Anyone travel by train alot ?

Lookin at doin some travelin this year to various trapping events hopefully but really don't wanna drive 13hr one way ya know . Was talking to my mom about this and she mentioned how much she liked going on the Amtrak trains anytime she goes to new York or Chicago, so I'm looking at that. Seems cheap enough but wanted to know if anyone travels by train alot . Is it really that good ? Their usually somwhere you can rent a vehicle close by to most stations ?

Not a lot
13 hours by car can be 20+ by train.
Perty but is seems like you go through the best at night.

I have traveled by train a little Wolfdog. It was fun but it eats up a lot of time. It is circuitous to get from "here" to "there". My brother worked installing security equipment at train yard entrances. He said there wasn't enough money in the world to get him on a train. I am of the opinion that everything in life comes with a modicum of risk. I say go for it.

Brandon was a big AmTrack rider....

Trains are great.I travellfe by train a lot.
The night train from Cochrane to Toronto was epic.All night party.

Check on the cost of flying, there are a lot of cheap air fares to be had right now and you are going to be renting a car either way, sometimes you can roll the airfare, vehicle rental, and motel into one package and get a really good deal. Obviously if you are going to buy a lot of supplies you would have to ship them home but I suspect it would be the same way with a train.

I’d check the cost of flying and book 6 weeks ahead. See if someone will pick you up at the airport or get an Uber. You could eat all weekend for the cost of a rental and get a brown bag at the T-man dinner.

It is cheaper to fly, or faster to drive.

One time 30 years ago. From CT to FL. I will NEVER travel by train again. It really sucked. Uncomfortable, loud, couldn't even take a leak without whizzing all over the place. And looking into the "toilet" you see the tracks going by. There WAS a sign that said don't use restroom near the station. When I got off the train I looked down the tracks and TP as far as I could see. Again, 30 years ago, maybe it's changed.

I like trains but I have not done much traveling by train. It may depend if your destination is close to a train station. I would go to New York on a train in a heartbeat if I could get away. Just my 2 cents.

Long-Twin-Silver-Line...............Bob Seger

trains are slow and when you have to get a sleeper because what would take 3 hours in a plane takes 30 hours by train

driving isn't bad at all if you have a partner it gives you so much flexibility in where you go and what you see

13 hours by yourself is a little long some people don't mind some people do audio books help if you are by yourself

the other thing is I lived a 10 blocks from an amtrak station , when you got off the train possibly in the middle of the night there was a coffee shop that opened at 6am next to the track you had to basically have some one there to pick you up.that Was Columbus WI the stop in Sturdivant WI isn't a whole lot more

it isn't like an air port where you can rent a car , return a car , there is a warm place to wait on any layover with food available.


for one person traveling alone you can often get a seat very reasonable , line up a couple people who you could get to meet you at the air port depending on time of flight or plan to rent a car I bet you will find other people going to be at the trapping convention and would give you a ride , you might even be able to borrow a tent and camp at the convention.

When ya have to wait 10 hrs in the bar for the train to depart, the 5 hr trip ain't that bad.

Not legally!!! I have hopped my fair share though. LOL

I did a lot when I was younger and loved it! way better than being stuck in the middle seat of an airliner with a kid kicking the seat behind me some one on the side of me snoring or coughing. Do it get up walk around eat a good meal if you can afford it get a sleeping berth. I would rather walk than fly not sure where your going but if you can get close on train and rent a car do it.

I always get an aisle or window seat in the exit row nearest the front of the plane. You do get to select your seat.

In europe trains are the way to travel (at least they were 20 years ago) -- usa - not so much. Maybe E. coast is different than left coast but probably half of our train tickets are bus trips stopping at train stations.

Interesting, thanks for all the responses everyone

I went to Montana and back by Amtrak and never again. Nasty bathrooms, nasty people, poor food and uncomfortable. I’d look for any other option first.

I have worked many years for a Class 1 freight railroad as a Locomotive Machinist. I have worked on many Amtrak Locomotives in my career when they fail in our yard or on our mainline track and I personally would never even think of riding in one of those piles of junk. Let’s just say I have never seen as many FRA violations on any locomotives as I do on Amtrak’s equipment.

All I know about it is I looked into it ONCE

Train from Mineola TX to New York, NY cost nearly the same as flying AND it took nearly 3 days with layovers.

Greyhound probably would not be faster but dang sure cheaper

I thought he drove 18 wheelers.

1 time.......won't go back

Limited amount in US, but in Germany and Denmark, they were wonderful...Not really what you are asking for, but I also have to plug the Alaskan Railroad!

