Recent content by Royal Blue

I was on the southbound Crescent about three weeks ago, and the at-seat meal for coach was red beans and rice for $10. If they offer something that sounds good to you, make sure you order it at the earliest opportunity -- they only had a limited number and they sold out even on a not very...

Sitting on a siding on 8 just outside of LaCrosse, WI. We sideswiped a trailer next to the tracks. Apparently we now need a new engineer, who wii not arrive until around 5:15 pm. The dining car is prepping the Amstew for tonight.

Reporting from the southbound Crescent -- the Amazon/Atlantic cod is delicious!

Thanks! We will definitely go see it!

Based on the advice I got on this thread, I skipped the bus between Gatwick and Heathrow Airports and took the Thameslink train to London St. Pancras Station. The trains from Gatwick were running about 20 minutes late; there had been emergency track work earlier in the day. I bought a ticket...

Loved the historical pictures of Liverpool Street Station!

Great trip report! After seeing the lamb chops, I am so ready to ride the Canadian.

I thought my only sensible option was to take the bus from Gatwick to Heathrow. But I have a long layover, so I like the idea of taking Thameslink to St. Pancras, take some pictures, have some lunch at or near St. Pancras Station, and then rattle back out to Heathrow on the Tube. It's only a...

So, I have been in the UK on a business trip, which has required some train riding, since the office where I needed to work was in Suffolk, and the best way to get there was by train. Here’s a few observations and photos. After landing at Heathrow, I passed up the oh-so-sexy Heathrow Express...

There are several hop on/hop off bus tours in DC -- you can buy tickets and start your tours at Union Station. They tend to run about $40-50 per day, but if you have never been to DC before and have your heart set on seeing the monuments, Arlington National Cemetery, etc., they would be the way...

We rented a car last month with the Chase Sapphire and took a rock to the windshield that resulted in a foot-long crack. We don't have a car so don't carry regular car insurance -- Chase Sapphire is one of the few cards that will act as primary insurance for rental cars. I called the number for...

Part 2 – Southwest Chief On the Southwest Chief, Other Half and I had roomettes across the hall from each other (thanks again, AU forum, for the suggestion!) The two roomettes together were actually less expensive than a bedroom. We have always shared a roomette, but for this longer ride, we...

Other Half and I recently finished our Washington, DC – San Diego – Los Angeles trip on the Capitol Limited, Southwest Chief, and the Pacific Surfliner. All in all, a good trip. All trains were essentially on time, not a DEA agent to be found, and we had some of the best dinner companions ever...

This is pretty interesting, especially since we're taking the SWC to Los Angeles soon. It's something to think about, how to handle an encounter with the DEA, and whether it is worth blowing up the train trip to defend our constitutional right to freedom from illegal search and seizure. The...

The first time the other half and I went to Lexington Market, he saw a middle aged female junkie nodding off standing up just inside the door. He said, "You take me to the most interesting places!" We hve never been bothered there, though, and there is some good eating to be had in that place...