Chris in the USA

[Chris J.]

Hiya All

The story so far - flight over the atlantic was American Airlines - all went well, was on-time, Immigration in Chicago took about 30 mins. I had hoped to get online for the sunday chat, but by the time I got to my hotel here in NYC I didnt' feel like trekking back out to find a net cafe - i got as far as a bar

So far, I've taken two Amtrak trips. I'll detail them now, sorry if it's sort of rambling..

I took the Capitol Limited from Chicago to Washington DC last thursday. Chicago Union Station, and the train were busy. For a country that 'doesn't do trains' CUS was much busier than I expected. I took my checked bag to the station in the morning, checked that through to WAS, then headed back downtown. I got back to CUS in time for to book lunch, a quick drink in the lounge (which is pretty good) and then we boarded the Capitol.

Larry was my sleeping car attentant for the trip - he apepared a few times to check if things were okay, ask when I wanted to be woken up. I also got him to make the bed up for me, at around 11pm. Having boarded and found my room, I settled in for the trip. The Superliner I was in was I think one of the refurbed ones, and I was pretty impressed with it.

I held a 8.30 lunch reservation, but that turned into more like 10pm. I think the train was sold out and so things were busy. I had the steak, which was pretty good. I was pretty full, so I didn't bother with a dessert. My seatmates for lunch were a guy returning to DC from a convention and an older couple. I spent a bit of time in the Lounge car, chated to a few random people and saw someone who looked EXACTLY like someone I knew (tho it wasn't them). Lounge car was busy too, one guy had a coolpack and looked like he was there for the night!

Decided to head back to the sleeper at around 11ish as I was tired. I'm not sure how well I slept on the train, I remember waking up a few times. It was cool in the sleeping car, but I'd remembered to pack a warm top in my carry-on. As promised, Larry woke me at 7.30, and I headed downstairs to shower. There was a bit of a queue for the shower, but I was soon able to get clean. Luck would have it that at the time we were stopped for a signal, so I managed to have a shower without being thrown around at 79mph. The shower worked well, the water was warm enough and I was able to get clean! I don't know if Amtrak provide towels, I took along my own travel towel (the sort you use for camping - it folds up small) and the shampoo I'd got from the hotel in Chicago.

Having showered, it was up to the dining car for breakfast. I was given a ticket and had to wait in the lounge to be called. They were busy! At around 10 I got some breakfast, I opted for the omlette which was pretty impressive. One of the others on the table had a breakfast pizza - that looked pretty neat too, but I was pizza-d out from Chicago! Seatmates for breakfast were a guy who was travelling coast-to-coast on amtrak who was trying it 'for a change' and a couple who didn't like to fly. The man of the couple was born not far from where I live in the UK.

At around 12.30 sleeper passengers were called back to the diner for lunch. I didn't know if lunch was included on the Capitol, howerver it seems it was. The waitress told us that lunch was a very 'cut down' option - burger or hotdog! The poor dining crew had been busy all morning, I had the turkey burger for lunch. I wasn't that hungry from breakfast, but it saved me eating in DC that evening! My seatmates were quite critical of the service, howerver I found it fine, and given the dining crew had been rushed off their feet - maybe I'm just more willing to cut people some slack that others?

We arrived into DC around 30 mins late - pretty good for Amtrak! I colleced my bag from the baggage claim, then had to show the bag check, after that I was off into the DC metro.

So, for a first trip it was all pretty good. Maybe I had low expectations and got lucky with a good car and crew, but I had a good trip to DC. I was eating breakfast at Harpers Ferry, so didn't get the chance to take any photos (d'oh!) but it was a nice way to eat breakfast

Onto the second trip - Acela Express from DC to New York Penn. The business class ticket wasn't cheap, and the train was apprently sold out. I was worried I wouldn't be able to store my big bag anywhere on board, but that turned out to not be a problem - there are massive luggage racks at the end of the cars!

