Passenger Trains > Required Reading for First Timers in LD Coach

While I have little use for the author's writing style, it does contain caveats for "first time' discretionary Coach travelers. Why do I note discretionary? Well if you reside in, say, Wolf Point MT, must respond to a family emergency, and that ticket pretty well "wiped you out' , i.e. $$$, you are "not exactly" a discretionary traveler.

http://cardhouse.com/travel/train.htm

We must note that most of the author's comments would be mitigated if he were to have used Sleeper - something he says he has used only when overseas.

GBNorman Wrote:
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>"snip"
> We must note that most of the author's comments
> would be mitigated if he were to have used Sleeper
> - something he says he has used only when
> overseas.

I would have to agree completely. Having ridden Amtrak cross-country, away from my home all in coach, and returning home all in sleeper, if you are on the train for more than one night (maybe even for more than 12-16 hours) a sleeper is HIGHLY recommended. The author does seem to be one of those "Look I can write in an overly and unnecessarily sarcastic tone and seem ever so slightly self-important" kinds of people.

I dunno... I found it amusing, and mostly accurate from the non-railfan rider's experience. Beat the hell out of the florid writing by the yuppie hobo in Harper's... :-)

BrianJennison Wrote:
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> I dunno... I found it amusing, and mostly accurate
> from the non-railfan rider's experience. Beat the
> hell out of the florid writing by the yuppie hobo
> in Harper's... :-)


FLORID!!! That's the word I was looking for!! Yep, the yuppie hobo blew me away, particularly since he boarded the train in Salinas but talked about riding through the Gilroy garlic fields on the way to Santa Barbara. I don't think so. :-)
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

Maybe he didn't know the difference between garlic fields and weeds.

Probably smoking some of that weed.....

There, see, Carol, I DID learn something in all those years at dear old Cal! Go Bears! :-)

All of his reports are quite accurate, speaking as someone who travels at least 4 times per year roundtrip overnight on Amtrak between the West Coast and Midwest. The simple solution to the power problem is to (A) carry one of those special "flat plug" extension cords he mentions -- they are inexpensive and available at most Walmarts, Targets, and the like -- and (B) carry a power busbar and a 3-prong-to-2-prong converter, so you can plug your busbar into the flat plug cord and share the electricity with other passengers who didn't come so equipped (which might even increase your odds for #12). With A+B in hand, you only need to sit within 2 or 3 rows of an electric outlet (there are at least 3 in all Superliner coaches) to be able to make use of the power, even when another passenger is already occupying the closest seat AND is using the wall outlet. I have never experienced a passenger to be so mean-spirited as to not share the power at their seat with me, particularly when I have brought along with me all of the accessories necessary to share said power.

chakk Wrote:
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> All of his reports are quite accurate, speaking as
> someone who travels at least 4 times per year
> roundtrip overnight on Amtrak between the West
> Coast and Midwest.

Accurate? I drink the water on the train and have never gotten sick. And the food is not nearly as bad as he alleges. I found his article cynical and disgusting. He obviously has not traveled by plane on overseas flights that are so packed that you can't move when the person next to you vomits, and despite all efforts to clean the mess up, the smell continues through out the flight. And you can't sleep because you're afraid you just might move on to some material that was not cleaned. At least in a train you can move. Give me a break.

I used to trust the cold water on passenger trains (dig those little paper cups) but in this brave new age of bottled water, why take the chance? As for passengers puking next to you, that has got to be a one time experience... certainly you don't expect that to happen every time you fly, do you? Get your ticket early and choose an aisle seat.