For me:
Less expensive than flying
About the same as driving--except I slept half the time
comfortable
few people on the train

I have taken Amtrak from Rochester to NYC and that train is not as comfortable as the California Zephyr.

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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

Thanks for all the replies.

Hattie- By the time I take a cab to an airport(this would be a one way trip) $100 bucks minimum from what I have seen. Added to the cost of a one way ticket(which for some reason is $25 less than a round trip) it would be about double the cost of the train ticket.

tbo- I would be taking a local train to philly then the silver meteor to west palm beach. 23 hours total. $123

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86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

Silver meteor is a cool Train. better in the daylight

__________________
hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

When I went out to Croton-On-Hudson from La Crosse, I took the Empire Builder to Chicago, then the expected 5-9 hour layover/switch over to the Eastern Run, all AMTRAC. Bought the sleepercar. Good investment. They treated you damn well, you got fed the best traveling food I've had in years and the sleepercar (private) was way better than trying to get comfortable in a regular seat.

WORD OF WARNING: DO NOT---DO NOT USE THE RESTROOM ON A TRAIN THAT "SPLITS" AND GOES TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AROUND THE SAME TIME. LIGHTS GO OUT. WATER DOES NOT FLOW. "PAPERWORK" CAN BE "MESSY" TO SAY THE LEAST. AND IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE "RIGHT" HALF OF THE HALF YOU NEED TO BE ON...WELL...IT GETS "INTERESTING" REAL FAST. "FURIOUS" IS THE WORD TO KEEP IN MIND IF THAT SITUATION ARISES.

YES. IT DID.

Otherwise, a pleasant trip.

BTW: West of Chicago...smooth, swinging, rythmic ride. East of Chicago...Did you know that the US was built, and made great, by the railroads? A LOT OF SWITCHES between Chicago and New York...A LOT.

Enjoy!

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M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

I am Really Damned Glad that I'm not the only one who had a problem with those friggin terlets...

__________________
hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed