It is so cool hearing how passionate the Amtrak workers are. They clearly love what they do and provide an awesome service carrying on the tradition of rail travel in America
Fantastic, loved this. I've ridden Amtrak twice- The Empire Builder, once deliberately on the way to whitefish, once out of necessity after totalling my car near Havre and Malta Montana hitting a mule deer on the way back to Minnesota after a ski trip to whitefish returning for the first time to whitefish in 10 years. The Conductor of the train was so kind (Bob,..I've forgotten his last name unfortunately) had been doing it for something like 30 years. He helping me out allowing me to bring on way more extra luggage and weight as I pulled most of stuff out of my car including a subwoofer, our snowboard/ ski bags etc. He went above and beyond and connected me with his colleague another conductor as I had to swap some days around out of necessity, and he gave me his personal phone number to just help me out the next day when he would be by again on his Route between Grand forks North Dakota and Malta Montana. I will never forget the kindness he offered me and my friend.
I'm glad you weren't hurt and I hope the deer didn't know what hit him but it was probably a nice way to travel since you probably wouldn't have felt like driving for awhile. I hope your roomette was big enough for your "subwoofer" as I'm sure they're probably as big as other water-dogs like Labrador Retrievers.😊
There's something beautiful about the obvious passion that all of the crew you interviewed have for their jobs. I hadn't really considered it, but traveling this way is now definitely on my bucket list.
You simply must take The Coast Starlight. LA to Seattle or vice versa. Either direction is fun. i was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon 60 years ago. my first train trip was in 1977 from there to Eugene, Oregon. Dan Hanakow, my best friend, and i had worked and saved all summer long to make the 30 dollars and some cents it cost to buy each of our one-way tickets. This was the supposed retirement trip to Portland of the 4449 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotive! She and the rolling stock were painted in the old Shasta Daylight colors. Fresh off of Her bicentennial around the country tour, there was a diesel unit with an all-over, red, white and blue flag paint scheme. We were 5 and a half hours late getting in to Eugene. No one thought about the numerous hot box detectors. Especially on the drier and, at that time, more fire prone eastern slopes of the Cascades. They are designed to alert someone, somewhere that the train passing it has an overheating wheel bearing or "hot box" and must stop and make a visual inspection walking around the entire train. No exceptions. We loved every minute of it! i went on to ride thousands of miles on countless trips in many different segments south to LA and as far north as Tacoma, but never that last little bit to Seattle! i always traveled Coach. i'd studied Amtrak's diagram of the sleepers, the rooms and roomettes, but of course i'd never seen one. Coach travelers don't have access to the sleepers for obvious reasons. Once i'd booked a trip from Vancouver, WA to Tacoma. The train was packed full coming out of Portland. It had taken awhile for the conductor to seat the handful of us that got on in Vancouver. i was the last one. He stood there for a minute scanning through His tickets and seating check off lists and frowned. Still frowning He looked up and said, "Follow me." He escorted me to a roomette, pointed out the upper bunk and told me very sternly, "You will be charged $125 dollars if you pull that down" and left. i'd only paid $37 dollars for the round-trip, so needless to say i didn't touch it! It was nice to see what the sleepers are like. i got to see in an open room just like You did! Once again, You simply must take this trip !:-) 🙏💜⚡️
I think half of the appeal of your videos is your personality. You seem like such a nice person (Emma as well), and it's just a pleasure hearing you talk about things
Thank you for this lovely video. I read comments from people in other countries mocking the US a lot because we don't have high speed rail. But in the US, you don't take the train to get somewhere fast. You take it for the experience, to see the landscape, to have interesting conversations with people from all over that you would never meet otherwise, to experience the journey across the continent. It's really nice.
Pre pandemic I was traveling by Amtrak from Trenton NJ up to Maine and many destinations in between for work. I loved it and I love trains , riding, walking the tracks , drinking under the bridges, ( not any more) , all of it . Thank You
The employee at end talking about gifting passengers with souvenirs at his own expense…I don’t know why but it almost brought me to tears. What a wonderful experience, Amtrak has some of the best, most genuine sounding employees I have ever seen
My dad worked as a claims adjuster for the Association of American Railroads in the 1950s and he spent a lot of time on the trains. Based in New York City, he probably took the same route you took across Pennsylvania as he was from Johnstown and made trips home often. This video really had me thinking of my dad, so thanks for this.
What a fantastic video!! Thank you so much for it! Good to know that trains are very much alive in the US and that's a ride I will certainly try my best to go on if I ever visit the country!
Back in about 1990 I was photoing trains in the Chicago area. Caught a Santa Fe westbound pig train at Argo tower. In the afternoon. It had 4 Fp45/F45 locos all in the red/silver paint. What a sight.
25:42 Fun fact about that paint scheme on that Santa Fe engine is that it's referred to as the Santa Fe "Warbonnet" paint scheme because it was supposed to resemble the headdresses that Native American chiefs would wear which were often referred to as "Warbonnets"
I had a chance to ride The City of New Orleans from New Orleans to Chicago and the Chief from Chicago to Kansas City this past summer. It was by far the best trip I've ever taken. The crew were wonderful, and since the dining has returned to normal, even the food was good; I had salmon in the dining car with a white tablecloth and a fresh rose in a bud vase on the table. It's really true that getting there is half the fun. Get a roomette, and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. The train is definitely my preferred mode of travel from now on. Kansas City's station, while smaller than Chicago's, is lovely, by the way.
If anyone is interested in watching the trains there’s a TH-cam channel called Virtual Railfan that has cameras at a lot of the locations. So, it’s exciting to see you ride a train that I might’ve watched go through certain towns.
I enjoyed this so much! My daughter and I made a very similar trip (we started out on the a Lakeshore Limited in Rochester NY then on the Southwest Chief to LA. It was long before Covid so there was full meal service (delicious!) and we were in one of the bedrooms with its own bathroom/shower which is teeny tiny but oh-so-convenient. It was a wonderful trip! We flew home due to time constraints, but wished we could have taken the train in reverse. I believe the schedule was such that some of the places that we missed during the nights would have been passed in the daytime. Thanks for reminding me what a lovely trip it was!
