Recent content by scientist

Bummer! We traveled the loop on February 7th. We scheduled in December and incorporated the Tehachapi loop into our Around Our Great Nation Loop Tour starting and ending at WAS. As the supposed loop detour day grew closer, we grew nervous but maintained hope. Fortunately, we were not...

We learned about the temporary Tehachapi Loop Detour from the December 16 AU Forum post Coast Starlight Service Alert a mere 3 days after returning to WAS from California via the Sunset Limited and Crescent. California again, so soon? You bet! December 17th was a Saturday and provided the...

Penny, I'll weigh in with an opinion, and provide some pictures of what you will see on the TE. We've done the TE both east and west on loops around the West when we lived in Golden (DEN). [To loop from and to Denver, of course, meant taking the CZ and CS in addition to the TE, making the...

Thanks to Johnny for getting the Southern California Micro-Gathering post up. Between coming home with colds from the Around-Our-Great-Nation Loop Tour and diving back into work, we have not gotten any trip posts up. With the long weekend, we hope to put up Loop photos, describe our...

Colfax, CA

For trains that arrive fairly early in the morning to their final destinations, is breakfast always served or not served or is this variable? For example, the Capitol Limited arrives into CHI at 8:45 and the Southwest Chief into LAX at 8:15. In the case of the Southwest Chief, it can arrive...

High speed rail may still be moving forward in some places, thanks in part due to its rejection in others. Funds that were sent back by the governors of Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin have been made available to California and Michigan. Read more. See this story posted in The Hill earlier...

One final news story on the derailment--Amtrak thanks the citizens Benkelman, Nebraska: http://www.imperialr...:news&Itemid=76

Seems like both the house and the Senate have voted on the bill, and it will go to the President tomorrow for signing. High speed rail takes the hit. But as one Congressperson notes, they are ready to support proposals "where it makes sense." Posted just a couple of hours ago on TheHill.com...

Here is a story of the appreciation luncheon this past Tuesday from the Omaha World-Herald, with some photos: http://www.omaha.com...EWS01/711099926

Tumbleweed's link is probably definitive. But, would a 7-year old really want a flatiron steak instead of mac and cheese? Enjoy the trip with your grandchildren, as you will have a great time with them.

In April when we were circling the west on the CZ, EB, CS, and then CZ, I noticed they didn't have my favorite--blue. Thought it was just a fluke. Now I know in the future that I will be deprived, and perhaps become depraved. Not sure what I swapped out, but I'm sure it had salt and cholesterol.

The positive thing is not going through the TSA security line with all your gear to board Amtrak, unlike at the airport. In fact, you can even carry on more than 3 ounces of fluid in a bottle, not that I have ever done that. :rolleyes: Of course, that may change in our hyper security...

Great! Hope all works out for you on the EB. We'll be jumping on board in Seattle on Oct 31, ready for 44 hours on board. Or perhaps a few more hours should there be delays.

I'm going to being doing both the CS and EB in one trip the last of Oct through first week of Nov, so if you choose the EB, we might connect. In my case, I will fly WAS (DCA) to LAX, and spend time in Hollywood before heading north on the CS to Seattle. From Seattle, we're on the EB to MKE...