Comebacks we'd like to see: #18 -- Train travel
Filed under: Transportation, Travel
This post is part of our series ranking the top 25 bygone products and trends we'd like to see return.
There's something romantic about train travel. Is it the memories of the model train running on tracks around the Christmas tree, the luminous artwork in "The Polar Express"? The clips from old movies of the rich and fashionable strolling down the platform, carrying luggage in a gloved hand?
Maybe it's the names of the trains. The Silver Meteor which has run from New York to Miami since 1939. then there's The Cascades, The Adirondacker, The Heartland Flyer.
The sound of the wheels on the tracks, the blur as the country slides by outside the window of the dining car, has universal appeal. Train trinkets abound: On May 9th, there were 90,081 listings under "trains" on eBay, 12,109 under "railroad," with more bids than one might expect in the current economy.
But train travel is more than just a novelty. It is econ-friendly, for starters. Then there are more sights accessible by rail in the U.S. than most of us might assume - including the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Yellowstone Park, and Disney World. The last full service railroad in the U.S. is the Alaska Railroad (http//alaskarailroad.com/arrc53.html) which offers special events including a beer train.
An Amtrak North America Railpass allows unlimited stops to over 900 destinations in both the U.S. AND Canada and is valid for up to 30 consecutive days. As gas prices rise and air travel gets more arduous, this may be just the ticket.
Think of all the forms of transportation Americans once depended upon. Which would you like to see return?
If the idea of overnight travel by train intrigues you - and especially if you're traveling with children, it just might - you can take a virtual tour of Amtrak sleeper service options (which include meals - and sometimes an in-room toilet and shower) for two to four people.Travel by rail was at its peak in the 19th and early 20th centuries and it's just possible that it can make a comeback. Can Amtrak Travel Green? It's their position that train travel contributes less greenhouse gasses "per passenger mile" than either car or train travel? It isn't clear how close to full the train has to be for the calculation to work out that way.
What is clear is that there's lots of information available, including J. David Ingles' book, "Guide to North American Railroad Hot Spots (Railroad Reference Series), John Pitt's, "USA by Rail - 6th Bradt," and Karen Ivory's, "Eight Great American Rail Journeys - A Travel Guide." There are also companies, like North American Rail Specialists, that advise about rail tour options and know which hotels are closest to the railroad stations.
It's tempting.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-16-2008 @ 8:16AM
CarsonWill said...
Train travel make a lot of sense for the short-intermediate haul trip, especially out here in the Great Plains (where we don't have trains...grrr) of 250-400 miles or so..those trips where it is too far to drive (especially now at $3.60 a gallon or more) and too near to fly. Have you ever really calculated how much time you save on those "short hops" by the time you get to and from the airport, thru security, wait, wait, wait...? You don't. Pleeeeeease- give me a train! They were great.
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5-16-2008 @ 10:12AM
wrightsoftexas said...
Only Amtrak goes from Texas to Gallup,N.M. by way of central Illinois.
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5-16-2008 @ 10:22AM
Sandy said...
I love to travel by train. I remember shortly after we were married (40 years ago), when my husband discovered I had never travelled by train, he insisted I go from Houston to n the old Santa Fe R, which was preparing to close down. He reserved on old Pulman room which made the chair into a comfortable bed at night and unknowingly to me, pulled the porter aside and tipped him to make sure I had a great time.
Then Amtrak came along, and we started travelling together with our small children. We have traveled al over the country, on every major Amtrak route at least once. My favorite was the Zephyr, going from Chicago to Los Angeles, and stopping for a few days in Los Vegas along the way. Unfortunately, they no longer go to to Vegas; I wish they would bring that back. We took our children to Disneyland, and years later to Disney World, via train. They knew how to get to the movie car, the snack bar, and the bathrooms. Eating in the dining car was an adventure in itself. Al meals were included with the price of your "first class ticket" which includes either an economy room, a bedroom with a small sink, or a bedroom with toilet and shower. The dining car is not as good now, the food is microwaved and the choices are fewer. We still travel by Amtrak and probably will until we are no longer able to travel.
Bring it back to its old standards, please!