Hint for anyone boarding at DC in Business Class - head straight to the front car! It seems to fill up slower so you get a pick of the seats. I took a window seat and has the two to myself for most of the trip - I only had a seat mate from Newark to NYP. I ventured to the cafe once for a drink.

The acela BC seat was very roomy, i flicked through the free magazine and looked out of the (big) window. We arrived into NYP around 10 mins late. Took my bag and headed out into the NY subway..

So, two down and two to go. Will let you know how they go...

Cheers

Chris ... currently in NY.

 

[the_traveler]

Glad you're enjoying your holiday so far! Thanks for sharing!

I spent a bit of time in the Lounge car, chated to a few random people and saw someone who looked EXACTLY like someone I knew (tho it wasn't them).

I know it's a cliche, but "It's a small world!" Don't be surprised if it WAS someone you know! It happened to me - TWICE WITHIN 2 MONTHS!

Once, while camping in Maine (over 300 miles from home), we got to the campsite only to find out there were no more space! But right in front of us was our (2 houses down) next door NEIGHBOR! They told the campsite that they made 2 reservations and 1 must have been lost. (We got in!)

Then, while vacationing in Florida (over 1,500 miles from home), we were on a ride at an amusement park, and saw THIS SAME NEIGHBOR! (We had no idea that they were even away!)

 

[MrFSS]

Glad you're enjoying your holiday so far! Thanks for sharing!

I spent a bit of time in the Lounge car, chated to a few random people and saw someone who looked EXACTLY like someone I knew (tho it wasn't them).

I know it's a cliche, but "It's a small world!" Don't be surprised if it WAS someone you know! It happened to me - TWICE WITHIN 2 MONTHS!

Once, while camping in Maine (over 300 miles from home), we got to the campsite only to find out there were no more space! But right in front of us was our (2 houses down) next door NEIGHBOR! They told the campsite that they made 2 reservations and 1 must have been lost. (We got in!)

Then, while vacationing in Florida (over 1,500 miles from home), we were on a ride at an amusement park, and saw THIS SAME NEIGHBOR! (We had no idea that they were even away!)

Maybe your neighbor is stalking you! :lol: :lol:

 

[GG-1]

Glad you're enjoying your holiday so far! Thanks for sharing!

I spent a bit of time in the Lounge car, chated to a few random people and saw someone who looked EXACTLY like someone I knew (tho it wasn't them).

I know it's a cliche, but "It's a small world!" Don't be surprised if it WAS someone you know! It happened to me - TWICE WITHIN 2 MONTHS!

Once, while camping in Maine (over 300 miles from home), we got to the campsite only to find out there were no more space! But right in front of us was our (2 houses down) next door NEIGHBOR! They told the campsite that they made 2 reservations and 1 must have been lost. (We got in!)

Then, while vacationing in Florida (over 1,500 miles from home), we were on a ride at an amusement park, and saw THIS SAME NEIGHBOR! (We had no idea that they were even away!)

Maybe your neighbor is stalking you! :lol: :lol:

No it is a small world, a few years ago a cast member on Seseme Street live was freaking me as she lookd just like a girl I dated in high school some 30 years before. Anyway I dug out My HS year book and showed it to her. She remarks "thats my mother" and as luck has it her mother was coming to Hawaii for the tour closing, we had a nice dinner.

"Its A Small World After All"

 

[Cascadia]

Chris, you said "two down and two to go"; what are the next two trips you have on the itinerary?

Sounds like you are having a great time. Your comment about seeing someone that looked exactly like someone you know reminded me of when I was in England, and more especially in Scotland, and I would see people everywhere that looked exactly like classmates of mine from school (went to school in Minnesota - lots of northern Europeans there).

Thanks for the report!

 

[AlanB]

Chris, you said "two down and two to go"; what are the next two trips you have on the itinerary?

Since Chris' computer access is somewhat limited, I'll answer this question for him.

