Advice please

[the Other Mike]

I'm in the middle of planning a long summer trip to take both the EB and the CZ.

Thinking of leaving NOL on the Crescent to Wash,

either the Capitol or Cardinal to CHI,

EB from CHI to PDX

CS down to SAC

CZ from SAC to CHI

CNO ( ugh ) CHI to NOL

The short trip can be done ( with sleepers )for $2000 and the expanded trip for about $2500. This will be my ONLY one big hurrah on a long trip so I want to do it right. I've been putting money aside for several years to do a trip like this. I'd rather do it THIS summer than next because of health issues, but if I MUST wait, I can. Being a high school band director I can't do any fall trips and Christmas is already planned.

I wanted to do a trip like this over the two weeks at Christmas but my brother can only get away for a week at a time.

I'm not as familier as I once was with which routes to take different directions etc.

1 ) Empire Builder Eastbound or Westbound ?

2) Calif. Zepher Eastbound or Westbound ?

3) Is it better to spend 2 days in Portland or 2 days in Seattle and why ?

( yes, I thought about a day and each but physically it's to much of a strain even 4 years after a severe 69 day stay in the hospital with GBS.

4) Are two days at the Issac Walton long enough for a semi cripple who can't do long hikes anymore ?

5) if I decide to really go for it and take the Crescent out of NOL, which is better to Chicago, the Cardinal or the Capitol Limited ?

Anyone interested in a cross country tournement of "Rail Baron " ?

( a 20+ year dream of mine)

Please keep answers to words an ignorant simple minded person ( me ) can understand !

Thanks in advance,

The OTHER Mike

(the misunderstood sarcastic smarta$$ )

Thank you for this forum and allowing us "slow" people to understand how much we really don't know about Amtrak.

Anyone coming through New Orleans please fell free to call or write for suggestions and a possible escort to railfan hot spots.

I've done reviews for bands and drum & bugle corps in the past that were picked up and posted on several major forums so I HOPE I can do some reviews worthy of posting here.

 

[wayman]

hi Mike,

For the simple question of which direction to take your western loop, I think the consensus here is to take the California Zephyr westbound (CHI-SAC), and the Empire Builder eastbound (PDX/SEA-CHI). (The Coast Starlight's best scenery is south of Sacramento, so I'm not sure that in the stretch you'll be riding it the direction makes as much difference, but others may have an opinion on that.)

As for Portland versus Seattle, having spent several weeks in each city this summer I think it depends what you're looking for. Seattle has more "tourist-friendly" things to do, perhaps, but Portland is a nicer city in my opinion. It depends what you're looking for. Here are some points for comparison:

Portland:

Wonderful zoo, with a train going up the mountain on certain weekends--sometimes a diesel, sometimes a steam engine; I was lucky enough to see the steam engine wind its way through what looked to be a very scenic mountain forest ride with lots of tight turns.

Powell's Books, possibly the largest bookstore in America after New York's Strand, with both new and used.

A fun and modern streetcar system, and a light rail that will take you out to the zoo and beyond, which is to say well into the surrounding more mountainous countryside.

Better independent coffeeshops than Seattle's, in my opinion!

And--no offense to any Seattlites on this forum--friendlier people. Strangers are quick to engage in conversation, on the sidewalk, on the buses, at coffeeshops. It's a great way to get to "know" the city and its people.

Seattle:

Marvelous parks, especially the Gasworks Park with its sweeping view of downtown over the waterfront as pontoon planes fly around overhead.

Pike's Market, a fantastic bazaar of shops and food markets including the famous flying salmon.

The Science Fiction museum (sponsored lovingly by Paul Allen of Microsoft).

Many really off-beat spots like the "gum wall", the giant statue of Lenin, the troll under the bridge...

A true modern architectural marvel, inside and out, the main branch of the Public Library is well worth an afternoon.

The Space Needle and the Monorail (to nowhere), of course, but both are fairly "touristy" as I understand it; I didn't do either.

There's also a streetcar/light rail system in parts of downtown here, but it seems far less extensive than Portland's (it doesn't take you out of town).

And yet ... Seattle's people seem to be much more private, not the sort to be open to conversations with strangers. It just seems to be the culture of the place.

Another bonus to Portland is that its section of the Empire Builder will take you through the Columbia River Gorge, which is marvelous scenery. I didn't ride the Seattle section, so I can't speak for the Seattle-Spokane section for comparison.

For the westbound direction between Washington and Chicago, I recommend the Capitol Limited. The Cardinal's scenery is not going to be in daylight on the westbound direction, and the Capitol Limited is in general a more comfortable train as well.

Will

 

[GG-1]

5) if I decide to really go for it and take the Crescent out of NOL, which is better to Chicago, the Cardinal or the Capitol Limited ?
Anyone coming through New Orleans please fell free to call or write for suggestions and a possible escort to railfan hot spots.

I've done reviews for bands and drum & bugle corps in the past that were picked up and posted on several major forums so I HOPE I can do some reviews worthy of posting here.

Aloha

In planning on getting to Chicago, or actually Lansing MI, I considered the Eastbound Sunset Limited to the CONO, to the BlueWater but scrubbed that due to the need for too many layovers nights.

Don't worry about the reports just have fun doing both the ride and report.

 

[JayPea]

Since you are taking this trip in the summer, the scenery is spectacular from Seattle to Spokane, at least for the first few hours of the trip. You'd be in daylight as the EB passes by Puget Sound, and still be light enough during its trip through the Cascades. I find the scenery spectacular during the run through the Cascades. By the time you reach Wenatchee, on the other side of the mountains, you will be getting into twilight, but the rest of the route to Spokane offers not much in the way of scenery, so fact that that part of the trip is in darkness won't matter. I love the scenery in the Columbia Gorge the EB offers between Portland and Spokane, but I personally favor the Cascades between Seattle and Spokane.

