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Across the USA by Train for Just $213

dereklow.co

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Re: Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#31

Post by jzwinck »

prezjordan wrote: post #28

I wanted to enjoy this post, but I couldn't help but wonder what was plagiarized[0] this time around. Perhaps it was a stupid mistake back then, but tough to look past it. [0]: https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/2huw34/what_its_... EDIT: Looks like a lot of it. Sigh.

Strangely the article about trains had a big ad for the article about Singapore Airlines at the bottom. I had a hard time remembering if this was the guy who originated that content or ripped it off. Thanks for the refresher...it's surprising this guy seems to be proud of the content he stole, even now.

Re: Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#33

Post by hornd »

jobu wrote: post #26
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Unless you're parked in a railroad yard for 10 hours waiting for an engine, like we were. Feels pretty vulnerable; not a place I'd choose to sleep normally. On the plus side: I can say I've slept in an abandoned rail car on a siding now.

Sadly this is very common. The freight companies own the rails, and if there's ever a route conflict their trains get priority over passenger trains. This means long delays in shitty railyards, and you have no way of making an itinerary.

Federal law mandates Amtrak priority over freight, even when operating on freight railways, but my understanding is that the law is not often followed.

Re: Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#34

Post by ksk »

austenallred wrote: post #17

When I lived as a poor vagabond couch-surfer in China, I did almost 100% of my traveling by train. I'm convinced there's no better way to travel. When you travel by airplane, you're pretty much rapidly moving from huge city to huge city. You miss everything in-between, from the terrain to seeing how people outside of the cities live. Even driving from one place to another, you're confined to the freeways. You see a l…

How is a train better than a car in this regard? You don't have to take the freeway if you don't want to.

Re: Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#35

Post by falsestprophet »

VLM wrote: post #21
smackfu wrote: post #10

One tricky bit with a one-way train journey like this is that the train travels all night. So roughly 1/3 of the scenery you go through, you won't be able to see at all. If you have something in particular to see, like the badlands, it might only be visible going eastbound and not westbound.

I've taken the chicago-NY route he mentions in the story. He has no pix because its dark both ways. The eastbound leaves around late dinner time in CHC (no point eating before boarding) and arrives before lunch in NYC, and westbound leaves NYC in mid-late afternoon right before lunch hour and arrives around rush hour in CHC. Unless they've changed schedules again. So the time "cost" of taking the train isn't 12 hours…

Chicago is abbreviated CHI, not CHC

You may have seen CHC in baseball

CHC is the Chicago Cubs

CHW is the Chicago White Sox

CHC is also Christchurch, New Zealand which looks lovely

Re: Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#36

Post by tkinom »

ksk wrote: post #34
austenallred wrote: post #17

When I lived as a poor vagabond couch-surfer in China, I did almost 100% of my traveling by train. I'm convinced there's no better way to travel. When you travel by airplane, you're pretty much rapidly moving from huge city to huge city. You miss everything in-between, from the terrain to seeing how people outside of the cities live. Even driving from one place to another, you're confined to the freeways. You see a l…

How is a train better than a car in this regard? You don't have to take the freeway if you don't want to.

You don't have to drive?

If just yourself, driving 3000 miles cost more time, $, mental energy.

Re: Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#37

Post by mindslight »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #3

Talk about meeting new people on a train: "An hour later, at a small Nevada town, there was a scene of confusion as the train pulled into the station with police cars standing by. The police boarded the train and arrested my dinner companion on suspicion of possessing firearms." On the other hand, its totally legal in Nevada to open carry; a permit is required only for concealed carry. So I'm wondering what the fuss…

I'd guess preexisting charges.

The time I took Amtrak cross country, my seat friend was "Ralph". He was nicely dressed, in the "import trucking" business, didn't like flying, and upgraded to a sleeper cabin with cash. The FBI got on at ABQ and started harassing people for their tickets. I was in the observation car at the time, but when I returned to my seat Ralph was still there! He had been hitting on the train attendant the whole time, and now she was giving him shit about the FBI's visit. He kept insisting they "just wanted to talk". I've no idea if he somehow successfully dodged them, or if they just wanted to scare him, or perhaps the train is a great place to do an exchange with an informant.

I'd imagine there's a lot of riff-raff (I use this word lovingly) on the train, because flying is hopelessly facist in the technical sense - eg that dance of responsibility that makes for the mandatory pervsearch. On the train you at least retain some skeleton of rights.

IMHO going West->East is the wrong way for scenery. All of the pretty geology up front, then flat nothingness for the remaining two thirds. At least this is my recollection of driving (I'm not even out of Colorado yet?!). Going East->West, there's a nice progression that keeps one entertained the whole time. But perhaps it's different to west coast native eyes as the green really starts filling in.

Re: Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#39

Post by seltzered »

I've done the pacific starlight from SF to Portland/Seattle a couple times over the years, and while I love the scenic-ness of the train, I felt like the author painted a bit too rosy of a picture of the amtrak.

Here's my anecdotal list of downsides of amtrak train riding:

- People will talk on their cell phones in the cabin despite the rules. You wouldn't think this a big annoyance, but it gets annoying after several hours.

- Amtrak cars can have issues - I spent 12 hours in one with a door that kept opening and closing making a huge 'clunk' noise every 30 seconds. A passenger finally figured out a way to make it stuck open.

- Watch your stuff, Things can and will get stolen - particularly in areas where there's multiple close stops (e.g. the stops near seattle) - last time the person in the seat in front had their smartphone stolen while they took a brief break in the snack car.

- The co2 savings compared to flying depends on the actual route and timing - I have to point this out because amtrak does market themselves a bit on co2 savings - I calculated this once between flying and taking the train from seattle to spokane, and after factoring in the need to stay at a hotel an extra night for the train along with it's non-direct route, the co2 difference was negligible. Here's my math for those curious: https://i.imgur.com/zTHfSB8.png

- Certain trains are historically, tragically slow - amtrak has a website logging the timeliness of trains, typically 70% on time for a long train is on the good side.

This said, I do want trains to be more of a thing here - I've had great experiences with the ones in europe, wish the pioneer train ( http://pioneertrain.org ) and ski train ( http://www.skitrain.com/ ) make a comeback, and prefer taking the business class amtrak trains for shorter trips over flying or driving. Plus you can pack a folding bike like a brompton on amtrak just by tossing it into the overhead compartment.

More: here's a blog of someone traveling the us by railpass: http://railpass.tumblr.com/

Re: Across the USA by Train for Just $213

#40

Post by coldtea »

>If you want to see tourist America, rent a Cadillac, get on Route 66 and stop off at a few cutesy diners and motels. If you want to see the real America in all its spectacular, crazy, kooky glory, get on the train.

I call BS, and am wondering if he has indeed taken Route 66, or just telling some vague impression he has of what it would be to do so.

I've travelled Route 66 several times (and highway 1, Highway 61 -Louisiana to Canada-, Route 50, coast-to-coast several times, and several other long road trips for decades).

There's nothing "touristy" about Route 66, with the exception of a few small towns along the way with shops living off of the Route 66 travellers.

Considering the whole 2.500+ miles journey, those are a negligible part of the way. And even those few places are not touristy in the Las Vegas or Miami sense, but more of a decadent, quiet "that's what we've got from our past, and we preserve it and tout it to help make some bucks" sense.

And there's nothing (unlike on a train) that stops you from talking small roads and alternate routes to explore nearby smalltowns and counties.

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