Passenger Trains > Notes on a Florida to Colorado trip.

My brother and I left Lakeland,Fl.on May 10 via connecting bus to Orlando.
Train 98 to DC,Train 29 to Chicago and Train 5 to Grand Junction.
He cannot get around too well,so we opted for a bedroom on all three legs.With the beds down there is not enough room to
get to the sink.The lower bed is 12" wider than the top.Why?
North of Bostwick,Fl.the CSX track was rough.(was that way went I rode in 2009)It got worse north of Charleston.Between Richmond and DC
it was much smoother.(on the way back,I was in deep sleep,so I have no idea what the track was like).
Into DC 45" early.All crew and food was good.

Train 29,May 11.
Woman conductor kept us informed about delays.
Seems last time I rode there was a shortage of dining car crew.This trip (as well as the others)there was plenty of help.At least two or more
waiters,a LSA and two cooks.All crew and food good.
On the Superliner trains the operating crews do not take over the "lounge" car like they do on the Florida trains.When the "Viewliners"
first started running,the crew stayed in the handicap room.Not now.They will make you move if they want to sit in a certain place.Makes for
good PR!

Train 5 May 12.BNSF and two FRA cars on the rear.Off at Denver causing more delays.
Rough track Chi to Galesburg.30" down.
5 hrs down @ Yuma,Co.
5 1/2 hrs down @ Ft.Morgan,Co.
5 1/2 hrs down @ Denver.
Delayed at Rocky for 4'20"
Conductor kept us informed.
(see my previous posts about this)
East portal Moffat,saw Amt 117 and four cars that someone posted recently.
Arrived at 12:30AM May 14 instead of 3:55PM May 13!

Train 6 Grand Junction,May 16.Left 60 down with UP GE leader.Same crew as westbound trip.But they had added some relief as I saw crew that I had not seen before as well as the others.All the crew was good.
Train got later and later and arrived Chi about 5PM CDT.Good for me to catch 30 at 6:10PM.

Train 30 May 17 Chicago.
We stopped just out of South Chicago lost 25" due to bridge up.
Lost another 20" east of Hundman,already down 1'30".Slow orders due to high water.Arrived DC down 1'45".
Crew was good and they seemed to go out of there way to help.

Train 97 May 18 30" down out of DC,but on time at Orlando.Had an excellent attendant,first name,Vic.

Tid bits,
On all the trains going west,the sleepers had ice for passenger use.However,on Tr.30 there was no ice.Wondering why,I asked the attendant said it was against FDA ( CIA,FBI or whatever)to use ice that did not have a drain.DUH?

As mentioned ALL the crews did a good job.I did get the names of two Denver based crew.Thanks to Robert Doney and Thomas Alimena.
Had the steak twice (good)chicken twice (so-so,gets old)ribs once (good).Only comment,"CHANGE" the menus!

Car 32049 0n Train 29 May 11,room C.Upper bed ladder too long.It is suppose to hook over the bed rail but could not.It was a real pain for me to get into bed.

Was eating lunch when we passed the Hundman camera.I took a napkin and waved at the camera.Looked for Train 30 on that date but none of the shots had Train 30.Why?

On the return trip I came back alone.My brother will return on June 15.I don't know how he will be able to handle a "roomette".He had not been on a train for forty years.

Uncle Joe-Seffner,Fl.

sdp35 Wrote:
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>
> Was eating lunch when we passed the Hyndman
> camera.I took a napkin and waved at the
> camera.Looked for Train 30 on that date but none
> of the shots had Train 30.Why?

Probable explanation: If another train had just passed the camera within a certain time (5 mins?) before yours, or something else triggered it, the camera was still re-cycling when No. 30 came by, hence no shot of it.

I'm sorry to ask, but why on Earth would you go from Lakeland, FL to Denver by TRAIN when you could probably fly nonstop (or, at most, with one change) from TPA to DEN in a few hours?

two words : TSA and check baggage fees

shoretower Wrote:
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> I'm sorry to ask, but why on Earth would you go
> from Lakeland, FL to Denver by TRAIN when you
> could probably fly nonstop (or, at most, with one
> change) from TPA to DEN in a few hours?

Do you really have to ask that question here? Come on man, we're supposed to be railfans and love to ride trains...
It's not about how fast one can go from point A to point B!

shoretower Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm sorry to ask, but why on Earth would you go
> from Lakeland, FL to Denver by TRAIN when you
> could probably fly nonstop (or, at most, with one
> change) from TPA to DEN in a few hours?

Here we go again...:(

shoretower Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm sorry to ask, but why on Earth would you go
> from Lakeland, FL to Denver by TRAIN when you
> could probably fly nonstop (or, at most, with one
> change) from TPA to DEN in a few hours?

Why are you here? I mean really, why??

Gotta second that.
We ride Amtrak 'cause we love trains. There's no other reason. Amtrak isn't cheaper and it takes from 4 to 10 times as long as flying and that's with all the TSA nonsense that flyers undergo. Now, why it isn't cheaper I cannot understand.
You ride the train because there's nothing else like it.

Danny Harmon
Tampa


lowwater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> shoretower Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm sorry to ask, but why on Earth would you go
> > from Lakeland, FL to Denver by TRAIN when you
> > could probably fly nonstop (or, at most, with
> one
> > change) from TPA to DEN in a few hours?
>
> Why are you here? I mean really, why??

Danny's response is true for railfans but for the non-fan there are a bunch of reasons to take the train over flying - here are a few:
Some people get deathly air sick.
some people are afraid of planes.
Some people just don't like planes and prefer to stay on the ground.
Some people are more comfortable in a long distance coach seat or a sleeper than crammed into a straight back seat with no leg room.
Some people prefer to be more leisurely, see the sights, smell the roses and relax.
Some people can get there more conveniently and with less hassle depending on where they live and how far they are going.
Depending on where you are going, the train if often cheaper if you buy early and take coach.
For some, the train is the only viable option because the airport too far away.
I am sure there are a bunch more reasons but one thing is for sure - if Congress gets the idea that only railfans like to take long distance trains the cuts will be inevitable.

Narr8rdanny Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gotta second that.
> We ride Amtrak 'cause we love trains. There's no
> other reason. Amtrak isn't cheaper and it takes
> from 4 to 10 times as long as flying and that's
> with all the TSA nonsense that flyers undergo.
> Now, why it isn't cheaper I cannot understand.
> You ride the train because there's nothing else
> like it.
>
> Danny Harmon
> Tampa


Yes, it always startles me to see that question posted in this forum. I understand it being asked elsewhere, but not here, especially in the "Passenger Trains" discussion area. I am faced with the dilemma now, as I need to travel from California to the Tampa area sometime in the next few months to visit relatives. It's especially annoying without direct service between New Orleans and Florida.

I have issues with blood clots in my legs and my primary care physician doesn't like for me to fly any great distances. On the other hand, being on a train for 4 days isn't a whole lot better, although at least I can get up, or even get off occasionally, and walk around. From a price standpoint, coach fare is usually cheaper when flying (depending on the specific deal, day, airport, etc.). The downside is the usual...security lines, actually sitting in the airplane (some are better than others), securing transportation at the destination. The train takes a lot longer, but that isn't an issue for me. I like riding the train. If I get a bedroom, it's much more expensive. I am thinking of getting a bedroom for part of the trip, just to save some $$. In Florida, I can get much closer to my final destination using Amtrak's buses, which offsets some of the money issues because I wouldn't need to rent a car.

Don't be surprised if I choose the train.

Warren,
Where are you coming from in Cal and where to in Fl?

Uncle Joe

sdp35 Wrote:
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> Warren,
> Where are you coming from in Cal and where to in
> Fl?
>
> Uncle Joe


I would be traveling from Fresno to Englewood, FL.