As for the comparisons between Seattle and Portland, I've spent much more time in Seattle, so I can't make a valid comparison. But one other thing to consider with Seattle is the boat tours. There is a company that offers many different boat tours of the harbor and surrounding areas of Seattle.

 

[wayman]

Since you are taking this trip in the summer, the scenery is spectacular from Seattle to Spokane, at least for the first few hours of the trip. You'd be in daylight as the EB passes by Puget Sound, and still be light enough during its trip through the Cascades. I find the scenery spectacular during the run through the Cascades. By the time you reach Wenatchee, on the other side of the mountains, you will be getting into twilight, but the rest of the route to Spokane offers not much in the way of scenery, so fact that that part of the trip is in darkness won't matter. I love the scenery in the Columbia Gorge the EB offers between Portland and Spokane, but I personally favor the Cascades between Seattle and Spokane.
As for the comparisons between Seattle and Portland, I've spent much more time in Seattle, so I can't make a valid comparison. But one other thing to consider with Seattle is the boat tours. There is a company that offers many different boat tours of the harbor and surrounding areas of Seattle.

I suppose it also bears mention that, should you decide "Portland sounds better, but the Seattle section of the Empire Builder sounds better..." there's a great way to do both: stay in Portland for a couple days, but then take the Cascades from Portland to Seattle the morning of your Empire Builder departure from Seattle. It's a very nice ride in and of itself, on the unique Talgo Amtrak trainsets; you can sample some different Amtrak food (and local beers) in the Bistro Car, too. Seattle's station is under restoration with several railroad history exhibits (Portland's station has completed its restoration and is also lovely, by the way), so it's not a bad place to spend an hour or two of layover. I don't think there's a first-class lounge in Seattle as there is in Portland, though.

 

[JayPea]

Correct. There is no first class lounge in Seattle. Of the two, Portland's station is, IMHO, by far the better of the two for a layover. The Portland station is very nice, much more so than Seattle. And the lounge would be the clincher for me.

 

[wayman]

Correct. There is no first class lounge in Seattle. Of the two, Portland's station is, IMHO, by far the better of the two for a layover. The Portland station is very nice, much more so than Seattle. And the lounge would be the clincher for me.

I feel dumb that I didn't bring my "lounge access" coupons from Select with me to Oregon this spring so I could see what the Portland lounge was like. Totally didn't occur to me. But it's always nice to leave a few things not done on one's first visit, to have more incentive to return

 

[the Other Mike]

Thanks for the replies,

It seems while playing with the "Adult Amtrak Game" of search by fares, the reason I was shown low fares was because all the good trips were going the opposite direction of those favored by all of you.

I should have known it was too good to be true, but alas, like buying a lottery ticked, I enjoyed the thought for a little while.

 

[caravanman]

Hi Mike,

I think it is important not to cut off your nose to spite your face, as we say here in Nottingham, England. WOW, you say that too? Great!

If you enjoy rail travel, any of those trains and routes will offer you great views and a wonderful experience of your country, regardless of which direction you travel in. Please don't be put off your trip, its wise to do the trip and save some money too. (I let bargain fares guide my choice of destinations, to a certain degree.. if you can be flexible, you will pick up lower fares, it's those who have to be on a specific train on a specific date that might have to pay top price!)

You can consider buying a railpass valid for a certain number of days and trips, which will cover the basic travel costs, and then add those bedrooms as you require.. it might mean that it could work out slightly cheaper that way.

I expect to treat myself to 3 weeks in America this Jan, and expect to pass through NOL again, so I might take you up on your offer of tips, once my plans are firmer.. now, back to looking for cheap roomettes for myself!

Ed. B)

 

[the Other Mike]

Ok, now I'm playing the "fare" game again.

I have the week off for Mardi Gras so I'm looking into possibility of a late Feb. trip.

I'm really getting hooked into finding the lowest fare with pretend trips.

But I digress................

I can do a NOL /CHI / PDX ( CONO / EB ) round trip with roomettes all the way for $1322, ...$70 more to have a family bedroom on the westbound leg of the EB. ( roomettes on the EB for $311 each way)

Or, I can do CONO to CHI, CZ to SAC round trip with a roomette for $1214 ( roomettes for $290 something each way on the CZ )

Either trip is doable for me. Now thw questions are:

1) If I've never done either the Empire Builder or the Zepher and you had to make the choice of which one in the last week of Febuary, which one would you take ?

2) Since both trips are round trips, would you spend the extra $70 for the family bedroom over the roomette on the EB on the westward leg just to have the extra room ?

Pardon my excitement.............

 

[Montanan]

First of all, I have to say that Wayman's initial advice is spot-on ... and I say that as a one-time resident of Seattle. In particular, the Columbia River gorge route is one of my very favorite Amtrak segments -- and remember that the EB's Sightseer car runs to Portland, rather than Seattle.

For a February trip especially, I'd definitely choose the Zephyr's scenery over the Builder's. In winter, the westbound Builder passes through Montana's mountains entirely after dark, and the Washington state scenery will largely be at night eastbound. In contrast, the Zephyr will will cross the Sierras in daylight both directions (assuming its relatively on-time), and you'll see all the Colorado scenery westbound, as well as the Utah mountains and much of Colorado eastbound.

The family bedroom has the definite advantage of having windows on both sides of the train, so that's a major plus if you think you might prefer sightseeing from your room rather than the lounge. And it's BIG! But it's on the lower level, and I tend to prefer the view from upstairs. And if you have mobility issues you'd be climbing the stairs more to get to and from the dining and lounge cars.