If you are looking at doing the Empire builder or the California Zephyr, you have to be aware of where you will be at night on the routes. In my opinion take the empire from west to east and the Zephyr from east west. You will miss some of the best scenery if you don't because you will go through the most scenic areas at night. Just my 2 cents.
Since they said it was basically trees on both sides for the majority of the trip, is it a good option in Autumn to see the leaves changing color? I know that's usually a Northeast thing, but I was curious.
In September 2021 I booked a one bedroom on the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles. I lived in Italy and travelled on the Frecciargento and Frecciarosa high speed trains a lot. I was floored by Amtrak. I met so many interesting people. Breakfast with sunrise over the Great Plains was awesome. I loved being seated with other passengers for dinner. If you can afford it, get a one bedroom. Living in LA. its also really fun to go from LA to San Diego on the Pacific Surfliner. Called it on the worst! Although I would've said Detroit to Chicago on the Wolverine. However, fun fact: In Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 film North By Northwest, you can hear the train announcer call out all the stops on that route.
I used to take that route every other weekend from Mil to Chicago to visit a boyfriend. I loved taking it. I didn’t have to battle Chicago traffic/ rush hour or worry about parking. It took so much stress off of me. And it was a nice, smooth, peaceful ride.
I love the Hiawatha. It’s my favorite way to travel between Milwaukee and Chicago. The scenery is mostly wooded, but I like that. It’s a great commuter route and you have the option of sitting in the quiet car.
I absolutely love you both! Just joined Grounded Life Travel and hope to run into you some day! I am single, retiring at the end of the year (70), after a 41-year career in real estate. I am planning on spending 2024 discovering this country by train, starting in March - Rochester, NY to Savannah, GA to Richmond and Baltimore. Then in June Empire Builder to Portland. After watching this fantastic video, you have convinced me to take the long way home with the Coastal Starlight and the Southwest Chief. Love your Amtrak map!
There are two Amtrak routes in the Northeast that, in my opinion, put the Maple Leaf to shame: The Downeaster (Boston to Brunswick ME) and the Vermonter (DC to northern VT). The Vermonter, in particular, is a truly gorgeous ride. It follows the NE Corridor to New Haven, then rides up along the CT river to near the Canadian border. The scenery is very nice, and there are at least two very nice towns to get off and enjoy for a weekend -- Northampton, MA and Brattleboro VT. The Downeaster is great little train that takes you from Boston north through Massachusetts, across southern NH, and then along the Maine coast. It is a beautiful ride the whole way. These trains each run the same equipment as the Maple Leaf -- coaches and Business/Cafe car. Each is very comfortable and very affordable.
Happy to hear you bring up "The Downeaster" I was part of the Operations group that put that back into service... So thanks, made my weekend! Ironically though I have personally never rode on a train in the US, even though I worked for a Railroad there for 10 years!
I ride Downeaster all the time out of Boston. It has its problems (notably it's lackluster on-time percentage that makes it a bad commuter train), but it's still a very fun and comfortable way to get to Maine from the city for both residents and tourists. I also really love the EMD-F40ph "cabbage" control cars, as it's my favorite locomotive. I hope they don't retire them too soon.
Let me add a plug for the Portland section of the Empire Builder. While you miss the Cascades and Puget Sound, you get a solid three hours of riding thru the gorgeous Columbia River gorge, and with any kind of weather a great view of Mt. Hood.
Have y'all not been on the Cardinal? As far as NYC to Chicago routes are concerned, this one wins hands down over LSL.... granted, it's several hours longer and is an overall slower train (a plus in my opinion), but the views are so much prettier than what you see on the LSL. The Cardinal goes through the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains as well as the Shenandoah Valley. If you haven't done this one, try it!
The Hiawatha is strictly for practical purposes for the locals. I grew up in Wisconsin and it was such a relief not to battle Chicago traffic or worry about parking when visiting the city. I loved making that little commute.
Instead of the Texas Eagle, I’d suggest taking the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Los Angeles. The section crossing the swamps in Louisiana is lovely, and you get the higher level of service that way. You might also want to point out that there are shorter trains that cover some of these same routes. The Empire service, for instance, covers almost all of the “pretty” part of the Maple Leaf, and it runs several times a day. The Lake Shore Limited also crosses upstate New York, and the section through the mountains between Boston and Albany is lovely. The Adirondack also runs along the Hudson, and I personally think the route up to Montreal is prettier than the route to Toronto. On the west coast the Pacific Surfliner and Cascades cover most of the “pretty” part of the Coast Starlight. I also think the Cardinal is an extremely scenic route and deserving to be on this list. I love crossing through the mountains in West Virginia. I’ve never taken the Pere Marquette, but I’d agree that there’s nothing to look at on the Hiawatha. That’s a route where there’s more to see from the highway than from the train.
I remember as a kid in the 50's & the 60's. & we would go from St Louis to San Francisco & it was a Pacific railroad & it went thru the Rockies & it was so beautiful, & the train was so long. It actually split in Salt Lake City. The Pullman co had a club car where you could get cocktails or any beverage. You could also get playing cards from the attendant & there were some very comfortable chairs. It probably also had smoking materials. My brother & I would play cards. I was a small person, still am, & I could not open the doors to go between cars so I always had to go where my brother went. When I lived in Chicago, my late hubby commuted by Amtrak to Milwaukee for a while & rode the Hiawatha. I used to go with him sometimes & it was the first Amtrak train I rode & I loved it! My father had been asked to work for Amtrak after the Pullman Co folded, but he declined. I wish he hadn't. I just love riding the train & don't care what I see. It isn't a very long ride anyway. Trains hold such good memories for me.
I'm 80 and traveled by train often before Amtrak but have never rode an Amtrak train. Now that I live alone since my wife of 56 years passed away in 2021, I don't feel much like traveling anywhere without her. I'd planned for us to take a bedroom roundtrip on the Empire Builder from St Paul to Seattle but we never got around to it. In the early 1960s my future wife and I would each pay 35 cents one way between St Paul & Minneapolis. Back then there were many railroads and we liked to experience each one. The Chicago & Great Western had the oldest coaches, maybe built in the 1940s. They had wood paneling with maroon upholstery to match the maroon exterior. When I was stationed at Minot AFB, I would take the Great Northern Empire Builder or the all day local trains #3 & #4 which made frequent stops between Minot and St Paul. Trains #3 & #4 would stop at Grand Forks & Devils Lake and I recall Amish people often riding that train as they boarded in the small towns of northeastern North Dakota. While living in Minot I once took the Empire Builder roundtrip to Whitefish MT. This was during April and I recall a heavy snowstorm as the westbound train entered higher elevations of the Rockies. The GN Empire Builder had several dome cars which provided views from all sides. My family moved to the Upper Midwest from Silver Spring MD when I was 12 and I would often return by train to the DC area and visit relatives. I would take the Twin Cities Zephyr to Chicago and The General (PRR) from Chicago to DC. Another train trip we took was between St Paul & Kansas City MO which was the Twin Star Rocket (Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific RR). In December 1962 I rode the all night train #11 from St Paul to International Falls and returned on the afternoon train #12 which was the first time I'd ever been in that part of MN. I recall Native Americans from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe riding the train between Bemidji and International Falls. After celebrating New Years Eve 1966 in Billings MT, my wife and I rode the Northern Pacific Mainstreeter to Bismarck and then took a Frontier Airlines flight back to Minot. The only other trains I recall riding were between St Paul & Duluth MN. My first trip to Duluth was in the late 1950s during winter when my mother, little brother and I rode Soo Line trains #62 & #63 roundtrip. A few years later my future wife and I rode the Northern Pacific night trains #65 & #66 to Duluth and back.
My first of many train trips was in 1956, at age 1 month. My grandpa was a conductor with Missouri Pacific out of Kansas City, and my other grandpa, in Albuquerque, worked in the railyards for the Santa Fe. Such a relaxing way to travel and see the US. I'm sorry about your wife. So glad you got to have such great adventures with her.
I'm sorry for your loss. I was also stationed at Minot (why not?) with SAC and my F111. I grew up in New England and the "Budliners" high speed trains into Boston, $29.00! I want to travel with my husband as much as possible. My body is very damaged from active duty injury. My jet lost nose gear upon landing. OUCH! G-d Bless
@@jobellecollie7139 Thanks for your kind reply and I’m sorry about your devastating injury. My father was a Navy pilot and injured his back when he had to land a DC-6 (I think) with no wheels. Regarding Minot, I recall the song, “Why Not Minot, That’s My Wonderful Town”, which was played on the local radio station (KCJB as I recall).
The Hiawatha is great for traveling from Milwaukee to Chigago. It's better than driving, saves on tolls, and you can Uber from Union Station to anywhere downtown for very little. The point isn't the ride, it's the convenience.
I'm getting ready to do a round trip from Portland to Chicago on the Empire Builder in about 10 days. Going to see my best friend of 60 years. I'll be traveling in coach but she and I are saving up and are planning on a trip in a sleeper car in a yet determined train and route. We wlll do that in probably2 years. I love your videos and have learned so much!
One of my favorites is the Pennsylvanian. Typically fares are pretty low, comfy amfleet 2 coaches, very Scenic views through Dutch Country and Appalachia.
Some Coast Starlights are running with a TransDorm car (all roomettes, half used for Amtrak staff, half for revenue). This car has a lower level door to the baggage car on one end, and the normal Superliner high level door on the other. I saw one southbound through Emeryville on September 11. Typically this car runs just behind the baggage car with the odd-numbered roomettes on the left and the even-numbered rooms on the right side. I'm not sure if this is a permanent addition to the CS consist or not.
As Wisconsinites, my wife and I strongly disagree with your negative rating of the Hiawatha service. It is one of the most successful trains in the country and performs exactly as it is supposed to. It has the best on time performance of all corridor services and with 7 trips a day (and Wisconsin DOT working to add more), it is convenient and a great alternative to driving. It's only a 90 minute trip, so food service is not essential and there are plenty of great places to eat in Milwaukee and Chicago.
