Passenger Trains > Round-trip transcontinental starting soon

I will soon be starting a 2+ week trip across country and am wanting to take pictures of station stops along the way. I am traveling over new territory and would like to know which of the stations are "not to be missed". Here is the schedule of routes and if you guys and gals on T.O. would let me know your favorites along the way:

Eastbound
Coast Starlight-Tacoma to Sacramento
Cal. Zephyr-Sacto. to Chicago
Capitol Limited-Chicago to D.C.
Acela Express-D.C. To New Haven

Westbound
N.E.C.-New London to Boston, South
Lakeshore Limited-Boston to Chicago
S.W. Chief-Chicago to Kansas City to L.A.
Coast Starlight - L.A. to Tacoma

Again, any of your recommended "not to be missed" stations please let me know.

wdkerr - Tacoma, WA

Posted from iPhone

On your Starlight adventure, I would recommend Olympia-Lacey, Portland, and Redding (Redding is in the middle of the night however). 

I'm partial to Toledo, of course, which you'll surely have an easier time photographing westbound on the Lake Shore; that's an extended stop. I'd also recommend Worcester, Mass., during that trip, but you almost certainly won't have enough time to do that.

You should have plenty of time to photograph the New London station, but not so much for the newer, but classy, station in Providence, RI.

Washington, Baltimore, and Philly are all worth seeing, although I doubt you can pull either of the latter two off during an Acela stop. And if you can somehow work it into your itinerary, don't miss Grand Central Terminal in New York.

Just be careful.  I see people get left periodically when they wander into a station thinking they have "plenty of time" a few times a year.  Never assume, and always ask.  Have fun!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

thought from the headline amtrak was, oh well

If you really want to take station photos, and I assume inte r ior and exterior you don't ride trains like the Acela Express-D.C. To New Haven.  You'll not photograph one stattion on route.  You dhould ride D.C. to Philly.  Get off.  Get your pictures. Get on the next train ride to say Newark.  Not a bad station for some shots.  Take PATH or NJT to Manhatten (Hoboken is a neat station).  Subway to Grand Central and back to Penn.  Then Amtrak to New Haven.  That should take all day and probably into the evening.  

To get Worcester take the MBTA from Boston, take you photos especially of the interior, and then the Lake Shore.

I think you get my jist.  To understand and photograph a station takes. More than the few minutes you'll have during a ststion stop on long distance trains.  And in the Northeast you have to get off the train and catch a later train.

Marty Bernard

I would suggest an over night stay at Winslow, AZ.  Great Hotel on the main line that was the headquarters of the ATSF. Also an over night stay at the "Denver Hotel" in Glenwood Springs, CO

Topeka has one of the most well preserved Amtrak arrow station signs left in the system.

You will pass through some nice station buildings. Sacramento is one where you'll have time to look all over. Denver is a long stop. Chicago Union Station is worth a good look too. Likewise for WashDC. Too bad about Acela Express as Philadelphia is but a brief stop. PHL 30th Street is one big, beautiful, busy station.

Passing through NYC, Penn Station is a zero. If you had time, Grand Central Terminal is definitely worth a look. Perhaps you can take a day trip from New Haven to the city and back.

Kansas City is a winner. However, #3 merely stops there at night briefly. Winslow is a quick stop; too bad. Los Angeles is classy inside and out.

Lots of great scenery to be enjoyed on your trip. Just returned from my own transcon trip. Have fun.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/16 23:36 by stash.

I notice there's a gap between New Haven and New London.  I assume you're taking Shoreline East?

As others have said, just a passing shot of many stations will not do it justice .... but with that caveat, here are some stations to get (even though some will be in the middle of the night)

Lake Shore Limited:  

Worcester

Utica (other than Grand Central, the last of the truly great NYCRR stations, still operating as a Union Station for more than one passenger road, and one of only three stations in the US to still have a Barber Shop in service)

Buffalo (no, not the current one, but the dark shell of the Buffalo Central Terminal that you will pass on your right after leaving Depew.)

Cleveland (again, not the current one, but the Terminal Tower which sits above what was the union station, on a portion of track electrified; the Century would avoid the time-consuming engine changes by skirting that route on a freight route)

And Toledo, even in it's diminished state, is great for the sweeping curves of the platforms and canopies. 

You will have plenty of time to get New London .... by nature awkwardly placed on curves, a real challenge point in any NEC increased speed plans, but a nice little city station.

On 30, Point of Rocks Station (as you whiz through)

and on the Chief (3) Lamy -- a little station with a long history and still an important connection point. 



 

You will indeed have a hard time shooting stations on the NEC, unless you adopt a mostly commuter train itinerary. Dwell times on Acela are not sufficient to even get to the top of the stairs, much least take photos. 

Cool stations to look at have been ID'd , but I'll add a few:

Framingham MA. Nice HH Richardson stone depot, can probably be shot nicely from the rear door of the last car as you're departing. This style of two-tone brown stone station was a hallmark of the NYC's Boston and Albany. Other examples exist at Palmer MA and Chatham NY, both of which you will pass at road speed. Another example exists on a former B&A branch line in Boston which is now part of the Green Line D route (light rail line). I think it's at Newton Highlands, but not sure. Worth a look in any event. 

Albany Rensselaer is notable, partially for the modern architecture but mostly for the fact that is is 14 years old and isn't finished yet. You'll have plenty of time here, since they glue together the NYC and Boston sections and this takes quite a bit of time. Upon departure, look out the left side of the train as you cross the Hudson and you can see the 1901 Union Staition, now converted to a technology incubator. The Gothic building on the riverfront that looks like a station or a state Capitol is the former headquarters of the Delaware & Hudson RR. Now a university headquarters. 