He's on an Acela Express in First Class tomorrow (Friday) to Boston and I'll be joining him for the ride up to play tour guide. Then after spending a few days in Boston, he'll ride the Lake Shore to Chicago and his flight back home.

Chris and I also did a bit of riding yesterday, taking in a ride on the LIRR, a few subways, and Metro North.

 

[RailFanLNK]

Nice trip report Chris. I was on the California Zephyr yesteday and in Creston IA they almost always pick up Burlington Northern crews that are deadheading. Twice now and again last night, a neighbor and customer on my delivery route is onboard since he is an engineer with BN. I talked with him from Omaha to LNK. He says the trains have been packed and that most of the times, they have to sit either in the Sightseer Lounge or Lounge Car since there are no seats. We had a great visit last night.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Chris, you said "two down and two to go"; what are the next two trips you have on the itinerary?

Since Chris' computer access is somewhat limited, I'll answer this question for him.

He's on an Acela Express in First Class tomorrow (Friday) to Boston and I'll be joining him for the ride up to play tour guide. Then after spending a few days in Boston, he'll ride the Lake Shore to Chicago and his flight back home.

Chris and I also did a bit of riding yesterday, taking in a ride on the LIRR, a few subways, and Metro North.

I'm intensely envious. That's some fun railroading, Alan and Chris!

 

[Chris J.]

Having now had some sleep since returning to the UK, I thought I'd report on the other trains I took while in the US. As I posted elsewhere, not everything went quite to plan (including getting home), but what travel trip would be complete without a few incidents?

Firstly, a big thankyou to Alan B for riding on the NYC subway, LIRR and MetroNorth with me, and also taking the trip to Boston on the Acela.

So, the Acela from NY to Boston. This was the 4pm departure from NYP. I checked out of my hotel and carted my suitcase through the subway (which was an interesting definition of 'fun') to Penn Station. I collected my tickets from the machine, and headed into the lounge. Having 'checked in', I left my suitcase in the lounge and went in search of food. I bought a pastry, and almost got a coffee with it then I remembered I could get the coffee for free in the lounge, so headed back with my baked goods and used got myself an Amtrak coffee. I also used the chance to quickly check emails on the PC in the lounge before heading outside again to have a final wander around NY for a bit. Given the number of people in Penn station, the lounge was a welcome refuge!

I'd elected to do this run in first class, and was able to get a good fare when I booked (got in early enough). The train was pretty much sold out - Alan said that he'd checked online and all the Business class was sold, and I didn't see many free seats in first. The car was clean and tidy, however amtrak need to address the fact that the back-seat tables need some attention, as they don't all stay level unless you cross your legs suitable to prop them up. The seats were i guess a bit wider than business class, and had loads of legroom. Like business, there was plenty of luggage room, both at the car end and in the airplane-like overhead bins.

Given the car was pretty much full, the two attendants probably could've been a bit more proactive in getting people served with their food and drink. They needed a more efficent system for dealing with the drink and food orders. I'm pretty sure the didn't get enough wine loaded up before the journey, as they ran out of white wine pretty quickly (they didn't have any at all at first, then a bottle was found from somewhere) and then the red ran out too.. and no, Alan and myself didn't drink all of it! :lol:

I don't remember the food options, but I went for the Lasagne. i'm not sure if I thought the other offering might be tricky to eat at speed. It was all served on Acela china, the drinks in Acela glasses and acela knives and forks. They were at least one glass less at the end of the trip, as I heard the sound of glass meeting car floor at least once! It wasn't the best lasagne I've ever eaten, but it was pretty good - the passenger on the other side of the car had an issue with her meal and it went back down to the catering area before returning - i guess it needed an extra zap in the microwave!