I loved the Empire Builder. I stayed overnight at Glacier National Park. Slept at the Lodge. Had dinner and breakfast there. The next day, I took the highway to the sun (may have the name wrong). Then, I bordered the Empire Builder again and continued to Tacoma to see my son and his family.
Rode the Coast Starlight from San Jose to Los Angeles once, and I agree that it belongs on the ten best list. Through the farmland of the Central Valley was interesting at first but got a little boring for a couple of hours. But THEN you cross the mountains to the coast and as you said, spectacular! The Zephyr is on my list, and I hope to ride it real soon.
I record the Pere Marquette for my channel to Chicago on most weekends in Porter, IN. I'm sure most of the route is terrible, but from Porter on, it's through the Indiana Dunes National Park. Pretty scenic especially in the fall.
We’re always excited to see a new Grounded Life Travel. To date we’ve ridden three of your top ten and will ride a fourth in October. Allow us to say a word in support of the Cardinal. The views through the New River Gorge are spectacular and make the route a contender for top ten or at least Honorable Mention! Thanks for all you do.
The only train with a sleeper car that I’m aware of in New England is the Lake Shore Limited that goes east and west. Most of our bridges and overpasses in New England are too short!
Thank for all the info. I took the Texas Eagle from Ft. Worth to Los Angeles and the the coast starlight from Los Angeles to Portland. I'm 6'6 and got a roomette. It was perfect for me on the bottom bed. I don't think I would fit on the top bed. I also don't recommend anyone taller than me to get a roomette because I don't believe they could fit in the bottom bunk. I had a great time and look forward to doing it again.
Another Vermonter fan here. Vermont used to be my favorite long-ish motorcycle trip from Chicago. I first stumbled onto the Green Mountain State in 1979 and wound up making a total of nine trips there over the decades. One of them I finally did via Amtrak to Montpelier Junction. We called for a cab into the little capital city and it was a plain old full-size Impala with a recently-harvested deer tied over the trunk. Practically like being the Bob Newhart show that was to come in the future. Vermont is very scenic almost everywhere and the trains that service it are worth the trip. Which leads to my now-favorite longer motorcycle destination, West Virginia. That means the Cardinal, a star-crossed little Amtrak route that's one I haven't gotten to partake of. But I've ridden the Mountain State near a dozen times so here's hoping the stars align someday and we get to try a bedroom in summertime to make that trip.
We just completed our first complete train ride. Guess which routes we took? The California Zephyr and (wait for it) the Pere Marquette! We didn't mind the early start time for the trip from Holland (MI) to Chicago because we were so excited we couldn't sleep anyhow! And there was a cafe car on the return trip from Chicago to Holland. We had such a great time thanks in part to your vlogs. We knew what to expect, what to tip, and what to look for. Loved it, loved it loved it. Thanks for the hints and tips.
Good afternoon Allie and Rob. I agree that the Coast Starlight is a beautiful ride. But the Pacific Starlight is not as thrilling for me as I was born and raised in Anacortes (north of Seattle by 70 miles). So I lived on the water. But you are correct about the beauty of the run.
I'm doing Texas Eagle from LA to MO Nov. 5 and then back again Dec 26. I mostly chose to do train because of yalls videos! I've wanted to do a train ride for a long time, but watching your stuff pushed me to do it. Thanks! I'm excited and you all have offered so many great tips!
I hate the timing for the Pier Marquette, but it's entirely for business travel. It's my only option when visiting family, unfortunately (I don't drive). There is a lovely bartender on that route though who makes a great bloody!
Hello Allie and Rob. When you talked about the Texas Eagle, I have been on that route several times. Most of the time it had an observation car. I have only rode it between Chicago and San Antonio. May on the days it connects with the Sunset Limited there won't be an observation car. Since the Sunset Limited only run 3 days a week while the Texas Eagle runs everyday (between Chicago and San Antonio). My worst route is the Cardinal (which runs from New York to Chicago). I say that because, even before COVID-19, there never was an actual dining car. The route is long, although scenic. Also, only runs 3 days week. Being from Philadelphia, I miss the Broadway Limited route (which ran from New York to Chicago). It was a shorter route and it left Philadelphia later than the Cardinal. Also it had a full service dining car.
Amtrak should revive the Broadway Limited. Horseshoe Curve; the big bridge over the Susquehanna at Harrisburg; going through the mountains; passing the Amish farms; and NYC to Philly on the NE Corridor. I rode it in 1993, loved it!
@@PaulMackSomers I remember riding that line as well. In 1993 & 1994. As for me living in Philadelphia, that would be a shorter option to get to Chicago as oppose to the Cardinal
The wife and I rode coach from Washington D.C. to Chicago on the Capitol Limited. Although there were some scenic spots early on in the trip, the rest of the ride was tedious and even torturous at times. By the time we finally got to the destination, I was ready to open a vein. Still enjoy seeing your videos and thinking that one day I'll ride on a route that makes up for that experience!
It's not AMTRAK, but if you want to take the most stunningly beautiful train trip in America, ride the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star between Fairbanks and Anchorage.
Totally agree - I also took that railroad's equally stunning route from Anchorage to Seward. Highly recommend both of these routes as among America's most beautiful railroad journeys.
In June 1967 I drove to Alaska from St Paul MN with my wife and her parents. The distance was about 3,000 miles and back then over a thousand miles of the Alcan Highway was gravel. I recall the many white crosses representing the fatalities since the highway opened in 1948. We were pulling an Apache Tent Camper which would fishtail on the many curves. We first visited Fairbanks and then attempted driving to McKinley Park but the sharp rocks caused a flat tire on the camper. After changing the tire we decided to drive down to Anchorage and ride the Alaska RR to the park. It was a scenic train ride and we spent the night at the McKinley Park Lodge, having a sourdough pancake breakfast in the early morning. Then we took the bus tour hoping to see Mt McKinley but the fog completely obstructed the view. On our trip home we drove down to Haines AK and enjoyed the beautiful scenery on the way to Prince Rupert BC on the Alaska Ferry System. From Prince Rupert we boarded another ferry to Kelsey Bay on Vancouver Island. Then we drove the length of the island and took a ferry to the mainland. We visited my wife’s brother and his family in Puyallup WA before driving home.
Returning to Syracuse from Chicago I enjoyed seeing the shore of Lake Eire from the Lake Shore Limited. Going out it was dark and we missed it. Chicago to DC was also fine, following the Potomac on the Capitol Limited (I think it's called.)
We're taking our first overnight train trip next month from AZ to TX and your vids are one reason. Thanks for all the tips. We first planned to take the coast train to Portland but wanted to stay in America instead.
I was glad to hear your list of best 10. Your # 2 and 1 made me very happy. I’m going from Denver to Seattle and back in August. My only concern is I’m traveling alone, I will be in a roomette, and I’m probably not going to come out for the whole trip. I’m 74 and a big chicken. Thank you for all your helpful hints.
On the Texas Eagle, just south of St. Louis the train runs right along the Mississippi River, very close to the water, for a few minutes. Very scenic. Best seen when sitting on the east side of the train.
Locals pretty much know the Hiawatha is more of a commuter route between Milwaukee + Chicago. It's perfect to use for work, concerts - and avoiding the freeway.
Great video, very informative. I’ve never ridden this one and never will but the route from Cleveland to Cincinnati, a 4 hour drive, the train is over 24 hours. Chicago to Detroit and Chicago to Cleveland or New York are comfortable if you’re like me and hating getting on a plane. The travel time is about the same as driving. The sleeper train is about the same price as a plane ticket.
I haven't ridden it but in my opinion, Amtrak's worst train is the Cardinal from NYC to Chicago because of its terrible schedule. It leaves NY at 6:45am and is the only train to both Cincinnati (east 3:37am, west 1:41am) & Indianapolis (east 11:49pm/12:15am, west 5:15/6:00am). It also doesn't have full dining, just a cafe car. In the early days of Amtrak, when it was the George Washington/James Whitcomb Riley, it originated in Washington, ran overnight to Cincinnati arriving first thing in the morning and stopped at Indianapolis at mid morning. Eastbound it passed through both of those cities at fairly reasonable hours. On the plus side, it does go though the New River Gorge in daylight and has a sleeping car.
I really liked this video, but I am located in California and I noticed that you did not mention Amtrak's Pacific Surfrider. My spouse and I have traveled on this train a couple of times and it has fantastic views along the Pacific Ocean shoreline. It travels back and forth from LA to San Diego. Sometimes they put a sightseer car on and it makes it even more special for viewing the countryside.
You thought those other routes were near to the beach? At one point (just north of Camp Pendleton) this route gets close enough to the water that breakers were literally hitting the car and leaving spray on the windows.
@@deb7518 Yes, that's a problem. About a year and a half ago (a short time after I took the train and saw the spray hitting the windows) they suspended passenger service south of San Clemente for a few months while they shored up the tracks.
Honestly, out of the Amtrak trains I’ve ridden, the Capitol Limited was the worst. It’s not because of anything “natural” in the route that would cause this. To the contrary, it goes through some nice scenery, has a pretty convenient schedule (if you’re not going to intermediate stations), and has dining and sleeping cars. It falls flat because Amtrak has stripped the train bare: not enough coaches, not enough sleepers, no dedicated dining car, flex dining, no sightseer lounge, etc. It’s Amtrak’s “sacrifice” train which always takes the cut to help out other Superliner equipped trains (even some that don’t have to be like the Illini and Saluki). It’s kind of like the Texas Eagle in these respects, but without the connection to the Sunset Limited. Not to mention, no courtesy lunch for sleeper passengers when going east is pretty annoying when the train is often a few hours late. It’s an unloved train, and it makes riding it far less nice than it should be.
