9 more weeks

[blackpup]

Haven't been on here in awhile. 9 more weeks till my big train trip to FL. Decided to get off in Winter Park, FL so I don't have to drive through Orlando traffic, plus an enterprise rent a car close to train station. They drive up to Saint Augustine. Don't want to get off in Jax as I hear in seedy neighborhood. But I am flying back home from Jax to MKE, then taking the train from Milwaukee to Wisconsin Dells as my car will be park at the Wisconsin Dells train station.

I have a roomette on the CL and the SM, Coach from Dells to Chicago, we are staying over two nights in Chicago as I've noticed 8 EB is late quite a bit.

So any tips, tricks, specials, knowledgable tidbits for a first LD train traveler

 

[PaulM]

Winter Park is probably a good choice; but I wish people would stop referring to quasi-industrial areas as seedy or dangerous. The JAX station is just off a suburban main road amid truck depots and various service industry and tradesman establishments. It's not Winter Park, FL with its hipster charm; but it doesn't look very dangerous. Its main problem is that it is a long way from downtown, or the airport for that matter.

 

[blackpup]

I just report back what I've read, I will need a rental car, and there are Hertz and Enterprise very close to the Amtrak Station in Winter Park, but I'm not sure if there is anything close in Jax, or how I would get one if we stopped there.

 

[blackpup]

only 5 more weeks and some cents until my first LD train journey. Super excited. That's it.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Oooh, how exciting! What train(s) will you be taking?

Just sightseeing and train riding, or a trip with a purpose?

 

[blackpup]

Oooh, how exciting! What train(s) will you be taking?

Just sightseeing and train riding, or a trip with a purpose?

Empire Builder - Wisconsin Dells to Chicago

2 night in Chicago

Capital Limited - Chicago to DC, if on time, do some sight seeing. Someone I know from Facebook and another site lives in DC and he volunteered to be our tour guide if not to busy

Silver Meteor from DC to Winter Park Fl.

Our final destination is Saint Augustine Fl where we will be staying at a resort for a week. we have always wanted to take a long distance train ride. So we now have the opportunity. I really don't like to fly anymore because of all the red tape you have to go through, but because of time restraints we will be flying home from Orlando to Milwaukee, then I will have to take Amtrak from Milwaukee to Wisconsin Dells to get my car.

I am really hoping my car will be safe in Wisconsin Dells amtrak station for two weeks.

 

[oregon pioneer]

I am really hoping my car will be safe in Wisconsin Dells amtrak station for two weeks.

You could check with the local PD, and ask what the record is. I once called the local police in PSC (Pasco, WA) to ask if cars were safe at the station there. They laughed and said "Yes, unless you have a Honda Civic." Oops. I parked my little Honda at a friend's house about 30 miles away, and the friend gave me a ride to the station.

 

[nshvlcat]

only 5 more weeks and some cents until my first LD train journey. Super excited. That's it.

I feel your excitement. I am taking my first Amtrak train journey May 16-May 25. Leaving Newbern (NBN) for Chicago via the CONO, then on to LAX via the SW Chief, on to NOLA via the Sunset Ltd. and then back on the CONO to NBN. Happy trails Blackpup!

 

[blackpup]

I am really hoping my car will be safe in Wisconsin Dells amtrak station for two weeks.

You could check with the local PD, and ask what the record is. I once called the local police in PSC (Pasco, WA) to ask if cars were safe at the station there. They laughed and said "Yes, unless you have a Honda Civic." Oops. I parked my little Honda at a friend's house about 30 miles away, and the friend gave me a ride to the station.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm actually going to be in the Dells in a couple of weeks, so I'm going to talk to the station attendant and see what he thinks and to watch either the EB train or the WB train depending on timing. Then I can get even more excited.

 

[blackpup]

I am really hoping my car will be safe in Wisconsin Dells amtrak station for two weeks.

You could check with the local PD, and ask what the record is. I once called the local police in PSC (Pasco, WA) to ask if cars were safe at the station there. They laughed and said "Yes, unless you have a Honda Civic." Oops. I parked my little Honda at a friend's house about 30 miles away, and the friend gave me a ride to the station.

wonder why Honda Civic's were a problem?

