Recent content by Chessie Hokie

The south entrance to Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive at Rockfish Gap/Afton Mountain is only a 20-25 minute drive from the Amtrak station in Charlottesville, VA (Crescent and Cardinal). Blue Ridge Tunnel, through which the Cardinal passes, runs directly beneath the Gap. Of course...

Jelsma Graphics has a large selection of railroad logos, including several Amtrak patterns, that can be embroidered on a wide selection of shirts, caps, jackets, etc. I have several polo shirts from them and have been pleased with the quality. Jelsma Graphics

Actually, the seats in roomettes can recline.

Rob, Go for it!

I did the eastbound EB from PDX to CHI last week. I believe it was the first time for the husband and wife team that did the Trails and Rails...I had to correct them on which side of the train to look for the Izaak Walton Inn at Essex, MT (they were appreciative). On the eastbound Cardinal I...

Good point...

I would have thought so, too...but I have already lost-out on my first choice for a travel date for a roomette at low bucket (tried to book at noon 11 months out), so I want to make sure I'm first in line for an alternative date!

Ha! That's right...in my roomette were two separate brochures extolling the virtues of the PPC. They shouldn't put those brochures out when there is no true PPC on the train...just makes one realize what they are missing!

Concerning online reservations being available 11 months prior to travel...what time are reservations for a new date made available? I'm presuming in the wee hours of the morning, but a specific time would be helpful so that I can nail a low bucket before it disapears.

BTW, my sleeper on the EB was a remanufactured Superliner I (#32029). The shower/bathroom layout on this was a huge improvement over other Superliners I have been on. Very nice!

I'm back from my trip. I was very pleased with Topo USA 7.0. I started out using the 3D feature on the left side of the screen, but found the 3D to be less than useful much of the time...ended up using 2D in both panes, but at different scales. I also ran Street Atlas USA for a broader scale...

I took the CS from SAC to PDX last Tuesday...what was offerred as the PPC was a diner/lounge (I believe the new Cross Country Cafe layout), # 37010. It was nice and new (outshopped in March 2008), but lacked the ambience I was expecting from the PPC. Few people used it, and the lower level was...

I just completed a PDX-CHI trip on the EB on Saturday, but didn't hear anything about wine tasting. However, the PA system in my roomette was very intermittent, so I may have missed the announcement. The only indication of the "enhanced dining" feature on the EB that I could determine was the...

No...the one I finally managed to snag on the CS is a solid off-white with a large imprinted Amtrak logo in blue.

For my current trip (right now I'm laying-over in PDX awaiting tomorrow's EB to CHI) I determined to leave behind my trusty stuffable VT stadium blanket in favor of purchasing an "official" Amtrak souvenir blanket to use during the voyage. Upon departing CVS on the Cardinal last Friday I went to...