The weather wasn't the greatest for the trip, it was dull but the rain held off. My tour guide pointed out things along the way. I get the impression Alan has done this route several times :lol: I attempted to take various photos, in that digital age 'just photo everything and sort it out later' way - I've not yet done the sorting out tho. The ride seemed pretty 'bumpy' in places (probably the cause of the glass meeting the floor). There were some slow sections, but as we arrived pretty much ontime, I guess these are 'expected'. It was getting dark during the 150mph sections, but the scenery could be seen whizzing by still. Overall, a good experience, and the way I'd do this journey again, although like a lot of the trips, I think i'd be nice to do when the trees were green

On arrival into Boston, most of the car seemed to get off at Route 128, and almost all that remained at Back Bay (where we left the train) - I think only a handful stayed on to South. Alan gave me some help in where I needed to go to get the T, and I got my ticket and headed to the hotel.

Now earlier I said "two down and two to go". I then decided to give the Downeaster a try, so I added an extra roundtrip to the total Now this wasn't the best weather for anything, cold and grey turned into rain and snow in Portland, but I only had two possible days I could go, and the forecast for the other didn't seem much better. I walked the block or so to North Station and joined the queue for the ticket machine and bought my roundtrip ticket - i spent the extra few dollars on business class.

I got the around 9am northbound to Portland, and had breakfast on the train along with my free coffee. The cafe had a pretty good selection of offerings (I think it's run externally rather than by Amtrak). The business class was part of the cafe car, and was quiet and the seats were roomy with the leather-style 2+1 seating. I think the business section 5 people in it. One of them was on the last leg of a multi-leg crosscountry journey. I spent a lot of time looking out of the window, it was some interesting scenery, still frozen in places. Finally, and this must be the strangest thing i've experienced on a train ever, but, I'm sure that the conductor asked one of the passengers to marry him!

I spent the rest of the day in Portland, I made it to the shipyard brewery but not the other one, instead taking refuge from the elements in a pub, and got the 8pm departure southbound. Not much to see, but I was glad the cafe was open and had beer. Like the earlier train, the staff were friendly and helpful. I also got myself a chowder which was tasty and a nice way to end my trip up the coast.. tho next time I'll do it in the sun Portland has a small station that's used by both Amtrak and a coach company, but it's pretty neat, clean and seemed to work well.

This brings me to the last trip, and we end with a test of how well amtrak deal with problems - in this instance a CSX derailment at Rochester. Now this means a bus - I was dissapointed about this, but there's no use getting too worked up about it, especially on vacation. I got to Boston south and checked my bags through to Chicago. That done, I head to the Club Acela to have some breakfast, use the net and relax before the noon departure.

The LSL stub was I think a 3 or 4 car train, one of which was the business/cafe car. Its like the Downeaster, however the seats are cloth covered. A little busier but not much. I have a bite to eat and a drink and settle in for the ride across to Albany, which has some impressive scenery in itself. There is talk amonst passengers about the bus, and the conductor informs us that yes, there will be a bus and we should wait in Albany station when we get there. En-route I had a brief chat with one of my fellow passengers in the cafe car.

I quite liked the station in Albany - I think it's recently built but it has a bit of style to it with the tall main area. It seemed to be clean and functional, and had a cafe, newsagent, car rental and seating area - where we were directed to sit while we waited to get to Buffalo. The train arrived into Albany early, however we had to wait until the NY LSL train arrived before we could be buses. I'd checked my luggage, but would it make it to Chicago? Did i need to get it at Albany and lug it to the buses? Well, noone told me to, so I assumed Amtrak would take care of it.

With the all the LSL people in Albany, bus boarding begins - those of us going west of buffalo were called first, so we pile on the buses. I don't enjoy bus rides, but it wasn't too unbearable. I could see a little before it got dark. There was a party of teenagers who'd been to NY returning home (and trying to find which one of them had a phone with both signal and battery to call their families). Is this what travelling in coach would be like, I pondered? Maybe I'll find out sometime, although I'm not sure I'd want to overnight in coach.

