Recent content by basketmaker

I will confirm the issue of "roaming" fees. Back in the early 80's when there were limited providers and likewise limited cell towers roaming was expensive. Besides the $0.35 per minute talk time my phone would jump tower to tower. If I remember right it was like a $3.00 fee. I was with...

I agree. I prefer others at the table. I have met some exceptional people from all over the world. And some interesting conversations. Even sat with a celeb or two over the years. Same with sharing a table in the lounge car. To me that is one of the perks travel by train. People rarely talk on...

I usually alert the local PD to ask them if possible to do "extra patrol" around the station and parking lot. I would leave my name, cell number and description of my vehicle including tag number. I have done that at Fulton, Ky and Fort Morgan, CO and they have always been happy to oblige. Left...

No not really... there is a bit of travel along the bay around the Martinez Bridge but most of it is backyards and industrial. Another thing for me anyway is that the Sacramento area is a tad cheaper for me and not just for the rail travel.

Fully understand the train being the destination as mine are the same. One that I have done a while ago was from Denver to Sacramento. Got a room at the Vagabond Inn (Old Town) about 500' from the SAC station. It wasn't fancy in anyway but I was doing was sleeping there but it was reasonably...

The normal CZ consist 99% of the time is 2-engines+1-baggage+1-trans/dorm+2-sleepers+1-diner+1-lounge+2-coaches. Occasionally there maybe an additional sleeper or coach.

At least #6(5) was held at Fraser (WIP) and not in the wilderness somewhere and I would assume Amtrak had some clue to the potential length of the expected delay. That they allowed pax to deboard and explore the city. Fraser is a neat little town with free shuttle service to Winter Park (WPR)...

FlightRadar24 supports these data sources: ADS-B (Live) GPS based aircraft tracking via terrestrial receivers. Real-time. Space based ADS-B (Live) GPS based aircraft tracking via satellite receivers. Near real-time. MLAT (Live) Time difference of arrival based aircraft tracking via...

I'm only a couple miles from Denver Int'l so air traffic is very common. And all types of aircraft and destinations including Japan and Europe. Sadly we don't get any Airbus 380's though. I use Flightradar 24 it is a bit more configurable than Flight Tracker. Plus I can watch the CZ go by...

Question: Are departure track numbers fairly consistent by route? i.e. Arriving on the City of New Orleans connecting to the California Zephyr. Or are the tracks assigned by day and/or circumstances?

I am far from foodie and have a fairly limited palette of foods I prefer. I occasionally will take the CZ from FMG to EMY or SAC spend the night and return the next day in a roomette. Mainly just for the ride. One reason is for the steak which I will do both ways. And I also like having the same...

Over the years I've done all the bedrooms mainly when traveling with my late husband. "E" is good barring an occasional thump of some bumping the wall while negotiating the steps. "A" is a smidgen tighter at least utilizing the restroom. I'm scrawny so it's not an issue. The only drawback for me...

Did all three of them in the 80's. Remember the split was at SLC. The Pioneer was a pretty ride thru the Cascades. And the Desert Wind stopped for a few minutes in Vegas allowing enough time to run into the station to make a phone call (pre-cellphones) and drop (loose) a few quarters. And the...

As for liability the tractor-trailer could be just a lone rancher transporting his/her herds raw milk to a dairy for processing. Not necessarily a trucking company or processing plant. Or even one of many independent haulers in the area. The crash occurred 22 miles from me. Actually saw #6 go by...