Grabs Rapids, MI I also was born and raised there. Amtrak Pier Marquette does have a section that is worth seeing and that is the southern end of Michigan into Ohio/Illinois along Lake Michigan (I think that is the Lake) before you hit the swamp. The train does leave at around 6:00am from Grand Rapids and leaves Chicago around 7:00pm. There is none thing like stop in swamp at night while waiting for the freight trains to clear the tracks "Scary". Ok for now I will agree with you, until I start riding the trains. I really enjoy your adventures.❤
You came close to pronouncing Pere Marquette correctly. Pere rhymes with Pair. It's French for Father. The Hiawatha used to have a food trolley. I guess it hasn't returned since COVID. But you're absolutely right, the view along nearly the whole route is trees and backyards until you approach Kenosha where you'll see a few cornfields before zipping past the end of the runway for Milwaukee's airport. Then it's backyards and urban blight into downtown Milwaukee.
The California Zephyr between Sacramento and Denver scared me so much I won’t do it again. The mountains in Colorado are 9000 feet with a plummet to oblivion on one side and house size boulders above the car on the other side. For someone who has an issue with heights this route and the coast starlight between Salem and Sacramento through the cascades is off my list forever.
Just so I understand correctly, the Texas Eagle only has the traditional dining and observation cars on the western half, but the Sunset Limited has both throughout the journey?
Hi Allie and Rob, after watching your videos a few years ago. We have been on several trains, and we love the Amtrak routes that we have chosen so far. The Cascades from Seattle to Portland, Pacific Surfrider in California, The Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle. Our most recent trip was on the Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago, so far this is our longest trip on Amtrak. We look forward to making other plans in the future, especially to ride the California Zephyr from Los Angeles to Chicago.
Yea, the views on the Chief deserve better credit than what many people give them. Heck, there are parts where it's like your on an entirely different planet.
I guess if you don't like early departures, you wouldn't like any of the departures on the overnight routes on any of these trains. I would LOVE a 6:30 am departure (like the Pere Marquette) when I catch the Lakeshore Limited from Cleveland. Especially since it's 1 1/2 hours away from my house. I need to leave at 4:00 in the morning to make the 5:35 train. The good news is, the highways are empty at that time and I go to my roomette and sleep as soon as I'm on the train.
My worst Amtrak train ride was the Crescent, I got on in DC to Atlanta. I could not wait to get off that train. I rode coach and regretted every second of this trip. The train was packed and it was rowdy from the time I got on the train until I got off. Loud talking, partying, foul language all night long. It was so loud I don't know if the quiet time announcement was even made. I waited for a conductor to come through and stop the chaos...never saw a conductor until @ 8:30 the next morning and they would not make eye contact with anyone. The gentleman next to me had his noise dampening earphones. I paid for an airplane ticket for retutn home. I couldn't do it. The Capital Limited from Chicago to D.C. was normal.
We just took the Crescent 19 from Birmingham, AL to New Orleans. The train was sold out. There was partying and foul language too. I thought it was because a particular group was riding through from Atlanta for a Falcons game. The staff was not very friendly. They seemed like they were used to a rough crowd.
Was on first Amtrak route, Coast Starlight 4 yrs ago, in sleeper bedroom with two other family members, but only the Portland to Oakland segment. Still, great fun, and i loved the experience, even just seeing people's backyards, cars waiting at train crossings etc. America!! One of these days I"ll ride Oakland to Los Angeles segment--the best part. The ocean views on your video are beautiful. Then....you two made me do it--- last month, took California Zephyr--Sacramento to Denver! Wow!!!! Seeing Donner Lake from the train, on the mountainside East of the lake, instead of from the freeway (our usual route to Lake Tahoe) --wondrful. Then passing places in Nevada, Utah, Colorado I'd never heard of---(Helper, Utah? Who knew?!) followed by the canyons of the Colorado Rockies. LOL people waving, some mooning the train from their rafts on the river as the train went by (the conductor said this is not unusual!) Now budgeting to take another overnight train ride instead of plane ride!!! Thanks for your ideas which inspire and motivate me and us!!!
I agree with your top four. I introduced my wife to rain travel and she loved it even more than I do. We could barely get back from one trip before she was asking when we could go again. The only major routes we didn't get to go on were the Crescent and the City of New Orleans. I promised myself I would take one more trip in her memory so I'm taking a grand tour involving three of those top four lines next month. On a couple of other points: We took the Texas Eagle. We found the Texas portion kinda boring, frankly. The Sunset Limited portion, we liked, but we had been on that before; in fact, the first time was before Katrina and we went all the way from LA to I think it was Jacksonville where it ended. Re the Coast Starlight, I think you should have mentioned that while the northern part is quite pretty, the really spectacular ocean view part is south of Emeryville. Finally, I think in fairness to the Hiawatha you should have mentioned that the whole trip is 80-something miles and takes about 90 minutes. It's not something you ride for the experience. Oh, an edit to add one more thing: We generally didn't worry which side of the train we were on because we tended to live in the observation car. 🙂
Uhh, well, camping all day in the Sightseer Lounge is really selfish. Enforcement is weak and rare, but still you should have some courtesy for others who’d like to spend a slice of their time there. They paid as much or more than you did. Limit yourselves to 90 minutes, and be nice about vacating.
@@dock_yard1149 I will say this calmly: You have taken one off-hand remark and made a whole string of assumptions ("really selfish ... have some courtesy") punctuated with a condescending crack about "be nice." What, you think that was literal, as if we ate, read, took naps, checked email, and all the rest there, all the while paying no attention to if there was room for others? I suggest that if you don't know it, you look up the word "hyperbole" - never mind, Ill save you the time: It means "A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect." And then next time, "have the courtesy" to confirm what you imagine is true before offering any advice on etiquette.
I'd recommend a couple of things for your videos. Put place holders on the screen indicating which number you are on and which route you are describing. Put indicators in the video progress bar with that information as well. A lot of people are going to be interested in specific routes and not the entire list. They will want to skip some routes while watching others and giving no indication which route you are describing makes that difficult.
The Hiawatha is pretty much the only way to get to Chicago by train (and thus other trains in the system) from Milwaukee besides the one time the Empire Builder comes from the west. I need to use it to take any other train out besides the Empire Builder heading west to Seattle/Portland.
In 1973 I took the Southwest Chief from Newton, KS to LA, then the Coast Starlight to San Jose. I was 16, alone, and enjoyed the trip. Too bad I didn't keep a log of the trip, but I remember the Starlight ride most, especially through the mountains. I'm from the California Coast so was quite familiar with the ocean views. From 1975 through 2006 I got a lot more ocean views while flying C-130s in the Coast Guard!
A gorgeous route is on a part of the Capitol Limed. From Connellsville Pa, to D.C., it traverses the Youighenny and Potomac Rivers with stunning scenery, particularly in the Fall with the leaves changing colors.
Great informative video as always, especially for people not in the US and have never taken Amtrak. Planning on a trip between New York and Chicago, trying to decide between the lake shore limited and the Cardinal. My main gripe with the lake shore limited is westward travel means passing by the lakes area at night meaning I won’t see much. So wanted to know where do you guys rank the cardinal?
Going along the south shore of Lake Erie is no great shakes. You can see it if you go west to east. The really good scenery on this trip is going up the Hudson, going east to west. Have an early dinner and watch it all go by. You won't be disappointed. I've never taken it from Boston, so I can't comment.
Kind of silly to throw the Hiawatha into this mix in the first place. The Hiawatha is, in essence, a commuter train. If Metra could work out an arrangement with WisDOT to run all the way to Milwaukee via the Hiawatha route or on Metra's UP-North Service line, the Hiawatha might just disappear as a Chicago-Milwaukee Amtrak service and become part of Metra. To compare, when the new route between Chicago and Rockford starts, which is nearly the same distance from Chicago as Milwaukee, it will be operated by Metra, and they will be using standard Metra rolling stock, whether those will be the current gallery cars or the new Coradia MultiLevels (first deliveries are expected in 2024) remains to be seen. Now, if the day comes when the Hiawatha Service is extended to Madison and Green Bay, as is planned, the level of amenities will certainly get better. As far as the view is concerned...oh, well. Again, it's not really a tourist train, just a way to draw Chicago and Milwaukee closer together via rail. If you really need amenities that badly for an 86-mile trip, take the Empire Builder to Milwaukee, or, in 2024, take The Great River, the new service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Chicago, which will stop in Milwaukee. As far as the Pere Marquette goes, MDOT does plan to increase the frequency on all three Michigan Service routes, once a faster way to get from Chicago to Porter, IN is found. It's my understanding Amtrak is negotiating with the South Shore to use their tracks once South Shore's double tracking project between Gary and Michigan City is complete AND if the feds ever sign off on funding the St. Charles Air Line Connection, allowing trains heading south out of Chicago Union Station to connect to MED/South Shore tracks without a time-consuming backup maneuver.
To get from Grand Rapids to Chicago considering taking a taxi to Muskegon and the Lake Express ferry to Milwaukee. Yes, then you're back on the Hiawatha, so take snacks. If the ferry tempts you to bring your own car, I have heard bad things about parking at the Intermodal in Milwaukee (cars have been broken into) so be aware of that.
Thank you so much for your advice on best Amtrak routes to travel! We live in Hawaii, and I am hoping to take my granddaughter and great-granddaughter on the Starlighter next June from L.A. to Seattle - and possibly transferring to that other train to head north to the end of the line in Alaska. Your advice about the two roomettes was great! I have one of my friends coming, too, so the four of us should enjoy the two rooms a lot. Appreciate all your advice and videos. I traveled on Amtrak many years ago along the southern route between L.A. and Florida, which I found very picturesque and interesting, too.
Just yesterday I watched another review of the Cascades. Now, I love the Cascades trains, both in Oregon, Washington, and up to BC. That reviewer called it a “prison train” mostly because of the consist; I think they were expecting the attractive Talgo cars and instead got basic steel and gray Amtrak. Also, he/she was critical of the exposed algae at low tide along the Puget Sound, “so dirty”, the conductor “yelled” when they merely hopped off to take pictures at one of the last station platforms before the Canadian border, and they were 24 minutes late! Ah well, we each have our own expectations when we travel.
Yeah, it depends what you're used to, for sure. I was perfectly happy with the Cascades having come from the NJIT and the Acela. I'm sure if I was used to Europe I'd be disappointed.
I am so happy to have discovered your TH-cam channel. I have not had the pleasure to ride a Train like Amtrak. I have only rode a few innercity trains such as The marta in Atlanta and TriMet in Portland, OR. another one was just a short tour train ride back in 1990 the Algoma Central Rail Fall Tour in Sault Ste. Marie , ONT. while the view was spectacular it was only short ride in old cars. I am hoping before I get to old (I'm 59) to enjoy it is to ride a cross country rail - I enjoy watching your informative videos I am learning a lot, I have had a great affinity for trains and am a huge advocate for more passenger trains in our country - while personal automobiles are arguably for the freedom I think trains serve a much better purpose due to the fact you are more relaxed not fighting in traffic. Thank you I am looking forward to finding more of your videos to watch.
My favorite Amtrak route is by far the Southwest Chief. Its views of the great open desert and the plains and the Raton and Glorieta passes are so cool and they're nothing else like it. I'm not as big a fan on the mountains. I've never been a big fan of the Empire Builder because it is beautiful and spectacular, for only about third of its route much of which is traversed in darkness. You mostly just get the cascade mountains at sunset and then west glacier the next morning but after that, it's mostly just flat green farmland.
Thank you for your wonderful videos, they are inspiring and good food for thought. I find them to be calming and highly rational. Since my son's and my experience on Amtrak (Toronto to Emeryville Cal. via Buffalo and Chicago) I have soured on ever spending money again on the American passenger rail system. In January 2018 we took the Maple Leaf from Toronto to Depew NY, it was on-time and cleared Customs in Niagara Falls without delay. Upon our arrival in Depew we were informed the connecting train to Chicago (coming from NYC) was 5 hours late. It gave us the opportunity to spend some quality-time as father and son. Upon returning to the Depew station we were again informed the train going to Chicago was now an additional 3 hours more delayed. Once the W/B Amtrak train arrived it had been oversold, we were given seats in an old passenger car with no functioning heating system. As the outside temp was -25C that was the first time in my life I wore my parka, a toque and gloves while inside mass transit, there were no blankets available. That train was 6 hours late into Chicago, which ended-up working out as the California Zephyr was delayed for 8 hours anyway. Our sleeper-car had no running water, so no shower and no sink. I immediately brought it to the attention of Amtrak staff. They were dismissive as it being no-big-deal and a regular occurrence as the on-board water tanks frequently froze. It was promised that sleeping-car would be changed-out in Salt Lake City, which never happened. We arrived in Emeryville 11 hours late, with no lunch or dinner served that day onboard. I attempted to secure a refund from Amtrak once our trip was over, it took 2 months to receive a meager $300 for what was initially an $2k expense with no incentive coupons or apology. Never again.
Pre-Amtrak, the Hiawatha was the Milwaukee Road train from the Twin Cities to Chicago. Its route was the same as the current Amtrak route. The Empire Builder (and other trains) followed the Burlington Route down the Mississippi for about 300 miles - a really beautiful ride - and then across Illinois into Chicago.
The new train, named "Borealis" is running now and has a cafe car. It follows the Empire Builder route between St. Paul and Chicago and makes two additional stops that are otherwise served by the Hiawathas.
My vague recollection is that at some point in the past the Texas Eagle did have an observation car on the Chicago-to-Texas leg. I live in Chicago but my parents are in Springfield so I've spent a lot of time on trains between those two cities and the Eagle is one of the options, and I have recollections of riding in a Superliner observation car. I took some friends from Chicago to Springfield on the Eagle for their first train trip and I had been selling the observation car experience, only to discover that there was none on that train.
That would probably be the last of the 5 major western routes I'd choose to ride. The problem with that route is that you get views of mountains in the far western portion, but then heading eastbound, you leave the mountains at 10 in the morning, and don't reach them until sunset heading westbound, and east of that, all you see is flat farmland.
In my opinion, the worst Amtrak route would have to be the section of track between Seattle and Vancouver B.C. - First, the track condition is terrible. Of course, I was on the Talgo, where you feel every little bump and gap between rails. Then, you stop at the border for immigration to check you out (U.S. Customs will have dogs and everything). Then, once you are in Canada, you crawl through Vancouver at around 25mph and you start thinking you will never arrive. Nearing the station in Vancouver, the train is surrounded by fences and barbed wire so you can’t sneak off the train, making you feel like you are on some type of prison train. Then, when you finally get to the station, you get to be checked out by customs/immigration a second time! No thanks!
We rode this route just last month from Seattle to Vancouver on Horizon equipment and it was fine. Great scenery. They now do customs upon arrival in Vancouver at the station and it was pretty quick.
Maybe it's just because I like mountains, but picking the Lake Shore above either the Cardinal (best eastbound) or the Capitol Limited is, to me, a mistake. I have ridden everything overnight (except the portion of the Texas Eagle between St Louis and San Antonio) and I have not done the Seattle split on the Empire Builder or the Boston split on the Lake Shore. I don't find enough difference between the Acela in Business vs. the NE Regional in Business to matter except what time and cost fits your plans. I fully agree with your thumbs down on the Amtrak Midwest services that lack a cafe car, but they are intended as short-haul regional service that involves a lot of folks on less than full route rides -- still ought to have a cafe though.
I just wrote about the Cardinal on here a few minutes ago. I don't understand why this one is never discussed much or talked about?! It's so much nicer in terms of view (and crew, too!) compared to the LSL. I just wish they'd get traditional dining back... for a route that long, it's needed..
I live in SW Kansas and take the SW Chief up to Iowa, and it’s a nice train and route. Back in the late 90’s I used to go to D.C. from Iowa. Started on the California Zephyr to Chicago and then the Capital Limited to D.C., and the CL was a fantastic train to take.
Great videos. I’m doing the Empire Builder in April in a bedroom. I have some mobility issues and your videos have relieved some of my anxieties about this trip. Thanks for all the info.
Definitely take the Empire Builder from west to east. The views of Glacier National park are in the early morning. In my case we were stopped for a herd of elk crossing the tracks. Right in a beautiful section of the park. I was traveling in winter with the shortened days.. The return trip , three weeks later wasnt nearly as scenic.
Hey Rob and Allie, Thank you for your videos, they are so informative and have been incredibly helpful. I need some advice. My husband of 55 years has never been on a train. For Christmas I surprised him with an itenary of flying into Chicago (we live in Tampa), taking the California Zephyr into Green River, Utah , staying for a few days; driving through the local national parks and then taking the train back to Chicago and flying home. Are we missing a lot of amazing scenery by not going on to California and just flying home from there?
You should've added the Adirondack to one of the best routes. The LSL is not the best. Especially if you have one of the old sleepers. We found that train to be the dirtiest.
If you are looking at doing the Empire builder or the California Zephyr, you have to be aware of where you will be at night on the routes. In my opinion take the empire from west to east and the Zephyr from east west. You will miss some of the best scenery if you don't because you will go through the most scenic areas at night. Just my 2 cents.
Good point!
WE had a kid in college in Chicago and another in Milwaukee, and we love The Hiawatha. That car route is sooo busy that the train is usually faster.
Since they said it was basically trees on both sides for the majority of the trip, is it a good option in Autumn to see the leaves changing color? I know that's usually a Northeast thing, but I was curious.
In September 2021 I booked a one bedroom on the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles. I lived in Italy and travelled on the Frecciargento and Frecciarosa high speed trains a lot. I was floored by Amtrak. I met so many interesting people. Breakfast with sunrise over the Great Plains was awesome. I loved being seated with other passengers for dinner. If you can afford it, get a one bedroom.
Living in LA. its also really fun to go from LA to San Diego on the Pacific Surfliner.
Called it on the worst! Although I would've said Detroit to Chicago on the Wolverine. However, fun fact: In Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 film North By Northwest, you can hear the train announcer call out all the stops on that route.
The Hiawatha is really a commuter train, I have taken it a lot when visiting friends in Milwaukee
Same. It’s not meant to be anything special because it’s function is to accommodate commuters.
I used to take that route every other weekend from Mil to Chicago to visit a boyfriend.
I loved taking it. I didn’t have to battle Chicago traffic/ rush hour or worry about parking.
It took so much stress off of me. And it was a nice, smooth, peaceful ride.
I love the Hiawatha. It’s my favorite way to travel between Milwaukee and Chicago. The scenery is mostly wooded, but I like that. It’s a great commuter route and you have the option of sitting in the quiet car.
The Cardinal in October is spectacular
I absolutely love you both! Just joined Grounded Life Travel and hope to run into you some day! I am single, retiring at the end of the year (70), after a 41-year career in real estate. I am planning on spending 2024 discovering this country by train, starting in March - Rochester, NY to Savannah, GA to Richmond and Baltimore. Then in June Empire Builder to Portland. After watching this fantastic video, you have convinced me to take the long way home with the Coastal Starlight and the Southwest Chief. Love your Amtrak map!
Thanks so much! It sounds like a wonderful trip! The long way back on the Coast Starlight will be so beautiful!
There are two Amtrak routes in the Northeast that, in my opinion, put the Maple Leaf to shame: The Downeaster (Boston to Brunswick ME) and the Vermonter (DC to northern VT).
The Vermonter, in particular, is a truly gorgeous ride. It follows the NE Corridor to New Haven, then rides up along the CT river to near the Canadian border. The scenery is very nice, and there are at least two very nice towns to get off and enjoy for a weekend -- Northampton, MA and Brattleboro VT.