My mom's family is from the Raton area. During the summer, you see lots of cub scouts on the train, heading to Raton. There is a huge ranch that hosts them every summer. In Raton, is Solano's Boot and Western Wear. My uncle used to do leather work for them. They have a "hat cemetery " on their walls. They are hats donated by local ranchers and cowboys. Many are sweat stained. My uncle's hat is there. Near Raton is Capulin Volcano National Monument. The Castaneda Hotel in Las Vegas was a Harvey House - it's magnificent from the train. Heading into Santa Fe, there are some homes you see on the east side. The kids would come out and wave. A little further down the conductor gave a little history on the Glorietta Pass. One summer, Amtrak had an Indian guide who did a wonderful presentation between Albuquerque and Gallup. They also showed a document on the wind talkers. It was wonderful. Its a beautiful train ride, especially if you get the history.
I've only ridden Amtrak a couple of times but have lasting memories of it, especially the scenery. You see everything-- from the worst to the best. Way more than you see from the freeway. I've never done the southwest and what you show looks amazing.
Your comment on the Eastland in Chicago struck a chord as my grandmother's only brother died on that excursion vessel...he was only 25. My uncle took a round trip on the train from Chicago to LA in 1933 and kept a diary of the whole rail experience..it is a great read! Cheers!
I Love Trains... I have taken Amtrak from Richmond Virginia to Florida. Went in sleeper car with my girlfriend. I loved the trip. Looking out the window most of the time, like a Dog. Enjoying the Scenery. You can also load your car in Northern Virginia, Lorton Station. This way you can have you car to travel through Florida. Must Make Arrangements Well In Advance. God Speed Your Travels.
Back during WW2, my father went to work for the Santa Fe RR out of the Chicago crew base as a Dining Car Steward ( like a maitre de ). He spent many years working the Super Chief, the El Capitan, the San Fransisco Chief and the Texas Chief. We still have photos in my family's possession of the many celebrities he served in the late 40's and 1950's! As a child we traveled to California on the Super Chief on a couple of occasions. Watching this was a nostalgic journey for me and I really enjoyed the journey with you! After Amtrak took over in the early 1970's my father was transferred to Seattle and became an onboard supervisor and inspector. He was always cognizant of the quality and enjoyment of the traveling public's' experience aboard the train! Thanks again for the journey with you! Found your channel after watching you video on Elkhorn, MT ghost town. Since I live fairly close, it is on my bucket list.
Between 2001 and 2013 I did on my own 5 weekend to weekend trips rode all the AMTRAK routes west of St. Louis (connections in Chicago and K.C.) and on one trip made connection to ride The Canadian on VIA Rail back and forth between Vancouver and Jasper. For me, it was a great way to relax and see the West. I also saw some of the cities taking trolley tours, when needing a hotel to make connection with a train the next day. It was too much rail time for my wife who only tried it once. For me, it was a great affordable adventure. I did coach on 4 of the trips and rode sleeper on one of them. Good video!
Recently Amtrak upgraded the food in the dining car and they're back to pre-Covid operations. No more microwaved food. You mentioned the legendary food on the old Super Chief at 16:20. That was the Fred Harvey Co., which was headquartered in Kansas City where I live. During the Golden Age of American rail travel the Fred Harvey Co. was famous for running the dining cars of the Atchison. Topeka, and Santa Fe RR like 5-star restaurants on wheels. You could eat like a king on a train trip. But Fred Harvey only operated west of Chicago and to the Pacific.
Wife Claudia and I have taken the train to Chicago four times, twice on the Chief from Los Angeles and twice from San Francisco, Emeryville. “How long does it take?” Friends ask. “Not long enough .” I reply. It is like staying in a bed and breakfast for two days and instead of a static view out your window you have a constantly changing view. The views, passengers you meet, the food and the “train” feeling are wonderful. The “train” experience for us is much better than that of a Cruise. We take along a few bottles of wine for an appropriate happy hour. Don’t compare the cost of the train transportation to that of an airline ticket but compare it to the cost of staying in a nice hotel for two nights with all meals included. Good job Tom and Emma. Charlie and Claudia, Avalon, Ca
What a find: the Amtrak employee (Matt) you interviewed at the beginning of the video. I LOVE listening to guys like that (articulate and knowledgeable). He did a very nice job at laying out the history of the line you were on. Love the whole video. Well done.
I can't tell you how much I enjoy your channel, you're an outstanding presenter. I really enjoy your style and presentation and your personality, and the content is top-notch. A very intellectual and dignified channel. So well-done. Thank you happy adventuring to you!
One of your best. The ones of us who loved this and liked this will always be here to share with you your future rail travels. It was beautifully engrossing. Thanks Tom. ❤️
I loved my cross country trip on the Southwest Chief. I did my journey pre covid and the food lived up to the Chief's reputation. I remember this one employee who was in the cafe car and he was a constant joy and was like a tour guide giving everyone the details about the Harvey House stop, about Raton and the Raton Pass... it was delightful
I love train travel. I've taken about 20 trips on Amtrak through the decades. Since I live out west I've traveled frequently on the Southwest Chief and the California Zephyr. You see the US in all its glory from a train window. Everyone should do it once.
Thank you for sharing, Tom. I moved to Germany at the end of last year, and while it has been offering some amazing adventures, and many to come, I enjoy seeing how things are going back home through your lens. Some beautiful shots of Cajon Pass, tragic with the fires. Hidden a little in the Pass tucked away is a spot called Hill #582... That stretch a few hundred miles East before Barstow is a place I have spent many nights in the middle of the desert with a campfire, telescope, harmonica and a little Jack as trains go by, I've seen that Amtrak go by, beautiful. I couldn't recommend checking out the ghost town of Bagdad enough. It sits at the bottom of the valley so the long trains really fly by, some old graveyard and a bunch of china fragments in the dirt. Kelso Dunes is also great, and nearby Arrowhead Junction is Fort Ibis - or the little that is left of it. Have a safe travel, thanks for sharing!