With the bus, there was no dinner, aside from a little snack, but luckily I wasn't all that hungry, but i did miss out on dinner on the train, which is a shame as it's an experience i enjoy. The bus ride didn't really have any major incidents, other than the driver almost missed the station at Buffalo. We all then piled out and into Buffalo station. With all the LSL passengers in it, it was getting busy. After some waiting around looking at the train throught the window - sleeper passengers were called to board. It's not far off midnight by now, and the room is already made up as a bed. The car attentant informs me how the room works, where things are and that the lounge and diner are shut now, but will open in the morning. I get ready for the night when there's a knock at the door - the lounge may be shut, but the car attentant has some beers (someone else wanted one and she thought to ask I did too, which was nice). Both myself and my 'neighbour' (who was from Scotland doing a coast-to-coast trip) get a beer and have a short chat in the corridor.

The viewliner roomette is a pretty neat little thing, although I'm not 100% convinced by the in-room toilet. I think i prefer the superliner arrangement, even if it does mean you have to leave you room more often. Either way, the beer results in my need to use it, and it works well enough. Wouldn't want to share the room with this arragement tho, or use it after a curry! We're soon on the way and I get some sleep , but not lots (as i find on sleepers). I get a shower in the morning earlyish (to beat the queues). I was again lucky in that the train was going slowly when I was showering, and I found the shower worked pretty well, and did the job. Having showered, i head to the diner for breakfast. I am pretty hungry by now, and the omlette and saussage does the job well. For part of the breakfast my dining companion is an older guy who decides to tell me about his medical problems... okay, but it's not what i want to hear over breakfast! The diner wasn't really busy. After breakfast, I check out the lounge, but since its the same windows as my room and i felt like some peace, i head back to the room, having bought some amtrak playing cards as a souvineer.

We arrive into Chicago not quite 2 hours late. Not bad, considering. But did my luggage make it, it is in still in Albany or Buffalo? I head to the baggage reclaim to see. 3 or 4 bags roll out and then there is my baggage .. that's a relief! I lug the thing down to the subway and haul it to the hotel.. maybe I should've got a taxi after all ...

So that's the end of my amtrak travels, at least for now. So its time for a summary...

Firstly, before I left I had the impression that america 'didn't do trains'. When I got to Chigago station on the first trip my thought was 'this is busy', sure it's the second city, but there were a lot of people there for trains- both Amtrak and Metra. So any claims that "nobody uses the train" is rubbish. Maybe being a torist made a difference, but noone I spoke to in the cities thought it was 'odd' i was taking the train around, or at least if they did they didn't say so. All the trains have been busier than I had expected, perhaps except the downeaster where I was travelling against the main traffic flow anyway.

The people on these trains weren't train nuts and torists - they were people getting from A to B, going to see friends or family, or on business, or like the teenagers in search of a working phone on the bus, on trip somewhere (or coming back from one). I was lucky with timekeeping, I wasn't ever more than a few hours late, but I wasn't doing any mega real long distance trips. While I'm sure they exist, I didn't meet any bad crewmembers, they weren't all pefect examples of how to be a train crew, but none of them were bad.

Amtrak did what I got them to do, and in my opinion did it pretty well. Will I travel Amtrak again? I certainly hope I get the chance to!

So thanks to everyone on this board for their help, and expecially AlanB for being tourguide. I hope you've enjoyed reading my report as much as I enjoyed the travels. Theres a whole load more trains out there, now I have to think where I can go next

Chris

 

[Cascadia]

Hi Chris, thank you so much the conclusion of your trip report! Sounds like you had a great time and I appreciate all the details you put into your writing. It's cool that Alan showed you around some too - that's excellent.

One thing stood out in your report! You wrote: "Finally, and this must be the strangest thing i've experienced on a train ever, but, I'm sure that the conductor asked one of the passengers to marry him!"

DID SHE SAY YES??????!!!!!!??????????