The Downeaster is great little train that takes you from Boston north through Massachusetts, across southern NH, and then along the Maine coast. It is a beautiful ride the whole way.
These trains each run the same equipment as the Maple Leaf -- coaches and Business/Cafe car. Each is very comfortable and very affordable.
Happy to hear you bring up "The Downeaster" I was part of the Operations group that put that back into service... So thanks, made my weekend! Ironically though I have personally never rode on a train in the US, even though I worked for a Railroad there for 10 years!
I ride Downeaster all the time out of Boston. It has its problems (notably it's lackluster on-time percentage that makes it a bad commuter train), but it's still a very fun and comfortable way to get to Maine from the city for both residents and tourists. I also really love the EMD-F40ph "cabbage" control cars, as it's my favorite locomotive. I hope they don't retire them too soon.
Let me add a plug for the Portland section of the Empire Builder. While you miss the Cascades and Puget Sound, you get a solid three hours of riding thru the gorgeous Columbia River gorge, and with any kind of weather a great view of Mt. Hood.
Have y'all not been on the Cardinal? As far as NYC to Chicago routes are concerned, this one wins hands down over LSL.... granted, it's several hours longer and is an overall slower train (a plus in my opinion), but the views are so much prettier than what you see on the LSL. The Cardinal goes through the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains as well as the Shenandoah Valley. If you haven't done this one, try it!
It is beautiful! I rode it once.
The Hiawatha is strictly for practical purposes for the locals. I grew up in Wisconsin and it was such a relief not to battle Chicago traffic or worry about parking when visiting the city. I loved making that little commute.
Instead of the Texas Eagle, I’d suggest taking the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Los Angeles. The section crossing the swamps in Louisiana is lovely, and you get the higher level of service that way.
You might also want to point out that there are shorter trains that cover some of these same routes. The Empire service, for instance, covers almost all of the “pretty” part of the Maple Leaf, and it runs several times a day. The Lake Shore Limited also crosses upstate New York, and the section through the mountains between Boston and Albany is lovely. The Adirondack also runs along the Hudson, and I personally think the route up to Montreal is prettier than the route to Toronto. On the west coast the Pacific Surfliner and Cascades cover most of the “pretty” part of the Coast Starlight.
I also think the Cardinal is an extremely scenic route and deserving to be on this list. I love crossing through the mountains in West Virginia. I’ve never taken the Pere Marquette, but I’d agree that there’s nothing to look at on the Hiawatha. That’s a route where there’s more to see from the highway than from the train.
Very helpful insights, thanks!
The Hiawatha is the best way to get to Chicago in a hurry from Milwaukee.
I remember as a kid in the 50's & the 60's. & we would go from St Louis to San Francisco & it was a Pacific railroad & it went thru the Rockies & it was so beautiful, & the train was so long. It actually split in Salt Lake City. The Pullman co had a club car where you could get cocktails or any beverage. You could also get playing cards from the attendant & there were some very comfortable chairs. It probably also had smoking materials. My brother & I would play cards. I was a small person, still am, & I could not open the doors to go between cars so I always had to go where my brother went. When I lived in Chicago, my late hubby commuted by Amtrak to Milwaukee for a while & rode the Hiawatha. I used to go with him sometimes & it was the first Amtrak train I rode & I loved it! My father had been asked to work for Amtrak after the Pullman Co folded, but he declined. I wish he hadn't. I just love riding the train & don't care what I see. It isn't a very long ride anyway. Trains hold such good memories for me.
I'm 80 and traveled by train often before Amtrak but have never rode an Amtrak train. Now that I live alone since my wife of 56 years passed away in 2021, I don't feel much like traveling anywhere without her. I'd planned for us to take a bedroom roundtrip on the Empire Builder from St Paul to Seattle but we never got around to it.
In the early 1960s my future wife and I would each pay 35 cents one way between St Paul & Minneapolis. Back then there were many railroads and we liked to experience each one. The Chicago & Great Western had the oldest coaches, maybe built in the 1940s. They had wood paneling with maroon upholstery to match the maroon exterior.
When I was stationed at Minot AFB, I would take the Great Northern Empire Builder or the all day local trains #3 & #4 which made frequent stops between Minot and St Paul. Trains #3 & #4 would stop at Grand Forks & Devils Lake and I recall Amish people often riding that train as they boarded in the small towns of northeastern North Dakota.
While living in Minot I once took the Empire Builder roundtrip to Whitefish MT. This was during April and I recall a heavy snowstorm as the westbound train entered higher elevations of the Rockies. The GN Empire Builder had several dome cars which provided views from all sides.
My family moved to the Upper Midwest from Silver Spring MD when I was 12 and I would often return by train to the DC area and visit relatives. I would take the Twin Cities Zephyr to Chicago and The General (PRR) from Chicago to DC.
Another train trip we took was between St Paul & Kansas City MO which was the Twin Star Rocket (Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific RR).
In December 1962 I rode the all night train #11 from St Paul to International Falls and returned on the afternoon train #12 which was the first time I'd ever been in that part of MN. I recall Native Americans from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe riding the train between Bemidji and International Falls.
After celebrating New Years Eve 1966 in Billings MT, my wife and I rode the Northern Pacific Mainstreeter to Bismarck and then took a Frontier Airlines flight back to Minot.
The only other trains I recall riding were between St Paul & Duluth MN. My first trip to Duluth was in the late 1950s during winter when my mother, little brother and I rode Soo Line trains #62 & #63 roundtrip. A few years later my future wife and I rode the Northern Pacific night trains #65 & #66 to Duluth and back.
My first of many train trips was in 1956, at age 1 month. My grandpa was a conductor with Missouri Pacific out of Kansas City, and my other grandpa, in Albuquerque, worked in the railyards for the Santa Fe.
Such a relaxing way to travel and see the US.
I'm sorry about your wife. So glad you got to have such great adventures with her.
I liked the Sunset Limited
Very sorry for your wife's loss. My prayers are with you and your family. Take the trip. She would have wanted you to do it.
I'm sorry for your loss. I was also stationed at Minot (why not?) with SAC and my F111.
I grew up in New England and the "Budliners" high speed trains into Boston, $29.00!
I want to travel with my husband as much as possible. My body is very damaged from active duty injury. My jet lost nose gear upon landing. OUCH!
G-d Bless
@@jobellecollie7139 Thanks for your kind reply and I’m sorry about your devastating injury. My father was a Navy pilot and injured his back when he had to land a DC-6 (I think) with no wheels. Regarding Minot, I recall the song, “Why Not Minot, That’s My Wonderful Town”, which was played on the local radio station (KCJB as I recall).
The Hiawatha is great for traveling from Milwaukee to Chigago. It's better than driving, saves on tolls, and you can Uber from Union Station to anywhere downtown for very little. The point isn't the ride, it's the convenience.
I'm getting ready to do a round trip from Portland to Chicago on the Empire Builder in about 10 days. Going to see my best friend of 60 years. I'll be traveling in coach but she and I are saving up and are planning on a trip in a sleeper car in a yet determined train and route. We wlll do that in probably2 years. I love your videos and have learned so much!
One of my favorites is the Pennsylvanian. Typically fares are pretty low, comfy amfleet 2 coaches, very Scenic views through Dutch Country and Appalachia.
I rode the PM once, and I enjoyed the fact that by the time it reaches St. Joseph, MI. We were right by the shoreline of Lake Michigan.
I hope you will do a video on the Amtrak Cardinal.
I live in Indianapolis. This interests me.
Some Coast Starlights are running with a TransDorm car (all roomettes, half used for Amtrak staff, half for revenue). This car has a lower level door to the baggage car on one end, and the normal Superliner high level door on the other. I saw one southbound through Emeryville on September 11. Typically this car runs just behind the baggage car with the odd-numbered roomettes on the left and the even-numbered rooms on the right side. I'm not sure if this is a permanent addition to the CS consist or not.
As Wisconsinites, my wife and I strongly disagree with your negative rating of the Hiawatha service. It is one of the most successful trains in the country and performs exactly as it is supposed to. It has the best on time performance of all corridor services and with 7 trips a day (and Wisconsin DOT working to add more), it is convenient and a great alternative to driving. It's only a 90 minute trip, so food service is not essential and there are plenty of great places to eat in Milwaukee and Chicago.
Hiawata, Historicly went alle way west ! Montana, Idaho..
I loved the Empire Builder. I stayed overnight at Glacier National Park. Slept at the Lodge. Had dinner and breakfast there. The next day, I took the highway to the sun (may have the name wrong). Then, I bordered the Empire Builder again and continued to Tacoma to see my son and his family.
Going-to-the Sun Road. YES! Know it well! I've been on the Empire Builder a few times.
Rode the Coast Starlight from San Jose to Los Angeles once, and I agree that it belongs on the ten best list. Through the farmland of the Central Valley was interesting at first but got a little boring for a couple of hours. But THEN you cross the mountains to the coast and as you said, spectacular! The Zephyr is on my list, and I hope to ride it real soon.
The farm land that the Coast Starlight goes through is the Salinas Valley and not the Central Valley.
I record the Pere Marquette for my channel to Chicago on most weekends in Porter, IN. I'm sure most of the route is terrible, but from Porter on, it's through the Indiana Dunes National Park. Pretty scenic especially in the fall.
We’re always excited to see a new Grounded Life Travel. To date we’ve ridden three of your top ten and will ride a fourth in October. Allow us to say a word in support of the Cardinal. The views through the New River Gorge are spectacular and make the route a contender for top ten or at least Honorable Mention! Thanks for all you do.
I was going to write the same thing. The Cardinal is one of our favorites, just for the scenery. We rode it between D.C. and Cincinnati.
I was really hoping for more information on some of the routes going up the East Coast into the New England area.
