Advice sought on rail travel in the US

I'm hoping to visit the USA early next year (just before Easter) and was thinking about taking the opportunity to see more of the country and the trains by travelling by rail. The Amtrak Rail Pass looks like a pretty good deal and I wondered if the group subscribers had any comments or advice to offer on this matter. I'm planning to fly into Chicago, as I have a friend who lives near to the city. I know that the Pioneer Zephyr is in the museum there, what else is there to see (train related) within reasonable travelling distance?

Reply to
Les Pickstock
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In Chicago itself is the Muesum of Science and Industry. They have a nice collection of trains, including an Allegeny. They also have a well sceniced HO scale railroad. The rest of the museum is worth a look too.

If you are going to be in Kalamazoo, Michigan for any length of time, let me know and I will extend an invitation to visit my railroad, and if you have time, the club that I belong to. The Kalamazoo Model Railroad Historical Society kmrhs.org

Reply to
Frank Rosenbaum

I don't know about the "value" of the Amtrak Pass, but I've traveled on Amtrak overnight trains twice in the last few years: Washington DC to Orlando, and Orlando to New York City.

The two trips showed the variability of Amtrak service. We traveledin sleeper compartments on both trips (not the larger bedrooms)

On the DC to Orlando trip, the train was on time, we had access to the "first class" lounge at the station and the food was OK.

The Orlando to NYC trip, the train was 8 hours late getting into Orlando (passenger and freight share the tracks in Florida) due to a derailments (not of the Amtrak train ;-). Information at the Amtrak station was spotty, until they finally said, it won't be hear till 7:00pm. We took a cab to a shopping mall, shopped, had dinner and returned. The train arrived at 8:15 or so. With sleeper accommodations, meals are included, and we just snuck in on the last seating. Folks who got on in Raleigh, etc., who paid for dinner were denied seating because dining car was closed: I overheard the porter saying, "You are too late. You should have come earlier," followed by much shouting, something about, "Your f***ing train was 8 hours late." The guy nearly got tossed off at the next stop. But he was right. I wouldn't count on a refund.

But he was actually lucky: the food at that last seating was lukewarm at best, including the coffee, and was generally awful. The snack bar was closed.

Then the train stopped again for two hours to add a car somewhere north of Raleigh, NC. Probably a postal car or some such, but yet another delay!

We weren't in a hurry, but since we had hoped to take part of the trip during the afternoon, all of the scenery we might have seen was dark. The sleepers did have movies, etc.

So if you are used to Japanese punctuality, or high service levels, even in the expensive seats, don't expect it or be disappointed if you have a late, cold dinner.

In terms of scenery, at least on that NYC to Orlando trip, there is not much to see. Seems it mostly goes through people's back yards and railroad yards.

Ed

in article Npw6f.9890$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe6-win.ntli.net, Les Pickstock at snipped-for-privacy@virgin.net wrote on 10/22/05 12:28 PM:

Reply to
Edward A. Oates

The Illinois RR Museum is 50 miles NW of downtown Chicago....

An all day visit of the 8 huge barns is tiring....

However during Spring/Easter, They may be open on Weekends

or NOT at all.... Summer is open every day with 1 mile trolley

loop run on weekdays.. Four trains run on Weekends on the 5 mile

straight track..... Special Weekends have 6 to 8 trains running...

Cost is $6 to $9 per day for unlimited train rides too.

Reply to
Dennis Mayer

We took the 30 day US and Canada trip a few years ago. The stuff we saw is shown on our website at:

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To summarize, ViaRail has better service than Amtrak, and Pennsylvania is a railroad buff's paradise. The one thing we missed was the Canadian Railroad Museum south of Montreal. It was closed for construction. I heard it was well worth a visit.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

You're out of the summer season so traveling via the pass will be a lot easier. I do believe that the pass is basically like an airline nonreservation ticket so you may be bumped from some trains even in this season. Easter is the start of the tourist season on the railroads so it may be likely that you'll have to wait for the next rrain (usually the next day) if you get bumped or there is no space. Amtrak tends to be run as the poorboy of the transportation system here in the states. Do be prompt when going for meals on the train as the diner does tend to close prompty. Otherwise, enjoy the trips no matter how long they may take and be prepared to have delays hold you up. Also, don't forget to ride the EL for some commuter fun and take a ride up on the push-pull trains going north as they are a blast sitting up by the engineer. They are probably the only way that you're going to see what it is like riding in a loco when the train is being pushed.