 

[WorldRollsBeneathMe]

If you are staying in St Augustine, Orlando is a very long drive to get your flight home. In St Augustine there is an airport shuttle company that comes to your door and drives you to JAX airport. Two people for $75.

 

[blackpup]

If you are staying in St Augustine, Orlando is a very long drive to get your flight home. In St Augustine there is an airport shuttle company that comes to your door and drives you to JAX airport. Two people for $75.

I did not know that, but I already have my flight tickets and it's cheaper to rent a car if you are dropping it off the same place you are picking it up. I will be dropping it off in Winter Park, and taking Uber to the Orlando airport.

 

[blackpup]

I am really hoping my car will be safe in Wisconsin Dells amtrak station for two weeks.

You could check with the local PD, and ask what the record is. I once called the local police in PSC (Pasco, WA) to ask if cars were safe at the station there. They laughed and said "Yes, unless you have a Honda Civic." Oops. I parked my little Honda at a friend's house about 30 miles away, and the friend gave me a ride to the station.

Well I called them, and they said it's just about the same as parking your car anywhere. They have gotten reports of break ins but it is not a something that happens often. My car is alarmed and it has a little red dashing symbol on the dashboard to show it is alarmed, so hopefully that will keep mischievients away. I mean, it is a Prius after all.

 

[Ronbo]

I am really hoping my car will be safe in Wisconsin Dells amtrak station for two weeks.

You could check with the local PD, and ask what the record is. I once called the local police in PSC (Pasco, WA) to ask if cars were safe at the station there. They laughed and said "Yes, unless you have a Honda Civic." Oops. I parked my little Honda at a friend's house about 30 miles away, and the friend gave me a ride to the station.

wonder why Honda Civic's were a problem?

I believe they are the most likely car to be stolen in the USA!

 

[oregon pioneer]

wonder why Honda Civic's were a problem?

I believe they are the most likely car to be stolen in the USA!

Second most likely:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2016/08/03/americas-10-most-stolen-vehicles/88031468/

 

[blackpup]

wonder why Honda Civic's were a problem?

I believe they are the most likely car to be stolen in the USA!

Second most likely:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2016/08/03/americas-10-most-stolen-vehicles/88031468/

I think my Prius should be okay to leave for two weeks. It has a security alarm, and it is a keyless start (don't know how to explain, but you don't put a key in the ignition, just press the power button and it starts.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Winter Park is probably a good choice; but I wish people would stop referring to quasi-industrial areas as seedy or dangerous. The JAX station is just off a suburban main road amid truck depots and various service industry and tradesman establishments. It's not Winter Park, FL with its hipster charm; but it doesn't look very dangerous. Its main problem is that it is a long way from downtown, or the airport for that matter.

On the one hand I agree that we often exaggerate relatively minor security concerns. On the other hand how are people who have never been somewhere supposed to know what is safe and what is not? The only person responsible for our security is us. Nobody else is going to be looking out for us if we don't take care of ourselves. Better safe than sorry and all that.

You could check with the local PD, and ask what the record is. I once called the local police in PSC (Pasco, WA) to ask if cars were safe at the station there. They laughed and said "Yes, unless you have a Honda Civic." Oops. I parked my little Honda at a friend's house about 30 miles away, and the friend gave me a ride to the station.

*Just be sure to call the station's non-emergency number.

wonder why Honda Civic's were a problem?

Huge demand for chop shop parts in the gray market car repair industry.

I think my Prius should be okay to leave for two weeks. It has a security alarm, and it is a keyless start (don't know how to explain, but you don't put a key in the ignition, just press the power button and it starts.

Car alarms and starter kills don't mean anything to a determined thief. LoJack and OnStar can get your car back but nothing is going to prevent it from being taken in the first place. Even if you removed the entire starter itself they'd simply haul your car away on a tow truck repo man style. Not saying any of this is actually going to happen, just that car alarms and starter kills are nothing but a false sense of fake security.