The only train with a sleeper car that I’m aware of in New England is the Lake Shore Limited that goes east and west. Most of our bridges and overpasses in New England are too short!
Thank for all the info. I took the Texas Eagle from Ft. Worth to Los Angeles and the the coast starlight from Los Angeles to Portland. I'm 6'6 and got a roomette. It was perfect for me on the bottom bed. I don't think I would fit on the top bed. I also don't recommend anyone taller than me to get a roomette because I don't believe they could fit in the bottom bunk. I had a great time and look forward to doing it again.
Another Vermonter fan here.
Vermont used to be my favorite long-ish motorcycle trip from Chicago. I first stumbled onto the Green Mountain State in 1979 and wound up making a total of nine trips there over the decades.
One of them I finally did via Amtrak to Montpelier Junction. We called for a cab into the little capital city and it was a plain old full-size Impala with a recently-harvested deer tied over the trunk.
Practically like being the Bob Newhart show that was to come in the future.
Vermont is very scenic almost everywhere and the trains that service it are worth the trip.
Which leads to my now-favorite longer motorcycle destination, West Virginia.
That means the Cardinal, a star-crossed little Amtrak route that's one I haven't gotten to partake of. But I've ridden the Mountain State near a dozen times so here's hoping the stars align someday and we get to try a bedroom in summertime to make that trip.
We’ve done the Zephyr from Grand Junction to Illinois quite a few times. Both summer and Winter. We want to do the West someday.
We just completed our first complete train ride. Guess which routes we took? The California Zephyr and (wait for it) the Pere Marquette! We didn't mind the early start time for the trip from Holland (MI) to Chicago because we were so excited we couldn't sleep anyhow! And there was a cafe car on the return trip from Chicago to Holland. We had such a great time thanks in part to your vlogs. We knew what to expect, what to tip, and what to look for. Loved it, loved it loved it. Thanks for the hints and tips.
Good afternoon Allie and Rob. I agree that the Coast Starlight is a beautiful ride. But the Pacific Starlight is not as thrilling for me as I was born and raised in Anacortes (north of Seattle by 70 miles). So I lived on the water. But you are correct about the beauty of the run.
I'm doing Texas Eagle from LA to MO Nov. 5 and then back again Dec 26. I mostly chose to do train because of yalls videos! I've wanted to do a train ride for a long time, but watching your stuff pushed me to do it. Thanks! I'm excited and you all have offered so many great tips!
I hate the timing for the Pier Marquette, but it's entirely for business travel. It's my only option when visiting family, unfortunately (I don't drive). There is a lovely bartender on that route though who makes a great bloody!
Hello Allie and Rob. When you talked about the Texas Eagle, I have been on that route several times. Most of the time it had an observation car. I have only rode it between Chicago and San Antonio. May on the days it connects with the Sunset Limited there won't be an observation car. Since the Sunset Limited only run 3 days a week while the Texas Eagle runs everyday (between Chicago and San Antonio). My worst route is the Cardinal (which runs from New York to Chicago). I say that because, even before COVID-19, there never was an actual dining car. The route is long, although scenic. Also, only runs 3 days week. Being from Philadelphia, I miss the Broadway Limited route (which ran from New York to Chicago). It was a shorter route and it left Philadelphia later than the Cardinal. Also it had a full service dining car.
Amtrak should revive the Broadway Limited. Horseshoe Curve; the big bridge over the Susquehanna at Harrisburg; going through the mountains; passing the Amish farms; and NYC to Philly on the NE Corridor. I rode it in 1993, loved it!
@@PaulMackSomers I remember riding that line as well. In 1993 & 1994. As for me living in Philadelphia, that would be a shorter option to get to Chicago as oppose to the Cardinal
California Zephyr here I come---- Wednesday!!!! Thanks for all your tips! Fantastic videos.
The wife and I rode coach from Washington D.C. to Chicago on the Capitol Limited. Although there were some scenic spots early on in the trip, the rest of the ride was tedious and even torturous at times. By the time we finally got to the destination, I was ready to open a vein. Still enjoy seeing your videos and thinking that one day I'll ride on a route that makes up for that experience!
It's not AMTRAK, but if you want to take the most stunningly beautiful train trip in America, ride the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star between Fairbanks and Anchorage.
I took the scary ride on The Yukon/ Skagway route.
Totally agree - I also took that railroad's equally stunning route from Anchorage to Seward. Highly recommend both of these routes as among America's most beautiful railroad journeys.
But,this is about Amtrak ! Lol
@spark_6710 I consider this a related topic for those that like trains.
In June 1967 I drove to Alaska from St Paul MN with my wife and her parents. The distance was about 3,000 miles and back then over a thousand miles of the Alcan Highway was gravel. I recall the many white crosses representing the fatalities since the highway opened in 1948. We were pulling an Apache Tent Camper which would fishtail on the many curves. We first visited Fairbanks and then attempted driving to McKinley Park but the sharp rocks caused a flat tire on the camper. After changing the tire we decided to drive down to Anchorage and ride the Alaska RR to the park. It was a scenic train ride and we spent the night at the McKinley Park Lodge, having a sourdough pancake breakfast in the early morning. Then we took the bus tour hoping to see Mt McKinley but the fog completely obstructed the view. On our trip home we drove down to Haines AK and enjoyed the beautiful scenery on the way to Prince Rupert BC on the Alaska Ferry System. From Prince Rupert we boarded another ferry to Kelsey Bay on Vancouver Island. Then we drove the length of the island and took a ferry to the mainland. We visited my wife’s brother and his family in Puyallup WA before driving home.
Returning to Syracuse from Chicago I enjoyed seeing the shore of Lake Eire from the Lake Shore Limited. Going out it was dark and we missed it. Chicago to DC was also fine, following the Potomac on the Capitol Limited (I think it's called.)
It's Potomac
We're taking our first overnight train trip next month from AZ to TX and your vids are one reason. Thanks for all the tips. We first planned to take the coast train to Portland but wanted to stay in America instead.
What??? The Coast Starlight IS in America
I was glad to hear your list of best 10. Your # 2 and 1 made me very happy. I’m going from Denver to Seattle and back in August. My only concern is I’m traveling alone, I will be in a roomette, and I’m probably not going to come out for the whole trip. I’m 74 and a big chicken. Thank you for all your helpful hints.
I've noticed that there is one route that is not mentioned at all and that is the Michigan services between Chicago and Pontiac
The worst trip I had on Amtrak was Chicago to Detroit. It took twice as long as scheduled and we spent most of the trip just sitting in sidings.
On the Texas Eagle, just south of St. Louis the train runs right along the Mississippi River, very close to the water, for a few minutes. Very scenic. Best seen when sitting on the east side of the train.
Locals pretty much know the Hiawatha is more of a commuter route between Milwaukee + Chicago. It's perfect to use for work, concerts - and avoiding the freeway.
Exactly,! The Hiawatha is not a scenic vacation. It is sorta like a share a ride type of thing. You don't have to put up with traffic and parking.
Great video, very informative. I’ve never ridden this one and never will but the route from Cleveland to Cincinnati, a 4 hour drive, the train is over 24 hours. Chicago to Detroit and Chicago to Cleveland or New York are comfortable if you’re like me and hating getting on a plane. The travel time is about the same as driving. The sleeper train is about the same price as a plane ticket.
I haven't ridden it but in my opinion, Amtrak's worst train is the Cardinal from NYC to Chicago because of its terrible schedule. It leaves NY at 6:45am and is the only train to both Cincinnati (east 3:37am, west 1:41am) & Indianapolis (east 11:49pm/12:15am, west 5:15/6:00am). It also doesn't have full dining, just a cafe car. In the early days of Amtrak, when it was the George Washington/James Whitcomb Riley, it originated in Washington, ran overnight to Cincinnati arriving first thing in the morning and stopped at Indianapolis at mid morning. Eastbound it passed through both of those cities at fairly reasonable hours. On the plus side, it does go though the New River Gorge in daylight and has a sleeping car.
I rode it years ago and it had a dining car then. It doesn't even have a business class anymore last time I looked.
I really liked this video, but I am located in California and I noticed that you did not mention Amtrak's Pacific Surfrider. My spouse and I have traveled on this train a couple of times and it has fantastic views along the Pacific Ocean shoreline. It travels back and forth from LA to San Diego. Sometimes they put a sightseer car on and it makes it even more special for viewing the countryside.
You thought those other routes were near to the beach? At one point (just north of Camp Pendleton) this route gets close enough to the water that breakers were literally hitting the car and leaving spray on the windows.
A few Pacific Surfrider trains each day run as far north as San Luis Obispo; the ocean views around Santa Barbara can be very fine.
@@ptorq?Wonder how they can keep the track in good shape, with all that water hitting them? Seems like the track would wash out there pretty often.
@@deb7518 Yes, that's a problem. About a year and a half ago (a short time after I took the train and saw the spray hitting the windows) they suspended passenger service south of San Clemente for a few months while they shored up the tracks.
Honestly, out of the Amtrak trains I’ve ridden, the Capitol Limited was the worst. It’s not because of anything “natural” in the route that would cause this. To the contrary, it goes through some nice scenery, has a pretty convenient schedule (if you’re not going to intermediate stations), and has dining and sleeping cars. It falls flat because Amtrak has stripped the train bare: not enough coaches, not enough sleepers, no dedicated dining car, flex dining, no sightseer lounge, etc. It’s Amtrak’s “sacrifice” train which always takes the cut to help out other Superliner equipped trains (even some that don’t have to be like the Illini and Saluki). It’s kind of like the Texas Eagle in these respects, but without the connection to the Sunset Limited. Not to mention, no courtesy lunch for sleeper passengers when going east is pretty annoying when the train is often a few hours late. It’s an unloved train, and it makes riding it far less nice than it should be.
