Planning Trip would like some feed back on the routing late FEB-Early

[HasTy]

LAX-SEA on the Starlight

SEA-CHI on the EB

CHI-NYP on the LSL

NYP to WAS on Carolinian or a NER

WAS to NOL on the Crescent

and this is where I am running into my stumbling block do I take the Sunset out of NOL or should I go back up to CHI and take old reliable SWC to LAX with a San Joaquin home or CZ with a San Joaquin home?

Thoughts or if someone has a better suggestion on routing that would be great. I do have to make all of the stops listed as end points for the trip but I don't have to make them in this order.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ill give a Lawyers Answer: It depends? :giggle: If you havent ridden the Zephyr Id say take it after taking the CONO to CHI from NOL! Same thing with the Sunset Ltd. NOL-LAX, its not the Best LD Route,but some interesting Stuff and it gets you into LAX Very Early! But remember the Sunset only Runs Three Days a Week, all others are Daily! Nice Trip, I'm Envious!

 

[Notelvis]

Scenery-wise I would opt for the CONO to Chicago and the westbound California Zephyr.

If you want to sample a shorter hop in a different part of the country to see some different stations, you might want to hop off the CONO at Cairo, IL, grab the van to St. Louis, MO, take the Missouri River Runner to Kansas City and go westward with the Southwest Chief from there.

If you've not ridden the Southwest Chief before and have an interest in riding the historic Santa Fe route over Raton Pass at the Colorado-New Mexico state line, you might want to do that while you still can. It's likely that the Southwest Chief will be rerouted and the Raton Pass abandoned within three years now.

And there are those who have a real affinity for the Sunset Limited....... it's early, early arrival time, if on schedule, at LAX makes this a less attractive option now, however.

 

[HasTy]

Thanks for the thoughts Jim, I have never taken the Sunset but I have taken the zephyr a few times...this is the first truly long train trip with the better half so I am trying to make sure we get the best bang for the buck. She has taken the Zephyr before with me after she flew out to CHI to ride back with me one time.

I have also ridden the SWC more times than I can count as that is kind of my go to train when trying to head east.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks for the thoughts Jim, I have never taken the Sunset but I have taken the zephyr a few times...this is the first truly long train trip with the better half so I am trying to make sure we get the best bang for the buck. She has taken the Zephyr before with me after she flew out to CHI to ride back with me one time.

I have also ridden the SWC more times than I can count as that is kind of my go to train when trying to head east.

In that case take the Sunset Ltd! They have Experienced Crews on this Route and the Food has always been Above average to Outstanding on the many Trips I've made on this Route! (It was my First Love when I was a Boy and the SP meant something!)

The New Schedule is Not to Everyones liking but to Me the More Train Time the better!

You will see lots of desert but Google up info about this Route , theres Lots on this Forum and others!

 

[Rail Freak]

As for the "Best Bang For The Buck", the Texas Eagle always comes to mind for the 3 night ride between CHI & LAX. Sounds like a Great Trip!!!

Have Fun

 

[HasTy]

I am with you Jim more train time is better.

 

[Notelvis]

Gotta admit that the best steak I've ever eaten on a train was served aboard the Sunset!

 

[tomfuller]

You will be spending the night in a hotel in Seattle if you go there to connect with the EB.

You can make the connection in Portland without spending a night in a hotel.

Is this trip all in sleeper cars or are you doing some or all in coach?

If you can stand to sleep in coach, you could save some money by using a 30 or 45 day USA Rail Pass. I like the scenery on the CZ a little better than the west Texas vastness of the Sunset.

 

[HasTy]

This is all sleeper and each end point we are spending some time in the city to visit friends/family except DC we are just doing that for the sake of saying hey we have been there.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

As for the "Best Bang For The Buck", the Texas Eagle always comes to mind for the 3 night ride between CHI & LAX. Sounds like a Great Trip!!!Have Fun

But he would have to go up to CHI then back down. Not worth it for me! Go for the SL, it's got cool deserts, too!