I want to take the train from Los Angeles to Denver and cross the rockies! This is inspiring! I want to take my son. There is just nothing more nostalgic and elegant than train travel. You really got some great people to interview. Such passion and knowledge. Really cool. Your channel is one of the best on all of TH-cam. Hands down. You need a million subscribers ASAP. I wish you the best!
looking forward to this, you may want to ride via rails's Canadian which is affectionately known as the last streamliner because it still uses 50s era passenger cars
I got to ride about half of the Empire Builder when I was 16 and it was such an amazing experience. I highly want to take a longer trip like this again someday. I've loved trains my entire life. Rail travel is special and needs to be experienced at least once.
You know as much as people might hate and dislike the guy, it's kinda amazing to know that a guy like Richard Nixon could have founded Amtrak over 50 years ago and have it still exist today. Same with the Environmental Protection Agency.
This is true. Just like with the National Parks and warning about the destructiveness of the Military Industrial Complex, both by Republican presidents, once upon a time conservatives were actually about conservation. And like Emancipation, they had a genuine interest in upholding rights and freedoms for everyone.
@@karenc4544 I miss politics of the Nixon era. The man had a great foreign policy, started the Space Shuttle program, was supportive of NASA and helped finish a dream that his rival Kennedy had, he signed 52 pieces of legislation in support of Native Americans, made an effort to end the Vietnam War responsibly which helped Ford have all troops removed by 1975, and I consider him to be one of the leading figures which lead downfall of the Soviet Union and the eventual end of the Cold War. Yet, all he's remembered for these days is Watergate and the relatively unsuccessful War on Drugs. Even the economy was doing well until Arab countries decided to use oil as a political tool which led to the 1973 Oil Crisis. The economy was really well when he was president until the 1973 Oil Crisis. Walt Disney World opened in 1971 as the largest theme park in the world, the World Financial Center which compassed the World Trade Center as the largest building in the world opened in 1973, and then the Sears tower opened as the largest building in the world in 1974. You can't deny that the economy was very strong for a big portion of his presidency. A smart man that was flawed by his own insecurities. I think he should be judged better in the future.
This was just fabulous. Now I'm thinking this has to go on my To Do list. And look at Emma looking so beautifully chic. I always love to dress up when I travel and it's delightful to see her doing the same.
Best rail trip TH-cam I've seen! Gorgeous shots, fascinating interviews, interesting bits of history. You have a great eye, and a talent for telling a story.
My dad and I used to travel cross country by Amrtak when I was younger. We would take the Lake Shore Limited out of Penn Station in NY and head to Chicago where we'd end up either spending a day there and then head back home or we would catch the connecting train to San Fran, Seattle or LA. Trains were my dad's favorite and he loved exploring and riding them. One year we took Via Rail from Vancouver to Toranto. My dad passed back in June and coming across your video randomly tonight was like a sign that he's with me. It made me cry but also brought back so many happy memories I have with him. Thank you for filming this and showing the world how wonderful trail travel is. You gained a new subscriber tonight so thank you.
My wife and I took Amtrak from D.C. to LA, via Chicago in the spring of 2020 and had a ball. We did a roomette from DC to Chicago and a bedroom from Chicago to LA. It was fun seeing the stations where we took leg-stretch breaks and even seeing individual sights along the track that we remembered.
15:20 what I love about (international) trains in Europe, that the dining car serves meals from the country of the operator, and since there are many, it gives a nice variety and is a thing to consider when you are deciding what time you want to go :)
What a truly great video this is! A traveller's eye informed by an historian's sensibility. Wonderful photography, great editing and very well-written. And the train crew on-cameras really made it sing. Thank you so much for this. (and btw, for a small idea of what rail travel must have been like in its glamour period, Joseph Kanon, a terrific writer, sets the first several chapters of his novel "Stardust" aboard the Super Chief in the summer of 1945 -- Paulette Godard is one of the passengers..)
I was lucky enough to take Amtrak across the country (LA to Washington, DC and LA to NY via Seattle). I have also taken VIA(Canada) from Halifax to Vancouver, BC. Alas I've always done it coach but loved it every time nevertheless. Thanks Tom for the video. It was a blast seeing the lovely Mrs. Emma.
Amazing to see all that history, railroads are still fascinating to me. Beautiful buildings, awesome views of the wide open spaces. Some day we plan on taking a trip on the train. You are a pro at these videos, very entertaining to watch. Thanks.
The layover in Chicago was just AWESOME!!! I really enjoyed walking the city, and the sears tower is only like 2 blocks away, so I went up to the top floor viewing area. Great stuff, and great travel experience!
This is a trip I’d like to do at some point. Your traveling across the country, but the train is part of the destination. Now I see why something like the Snowpiercer ‘cruise ship’ train would be so popular in a non-apocalyptic world.
I agree with with what your saying and as a frequent Amtrak and rail traveler I have to say rail travel is the way to go especially if you have a bit of extra time. , Thanks for letting us share the train ride. Mark Battista
Went on the Empire Builder + 1 other route myself. Seattle, WA to Rochester, NY. If you've got extra days to get to your destination, it's a great low-key way to go.
This was outstanding! I watched a documentary a month or so back on the Travel channel or Discovery channel, heck one of those channels anyway the train traveled across Canada. I think from Quebec to Vancouver. Much like your video which showed all the landscape traveling across the country it was just so beautiful. Once again a great video thank you for taking us along for the ride.
As someone who loves modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad it was a real treat to see the inside of those two stations you were at, the GG1 which I knew was there but still cool to see. I also really appreciated how in that upper lounge you were in at the start of your journey at all those pictures on the wall including a T1 Duplex steam engine butil for the PRR. Seeing all those amazing sights and rail equipment along the way was just magnificent. Maybe sometime you can ride a train on up to Minnesota and visit some local museums as well as to up to Historical Duluth area. Just a thought when you're on your travels. Wonderful video as always and even though the masks were eh to me. There was a weird charm about how empty everything was during that time. It felt like you had the whole train to yourself so that was cool to see as well. Thanks so much for sharing this journey.
