Awesome Trip!

Just returned from an 11-day, 3-train trip, and were ready to go again! We did the Cardinal from Kentucky to Chicago, then boarded the mighty CZ to San Francisco, followed by the Coast Starlight to Los Angeles. (We contemplated the Surfliner to San Diego, but opted for the Metrolink instead.)

Although Amtrak has made several changes since we first booked, most notably the loss of the CS parlor car, we still had an awesome time!! Our roomette attendant was not overly friendly or helpful, but efficient. Food was good, but perhaps a little more rushed than we would have preferred. The trains were all in decent shape, including bathrooms, although they are surely showing their age. None of this would prevent us from doing it all again. Of course, fellow passengers were delightful, and the scenery was beyond spectacular and majestic!

So now, we want to do another trip, and was considering something that might provide us with spectacular fall foliage views. Any recommendations on which route(s) might provide this, assuming we luck out on catching it during peak season?

Before I forget, thanks to all on here who are kind enough to share their knowledge and suggestions. You are all a bigger help than you know to us newbies, and youre wonderful ambassadors for the love of train travel!

Lauren

Besides the train portion which I'm glad you enjoyed, also hope you had a good time here in California.

The Great Dome Car is operating on the Adirondack (New York to Montréal along Lake Champlain) and the Downeaster (Boston to Brunswick, Maine) this autumn for leaf-viewing, so those are candidates, although it'd be a bit cumbersome to get to that area from Kentucky. The exact dates with the Dome Car aren't determined as far as I know... probably some time around October.

The Dome Car has operated on the Cardinal before as well (but I don't think it's on it this year), so perhaps taking it east through West Virginia would work, as well. It's a scenic route along the New River nonetheless.

Any route in New England can give you beautiful foliage, Cardinal through West Virginal, Capital Limited or Pennsylvanian through Pennsylvania mountains. The big issue with foliage is figuring when the the peak days will be. Unfortunately, I found that it changes from year to year. In the area you want to go you can find sites that will tell you the progress of the foliage.

California was very nice....although quite expensive, lol! We’ve been in Southern California before, but this was our first trip to San Francisco, Sonoma and Napa. Thoroughly enjoyed the food, drink and scenery, although the weather was a bit unusually cool and dreary for this time of year. Actually, it was quite similar in Southern California as well. But you can’t always count on Mother Nature’s cooperation, especially this year....she’s been a little off!

ParanoidAndroid said:

The exact dates with the Dome Car aren't determined as far as I know... probably some time around October.

The Dome Car has operated on the Cardinal before as well (but I don't think it's on it this year), so perhaps taking it east through West Virginia would work, as well. It's a scenic route along the New River nonetheless.

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The dates for the Great Dome this year are determined, And yes, the Dome has operated on the Cardinal before, however that last happened in 2011, and there's no indication they'll do it again anytime soon.

laurenpl said:

California was very nice....although quite expensive, lol! We’ve been in Southern California before, but this was our first trip to San Francisco, Sonoma and Napa. Thoroughly enjoyed the food, drink and scenery, although the weather was a bit unusually cool and dreary for this time of year. Actually, it was quite similar in Southern California as well. But you can’t always count on Mother Nature’s cooperation, especially this year....she’s been a little off!

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There's this weather pattern in Southern California that we call "May Gray, June Gloom" where it's frequently overcast and just a little too cold for comfort (i.e. not a balmy 75 or something). It's been like this for the past month now. The Northern California coast is basically always overcast in my book though . It gets hotter when you go inland... Davis and Sacramento usually hit 100 degrees in the summer.

If you want to ride a dome car on the Cardinal route in the New River Gorge may I suggest the New River Train. It runs every October and this year should have six dome cars

Is the New River Train running under the Anderson Administration?

ParanoidAndroid said:

Is the New River Train running under the Anderson Administration?

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Yes. West Virginia congressmen and state officials put the strong arm on Amtrak and it will run this year.

MikefromCrete said:

ParanoidAndroid said:

Is the New River Train running under the Anderson Administration?

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Yes. West Virginia congressmen and state officials put the strong arm on Amtrak and it will run this year.

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Never thought that they'd do that! That's great.

New River was initially cancelled by Amtrak and denied. Then we went to Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) who has gotten the ball rolling. We are still actively updating them on the developments of the train as well. As of right now it is still scheduled to run. And as long as West Virginia maintains oddly strong Congressional weight it will continue.