The romance of train travel.
If its good way to travel if where your going is a stop and the is not an airport handy. Its not a bad way to travel. Not really delayed due to weather, over booking, or tsa line checks. Get to see a lot of country in the observation cars. And you eventually will get to your destination station. The not so great parts are delays by a few hours to days, some have extremely crowded legs, and really dont save any in cost. Only reason why I took one was we were going to a small town in NM and it was all the same cost and travel time between flying, driving, and the train. Skipped all the driving around and took the train. Would do it again but only if I had time to spare.

You are going to get very surprised at how high the price is. I just went back and forth with a manager in Amtrak about how horrible their pricing was, and that they literally wasted the moment that they could have got a large amount of people to switch from planes to trains. If you are in a big city, the prices are better, but we were looking from LA to GA, and like.....man I want to support trains I really do, but the cost was just way too much.

Took grandkids to Wash DC about 4 years ago. Took the train for fun. It was during a record heat wave and the rails had warped. Max speed for tain was 55 mph. Our car had no working AC so the conductor put us in the dinning car.

Buying four rail tickets vs traveling in one car may not save money. If you travel to a city with subway service, the lack of a vehicle might be an advantage if you are staying in the inner city.

If Washington DC is the destination, it really is a tossup timewise and money wise. The car traffic is absolutely dreadful on I-66 and other highways. With a train, you don't have to wander around looking for the car underground. Just my experience.

Took the train up to Moosonee (Ontario) one time and it was a blast. I would do it again in a heartbeat. 186 miles. Then took a plane looking for polar bears.

The last time I took the train was in 1990, from Seattle to Minneapolis. I can drive the route in 29 hours, it took the train 48 hours.
We hit a truck in Idaho, several hours delay, the dining car caught fire in western Montana, several hours delay, train could only go 35MPH through most of North Dakota due to "bad tracks" I was told, more delay. What a nightmare.

On the plus side, Amtrak did provide free KFC chicken along the way since the dining car was inoperable. It was a pretty crazy sight to see that charred, burnt-out dining car we drug along with us the entire way. They said they were taking it to Chicago. It was a surreal trip; years later now it makes for interesting memories.

For all the drama, I am surprised the train made that good of time.

How fun Waggler!!!
I hear there are some wicked-fast trains overseas.

That’s because no Canadians worked on the infrastructure. Chinese like in the old days.

Whatcha drinkin' DAWG??

I have taken the train twice (Amtrak) from Chicago to Allentown PA. It was okay but first one started 2 hours late, the 2nd was 45 minutes late. Service was good and we slept over on the return both times. We also travelled through 7 European Countries over 3 weeks and 5,000 miles and none were ever late. always on time, with lots of good stations. In Europe trains are a major transportation system for work as well as other travel and thus being reliable is critical and they are. Not so much in the USA where trains less reliable. We did take a train from MA to NYC and that was timely, full and reliable.

Bryce

You rode thru a little corner of my Northern traplne,lol.
MP52 to MP 59
The moosonee line is a flagstop line.The train will stop and let you off anywhere and pick you up anywhere if you wave a green and white flag when the train goes by.

Step daughter lives in Philly and takes Amtrak when coming home to visit. Its actually faster than driving For her but we have to go pick her up and loan her a car while she's here.

That is one of the major downsides here for many trains hippie...As I am sure you know, most of the trains in European cities go right into city centers (small towns as well), so less need for getting picked up from as far away as some airports here in the States

Nice.Have heard about that train.

Cities subsidize city busses with tax dollars, and those European trains are paid for the same way. Seems to me it would be better to raise fares to cover the expense. That doesnt happen cause its cheaper to drive a POV. So lets raise the cost of a POV. Require all kinds of stuff to be standard equipment, no matter what the consumer wants, then raise the price of fuel. Make public transportation more desirable.

I wonder how much a car with a carburetor, no catalytic converter, no air bags, seatbelts, abs, no ECMs, PCMs or TCMs, no flat tire sensors, etc would cost today? I am certain a LOT of people would go that route.

Yep, she walks to the station from her place in Philly, but we have to drive to either Harrisburg or Lewistown to pick her up. About 40 miles to Harrisburg or 15 to lewistwon.

You rode thru a little corner of my Northern traplne,lol.
MP52 to MP 59
The moosonee line is a flagstop line.The train will stop and let you off anywhere and pick you up anywhere if you wave a green and white flag when the train goes by.

That's pretty cool Boco. You are in the boonies up there. How do you get into that country to trap? And yes we picked up a number of people on the trip.

Atv in fall and snowmachine in winter.
I worked on that railine for many years. When I lived in Abitibi Canyon,many years ago,I trapped with a Cree buddy before I got my own line.I would jump the train at mile 70 and get dropped off at mile 62 and walk back checking traps along the line.
I remember packing up to 5 beaver in the backpack walking back.Any more than that I would skin.

You is one tough dude!!

I've only been on a train once

here you go @wolfdog91 a video of what to expect

^^^^^
I wonder what that train ride cost, I'll bet a whole lot more than flying; not even counting your lost time.