I'm thinking about taking the train to VA this summer for a family reunion, and just curious to see if anyone has done cross country trips on Amtrak.

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1999 Toyota Corolla VE (Mine)
2006 Honda Odyssey (Wife's)
1979 300CD (sold)

I went from Philadelphia to Orlando last year, it was very interesting. I would never do it again, if I had a choice. The train was very dirty, loud and just nuts at times.
It was cool at first, but just dragged on. If you do take the train you can bring food and drinks. If you have a Mercedes I would drive it. The only reason I took the train was for the experience, I will stick with airplanes and my 1980 116 300SD.

It is something I'd like to do for craps and giggles. I think it'd be a neat way to go.

It's hardly a comparable measue, but I did take Amtrak from New Haven to Philadelphia a few weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised. Lots of legroom, as clean as a plane anyway, get up and walk around anytime you want, 120V outlets at each seat, food car. I'd definitely consider taking it again as far south as Washington, D.C.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Sounds as though south of Philly might be the cut-off.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I've taken Amtrak three times. Once Denver to LA and twice Denver to San Francisco. I took it because it was inexpensive, and the Denver to San Francisco route has got to be one of the most scenic train routes in the world.
I liked it and would do it again. However, count on the fact that the trains will be late. Freight trains on the same line have priority. We had to stop in the mountains just west of Denver because the tracks were unsafe to travel over. Had to wait a couple of hours until a crew repaired the tracks. We just got out and hung out alongside the railroad tracks enjoying the scenery.
Met a guy on one trip on his way back to SFO after circumnavigating North America on the Canadian rail system and Amtrack. Did the whole thing for a ridiculously low price of around $300. He had a laptop and gps which had mapped his whole journey.
Do it for the experience. Then take the Flying Scotsman from London to Edinburgh (I took it 3 weeks ago) and mourn the loss of a effective rail travel system in the US.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The trains on the East coast are somewhat dirty as somebody pointed out. I've always heard that the ones that run between Chicago and the West coast are much nicer. I have wanted to do that, too. It would be great if you could take your Bez along, too, and get off and drive around when the mood struck you.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

My current houseguest says from 'King's Cross' (sp?) you can take a cab with 3 passengers cheaper than the train for that route and that it adds maybe an hour to the trip. My three expat euro friends I see alot (and that a couple of folks on this site have met) have *****ed at length for the past few years about how bad the euro rail system is getting price wise. But mourn all you want.....



Eric--I would ONLY do a cross country trip on Amtrack for the experience. Man you are probably talking almost four days. The ride is great but the small town stops are killers. The passengers are weird and the food sucks. On 9-11-01, I had to take the train to Chicago for a deposition 'cause the airports were shut down. Never again (and I had a sleeper and plenty of party favors).

If you must go, take a very large cooler and take all your own food and plenty of booze. If you try to go without buying a sleeper ticket.....well good luck

Hmmm....


I priced it out for ****s and giggles...


Its super pricey for what you get.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Ugh. Book your airline tickets now. The less time spent in transportation means more time spent with your family. If it were me and I had to visit my family in VA, I'd fly. To Hawaii.

I did NY to Grand Junction CO about 10 years ago.

The Denver - Grand Junction part was fantastic. The rest I wouldn't do again unless I had a LOT of spare time, and nothing else to do with it.

Yep, Thatcher's privatization of the railways has really increased the prices. From Darlington to London for three of tickets was 700 pounds ($1600 approx). However, roughly the same distance, Darlington to Edinburgh was only 115 pounds.

I don't believe the one additional hour part. That train travels at well over 100mph and the stops are just momentary.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If the idea of using alcohol to make being unable to escape the company of moderately interesting strangers tolerable is appealing to you, then go for it.

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-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831799-post13.html
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831807-post14.html

I don't like flying, and wanted to try something new. I doubt the Amtrak trains will be much worse than the one I was on in Spain...

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1999 Toyota Corolla VE (Mine)
2006 Honda Odyssey (Wife's)
1979 300CD (sold)

It is a long time ago, about 1979. I'm much younger, living in Chicago, and plan to ride my Triumph Bonneville south to New Orleans. Well the Bonnie won't cooperate (what a love-hate relationship that was; wish I had it now), so I buy a round trip ticket on the "Spirit of New Orleans". It was just like the song: 600 seats and 600 restless riders; with many overnight stops. When I arrived in NO, I cash in my return trip, and after a couple of good days there, flew back. I really did want the train to be as good as the rest of the trip, but it was not; and hope your experience is better.
regards,
Mark

Took it from CA to Wisconsin.

Sucked... but it was affordable. Food sucked, ride sucked, train was dirty, bathrooms were nasty.

Oh and make sure to bring your own blanket 'cause they charged us 30 bucks for one ****ty horse blanket.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi