it is possible to do a 3 or 4 day cross country trip on board and get breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. That said, take at least a few portable, high food value snacks. We were on 1 eastern ( single night) train that hit some railroad ties hooligans had put on the tracks... and we had a six or seven hour delay while a work crew came with a torch to cut the cow catcher off and check the undercarriage, meaning the dining car and snack car both ran low on food. We were on another train re-routed by emergency track work. We carry snack-packs of cheese, or tuna crackers, energy bars, and extra water. If you have a room you can drink in your room (and from supplies, if need be); if you don't have a room you can drink what the club car has, if it has, and at dinner. As of our last trip, meals continue to be included in first class passage. The Republicans are doing their best to kill long distance rail travel -- soon you may have to pay extra for meals in FC, as you now do in coach.
2. Do not travel in fancy shoes. Travel in comfortable shoes allowing you to get up a turn of speed if you must. Sometimes you must. Understand that it isn't unusual for the First Class cars to be at the very end of the train -- so you may have a fifth of a mile walk to an from breakfast. Or you can have you car attendant bring your meals, first class. Also, on some trains there's a sort of cattle call approach where everyone rushes the train at once. Good shoes. Really. Going first class means that if you're starting or going through Chicago you've got a haven -- a first class lounge -- that can be really useful, including free snacks, coffee, soda, water and a blessedly unhurried and well-kept restroom.
3. Do not fail to use help from redcaps if you need it. Especially at the big stations -- if you can't run with the crowd and they ask for handicapped or senior passengers, let them take you on the jitney. Really.
4. Food. We generally find the on-board food good. Bad meals are memorable because they've been rare for us. If you do travel cross country you may face the same choices twice in four days for dinner.
More later: questions and comments welcome
1. I like it. Some people hate it. It happens that I can sleep in the top bunk of a roomette if I have to -- east of Chicago it isn't bad... west of Chicago, well, I may be too old for it in another few years. The larger rooms can be quite comfortable ... to sleep in. All the rooms are better than coach for day travel. So that means,if possible, travel first class or at least business if you travel overnight. Assuming you're going long distance and can use the baggage check, do. We have had luggage arrive late once and damaged (the luggage itself, not the contents!) once. We lost a pair of (dirty) jeans packed in an outside pocket once. Travel as light as you can: space is at a premium. This is a good way to travel if you want to get a feel for submarines or spaceships, though having windows helps... and can be distracting if you plan to work while on the go.
Business class travelers get more room if there's no first class accommodations. In general, FC will get you at least one meal on board; it is possible to do a 3 or 4 day cross country trip on board and get breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. That said, take at least a few portable, high food value snacks. We were on 1 eastern ( single night) train that hit some railroad ties hooligans had put on the tracks... and we had a six or seven hour delay while a work crew came with a torch to cut the cow catcher off and check the undercarriage, meaning the dining car and snack car both ran low on food. We were on another train re-routed by emergency track work. We carry snack-packs of cheese, or tuna crackers, energy bars, and extra water. If you have a room you can drink in your room (and from supplies, if need be); if you don't have a room you can drink what the club car has, if it has, and at dinner. As of our last trip, meals continue to be included in first class passage. The Republicans are doing their best to kill long distance rail travel -- soon you may have to pay extra for meals in FC, as you now do in coach.
2. Do not travel in fancy shoes. Travel in comfortable shoes allowing you to get up a turn of speed if you must. Sometimes you must. Understand that it isn't unusual for the First Class cars to be at the very end of the train -- so you may have a fifth of a mile walk to an from breakfast. Or you can have you car attendant bring your meals, first class. Also, on some trains there's a sort of cattle call approach where everyone rushes the train at once. Good shoes. Really. Going first class means that if you're starting or going through Chicago you've got a haven -- a first class lounge -- that can be really useful, including free snacks, coffee, soda, water and a blessedly unhurried and well-kept restroom.
3. Do not fail to use help from redcaps if you need it. Especially at the big stations -- if you can't run with the crowd and they ask for handicapped or senior passengers, let them take you on the jitney. Really.
4. Food. We generally find the on-board food good. Bad meals are memorable because they've been rare for us. If you do travel cross country you may face the same choices twice in four days for dinner.
More later: questions and comments welcome
no subject
Also, train stations are often in the middle of the city and more conveniently located to convention hotels than airports way out on the fringe of the city.