Really liked this video, relatively new sub, the lost Franklin expedition was recommended to me a couple weeks ago and since then I’ve binge watched about all the maritime vids, really enjoy your content, I’ve learned a lot
Very nicely done. What fabulous architecture, especially the grand stations in the capitals. Journeying by rail is a unique way to experience a country. As well as sweeping vistas as you drift through the landscape, you peer into the backyards of a culture. TFP
Augh, that makes me ache to take a trip. Lovely voyage! You've got the "dad joke" MASTERED, too, lol! 😂 I dunno' about that milk - I prefer the milkless milk, myself, for my allergies and all. :3 Thanks, as always, for another excellent trip!
You guys have the best videos! The incredible beauty of the country and how you convey it just hits me right in the heart. If I ever go stateside this is what I'll do. It really reminds me of the Hurtigruten sea travel along the Norwegian coast, before they ruined it through gentrification. Now it's just a sad shadow of it's former self, nowhere worthy of the cost. Such a loss.
Came across this video today. Very glad I did. I thought it was very well done and fascinating to watch. Great job and you better believe I subscribed!!
I take the train often to New York from Baltimore for work. I always enjoy the ride. One day I want to take the "Vermonter" which goes, well obviously, to Vermont. This trip also looked fun. I might add it to my bucket list.
Great documentary! You were in my stomping grounds two years ago. I live about 10 minutes from Altoona, PA! My great grandfather worked for the railroad.
Beautiful and such a contrast to traveling the German ICE or French TGV high speed trains of mass transportation that lack any charm. Nicely documented again Tom & Emma! Your vids are always kinda taking a break from a regular working day. Cheers from Germany to both of you & thanks for your efforts!
Took the SC back in 2015. Was a great trip and I enjoyed watching your experience. Getting ready to take the Carolinian and the Silver Star from Philadelphia to Raleigh and Miami and back.
Another excellent video and to be very honest, it is as if you are reading the minds of some of your audience by choosing to do content like this. Clearly, trains fascinate a lot of people at the grassroots level. I'm a resident of Canada, and I've often thought about crossing the country on trains as well. I had not considered how it might translate as video content though. *very well done!*
I do appreciate your "trains in the movies" references. I remember that scene from the "Untouchables" movie inside Chicago Union Station, and I've been down that staircase, too.
Thank you so much for this great cross country rail trip. Heres a few points of interest. Lucky for me, back in 1978, I ran GG1 #4857, in a N. Jersey service facility yard. What a thrill !! I grew up next to the ERIE RR in Paterson, NJ. The Erie Limited passenger train, I think, used the same terminal as did the Santa Fe in Chicago. To close my comments. I heard you mention a name of Bill Sauter. I worked for a Bill Sauter of Elliot - Lewis corp. But at a corp. division in SW Fl. I knew Bill was a RR enthusiast. Was this the same person? Sorry for the long post. thanks again. BTW, I'm a 1 1/2 inch scale 'live steamer'. (papasmurf7597)
Such a great video! Thank you for documenting your travels. I'm ashamed to say I hadn't ridden a proper train until just a few years ago, even after knowing how it is, indeed, such a more civilized and romantic way to travel. I need to take more trips via rail! Life is about the journey, not the destination. Be well, my friend...
Thank you, Tom and Emma, for a very enjoyable 3 day train excursion, even though it only lasted half an hour. The only two towns I've been to were Albequerque, New Mexico and and Barstow California and I couldn't recognize any thing you showed in either of them. I loved the comments on California being in it's natural state "on fire". If you got an opportunity to tour aroun the Barstow area, you might enjoy doing a video about the Calico ghost town, which had quite a large silver mine in it's heyday and there's still supposed to be over seven million dollars worth of silver in the tailing pile, the only problem is that it would cost over eleven million dollars to recover it. God Bless and stay safe.
It is so cool hearing how passionate the Amtrak workers are. They clearly love what they do and provide an awesome service carrying on the tradition of rail travel in America
Fantastic, loved this. I've ridden Amtrak twice- The Empire Builder, once deliberately on the way to whitefish, once out of necessity after totalling my car near Havre and Malta Montana hitting a mule deer on the way back to Minnesota after a ski trip to whitefish returning for the first time to whitefish in 10 years.
The Conductor of the train was so kind (Bob,..I've forgotten his last name unfortunately) had been doing it for something like 30 years. He helping me out allowing me to bring on way more extra luggage and weight as I pulled most of stuff out of my car including a subwoofer, our snowboard/ ski bags etc. He went above and beyond and connected me with his colleague another conductor as I had to swap some days around out of necessity, and he gave me his personal phone number to just help me out the next day when he would be by again on his Route between Grand forks North Dakota and Malta Montana. I will never forget the kindness he offered me and my friend.
I'm glad you weren't hurt and I hope the deer didn't know what hit him but it was probably a nice way to travel since you probably wouldn't have felt like driving for awhile. I hope your roomette was big enough for your "subwoofer" as I'm sure they're probably as big as other water-dogs like Labrador Retrievers.😊
There's something beautiful about the obvious passion that all of the crew you interviewed have for their jobs. I hadn't really considered it, but traveling this way is now definitely on my bucket list.
I agree - the passion for their work was nice to see.
You simply must take The Coast Starlight. LA to Seattle or vice versa. Either direction is fun. i was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon 60 years ago. my first train trip was in 1977 from there to Eugene, Oregon. Dan Hanakow, my best friend, and i had worked and saved all summer long to make the 30 dollars and some cents it cost to buy each of our one-way tickets. This was the supposed retirement trip to Portland of the 4449 4-8-8-4 Big Boy steam locomotive! She and the rolling stock were painted in the old Shasta Daylight colors. Fresh off of Her bicentennial around the country tour, there was a diesel unit with an all-over, red, white and blue flag paint scheme.