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5-16-2008 @ 10:44AM
Cricket Proctor said...
Oh, train travel is still out there (Amtrak). But has anybody checked the prices of it lately? I recently checked on prices from CO to NC and almost fell out of my chair when given the quote! It was more than 3 times the cost of flying! And do you know what the person told me was the reason it was so high? He said it was because they had the bed that they could lie down in for the 3 day trip! My response was immediate: if you fly for 1/3 the price, you don't NEED a bed because you are only traveling for a few hours!!!!!!
If they would bring the cost of traveling by train down to a reasonable price, then maybe more people would travel that way. I know I've always wanted to, but I'm not about to pay the fares they are asking now.
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5-19-2008 @ 8:07AM
Kathryn said...
Recently we traveled from Chicago to Syracuse New York via Amtrak. After a grueling day of packing and moving our belongings into storage, we left Union Station after having checked six bags and carried on as many. We could have checked more, had we wanted to, for $10 per bag. Sweaty, dirty and exhausted we boarded the train with only minutes to spare (which we could do because of no long security wait) to be met by our steward who gave us complimentary wine and cheese and offered hot showers before we turned in to our remarkably comfortable beds. We were "rocked to the rhythm of the rails" until first call for breakfast (meals are included) in the dining car. The rest of the trip went just as well. Cost? $63 per person fare and $248 for the sleeper, total $374. The extra bags would have cost that if we flew. It was PERFECT for our needs and a great value, but much longer than by plane. For us, the trade off was worth it. If we had traveled coach, it would have been an absolute steal, while in BIG seats with lots of legroom and a comfortable recline. Not for everyone, but great for some.
5-16-2008 @ 11:24AM
allyndp said...
Reinventing train travel in the USA would be one of the smartest things this country could do. Building new engines that are powered by fuel cell/bio diesel technology would make for a cleaner environment and take the pressure off the automobile as the culprit for global warming. Also a equally important aspect would be that trains would allow us to evactuate areas that are hit by major disasters musc more easily that the highway system.
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5-16-2008 @ 12:12PM
mistermac said...
As I am writing I can still vividly remember the sweet smell of smoke and steam from the train engine blowing into the open windows of the sitting car on a summers morning. We had a "local" train we could ride into a larger town 30 miles away to shop in the morning,and would return late afternoon (1949).My first trip with "Grams" as a 7yr.old was truly an experience.
I had not been on a train for decades until 2004 when I took a train from Inverness Scotland to London. Shades of the Orient Express; the dining car had real plates, real cutlery, and a Steward with white gloves that poured coffee from a silver service! As a bonus my omellette was prepared by a real cook using real eggs.
What a pleasant change from air travel!!
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5-16-2008 @ 12:53PM
Roger said...
As a kid I traveled back and forth across the US by train a dozen times. I loved it and would do it again except for the outrageous cost. I would love to crawl on a train in LA and take 4 or 5 day trip to New York, relaxing and enjoying the scenery. But it would set me back 2-3 times as much as a plane ticket and, on top of that, there is the cost of food and tips. Bring the cost down to $100 or so and I will be the first in line.
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5-16-2008 @ 1:32PM
ripsnortinroy said...
Latest word has it that the railroads are now the best way to get goods from point a to point b. I forget how much they can take for a single gallon of diesel, but it lays over the big rigs. While we're at it, air travel has lost a lot of its glamor lately, leaving, guess what? Amtrak. Yep, could be that rail travel is on its way back.
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5-17-2008 @ 9:46AM
JoJo said...
I HATE flying, so I wish I could afford to travel by train. I lived in Germany for several years and used to enjoy taking the trains, buses etc., to get around town. Heck, I even WALKED most of the time because unlike american cities, european towns are designed that way.
When I wanted to travel from TN to my homestate of WA, I was SHOCKED that it would cost more than triple to take the train. More if I wanted to have a small room. The cost of fuel had nothing to do with the cost since this occured close to 12 years ago.
I wish that the city of Clarksville didn't rip out the railroad tracks and turn the train station into the Wednesday Farmer's Market, but unfortunately, this city isn't really known for "forward thinking". I would LOVE to be able to grab a cup of coffee, a newspaper and ride to work or go shopping via train.