 

[AlanB]

I've never seen a conductor ask someone to marry him on board a train, but I have seen a conductor marry a couple on a train. It was a very nice little ceremony that took place in the Sightseer Lounge car as the train wormed its way through New River Gorge, the most scenic part of the Cardinal's run.

Us "extra" guests who just happened to be in the car at the time even got free champagne out of the deal, in addition to watching the ceremony.

 

[MrFSS]

I've never seen a conductor ask someone to marry him on board a train, but I have seen a conductor marry a couple on a train. It was a very nice little ceremony that took place in the Sightseer Lounge car as the train wormed its way through New River Gorge, the most scenic part of the Cardinal's run.
Us "extra" guests who just happened to be in the car at the time even got free champagne out of the deal, in addition to watching the ceremony.

Where did they go on their honeymoon???

 

[AlanB]

I've never seen a conductor ask someone to marry him on board a train, but I have seen a conductor marry a couple on a train. It was a very nice little ceremony that took place in the Sightseer Lounge car as the train wormed its way through New River Gorge, the most scenic part of the Cardinal's run.
Us "extra" guests who just happened to be in the car at the time even got free champagne out of the deal, in addition to watching the ceremony.

Where did they go on their honeymoon???

IIRC as this was several years ago, they were booked on the Capitol out of DC, and then the Zephyr, before going home. Might have been the Chief, but I really believe it was the CZ.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I tend to think a wedding would be a great opportunity for a railfan to charter a private car (or three). Weddings often have a large enough budget to justify such extravagance, and weddings tend to have enough people attending to fill at least one car.

 

[Guest]

Can we infer that conductors have the authority to perform wedding ceremonies? Do they read from an instruction book?

 

[jackal]

Can we infer that conductors have the authority to perform wedding ceremonies? Do they read from an instruction book?

As I understand it, conductors are equivalent to God on a train, just as captains are on a boat. The same power to perform marriages is vested in railroad conductors as is vested in ship captains.

There's some standard script you can get that most wedding ceremonies use (sorry, I've never been married; I don't know how it works!), and I suppose they'd just use that same script.

 

[MrFSS]

Can we infer that conductors have the authority to perform wedding ceremonies? Do they read from an instruction book?

As I understand it, conductors are equivalent to God on a train, just as captains are on a boat. The same power to perform marriages is vested in railroad conductors as is vested in ship captains.

There's some standard script you can get that most wedding ceremonies use (sorry, I've never been married; I don't know how it works!), and I suppose they'd just use that same script.

Wonder if that "script" is in the conductor's manual they carry with them??? Can't be too many times they need to perform a ceremony on board. When he gets to the part where he says, "by the laws of the state of XXXXXXX, I pronounce you . . ." I wonder what he says?

 

[AlanB]

Can we infer that conductors have the authority to perform wedding ceremonies? Do they read from an instruction book?

You can infer that, absolutely. Now mind you you probably can't just show up and ask the conductor to get married. In this case, the couple had met on Amtrak and liked trains, so they decided to get married on the train. At that point they called up Amtrak and made the arrangements. So the conductor was prepared for the couple's being on the train and their request.

I think, although I'm not positive, that in this case they also tipped the conductor for performing the ceremony.

 

[John Bredin]

The "ship captains can perform weddings" thing is a myth. And without doing the legal research for all 50 states, I can be fairly certain that if no state marriage law authorizes ship captains to officiate weddings, as the linked article states, there's no law authorizing railway conductors to do so.

As AlanB pointed out, the on-train wedding in question was arranged ahead of time, not spur-of-the-moment. My guess would be that Amtrak found a conductor who was an ordained minister and assigned him to that train for that day.

Can we infer that conductors have the authority to perform wedding ceremonies? Do they read from an instruction book?

As I understand it, conductors are equivalent to God on a train, just as captains are on a boat. The same power to perform marriages is vested in railroad conductors as is vested in ship captains.