We were 5 and a half hours late getting in to Eugene. No one thought about the numerous hot box detectors. Especially on the drier and, at that time, more fire prone eastern slopes of the Cascades. They are designed to alert someone, somewhere that the train passing it has an overheating wheel bearing or "hot box" and must stop and make a visual inspection walking around the entire train. No exceptions. We loved every minute of it!
i went on to ride thousands of miles on countless trips in many different segments south to LA and as far north as Tacoma, but never that last little bit to Seattle! i always traveled Coach. i'd studied Amtrak's diagram of the sleepers, the rooms and roomettes, but of course i'd never seen one. Coach travelers don't have access to the sleepers for obvious reasons. Once i'd booked a trip from Vancouver, WA to Tacoma. The train was packed full coming out of Portland. It had taken awhile for the conductor to seat the handful of us
that got on in Vancouver. i was the last one. He stood there for a minute scanning through His tickets and seating check off lists and frowned. Still frowning He looked up and said, "Follow me." He escorted me to a roomette, pointed out the upper bunk and told me very sternly, "You will be charged $125 dollars if you pull that down" and left. i'd only paid $37 dollars for the round-trip, so needless to say i didn't touch it! It was nice to see what the sleepers are like. i got to see in an open room just like You did!
Once again, You simply must take this trip !:-)
🙏💜⚡️
I think half of the appeal of your videos is your personality. You seem like such a nice person (Emma as well), and it's just a pleasure hearing you talk about things
All of his uploads have the look and feel of a big budget production.
Thank you for this lovely video. I read comments from people in other countries mocking the US a lot because we don't have high speed rail. But in the US, you don't take the train to get somewhere fast. You take it for the experience, to see the landscape, to have interesting conversations with people from all over that you would never meet otherwise, to experience the journey across the continent. It's really nice.
I traveled northeast with my girlfriend from los angeles to chicago onboard the southwest chief train in mid August 2014. Nice trip we both had.
Pre pandemic I was traveling by Amtrak from Trenton NJ up to Maine and many destinations in between for work. I loved it and I love trains , riding, walking the tracks , drinking under the bridges, ( not any more) , all of it . Thank You
The employee at end talking about gifting passengers with souvenirs at his own expense…I don’t know why but it almost brought me to tears. What a wonderful experience, Amtrak has some of the best, most genuine sounding employees I have ever seen
My dad worked as a claims adjuster for the Association of American Railroads in the 1950s and he spent a lot of time on the trains. Based in New York City, he probably took the same route you took across Pennsylvania as he was from Johnstown and made trips home often. This video really had me thinking of my dad, so thanks for this.
What a fantastic video!! Thank you so much for it! Good to know that trains are very much alive in the US and that's a ride I will certainly try my best to go on if I ever visit the country!
Back in about 1990 I was photoing trains in the Chicago area.
Caught a Santa Fe westbound pig train at Argo tower. In the afternoon.
It had 4 Fp45/F45 locos all in the red/silver paint.
What a sight.
25:42 Fun fact about that paint scheme on that Santa Fe engine is that it's referred to as the Santa Fe "Warbonnet" paint scheme because it was supposed to resemble the headdresses that Native American chiefs would wear which were often referred to as "Warbonnets"
I had a chance to ride The City of New Orleans from New Orleans to Chicago and the Chief from Chicago to Kansas City this past summer. It was by far the best trip I've ever taken. The crew were wonderful, and since the dining has returned to normal, even the food was good; I had salmon in the dining car with a white tablecloth and a fresh rose in a bud vase on the table. It's really true that getting there is half the fun. Get a roomette, and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. The train is definitely my preferred mode of travel from now on. Kansas City's station, while smaller than Chicago's, is lovely, by the way.
If anyone is interested in watching the trains there’s a TH-cam channel called Virtual Railfan that has cameras at a lot of the locations. So, it’s exciting to see you ride a train that I might’ve watched go through certain towns.
I enjoyed this so much! My daughter and I made a very similar trip (we started out on the a Lakeshore Limited in Rochester NY then on the Southwest Chief to LA. It was long before Covid so there was full meal service (delicious!) and we were in one of the bedrooms with its own bathroom/shower which is teeny tiny but oh-so-convenient. It was a wonderful trip! We flew home due to time constraints, but wished we could have taken the train in reverse. I believe the schedule was such that some of the places that we missed during the nights would have been passed in the daytime.
Thanks for reminding me what a lovely trip it was!
Thank you for the wonderful journey by train. That was a dream come true for me. I love your channel.
My mom's family is from the Raton area. During the summer, you see lots of cub scouts on the train, heading to Raton. There is a huge ranch that hosts them every summer.
In Raton, is Solano's Boot and Western Wear. My uncle used to do leather work for them. They have a "hat cemetery " on their walls. They are hats donated by local ranchers and cowboys. Many are sweat stained. My uncle's hat is there. Near Raton is Capulin Volcano National Monument.
The Castaneda Hotel in Las Vegas was a Harvey House - it's magnificent from the train. Heading into Santa Fe, there are some homes you see on the east side. The kids would come out and wave. A little further down the conductor gave a little history on the Glorietta Pass.
One summer, Amtrak had an Indian guide who did a wonderful presentation between Albuquerque and Gallup. They also showed a document on the wind talkers. It was wonderful. Its a beautiful train ride, especially if you get the history.
My wife and I took the train from Rensselaer NY to LA maybe 18 years ago, 5 days I think. It was amazing, great experience. Then we drove back to ny.
I've only ridden Amtrak a couple of times but have lasting memories of it, especially the scenery. You see everything-- from the worst to the best. Way more than you see from the freeway. I've never done the southwest and what you show looks amazing.
Looked like a lot of fun and those conductors was really nice. Could tell the one who brought the meal wished it could have been better.
