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    Pittsburgh to Sacramento - Round Trip

    When I retired in 2019, my plan was to take a train trip each year. COVIT stopped that plan, but I finally booked a trip on the Capitol Ltd. and California Zephyr spanning May 15 - May 27, 2023 with 4 days in Sacramento. I booked the trip in December, 2022 and glad I did! All the trains I was...
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    California Zephyr discussion

    I was on The Zephyr westbound from Chicago to Sacramento on May 17-19. We detoured west of Omaha north of the regular route, eventually returning to the route at Fort Morgan, CO, 7 hours late. By the time we reached Sacramento, we had lost a total of 10 hours due to track work beyond Salt...
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    The effect of the potential rail strike on Amtrak

    I cancelled my trip and got a full refund.
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    The effect of the potential rail strike on Amtrak

    My 17 day Amtrak rail journey is supposed to begin September 16.........
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    Chicago Union Station Hiawatha Lounge

    On my final America By Rail trip (before it closed) in 2019, we were escorted to the Hiawatha Lounge about half an hour before boarding the Empire Builder; where we were boarded as a group out the back door. The Lounge looks exactly like the former Metropolitan Lounge did when it closed...
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    Historical Amtrak service to Central Ohio

    The Panhandle Line from Weirton, WV to Pittsburgh, PA is gone. Most of it is a trail. The bridge in Pittsburgh is now a local transit system. From Columbus, OH to Steubenville, OH the Panhandle Line is now single track for freight.
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    Sorry this seat reserved.

    After reading some of these posts, I am afraid to tell you that I took my first America by Rail trip last year--the Trans-Canada Trip. I have used Amtrak for over 25 years, but thought I would try one of these Group Trips. It was wonderful, well-planned, and worth what I spent. (And I am on...
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    is September the new high season?

    I am on the America By Rail Group Trip that begins Sept 7 from Chicago on the CZ. The trip is sold out, so that would fill some of the train.
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    Pittsburgh to Denver

    Last fall, I mentioned to my Assistant that the April 2016 Conference of the Public Library Association in Denver would make a great train trip from our nearby Pittsburgh Station, and he agreed to let me book the trip. I made the reservations in December 2015 and was able to achieve inexpensive...
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    First Train Ride

    It was 1965. 6th graders from Washington County, Ohio (Marietta) and Wood County, WV (Parkersburg) boarded a 20 car B & O train at the Parkersburg Station Friday evening for a trip to Washington, D.C., arriving about 5:00 am. Spent the whole day in D.C. and re-boarded at 6:00 pm for the return...
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    Pittsburgh to Los Angeles

    Part 3 - The trip home After a fabulous week in Los Angeles which included the Aquarium of the Pacific at Long Beach, the Pasadena Playhouse, the Nethercutt Museum, as well as many meals, and a lot of coffee sipping under palm trees, we departed on Sunday, May 31. Our host took us to the Los...
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    Pittsburgh to Los Angeles

    Part 2 We awoke about Elko, Nevada and enjoyed the barren lands of that state, at least that is the way they appear to Ohioans. The desert had ditches full of water which California would have enjoyed. We arrived in Reno in what my wife called a "concrete ditch" with the stop shortened to...
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    Pittsburgh to Los Angeles

    To celebrate my successful Back Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, I proposed to my wife a round trip train trip from our home station of Pittsburgh to Los Angeles to visit a friend. I booked the trip at the end of 2014 as my wife insists on Bedroom accommodations, and we were ready to begin our...
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    Ice, Coffee, Water, and Tips

    My wife and I returned from our train trip which included the Capitol Ltd., California Zephyr, Coast Starlight, and the Southwest Chief in a trip that started and ended in Pittsburgh. Thinking of issues discussed over the past weeks, I looked for answers during our trip spanning May 17 - June...
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    Broadway Ltd Route being rebuilt

    The Panhandle Line between Columbus and Mingo is operational and has been upgraded with the shale industry in Eastern Ohio for oil transport. The Gould Tunnel just south of me is operational and seems to have had some repairs and is sending rail traffic to Pittsburgh on the former Wabash...
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    conductors still scanning e-tickets?

    For our recent Pittsburgh - Houston Amtrak trip, we encountered the fact that IF you have an Amtrak Thruway Bus as part of the train trip, you cannot obtain an e-ticket. In Pittsburgh, they printed us the old-fashioned train tickets and told us not to lose them! The Conductor scanned the...
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    Pittsburgh to Salt Lake City (round trip) Nov 2012

    The opportunity to use Amtrak to go to Salt Lake City for a computer conference became a reality in late summer, so I booked online and was able to snag roomettes for the whole trip at a reasonable price, returning right before the Thanksgiving travel season. My neighbor took me to the Amtrak...
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    Dining Car experience

    I recently returned from a round trip from Pittsburgh to Salt Lake City on the Capitol Limited and California Zephyr, roomette on each leg of the trip. Given the recent discussion of food service on Amtrak, I was particularly observant in the Dining Cars. Overall, the food quality and service...
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    Capitol Ltd and Lake Shore in Major Service Disruptions?

    I was on Train 30 from Chicago to Pittsburgh, originating Nov 17. We were on time until just past Elyria, and came to a complete stop for 3 hours. We were told that a freight train ahead of us broke down. We finally moved about 3:30 am into Cleveland. About 5:30 am in transit to PGH, our...
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    First timer questions

    I would arrive at the Pittsburgh Station as early as it is possible for you to do. They do not have Red Cap service at PGH, but the staff will assist people with mobility issues; however they need advanced notice to do so. The parking garage is across Liberty Avenue from the Station, so I...
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