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Amtrak to highlight long-distance trains on ‘passport’ tour
I recognize the stops as being on the Empire Builder Route and the Coast Starlight route. What is the third one? I did not think they Portland section of the Empire Builder was classified as a separate route, and calling a connection from Emeryville to San Francisco a part of the CA Zephyr route would be a real stretch.
I did not find additional info on the referenced blog, but that may be because I am not a blogger. It would seem much more beneficial if Amtrak spent its bucks giving politicians some trips by adding a special car to various consists. Then the politicians could mingle with passengers and also have privacy. They might discover that granting Amtrak more funds would be beneficial to America’s infrastructure.
Another group of liberal elitists wonderfully segregated from the unwashed masses in their private accomodations that are going to tell us how wonderful Amtrak travel is and how us taxpayers should spend more money so that the country can be connected by nostalgic travel conveyances, even if they are dirty and slow with mediocre food at best and run 12 hours late. Oh just think of the glory of a few days of sitting back and trying to get in touch with oneself while watching the grandeur of America roll by the window.
They should stick these writers, photographers, etc. on the Silver Star, or better yet have them ride the Lake Shore in coach from NYP to Chicago and they can write, photograph, and take videos of the condition of the rest rooms say around Elkhart, IN prior to arrival in Chicago.
Hmm. Perhaps someone below could use some contact with professional writers and educators in order to post a comment that is on-topic, respectful…and accurate.
Mr. Smith, I wonder what you feel about the below comments is not on target, respectful or accurate. Maybe you have never ridden an Amtrak long distance train? This is the second or third time I have read about “professional writers and educators” being sequestered from the realities of Amtrak travel so that they can write glowing reports of slowly moving across the landscape in their wonderful conveyances all the while eating and drinking sustenance that is far superior to what the “real” passengers have to partake of.
As a former railfan I’m somewhat used to the inconveniences and realities of long distance train travel but I hear far too many stories from people who are say attending a wedding in Chicago and think it would be a good experience for the kids to take the train. Usually there’s a “never again” line in the story telling that indicates to me that without the proper expectations there is no future for this type of travel. Yet they read these glowing stories by writers that have usually ridden in private luxury and been “waited on hand and foot” or remember a movie from the past that shows luxury train travel and expect that their experience will be the same. And that what Amtrak travel boils down to, an experience, and a story telling opportunity that usually starts, “Oh you wouldn’t believe what happened…”