-- Why do penguins walk so far to get to their nesting grounds?

Reply to
Bob May

Frank Thats a very kind offer, many thanks. The schedule is only provisional (at best) for now but if I get the chance I'd love to visit.

Reply to
Les Pickstock

Thanks to you and the others for the comments and the advice. I'm used to British railways so late and/or non-exsistant trains wouldn't be a great suprise. The plan so far is also to visit Kansas City where I've got family and then on into Arizona. Hopefully the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief will be good for some scenery and is almost as much about riding the routes as seeing the landscape.

Reply to
Les Pickstock

I hope you can fit in Michigan!

Reply to
Frank Rosenbaum

Check into upgrading to Sleeper. It comes with free first-class meals and though food in coach is horrendous. (Microwave and chips err crisps) Fees for multiples are quite reasonable. You pay for the room with the first person, it seems.

If you have some time in Chi, I can show you around..... Finalize your timetable, try to be here over the week end, and I can set something up. It early May or June, there is a good bourse in DuPage.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

For AMTRAK Superliner rides, bring along a Garmin GPS with a US

basemap.... You can anticipate the 'next city' distance by

using the find command.... You must be riding in the SuperDome

Car (freebe) for GPS to function. GPS measures accurate speed too.... Max SuperLiner speeds are 79 MPH or 91 MPH out West. In the mountains

speeds can be 30 MPH....

Reply to
Dennis Mayer

Just so you don't end up at the museum hoping to see an Allegeny, they don't have one. That would be at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI (4 hours away). The largest steam locomotive at the Museum of Science and Industry is a New York Central 4-4-0. They also have a small collection of early/mid 1800s steam engines, most of them being replicas.

Reply to
Kazooracer

Theres still the Pioneer Zephyr and the U boat to see, I hope. Chicago was my choice because of the deal I got on the flight and the friends I have nearby. I have heard that Galesburg might be worth a look and I can get the train there for KC. I spent enough time watching the Galesburg railcam, lol. I also have to go to Roselle as my mother lived there as a child. She remembers the Hiawathas rolling through the town. Thanks for the headsup anyway.

Reply to
Les Pickstock

Since you're coming to KC, you'll see the restored Union Station - it is glorious, the ceiling in the main lobby will take your breath away. The Amtrak station has (finally) been relocated there, so if you arrange your time, you should have a chance to explore the station. They have (also finally) opened an exhibit on railroad history, and you can see the Kansas City Southern F7 as well as several pieces of Milwaukee Road varnish that the city has purchased for display - at least, these should be on display if you're arriving later this year.

Website:

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Be sure and take a walk across the front - there's a sign explaining a piece of the station's history - in 1933, Frank Nash, a gangster, was killed in a hail of submachine gun bullets in a botched rescue attempt (although the most recent analysis indicates that there is a strong possibility that at least one of the attending agents was killed by friendly fire as they attempted to defend themselves). The "bullet holes" in the exterior of the station are somewhat suspect - forensic attempts to match the damage show that these are unlikely to have been caused by gunfire. Still, an interesting story and worth the effort to see the site.

Depending on how your time is organized, you can walk or drive up the hill to the Liberty Memorial - Kansas City's World War One memorial. Extensive museum collections, and an unmatched view of the city.

Website:

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I have taken the Southwest Chief from Kansas City to Raton, New Mexico and back. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, but as has already been mentioned here, if you are schedule bound you are unlikely to be happy. If, on the other hand, you are on your own schedule, and won't get frustrated with delays, you'll see a wonderful landscape. I second that the sleepers or deluxe sleepers are well worth the money - if you're treating this as a vacation, that is.