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5-17-2008 @ 12:14PM
Kim said...
I LOVE taking the train! I've been all over the US using plane, train, bus, etc. By far, the best trip I ever took was by train. Sure, riding first class costs more, but it is completely worth the experience. My husband and I are planning another train trip for this summer.
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5-18-2008 @ 2:47AM
ML said...
The problem Amtrak has is simple. Unlike the days of yester-year when RR had separate tracks for passengers Amtrak has to share the road with freight trains. This causes huge delays and Amtrak gets the short end of the stick because they 'the freight companies' don't give Amtrak the right of way and as such have to wait. So most times they are late. I mean really late.
If we wanted to bring passenger train service back we could do it. Force the RR's to give the right of way or build new tracks for passenger service. Have more service to north south routes. Follow major interstates such as I-5 (which they do), I-15, I 25, I-35, etc and give more connections to those routes and give better east west service.
Its do-able but we as a nation have to say enough is enough and we want it back. But that ain't gonna happen.
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5-18-2008 @ 4:40PM
railtrax said...
Right on! So few people realize why Amtrak trains are frequently late. Those of us who like to travel by rail and know about funding problems need to keep pestering our representatives in Congress. Rail transportation can't run on pennies; new equipment isn't cheap and new dedicated rail needs more financial support than the present administration has been willing to come up with. The freight lines are hauling in the big bucks and are mostly unwilling to share the tracks with passenger rail.
5-18-2008 @ 12:57PM
Nigel said...
My wife, daughter and I took Amtrak from Los Angeles to Houston last year. We had a sleeper car with it's own bathroom/shower, and all meals were included. It was a 42-hour train ride, and we loved it. LOVED IT. The problem was that in order to get from our "room" to the dining car, we had to go through three Coach Cars. This might sound awful, but I'm just stating the truth. People were sticking their heads, feet, and legs into the center asile, and were very rude if you tried to move past them. It smelled and it was packed. No matter what, if you go by Amtrak, do not go Coach. The Dome Car was always crowded, and people were not using the trash cans. One "fine young fellow" was spitting his sunflower seed shells onto the floor. Bloody disgusting.
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5-18-2008 @ 1:09PM
pd39 said...
I looked into train travel for an upcoming trip from CA to Washington, DC; VA, NC, and back to CA. Figured I'd take an extended vacation, and the wife an I could do some sight seeing. I was under the impression it would be more enjoyable travel and comparable in price to one-way air fare to DC and back from NC, and rental car costs. Do'h!!! It cost almost twice as much. I'll sure miss the views of our wonderful country, but there comes a point, especially on fixed income, where one must do what one must do, not what one would like to do.
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5-18-2008 @ 1:25PM
Diane said...
I like to fly, but the train is so much fun and relaxing. I hope that we will always have passenger trains.
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5-18-2008 @ 1:46PM
Diane said...
I like to fly when great distances are involved or one is in a time crunch.
When within the USA and time is not essential, the train is fabulous.
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5-18-2008 @ 8:41PM
Belva said...
Who doesn't love riding on trains?! Only those who have not done it! I recently returned from Germany where my main travel mode was trains and I loved the speed and efficiency and relaxation and views of the lovely scenery and saving money in the meantime! Will we really have train rides returning to this country? I will be among the first to buy my USA TRAIN PASS!
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5-18-2008 @ 9:47PM
Dave said...
I just got back home in upstate NY after taking the train to North Carolina and back. It was my first trip in over 40 years and it certainly won't be my last. Riding the Crescent was an absolute blast. I met very nice people, had a great meal and just overall had a good time! No anxieties about being behind the steering wheel for many hours, just a nice relaxing ride.
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5-18-2008 @ 10:54PM
Mark said...
Train travel will come back, it is inevitable. A train can run on electricity or even coal. When flying becomes a thing only millionaires can afford, the train will return to the primary mode of medium/long distance travel for the majority of Americans. My grandchildren won't know what it is like to fly in an airplane.
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