Capitol Limited also has some rather rough tracks IMO... makes sleeping difficult. But I agree, they have really let that train go downhill. Sad!
Grabs Rapids, MI I also was born and raised there. Amtrak Pier Marquette does have a section that is worth seeing and that is the southern end of Michigan into Ohio/Illinois along Lake Michigan (I think that is the Lake) before you hit the swamp. The train does leave at around 6:00am from Grand Rapids and leaves Chicago around 7:00pm. There is none thing like stop in swamp at night while waiting for the freight trains to clear the tracks "Scary". Ok for now I will agree with you, until I start riding the trains. I really enjoy your adventures.❤
You came close to pronouncing Pere Marquette correctly. Pere rhymes with Pair. It's French for Father.
The Hiawatha used to have a food trolley. I guess it hasn't returned since COVID. But you're absolutely right, the view along nearly the whole route is trees and backyards until you approach Kenosha where you'll see a few cornfields before zipping past the end of the runway for Milwaukee's airport. Then it's backyards and urban blight into downtown Milwaukee.
The California Zephyr between Sacramento and Denver scared me so much I won’t do it again. The mountains in Colorado are 9000 feet with a plummet to oblivion on one side and house size boulders above the car on the other side. For someone who has an issue with heights this route and the coast starlight between Salem and Sacramento through the cascades is off my list forever.
Thanks for the warning. That sounds terrifying to me.
@@MichelleK.B. I've always had an issue with heights so for me anything through mountains at high altitude induces fear.
Much safer than driving.
Better skip The Yukon/Skagway AK route then, too.
Great video! We've been planning a trip and your channel has just been amazing in helping us do that. Thanks so much!
Just so I understand correctly, the Texas Eagle only has the traditional dining and observation cars on the western half, but the Sunset Limited has both throughout the journey?
Yes that is correct since the sunset limited attaches to the Texas eagle in San Antonio going west to la.
There are alot of train travel/general travel sites out but I think out of all of them yours is the best!
Hi Allie and Rob, after watching your videos a few years ago. We have been on several trains, and we love the Amtrak routes that we have chosen so far. The Cascades from Seattle to Portland, Pacific Surfrider in California, The Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle. Our most recent trip was on the Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago, so far this is our longest trip on Amtrak. We look forward to making other plans in the future, especially to ride the California Zephyr from Los Angeles to Chicago.
Good afternoon Allie and Rob. We plan on taking the Mapleleaf in December 2026. We will be taking the Cascades Seattle to Vancouver in 2026.
I'm reading through the swampy details of the Amtrak Credit Cards before booking my next (first and only was 1978) trip. I want those POINTS!
Have to say I was not disappointed in the Southwest Chief route at all.
Amtrak far exceeded my expectations.
Yea, the views on the Chief deserve better credit than what many people give them. Heck, there are parts where it's like your on an entirely different planet.
I guess if you don't like early departures, you wouldn't like any of the departures on the overnight routes on any of these trains. I would LOVE a 6:30 am departure (like the Pere Marquette) when I catch the Lakeshore Limited from Cleveland. Especially since it's 1 1/2 hours away from my house. I need to leave at 4:00 in the morning to make the 5:35 train. The good news is, the highways are empty at that time and I go to my roomette and sleep as soon as I'm on the train.
The Maple Leaf is also not a sleeper train. It's configuration is normally 4 coaches and a cafe/business class car.
You two are fun! Enjoy the videos.
My worst Amtrak train ride was the Crescent, I got on in DC to Atlanta. I could not wait to get off that train. I rode coach and regretted every second of this trip. The train was packed and it was rowdy from the time I got on the train until I got off. Loud talking, partying, foul language all night long. It was so loud I don't know if the quiet time announcement was even made. I waited for a conductor to come through and stop the chaos...never saw a conductor until @ 8:30 the next morning and they would not make eye contact with anyone. The gentleman next to me had his noise dampening earphones. I paid for an airplane ticket for retutn home. I couldn't do it. The Capital Limited from Chicago to D.C. was normal.
We just took the Crescent 19 from Birmingham, AL to New Orleans. The train was sold out. There was partying and foul language too. I thought it was because a particular group was riding through from Atlanta for a Falcons game. The staff was not very friendly. They seemed like they were used to a rough crowd.
Was on first Amtrak route, Coast Starlight 4 yrs ago, in sleeper bedroom with two other family members, but only the Portland to Oakland segment. Still, great fun, and i loved the experience, even just seeing people's backyards, cars waiting at train crossings etc. America!! One of these days I"ll ride Oakland to Los Angeles segment--the best part. The ocean views on your video are beautiful.
Then....you two made me do it--- last month, took California Zephyr--Sacramento to Denver! Wow!!!! Seeing Donner Lake from the train, on the mountainside East of the lake, instead of from the freeway (our usual route to Lake Tahoe) --wondrful. Then passing places in Nevada, Utah, Colorado I'd never heard of---(Helper, Utah? Who knew?!) followed by the canyons of the Colorado Rockies. LOL people waving, some mooning the train from their rafts on the river as the train went by (the conductor said this is not unusual!)
Now budgeting to take another overnight train ride instead of plane ride!!! Thanks for your ideas which inspire and motivate me and us!!!
I agree with your top four. I introduced my wife to rain travel and she loved it even more than I do. We could barely get back from one trip before she was asking when we could go again. The only major routes we didn't get to go on were the Crescent and the City of New Orleans. I promised myself I would take one more trip in her memory so I'm taking a grand tour involving three of those top four lines next month.
On a couple of other points: We took the Texas Eagle. We found the Texas portion kinda boring, frankly. The Sunset Limited portion, we liked, but we had been on that before; in fact, the first time was before Katrina and we went all the way from LA to I think it was Jacksonville where it ended. Re the Coast Starlight, I think you should have mentioned that while the northern part is quite pretty, the really spectacular ocean view part is south of Emeryville. Finally, I think in fairness to the Hiawatha you should have mentioned that the whole trip is 80-something miles and takes about 90 minutes. It's not something you ride for the experience.
Oh, an edit to add one more thing: We generally didn't worry which side of the train we were on because we tended to live in the observation car. 🙂
Uhh, well, camping all day in the Sightseer Lounge is really selfish. Enforcement is weak and rare, but still you should have some courtesy for others who’d like to spend a slice of their time there. They paid as much or more than you did. Limit yourselves to 90 minutes, and be nice about vacating.
@@dock_yard1149 I will say this calmly: You have taken one off-hand remark and made a whole string of assumptions ("really selfish ... have some courtesy") punctuated with a condescending crack about "be nice." What, you think that was literal, as if we ate, read, took naps, checked email, and all the rest there, all the while paying no attention to if there was room for others? I suggest that if you don't know it, you look up the word "hyperbole" - never mind, Ill save you the time: It means "A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect." And then next time, "have the courtesy" to confirm what you imagine is true before offering any advice on etiquette.
I'd recommend a couple of things for your videos. Put place holders on the screen indicating which number you are on and which route you are describing. Put indicators in the video progress bar with that information as well. A lot of people are going to be interested in specific routes and not the entire list. They will want to skip some routes while watching others and giving no indication which route you are describing makes that difficult.
Thanks!
Thanks so much!
The Hiawatha is pretty much the only way to get to Chicago by train (and thus other trains in the system) from Milwaukee besides the one time the Empire Builder comes from the west. I need to use it to take any other train out besides the Empire Builder heading west to Seattle/Portland.
I just got back yesterday from Charleston SC I had the viewliner 2 car going both ways I absolutely loved it I booked a roommette
In 1973 I took the Southwest Chief from Newton, KS to LA, then the Coast Starlight to San Jose. I was 16, alone, and enjoyed the trip. Too bad I didn't keep a log of the trip, but I remember the Starlight ride most, especially through the mountains. I'm from the California Coast so was quite familiar with the ocean views. From 1975 through 2006 I got a lot more ocean views while flying C-130s in the Coast Guard!
A gorgeous route is on a part of the Capitol Limed. From Connellsville Pa, to D.C., it traverses the Youighenny and Potomac Rivers with stunning scenery, particularly in the Fall with the leaves changing colors.
Great informative video as always, especially for people not in the US and have never taken Amtrak. Planning on a trip between New York and Chicago, trying to decide between the lake shore limited and the Cardinal. My main gripe with the lake shore limited is westward travel means passing by the lakes area at night meaning I won’t see much.
So wanted to know where do you guys rank the cardinal?
Going along the south shore of Lake Erie is no great shakes. You can see it if you go west to east. The really good scenery on this trip is going up the Hudson, going east to west. Have an early dinner and watch it all go by. You won't be disappointed. I've never taken it from Boston, so I can't comment.
Kind of silly to throw the Hiawatha into this mix in the first place. The Hiawatha is, in essence, a commuter train. If Metra could work out an arrangement with WisDOT to run all the way to Milwaukee via the Hiawatha route or on Metra's UP-North Service line, the Hiawatha might just disappear as a Chicago-Milwaukee Amtrak service and become part of Metra.
To compare, when the new route between Chicago and Rockford starts, which is nearly the same distance from Chicago as Milwaukee, it will be operated by Metra, and they will be using standard Metra rolling stock, whether those will be the current gallery cars or the new Coradia MultiLevels (first deliveries are expected in 2024) remains to be seen.
Now, if the day comes when the Hiawatha Service is extended to Madison and Green Bay, as is planned, the level of amenities will certainly get better. As far as the view is concerned...oh, well. Again, it's not really a tourist train, just a way to draw Chicago and Milwaukee closer together via rail. If you really need amenities that badly for an 86-mile trip, take the Empire Builder to Milwaukee, or, in 2024, take The Great River, the new service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Chicago, which will stop in Milwaukee.