There's some standard script you can get that most wedding ceremonies use (sorry, I've never been married; I don't know how it works!), and I suppose they'd just use that same script.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

It is not a myth. I don't know about trains, but ships can, and do, operate outside the jurisdiction of any country when past a certain point. As such, they become, in effect, their own legal entity, only answering to the specific maritime laws of the country they are registered to. I could find some little island somewhere and, if nobody has claimed it, call it my own country, and set my own laws. Naturally, if I step on anyones toes, they can send their military to tell me to get off, and I really wouldn't have many options , but we are talking theory.

On a ship, the captain is the governing authority of that legal entity. He can marry you, he can divorce you, he can throw you off HIS ship if he feels the desire. States laws are irrelevant to the operation of a ship. US laws are genererally entirely irrelevant to a ship more than 9 miles off our coast, because it is, very likely, not a US registered ship. Few are. Likewise, Amtrak seems to be a national entity, conforming to the laws of the nation, not its states.

You do not need to be an ordained minister to perform a wedding, thats for sure.

 

[jackal]

You do not need to be an ordained minister to perform a wedding, thats for sure.

That is true--anyone can if they register. It's possible the conductor obtained a temporary license to officiate the ceremony (perhaps valid in the state the train was traveling through, although Amtrak being federal, I'm not sure how that all worked out).

 

[AlanB]

Well I didn't ask the conductor if he was an ordained minister, so it is possible that he was. On the other hand I do know that he was not just some conductor that Amtrak found and assigned to the train that day. He was one of the regular conductors assigned to that run and he worked that train with an A/C. The A/C took care of the signal calls from the engineer during the ceremony, so that the conductor didn't have to acknowledge them, but again he was the senior man running that train that day so he had to be qualified on that run.

I was surprised when talking with the conductor to find out that it was not this was not the first marriage ceremony that he presided over. It was his 10th over his career, which IIRC at that time had spanned about 20 years or so.

Next, one does not need to be an ordained minister in this country to perform a marriage. You can walk right down to City Hall in any city, in large cities like NYC to the borough hall, and be married by a judge.

The couple did have their marriage license prior to boarding the train, and they had their witnesses (best man & maid of honor), so I suspect that this does help to legitimize things too.

 

[VentureForth]

The "ship captains can perform weddings" thing is a myth. And without doing the legal research for all 50 states, I can be fairly certain that if no state marriage law authorizes ship captains to officiate weddings, as the linked article states, there's no law authorizing railway conductors to do so.
As AlanB pointed out, the on-train wedding in question was arranged ahead of time, not spur-of-the-moment. My guess would be that Amtrak found a conductor who was an ordained minister and assigned him to that train for that day.

Well tell that to my former colleague who married his wife aboard a ship by the Captain. The link is very interesting in that it is a trivialized interpretation of information that can easily be removed from context. When you google the CFRs that were referenced in the story, you get one .gov link that doesn't work and about three "Why this ain't right" links. Hardly a strong foundation for a valid argument. Finally, his rebuttal to John begins with "...not Fisher vs. Fisher..." - an amusing way that a lot of folks say, "I'm smarter than you, so shut up."

What if you are born in international waters? Are you not a citizen by birth right of any nation? Certainly, you have your parents citizenship to cling to, but over International Waters, you can also claim the birthright of the registry of the vessel on which you were born. So if your Mrs. is 9 1/2 months pregnant, and you want an American Baby, you'd best be served flying American Airlines as opposed to JAL or even most cruise ships. On the otherhand, if you were on JAL and flying over Texas, you'd have an American baby. Funny how all this works...

And honestly, can we really rely on a websited called "Straight Dope"?

 

[jackal]

And honestly, can we really rely on a websited called "Straight Dope"?

Make your own decision on whether Cecil Adams is a reliable source, but The Straight Dope has been published in its trademark sarcastic style since 1973 (Wikipedia article).