amtrak's greatest train

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I am biased. I have ridden Amtrak twice and its been the California Zephyr twice. My vote is for the CZ! Its less than 5 minutes from my house when I get off the train. It goes through the Rocky Mts, and the Sierra Nevadas. It ends in San Fran (EMY) and that is quite the city! I plan on riding the Empire Builder next year and maybe the Lakeshore Limited also. I know this sounds kinda dumb, but I just love the CZ!
 
Acela. It provides a level of service and comfort unmatched in its market. At 90% on-time, it is reliable (something new there). It is the only Amtrak service that can stand up to air competition. It is simply a pleasure to ride.
 
PRR 60 said:
Acela. It provides a level of service and comfort unmatched in its market. At 90% on-time, it is reliable (something new there). It is the only Amtrak service that can stand up to air competition. It is simply a pleasure to ride.
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We're on the same train here!!!!!

Long distancewise though, I would say the "Auto Train", but I don't have a lot of experience with the other LD trains other than the "Starlate" and the "Sunrise Limited"!!! :lol: OBS...
 
we have been on the complete route of the eb(pdx to spk, sea to spk, spk to chi). although we have a regional bias, i think the noble empire builder hard to beat. i just wish amtrak had continued the gn tradition of a portrait of jim hill in the dining car.
 
I've been on the Capital Ltd. approx. 10 times, the SW Chief twice, Texas Eagle once, City of N.O. once, Silver Meteor once, Coast Starlight once, Kansas City mule once, Empire Builder once, Ann Rutledge once. Wow! I'm tired out just thinking of all those trips!

My favorite is the Empire Builder. Mostly because the terrific crew made the trip so happy. Scenery was beautiful. Tracks were smooth. Everyone was friendly. It was great!
 
OK, I am going to be the odd person out here, but I have really come to like the City of New Orleans. I have ridden it 4 times in the last 6 years and each time, the crew has been excellent, the food has been good, and despite that bumpy track in Mississippi, the ride has been fun and relatively on time.
 
I've been on the EB 2 times and the CZ 3 times. I vote for EB for service and on time record. :D I vote for the CZ for scenery. B)
 
I'm with GG-1 -- whatever intercity passenger train I'm on.

Given Amtrak's funding status, we probably should be thankful for any intercity passenger trains in the USA.
 
Even though it's a regional bias on my part, I'm going to offer up the Cardinal, back when it was a Superliner train. Fantastic scenery combined with a stark change in environment (the skyline of chicago morphs to the plains of midwest, which morph to the Blue Ridge mountains, which spit you out in historic Charlottesville, after which you pass through a fantastic, little-traveled piece of Short Line ROW through Gordonsville, then across the Potomac River with views of the Capitol building and Washington Monument, and dropping you into DC's Union Station). It's one of a kind.

-Rafi
 
Years ago, I did the Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, City of New Orleans and Sunset with my children and the Builder had to be the most scenic, the Coast Starlight the best service, the City the most decadent passengers in the lounge car and the Sunset - even at that time, was the latest.

Most recently, the Auto Train stands out - along with the Crescent - several years ago when the chefs had the ability to bring their own spices and use their imagination in the kitchen.
 
The Southwest Chief is clearly Amtrak's greatest train. :)

Unlike most other longhaul routes, the Southwest Chief operates on a FAST schedule and stays ON TIME at all its stops, not just at the endpoints where hours of padding is thrown in. It is a viable transportation option between Winslow, Arizona and Dodge City, Kansas or any other two little towns along the route because the odds are good that it will depart and arrive right on time. It is a shining example of how all longhaul trains should be run. The frills and scenic highlights are not necessary on this route because it has and does stand on its own very well by providing excellent service. Since it is usually on time, the crews are usually in a much more upbeat mood than those you'll find on other routes and they are proud of their train. If all the longhauls ran like this one, we could truly argue that Amtrak is providing exceptional customer service and convenience to all the communities along the route.

As much as I like the California Zephyr (I see it go by out my window every day), I unfortunately can't say the same for it. I use it a few times a year to travel from Reno, Nevada to Winnemucca, Nevada (a scheduled 3 hour trip of 170 miles). The transit time of the train is good in this corridor, but the reality is that it is always a half day or more trip because the train shows up anywhere from 1-6 hours late, each and every time. This eliminates the route as a VIABLE transportation option between any two reasonably close corridor cities that will capture much patronage other than mine. :(
 
Code: 
Amtrak #31 of 5-1-1971. leaving Washington DC for Kansas City.
On Friday 4-30-1971, a typical PC #549 consisting of a snack bar coach, long-distance coach, and a 10/6 sleeper departed DC on the rear of #154 to Baltimore. At Baltimore a diesel was attached and the three car train went up the Northern Central to Harrisburg where the two thru cars were attached to #49 to Chicago.

Saturday was the Dawning of a New Day - Farewell #549, Hello #31 The National Limited [and Broadway Limited] . This was a full service train Baggage, coaches to Kansas City and Chicago, a diner, a lounge both to Kansas City, and sleepers to Kansas City and Chicago. It was pulled with a GG-1 and instead of the Northern Central thru York, the route was now up the Susquehanna River on the electrified Port Road to Harrisburg.

By the way, a steak dinner along the river was a treat.

At Harrisburg, #31 met up with the Chicago-bound Broadway Limited [National Limited] from New York with a similar consist [plus a Chicago Slumbercoach]. Cars were exchanged diesels attached and the Broadway headed west the National twenty minutes behind.