As far as the Pere Marquette goes, MDOT does plan to increase the frequency on all three Michigan Service routes, once a faster way to get from Chicago to Porter, IN is found. It's my understanding Amtrak is negotiating with the South Shore to use their tracks once South Shore's double tracking project between Gary and Michigan City is complete AND if the feds ever sign off on funding the St. Charles Air Line Connection, allowing trains heading south out of Chicago Union Station to connect to MED/South Shore tracks without a time-consuming backup maneuver.
To get from Grand Rapids to Chicago considering taking a taxi to Muskegon and the Lake Express ferry to Milwaukee. Yes, then you're back on the Hiawatha, so take snacks. If the ferry tempts you to bring your own car, I have heard bad things about parking at the Intermodal in Milwaukee (cars have been broken into) so be aware of that.
Thank you so much for your advice on best Amtrak routes to travel! We live in Hawaii, and I am hoping to take my granddaughter and great-granddaughter on the Starlighter next June from L.A. to Seattle - and possibly transferring to that other train to head north to the end of the line in Alaska. Your advice about the two roomettes was great! I have one of my friends coming, too, so the four of us should enjoy the two rooms a lot. Appreciate all your advice and videos. I traveled on Amtrak many years ago along the southern route between L.A. and Florida, which I found very picturesque and interesting, too.
Just yesterday I watched another review of the Cascades. Now, I love the Cascades trains, both in Oregon, Washington, and up to BC. That reviewer called it a “prison train” mostly because of the consist; I think they were expecting the attractive Talgo cars and instead got basic steel and gray Amtrak. Also, he/she was critical of the exposed algae at low tide along the Puget Sound, “so dirty”, the conductor “yelled” when they merely hopped off to take pictures at one of the last station platforms before the Canadian border, and they were 24 minutes late! Ah well, we each have our own expectations when we travel.
Yeah, it depends what you're used to, for sure. I was perfectly happy with the Cascades having come from the NJIT and the Acela. I'm sure if I was used to Europe I'd be disappointed.
I've traveled by train twice: New London, CT to Denver roundtrip and the other trip was New London to Dallas. Rode coach both trips
Another way to tell the Viewliner 1 from the Viewliner II: On the outside, the Viewliner I has narrow stripes, and the Viewliner II has wide stripes.
I am so happy to have discovered your TH-cam channel. I have not had the pleasure to ride a Train like Amtrak. I have only rode a few innercity trains such as The marta in Atlanta and TriMet in Portland, OR. another one was just a short tour train ride back in 1990 the Algoma Central Rail Fall Tour in Sault Ste. Marie , ONT. while the view was spectacular it was only short ride in old cars. I am hoping before I get to old (I'm 59) to enjoy it is to ride a cross country rail - I enjoy watching your informative videos I am learning a lot, I have had a great affinity for trains and am a huge advocate for more passenger trains in our country - while personal automobiles are arguably for the freedom I think trains serve a much better purpose due to the fact you are more relaxed not fighting in traffic. Thank you I am looking forward to finding more of your videos to watch.
Good grins, and a fun presentation. Thanks!
My favorite Amtrak route is by far the Southwest Chief. Its views of the great open desert and the plains and the Raton and Glorieta passes are so cool and they're nothing else like it. I'm not as big a fan on the mountains. I've never been a big fan of the Empire Builder because it is beautiful and spectacular, for only about third of its route much of which is traversed in darkness. You mostly just get the cascade mountains at sunset and then west glacier the next morning but after that, it's mostly just flat green farmland.
The Southwest Chief is Enchanting 😉
As always thank you so much for sharing this video. It was very informative and helpful. Blessings to you both I enjoy your channel. Peace
Thank you for your wonderful videos, they are inspiring and good food for thought. I find them to be calming and highly rational. Since my son's and my experience on Amtrak (Toronto to Emeryville Cal. via Buffalo and Chicago) I have soured on ever spending money again on the American passenger rail system. In January 2018 we took the Maple Leaf from Toronto to Depew NY, it was on-time and cleared Customs in Niagara Falls without delay. Upon our arrival in Depew we were informed the connecting train to Chicago (coming from NYC) was 5 hours late. It gave us the opportunity to spend some quality-time as father and son. Upon returning to the Depew station we were again informed the train going to Chicago was now an additional 3 hours more delayed. Once the W/B Amtrak train arrived it had been oversold, we were given seats in an old passenger car with no functioning heating system. As the outside temp was -25C that was the first time in my life I wore my parka, a toque and gloves while inside mass transit, there were no blankets available.
That train was 6 hours late into Chicago, which ended-up working out as the California Zephyr was delayed for 8 hours anyway. Our sleeper-car had no running water, so no shower and no sink. I immediately brought it to the attention of Amtrak staff. They were dismissive as it being no-big-deal and a regular occurrence as the on-board water tanks frequently froze. It was promised that sleeping-car would be changed-out in Salt Lake City, which never happened. We arrived in Emeryville 11 hours late, with no lunch or dinner served that day onboard.
I attempted to secure a refund from Amtrak once our trip was over, it took 2 months to receive a meager $300 for what was initially an $2k expense with no incentive coupons or apology. Never again.
never made a trip...looking forward to my 1st trip...i enjoy your videos
The Hiawatha is planning on going all the way to Minneapolis someday to make a second train. Hopefully they will add a snack car once they do that.
Pre-Amtrak, the Hiawatha was the Milwaukee Road train from the Twin Cities to Chicago. Its route was the same as the current Amtrak route. The Empire Builder (and other trains) followed the Burlington Route down the Mississippi for about 300 miles - a really beautiful ride - and then across Illinois into Chicago.
The new train, named "Borealis" is running now and has a cafe car. It follows the Empire Builder route between St. Paul and Chicago and makes two additional stops that are otherwise served by the Hiawathas.
I've taken the coast straight and it is a beautiful scenery
My vague recollection is that at some point in the past the Texas Eagle did have an observation car on the Chicago-to-Texas leg. I live in Chicago but my parents are in Springfield so I've spent a lot of time on trains between those two cities and the Eagle is one of the options, and I have recollections of riding in a Superliner observation car. I took some friends from Chicago to Springfield on the Eagle for their first train trip and I had been selling the observation car experience, only to discover that there was none on that train.
Leaving Sunday from Tampa to NYC, hoping for Viewliner 2
The big bang theory featured the coast starlight on one of its episodes,,one of my favorite episodes!
My mom and I took the Empire Builder in April of last year. It was AMAZING! I highly recommend it to everyone!
New to your channel. Love the content!
That would probably be the last of the 5 major western routes I'd choose to ride. The problem with that route is that you get views of mountains in the far western portion, but then heading eastbound, you leave the mountains at 10 in the morning, and don't reach them until sunset heading westbound, and east of that, all you see is flat farmland.
In my opinion, the worst Amtrak route would have to be the section of track between Seattle and Vancouver B.C. - First, the track condition is terrible. Of course, I was on the Talgo, where you feel every little bump and gap between rails. Then, you stop at the border for immigration to check you out (U.S. Customs will have dogs and everything). Then, once you are in Canada, you crawl through Vancouver at around 25mph and you start thinking you will never arrive. Nearing the station in Vancouver, the train is surrounded by fences and barbed wire so you can’t sneak off the train, making you feel like you are on some type of prison train. Then, when you finally get to the station, you get to be checked out by customs/immigration a second time! No thanks!
We rode this route just last month from Seattle to Vancouver on Horizon equipment and it was fine. Great scenery. They now do customs upon arrival in Vancouver at the station and it was pretty quick.
Maybe it's just because I like mountains, but picking the Lake Shore above either the Cardinal (best eastbound) or the Capitol Limited is, to me, a mistake. I have ridden everything overnight (except the portion of the Texas Eagle between St Louis and San Antonio) and I have not done the Seattle split on the Empire Builder or the Boston split on the Lake Shore. I don't find enough difference between the Acela in Business vs. the NE Regional in Business to matter except what time and cost fits your plans. I fully agree with your thumbs down on the Amtrak Midwest services that lack a cafe car, but they are intended as short-haul regional service that involves a lot of folks on less than full route rides -- still ought to have a cafe though.
Maybe they could add a couple of vending machines and a microwave to at least offer something
I just wrote about the Cardinal on here a few minutes ago. I don't understand why this one is never discussed much or talked about?! It's so much nicer in terms of view (and crew, too!) compared to the LSL. I just wish they'd get traditional dining back... for a route that long, it's needed..
I live in SW Kansas and take the SW Chief up to Iowa, and it’s a nice train and route. Back in the late 90’s I used to go to D.C. from Iowa. Started on the California Zephyr to Chicago and then the Capital Limited to D.C., and the CL was a fantastic train to take.
Great videos. I’m doing the Empire Builder in April in a bedroom. I have some mobility issues and your videos have relieved some of my anxieties about this trip. Thanks for all the info.
No mention of the Adirondack or the Cardinal. ☹️
Best or worst?
Definitely take the Empire Builder from west to east. The views of Glacier National park are in the early morning. In my case we were stopped for a herd of elk crossing the tracks. Right in a beautiful section of the park. I was traveling in winter with the shortened days.. The return trip , three weeks later wasnt nearly as scenic.
Hey Rob and Allie, Thank you for your videos, they are so informative and have been incredibly helpful. I need some advice. My husband of 55 years has never been on a train. For Christmas I surprised him with an itenary of flying into Chicago (we live in Tampa), taking the California Zephyr into Green River, Utah , staying for a few days; driving through the local national parks and then taking the train back to Chicago and flying home. Are we missing a lot of amazing scenery by not going on to California and just flying home from there?
Can you see both sides from the handicapped room? on the double level trains??
The Calif Zephry has one of the most beautiful routes.
You should've added the Adirondack to one of the best routes. The LSL is not the best. Especially if you have one of the old sleepers. We found that train to be the dirtiest.
Great video and comments. Have you ridden Brightline from/to Miami?
I rode the cascade from Vancouver to Seattle several years ago and we left in the morning and had daylight the whole trip. Fun trip.