Chris Kansas City

Reply to
cschultz

Chris Thanks It won't be my first time in KC. I was there in 2002 If my girlfriend of the time hadn't been there I'd probably still be sat at the big window that looks out across the tracks in the Science center. There was a huge double stack container train going past at the time, totally awesome. It may still be going past now, it was a long train. The station is very impressive and quite beautiful. I look forward to seeing the new exhibits. One of the other things I saw while I was there was the steamship "Arabia" that was pretty cool. Did the Nelson Atkins and the childhood museum near UMKC too. I missed getting a Kansas City steak as GF was a Vegan. I hope to correct that this time, if you know a good place for steak let me know.

I was planning to try and take in Meteor Crater in Arizona so only need to go as far as Flagstaff I'm looking forward to seeing that part of the country which I only know from John Ford westerns. Thanks again

Reply to
Les Pickstock

Sounds like you know the place well. I kicked myself for forgetting the Arabia - it's an incredible exhibit, as you mention. The thing I like the most about it was that it was the project of one family - the pictures of them up to their knees in water, digging in the cornfields in winter bring real pain to mind for those of us that live on the high plains. :)

If you're looking for a good steak, "Jess and Jims" in Martin City is always a safe bet. It's quite a way south of the metro, but worth the drive if you have the time. Also, there's a barbeque place in Martin City called "The Smokestack" that's also a little bit of heaven on earth.

If you come south, be sure and stop at Show Me Trains in Grandview (not far out of the way if you go to Martin City) - it's a great store, fantastic selection, and the owner, Charlie, one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. The store is a block from the tracks of the Kansas City Southern, so odds are you'll see some prototype action there - often they park their work trains on the sidings there, so you may get to see some unusual stuff. The UP runs through Martin City, so you might have a train or two with your steak.

Reply to
cschultz

OOPS!!!! Sorry 'bout that, Chief. You are correct. It is at the H. Ford Museum.

Reply to
Frank Rosenbaum

There's the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL. It's a reasonable distance north west of Chicago. Look at their website to see if it interests you:

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Reply to
<wkaiser

I 'second' the vote for the Science and Industry Museum and the IRM.

The IRM is perhaps 45 miles from Chicago, and is the largest private railroad museum in the USA. Most railfans could easlily send a whole day there. The emphasis is on Trolleys and Interurbans, but they have LOTS of 'mainline' railroad equipment too. The collection includes several operable steam locos (2-10-0, Shay, 2-6-2, etc.), lots of 'stuffed' ones (including a N&W Y3 2-8+8-2), many Diesels (most runnable), and a few electrics (including a CSS&SB "Little Joe" and a PRR GG-1). Many things operate. They have special weekends when certin types of equipment are run.

Visit their website for more info .

Dan Mitchell ============

Reply to
Daniel A. Mitchell

Very true that they do NOT have an Allegheny. In fact, their RR collection is quite small. They have NYC 999, a big 4-4-0, the famous Zephyr (recently restored and looking nice), and a few other things. Their new and very large HO layout is quite well done, especially for a display layout.

Besides the railroad stuff, though, there are a lot of other neat things. Probably the most impressive is the German U-505 submarine, newly installed in an indoor display (yes, a full sized W.W.-II submarine, inside), and you can go through it.

It's also very true the the "Henry Ford" (Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village) in Dearborn, MI *DOES* have an Allegheney, and a bunch of other RR items ... a whole lot more overall than the Science and industry Museum in Chicago. This whole complex is a world-class collection of industrial history.

I *DON'T* much like what current "HF" administration have recently done to Greenfield Village (turned it into a theme park, basically). It's a shadow of what it used to be, though better in a few respects, but it's still *VERY WELL* worth seeing!

Dan Mitchell ============

Reply to
Daniel A. Mitchell

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