Your comment on the Eastland in Chicago struck a chord as my grandmother's only brother died on that excursion vessel...he was only 25. My uncle took a round trip on the train from Chicago to LA in 1933 and kept a diary of the whole rail experience..it is a great read! Cheers!
I Love Trains... I have taken Amtrak from Richmond Virginia to Florida. Went in sleeper car with my girlfriend. I loved the trip. Looking out the window most of the time, like a Dog. Enjoying the Scenery. You can also load your car in Northern Virginia, Lorton Station. This way you can have you car to travel through Florida.
Must Make Arrangements Well In Advance. God Speed Your Travels.
Back during WW2, my father went to work for the Santa Fe RR out of the Chicago crew base as a Dining Car Steward ( like a maitre de ). He spent many years working the Super Chief, the El Capitan, the San Fransisco Chief and the Texas Chief. We still have photos in my family's possession of the many celebrities he served in the late 40's and 1950's! As a child we traveled to California on the Super Chief on a couple of occasions. Watching this was a nostalgic journey for me and I really enjoyed the journey with you! After Amtrak took over in the early 1970's my father was transferred to Seattle and became an onboard supervisor and inspector. He was always cognizant of the quality and enjoyment of the traveling public's' experience aboard the train! Thanks again for the journey with you! Found your channel after watching you video on Elkhorn, MT ghost town. Since I live fairly close, it is on my bucket list.
Between 2001 and 2013 I did on my own 5 weekend to weekend trips rode all the AMTRAK routes west of St. Louis (connections in Chicago and K.C.) and on one trip made connection to ride The Canadian on VIA Rail back and forth between Vancouver and Jasper. For me, it was a great way to relax and see the West. I also saw some of the cities taking trolley tours, when needing a hotel to make connection with a train the next day. It was too much rail time for my wife who only tried it once. For me, it was a great affordable adventure. I did coach on 4 of the trips and rode sleeper on one of them. Good video!
Recently Amtrak upgraded the food in the dining car and they're back to pre-Covid operations. No more microwaved food.
You mentioned the legendary food on the old Super Chief at 16:20. That was the Fred Harvey Co., which was headquartered in Kansas City where I live. During the Golden Age of American rail travel the Fred Harvey Co. was famous for running the dining cars of the Atchison. Topeka, and Santa Fe RR like 5-star restaurants on wheels. You could eat like a king on a train trip. But Fred Harvey only operated west of Chicago and to the Pacific.
Wife Claudia and I have taken the train to Chicago four times, twice on the Chief from Los Angeles and twice from San Francisco, Emeryville. “How long does it take?” Friends ask. “Not long enough .” I reply. It is like staying in a bed and breakfast for two days and instead of a static view out your window you have a constantly changing view. The views, passengers you meet, the food and the “train” feeling are wonderful. The “train” experience for us is much better than that of a Cruise. We take along a few bottles of wine for an appropriate happy hour. Don’t compare the cost of the train transportation to that of an airline ticket but compare it to the cost of staying in a nice hotel for two nights with all meals included. Good job Tom and Emma. Charlie and Claudia, Avalon, Ca
Great History+Good Quality+More Railway Content =Good Times
My inner rail nerd just died and went to heaven.
Also, apropos of absolutely nothing, I *love* Emma's fashion sense.
Oh my gosh! My heart dropped when she stuck her head out of a moving train!
What a find: the Amtrak employee (Matt) you interviewed at the beginning of the video. I LOVE listening to guys like that (articulate and knowledgeable). He did a very nice job at laying out the history of the line you were on.
Love the whole video. Well done.
I can't tell you how much I enjoy your channel, you're an outstanding presenter. I really enjoy your style and presentation and your personality, and the content is top-notch. A very intellectual and dignified channel. So well-done. Thank you happy adventuring to you!
One of your best. The ones of us who loved this and liked this will always be here to share with you your future rail travels. It was beautifully engrossing. Thanks Tom. ❤️
I loved my cross country trip on the Southwest Chief. I did my journey pre covid and the food lived up to the Chief's reputation. I remember this one employee who was in the cafe car and he was a constant joy and was like a tour guide giving everyone the details about the Harvey House stop, about Raton and the Raton Pass... it was delightful
I love train travel. I've taken about 20 trips on Amtrak through the decades. Since I live out west I've traveled frequently on the Southwest Chief and the California Zephyr. You see the US in all its glory from a train window. Everyone should do it once.
What a delightful video about our rail heritage, and also what generous and insightful people you met along the way.
Thank you for sharing, Tom. I moved to Germany at the end of last year, and while it has been offering some amazing adventures, and many to come, I enjoy seeing how things are going back home through your lens. Some beautiful shots of Cajon Pass, tragic with the fires. Hidden a little in the Pass tucked away is a spot called Hill #582... That stretch a few hundred miles East before Barstow is a place I have spent many nights in the middle of the desert with a campfire, telescope, harmonica and a little Jack as trains go by, I've seen that Amtrak go by, beautiful. I couldn't recommend checking out the ghost town of Bagdad enough. It sits at the bottom of the valley so the long trains really fly by, some old graveyard and a bunch of china fragments in the dirt. Kelso Dunes is also great, and nearby Arrowhead Junction is Fort Ibis - or the little that is left of it. Have a safe travel, thanks for sharing!
I want to take the train from Los Angeles to Denver and cross the rockies! This is inspiring! I want to take my son. There is just nothing more nostalgic and elegant than train travel. You really got some great people to interview. Such passion and knowledge. Really cool. Your channel is one of the best on all of TH-cam. Hands down. You need a million subscribers ASAP. I wish you the best!
looking forward to this, you may want to ride via rails's Canadian which is affectionately known as the last streamliner because it still uses 50s era passenger cars
Hi
Hell yeah !
@@imakeboatsifudidntknow 👋
I’ve heard that.
Amazingly I'm planning to go on it this December.
I hope one day the country wakes up and understands how crucial railroad infrastructure is and why it's more valuable than any freeway.