Utica is gorgeous, but it will be dark by the time you get there. Likewise Buffalo Central. 

Glenwood Springs on the former DRGW is nice. Denver is a gem, and you'll have plenty of time there to look around. 

Raton NM and Flagstaff AZ are worth a look.   Quickly, though, probably better to shoot from the lounge car. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/16 08:18 by march_hare.

I'll put in my 2-cents worth for Sacramento.  The original station building still exists, but the old platforms are long gone, and Amtrak platforms moved maybe 100 yards away from the station. 

There's lots of time to kill in Sacramento between #11 and #6.  I made the same change of trains 6 weeks ago.  It was my first time in that station.  It still has the look and feel of Southern Pacific, including the bench seats.  There's still construction/remodelling in progress, so perhaps a year from now, things will be different.

Seriously lacking though, is any decent food.  Getting off #11 at 6:AM there's nothing to eat in the station unless you're happy with a candy bar, bag of chips, and a soda.  Travelling alone, I was leery of venturing very far from the station...even on a Sunday morning, so I got by with the vending machine offerings.     

wdkerr Wrote:

> Eastbound
> Coast Starlight-Tacoma to Sacramento
> Cal. Zephyr-Sacto. to Chicago
> Capitol Limited-Chicago to D.C.
> Acela Express-D.C. To New Haven
>
> Westbound
> N.E.C.-New London to Boston, South
> Lakeshore Limited-Boston to Chicago
> S.W. Chief-Chicago to Kansas City to L.A.
> Coast Starlight - L.A. to Tacoma
>
> Again, any of your recommended "not to be missed"
> stations please let me know.
>
> wdkerr - Tacoma, WA
>
> Posted from iPhone

Your eastbound trip.On my list these might not be the best places
but they are well known places.
Train 6
Roseville
Colfax
Salt Lake City
Grand Jct (Next door to the one they now use)
Denver
Lincoln
Omaha
Ottumwa
Burlington
Galesburg

Train 30
Elkhart
Toledo
Harpers Ferry

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.
just a picture taker.com
 

Most of the following can only been seen/photographed from the train

Cal. Zephyr-Sacto. to Chicago

Roseville, CA
Truckee, CA

Capitol Limited-Chicago to D.C.

Pittsburgh, PA
(unfortunately, if #30 is on time, it will be arriving and departing Pittsburgh during the dark.  If you are up early enough (5:05 am for an on-time arrival in Pittsburgh), you can catch a view of the station from the right side of the train.  Local architectural historians consider the station's rotunda, along the west side of the building to be its most distinctive feature.  The main building is now apartments and condominiums.  The Amtrak station is located beneath the main building.

Martinsburg, WV
Originally built as the Berkeley Hotel, it is one of the oldest Amtrak stations.  You will see it from the right side of the train.  Do not miss the roundhouse, dating from 1866, on the left side of the train.

S.W. Chief-Chicago to Kansas City to L.A.

Raton, NM                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
(If #3 is on time, you should have time to get off the train and snap a few photos of the depot)

Coast Starlight - L.A. to Tacoma

Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal

Santa Barbara, CA

Salem, OR

Portland, OR



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/01/16 17:07 by RuleG.

Rule G,  the OP won't be seeing Davis on the Tacoma-SAC leg of his journey  and if he's lucky, it will be in the dark on his northbound journey.  

I second Grand Junction as DH as some neat shots from there.  

Also highly recommend the end of the train leaving the station shot...

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Cal. Zephyr-Sacto. to Chicago
>
> Roseville, CA
> Truckee, CA

These are station stops.



> Capitol Limited-Chicago to D.C.


> Martinsburg, WV
> Originally built as the Berkeley Hotel, it is one
> of the oldest Amtrak stations.  You will see it
> from the right side of the train.  Do not miss
> the roundhouse, dating from 1866, on the left side
> of the train.

 This is a station stop


Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.





 

It has been a while, but last time I was at Denver and you de-boarded, you were not allowed to re-board until the departure was called.
Standing or walking on platforms by passengers was also discouraged by uniformed people, sometimes with dogs, at several other stations.
That could be inconvenient under some circumstances.
If you pretend to be a smoker, sometimes that helps.
As more and more stations get the "airport gate" mentality, there are probably others now besides Denver.
""If you are a passenger and are supposed to get off, do so, and leave, but otherwise we don't want you here.""
It is OK to loiter if you are a smoker, but not otherwise.
Camera's are suspicious but fiddling with a phone or smartfone is OK.
Go figure.

Los Angeles is still one of the best and most unique.  Frequently seen in TV shows and movies.  Based upon some other posts though, sounds like things there will be changing soon.
Major construction and redevelopment plans are in the works.
Get'em before the the "airport gate" mentality takes over.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/01/16 11:32 by NewRiverGeorge.

retcsxcfm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RuleG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Cal. Zephyr-Sacto. to Chicago
> >
> > Roseville, CA
> > Truckee, CA
>
> These are station stops.
>
>
>
> > Capitol Limited-Chicago to D.C.
>
>
> > Martinsburg, WV
> > Originally built as the Berkeley Hotel, it is
> one
> > of the oldest Amtrak stations.  You will see
> it
> > from the right side of the train.  Do not miss
> > the roundhouse, dating from 1866, on the left
> side
> > of the train.
>
>  This is a station stop
>
>
> Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.
>
>
Don't know what the deal is with "station stops."  The OP asked about stations to look out for.  When the train is stopped, it is easier to get a photo of the station, even when the rider cannot get off the train.