On that day, most of Amtrak's trains were essentially copies of the trains that ran the day before, but not there. In my mind, that was Amtrak's greatest
 
For scenery, The California Zephyr. I also give the Acela a vote for speed and comfort.

In a blast from the past, the Old Broadway Limited with heritage fleet cars. That train was great. I t had slumber coaches, a diner, the heritage fleet coaches with big windows, and nice scenery through Pennsylvania.
 
I have to agree with jccollins. The SWC has it all for scenery plus its remarkable on time performance. anyone The CZ, for all of its beauty in the rockies, is usually so late, I can't imagine anyone actually being on it. What? it arrived in Chicago last night around 11:30 PM.
 
I'll let you know in a few months. In September, we're riding the Blue Water, Empire Builder, and Cascades. I have ridden the International, Pioneer, CZ, Empire Builder, City of New Orleans, Twilight Limited (pre Wolverine) amd Wolverine. I have also ridden, in my days, Santa Fe, NYC, SP, L&N, Grand Trunk, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific (train 1, the Canadian), and VIA. All good trains. EB has to be one of the best.
 
JAChooChoo said:
Code: 
Amtrak #31 of 5-1-1971. leaving Washington DC for Kansas City.
On Friday 4-30-1971, a typical PC #549 consisting of a snack bar coach, long-distance coach, and a 10/6 sleeper departed DC on the rear of #154 to Baltimore. At Baltimore a diesel was attached and the three car train went up the Northern Central to Harrisburg where the two thru cars were attached to #49 to Chicago.

Saturday was the Dawning of a New Day - Farewell #549, Hello #31 The National Limited [and Broadway Limited] . This was a full service train Baggage, coaches to Kansas City and Chicago, a diner, a lounge both to Kansas City, and sleepers to Kansas City and Chicago. It was pulled with a GG-1 and instead of the Northern Central thru York, the route was now up the Susquehanna River on the electrified Port Road to Harrisburg.

By the way, a steak dinner along the river was a treat.

At Harrisburg, #31 met up with the Chicago-bound Broadway Limited [National Limited] from New York with a similar consist [plus a Chicago Slumbercoach]. Cars were exchanged diesels attached and the Broadway headed west the National twenty minutes behind.

On that day, most of Amtrak's trains were essentially copies of the trains that ran the day before, but not there. In my mind, that was Amtrak's greatest

Living near the Northern Central's remnants in the 70's and 80's, it always appealed to me to learn of it, and be curious of its history, so it came as a lot of interest and suprise to me to find that it hosted a number of long haul trains PRR between DC and numerous midwest destinations (Chi, KC, St.L, Columbus) in its prime. I had always been told that its passenger service ceased on A-Day, but got curious and hopeful that it hosted Amtrak for a brief period when I found out about the National Limited, only to find that this line ran the Port Road from Day 1.

Much as you like it, I do kind of wish the NC had hosted it from A-Day til its its own severing in 1972 from Hurricane Agnes.

Of course, I still can have some wishful thoughts of riding an Amfleet on the NC to Harrisburg.

On to topic - greatest Amtrak train? Certainly nothing I've ridden (don't get me wrong, I love train travel, but I know it gets even better that even my best rides, almost all of which are NEC Regionals). The National may indeed be a good candidate, though fallen favorites like the Floridian and Pioneer interest me as well. As for what's still running, I'm a bit partial to the Cardinal.
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Nothing beat the observation sleepers that they ran on the hind end of the Sunset (a dirty word to some today) in the early days. The dome cars on the City were an interesting way to see the south "from the top."
 
creddick said:
I'll let you know in a few months. In September, we're riding the Blue Water, Empire Builder, and Cascades. I have ridden the International, Pioneer, CZ, Empire Builder, City of New Orleans, Twilight Limited (pre Wolverine) amd Wolverine. I have also ridden, in my days, Santa Fe, NYC, SP, L&N, Grand Trunk, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific (train 1, the Canadian), and VIA. All good trains. EB has to be one of the best.
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What L&N trains did you ride?

As to todays' trains--I am tempted by PRR's answer being the the Acela-.I was so much more impressed by its interior than I expected to be. --but would l ike to see something like that but with sleeping cars.

But then, there is no way around CZ's scenery or the EB's revamping or the SWC's speed and OTP. (i.e., Alan, when there hasn't been a freight wreck)

Back in the pre-Amtrak days when there were many many trains the scenery and OTP did not get in the way of a survey like this.

Today, with so many few trains, you have to reach out and factor things in that should not matter. For example, they should all be relatively on time, etrc.
 
The Metropolitan said:
JAChooChoo said:
Much as you like it, I do kind of wish the NC had hosted it from A-Day til its its own severing in 1972 from Hurricane Agnes.
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Of course, I still can have some wishful thoughts of riding an Amfleet on the NC to Harrisburg.
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You can still ride a piece of the Northern Central out of Baltimore. Just take the Central Light Rail Line north out of downtown, and most of it is exactly on tne NC alignment.

Unfortunately, following a "G" or any other electric up the Port Raod branch is no longer possible. The wires were removed after Conrail decided to discontinue all electric freight operation. The track is still there.

Rode the Port Road once, on the National Limited coming in to Washington. It was almost if not just as fast as the NC, and you did not have the reversal of direction of the train that you had at Baltimore if you went up the NC. Horribly bumpy track across Indiana and Ohio, and finally smoothed out because of lots of new welded rail east of Pittsburg. I beleive that they were doing 60 or thereabouts on the Port Road. They were certainly not crawling along.

George
 
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