I got to ride about half of the Empire Builder when I was 16 and it was such an amazing experience. I highly want to take a longer trip like this again someday. I've loved trains my entire life. Rail travel is special and needs to be experienced at least once.
You know as much as people might hate and dislike the guy, it's kinda amazing to know that a guy like Richard Nixon could have founded Amtrak over 50 years ago and have it still exist today. Same with the Environmental Protection Agency.
This is true. Just like with the National Parks and warning about the destructiveness of the Military Industrial Complex, both by Republican presidents, once upon a time conservatives were actually about conservation.
And like Emancipation, they had a genuine interest in upholding rights and freedoms for everyone.
@@karenc4544 I miss politics of the Nixon era. The man had a great foreign policy, started the Space Shuttle program, was supportive of NASA and helped finish a dream that his rival Kennedy had, he signed 52 pieces of legislation in support of Native Americans, made an effort to end the Vietnam War responsibly which helped Ford have all troops removed by 1975, and I consider him to be one of the leading figures which lead downfall of the Soviet Union and the eventual end of the Cold War. Yet, all he's remembered for these days is Watergate and the relatively unsuccessful War on Drugs. Even the economy was doing well until Arab countries decided to use oil as a political tool which led to the 1973 Oil Crisis. The economy was really well when he was president until the 1973 Oil Crisis. Walt Disney World opened in 1971 as the largest theme park in the world, the World Financial Center which compassed the World Trade Center as the largest building in the world opened in 1973, and then the Sears tower opened as the largest building in the world in 1974. You can't deny that the economy was very strong for a big portion of his presidency. A smart man that was flawed by his own insecurities. I think he should be judged better in the future.
This was just fabulous. Now I'm thinking this has to go on my To Do list. And look at Emma looking so beautifully chic. I always love to dress up when I travel and it's delightful to see her doing the same.
All of Tom's videos are great, even if they're filmed 2 years ago
Best rail trip TH-cam I've seen! Gorgeous shots, fascinating interviews, interesting bits of history. You have a great eye, and a talent for telling a story.
Thank you Conductor Matt for your superlative history of the Pennsylvanian. You are what make Amtrak so great…Well Done Sir!
My dad and I used to travel cross country by Amrtak when I was younger. We would take the Lake Shore Limited out of Penn Station in NY and head to Chicago where we'd end up either spending a day there and then head back home or we would catch the connecting train to San Fran, Seattle or LA. Trains were my dad's favorite and he loved exploring and riding them. One year we took Via Rail from Vancouver to Toranto. My dad passed back in June and coming across your video randomly tonight was like a sign that he's with me. It made me cry but also brought back so many happy memories I have with him. Thank you for filming this and showing the world how wonderful trail travel is. You gained a new subscriber tonight so thank you.
Makes me reflect and appreciate our country, it’s history and architecture that much more.
I really appreciate the time you took in the video for the viewer to actually see the great stations you passed through.
My wife and I took Amtrak from D.C. to LA, via Chicago in the spring of 2020 and had a ball. We did a roomette from DC to Chicago and a bedroom from Chicago to LA. It was fun seeing the stations where we took leg-stretch breaks and even seeing individual sights along the track that we remembered.
15:20 what I love about (international) trains in Europe, that the dining car serves meals from the country of the operator, and since there are many, it gives a nice variety and is a thing to consider when you are deciding what time you want to go :)
Amtrak needs to feature Matt the conductor in an ad campaign. He totally sold the experience.
What a truly great video this is! A traveller's eye informed by an historian's sensibility. Wonderful photography, great editing and very well-written. And the train crew on-cameras really made it sing. Thank you so much for this. (and btw, for a small idea of what rail travel must have been like in its glamour period, Joseph Kanon, a terrific writer, sets the first several chapters of his novel "Stardust" aboard the Super Chief in the summer of 1945 -- Paulette Godard is one of the passengers..)
I was lucky enough to take Amtrak across the country (LA to Washington, DC and LA to NY via Seattle). I have also taken VIA(Canada) from Halifax to Vancouver, BC. Alas I've always done it coach but loved it every time nevertheless.
Thanks Tom for the video. It was a blast seeing the lovely Mrs. Emma.
An absolutely perfect video! Keep up the amazing work!
Excellent video. You display a fantastic sense of composition and timing, and your choice of music is superb.
Great. Video. Really like the Amtrak employee explaining things toward the beginning.
What a ride. Great video, Tom & Emma. Cheers.
Thank you for your excellent coverage. I enjoyed the Southwest Chief in March of 2022 and was very thankful the good food was back.
Amazing to see all that history, railroads are still fascinating to me. Beautiful buildings, awesome views of the wide open spaces. Some day we plan on taking a trip on the train. You are a pro at these videos, very entertaining to watch. Thanks.
The layover in Chicago was just AWESOME!!! I really enjoyed walking the city, and the sears tower is only like 2 blocks away, so I went up to the top floor viewing area. Great stuff, and great travel experience!
Absolute bucket-list item for me, and i couldn’t agree more on those closing notions 👍
This is a trip I’d like to do at some point. Your traveling across the country, but the train is part of the destination. Now I see why something like the Snowpiercer ‘cruise ship’ train would be so popular in a non-apocalyptic world.
Thank you so much for taking us along.
I agree with with what your saying and as a frequent Amtrak and rail traveler I have to say rail travel is the way to go especially if you have a bit of extra time. , Thanks for letting us share the train ride. Mark Battista
Went on the Empire Builder + 1 other route myself. Seattle, WA to Rochester, NY. If you've got extra days to get to your destination, it's a great low-key way to go.
This was outstanding! I watched a documentary a month or so back on the Travel channel or Discovery channel, heck one of those channels anyway the train traveled across Canada. I think from Quebec to Vancouver. Much like your video which showed all the landscape traveling across the country it was just so beautiful. Once again a great video thank you for taking us along for the ride.
As someone who loves modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad it was a real treat to see the inside of those two stations you were at, the GG1 which I knew was there but still cool to see. I also really appreciated how in that upper lounge you were in at the start of your journey at all those pictures on the wall including a T1 Duplex steam engine butil for the PRR. Seeing all those amazing sights and rail equipment along the way was just magnificent. Maybe sometime you can ride a train on up to Minnesota and visit some local museums as well as to up to Historical Duluth area. Just a thought when you're on your travels. Wonderful video as always and even though the masks were eh to me. There was a weird charm about how empty everything was during that time. It felt like you had the whole train to yourself so that was cool to see as well. Thanks so much for sharing this journey.
Really liked this video, relatively new sub, the lost Franklin expedition was recommended to me a couple weeks ago and since then I’ve binge watched about all the maritime vids, really enjoy your content, I’ve learned a lot
Very nicely done. What fabulous architecture, especially the grand stations in the capitals. Journeying by rail is a unique way to experience a country. As well as sweeping vistas as you drift through the landscape, you peer into the backyards of a culture. TFP
Olá. Parabéns pelo ótimo vídeo. Sou apaixonado por ferrovia , principalmente por trem de passageiros. Um grande abraço. Desde São Carlos SP Brasil.
Augh, that makes me ache to take a trip. Lovely voyage! You've got the "dad joke" MASTERED, too, lol! 😂 I dunno' about that milk - I prefer the milkless milk, myself, for my allergies and all. :3 Thanks, as always, for another excellent trip!
You guys have the best videos! The incredible beauty of the country and how you convey it just hits me right in the heart. If I ever go stateside this is what I'll do. It really reminds me of the Hurtigruten sea travel along the Norwegian coast, before they ruined it through gentrification. Now it's just a sad shadow of it's former self, nowhere worthy of the cost. Such a loss.
A very lovely piece with beautiful background music!
Your on foot videos, and adventure vlogs, best on youtube, and my highlights of your channel. Very happy to see this upload 😁
Thank you, really love interviews of the staffs
I cannot wait to do this some day. Thank you for the your great work.
This is one of My dream journeys and I hope one day , I can do it . Ty for such a great video . .. again.
Amazing video, really. It makes me happy to see more railfans to make story/videos how great Amtrak can be if we act together. Props to you!
Came across this video today. Very glad I did. I thought it was very well done and fascinating to watch. Great job and you better believe I subscribed!!
Travelling to the US to ride Amtrak really rose in the ranks on my bucket list after this video. Awesome mini-documentary/travel show!
There used to be an unlimited ticket. I don't know if Amtrak has that anymore. I think Canada has an unlimited ride ticket.
I take the train often to New York from Baltimore for work. I always enjoy the ride. One day I want to take the "Vermonter" which goes, well obviously, to Vermont. This trip also looked fun. I might add it to my bucket list.
Good clip ,I want to go from Dallas to LA . I love trains.Good background music.
Great documentary! You were in my stomping grounds two years ago. I live about 10 minutes from Altoona, PA! My great grandfather worked for the railroad.
Beautiful and such a contrast to traveling the German ICE or French TGV high speed trains of mass transportation that lack any charm. Nicely documented again Tom & Emma! Your vids are always kinda taking a break from a regular working day. Cheers from Germany to both of you & thanks for your efforts!
always wanted to go to an Amtrack its so cool and also your videos
Great video! One of my dreams is to cross the country with Amtrak
I am a huge fan of your adventure videos. So exciting! 🎉
Took the SC back in 2015. Was a great trip and I enjoyed watching your experience. Getting ready to take the Carolinian and the Silver Star from Philadelphia to Raleigh and Miami and back.
Can't say I was expecting a interview with *the* Matt Pisani. Had the pleasure of riding with him multiple times as that's my local train.
Another excellent video and to be very honest, it is as if you are reading the minds of some of your audience by choosing to do content like this. Clearly, trains fascinate a lot of people at the grassroots level. I'm a resident of Canada, and I've often thought about crossing the country on trains as well. I had not considered how it might translate as video content though. *very well done!*
I do appreciate your "trains in the movies" references. I remember that scene from the "Untouchables" movie inside Chicago Union Station, and I've been down that staircase, too.
Thank you so much for this great cross country rail trip. Heres a few points of interest. Lucky for me, back in 1978, I ran GG1 #4857, in a N. Jersey service facility yard. What a thrill !! I grew up next to the ERIE RR in Paterson, NJ. The Erie Limited passenger train, I think, used the same terminal as did the Santa Fe in Chicago. To close my comments. I heard you mention a name of Bill Sauter. I worked for a Bill Sauter of Elliot - Lewis corp. But at a corp. division in SW Fl. I knew Bill was a RR enthusiast. Was this the same person? Sorry for the long post. thanks again. BTW, I'm a 1 1/2 inch scale 'live steamer'. (papasmurf7597)
Such a great video! Thank you for documenting your travels. I'm ashamed to say I hadn't ridden a proper train until just a few years ago, even after knowing how it is, indeed, such a more civilized and romantic way to travel. I need to take more trips via rail! Life is about the journey, not the destination. Be well, my friend...
This was such a beautiful video - please do more train-related content!
Thank You for sharing this Amazing trip!!!!
This was dope. Love some of the architecture you featured.
Excellent video. Enjoyed very much!
What a lovely journey. Lucky you !!!!!!
Thank you, Tom and Emma, for a very enjoyable 3 day train excursion, even though it only lasted half an hour. The only two towns I've been to were Albequerque, New Mexico and and Barstow California and I couldn't recognize any thing you showed in either of them. I loved the comments on California being in it's natural state "on fire". If you got an opportunity to tour aroun the Barstow area, you might enjoy doing a video about the Calico ghost town, which had quite a large silver mine in it's heyday and there's still supposed to be over seven million dollars worth of silver in the tailing pile, the only problem is that it would cost over eleven million dollars to recover it. God Bless and stay safe.
great content loved every minute. keep up the hard work