What's your fave part of a train ride

[ScottC4746]

for itd have to be when i am at PVD and i see the engine coming round the corner... i get on a nice clean train, get my pick of the seats... i'm sitting there and feel the little jolt as the break is released and i notice that we slowly start moving.,....
another face time is coming out of the tunnel at NYP... you get on and the train is going and going thru the tunnel and then swooooosh yur out in the day light... though it gets me a little sad as it means i am leaving NYC - a city i lived in and loved in, and loved for 2 years, and i still do love it...

if i could figure out a way to ride trains all day for free i would

I am pulled several ways:

The gentle rocking of the train

Dinner in the diner

Cocktails at sunset in the lounge car

Sleeping on the train.

 

[user 683]

for itd have to be when i am at PVD and i see the engine coming round the corner... i get on a nice clean train, get my pick of the seats... i'm sitting there and feel the little jolt as the break is released and i notice that we slowly start moving.,....
another face time is coming out of the tunnel at NYP... you get on and the train is going and going thru the tunnel and then swooooosh yur out in the day light... though it gets me a little sad as it means i am leaving NYC - a city i lived in and loved in, and loved for 2 years, and i still do love it...

if i could figure out a way to ride trains all day for free i would

I am pulled several ways:

The gentle rocking of the train

Dinner in the diner

Cocktails at sunset in the lounge car

Sleeping on the train.

I feel the same way...

- Dinner in the diner, enjoying a beer and talking with folks

- Quiet time in the sightseer lounge - just gazing out the window

- Laying in bed looking out the window as the train (gently) rocks back and forth

 

[amtrakwolverine]

do i need a favorite part. just being on the train is good enough.

 

[PRR 60]

For me. it's coming back from the late dinner seating, relaxing in a darkened sleeping car room, and watching the little towns pass by in the night. It's interesting to see some farm house in the distance and wonder who they are and what their life is like.

My second favorite experience is when I first wake up in the morning and ponder the question, "where are we?". In the pre-GPS days, that was a mystery requiring detective work as you looked for clues - town names on buildings or signs on adjacent roads. Now, with GPS, the mystery aspect is gone, but it is still fun to fire up the laptop and find out how far you travelled, and are you on time or late. My last LD trip, I slept through an entire state (South Carolina).

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

For me. it's coming back from the late dinner seating, relaxing in a darkened sleeping car room, and watching the little towns pass by in the night. It's interesting to see some farm house in the distance and wonder who they are and what their life is like.
My second favorite experience is when I first wake up in the morning and ponder the question, "where are we?". In the pre-GPS days, that was a mystery requiring detective work as you looked for clues - town names on buildings or signs on adjacent roads. Now, with GPS, the mystery aspect is gone, but it is still fun to fire up the laptop and find out how far you travelled, and are you on time or late. My last LD trip, I slept through an entire state (South Carolina).

And for those of us who would not have GPS, we still looking for the town names, and are still enjoying it as much as ever.

 

[JayPea]

For me. it's coming back from the late dinner seating, relaxing in a darkened sleeping car room, and watching the little towns pass by in the night. It's interesting to see some farm house in the distance and wonder who they are and what their life is like.
My second favorite experience is when I first wake up in the morning and ponder the question, "where are we?". In the pre-GPS days, that was a mystery requiring detective work as you looked for clues - town names on buildings or signs on adjacent roads. Now, with GPS, the mystery aspect is gone, but it is still fun to fire up the laptop and find out how far you travelled, and are you on time or late. My last LD trip, I slept through an entire state (South Carolina).

And for those of us who would not have GPS, we still looking for the town names, and are still enjoying it as much as ever.

I agree. That's half the fun, trying to figure out where you are in the middle of the night sans GPS.

 

[Acela150]

The time to myself! When not with family I enjoy the time to myself and enjoy everything around me!

Stephen

 

[ourlouisiana]

Everything, from making the reservation to stepping off the train at the end of the journey !!!!

 

[Amtrak839]

Sleeping on the train, unquestionably. Particularly the sounds of the horn blasting for every crossing and the wheels going over a switch (I've always liked that sound for some reason), and the gentle (or violent, depending on who owns and maintains the track) rocking and swaying of the train as you're falling asleep.

 

[Spokker]

Seeing dudes get thrown off for being drunk and belligerent. Always a good show.

 

[BLOND37]

if i could figure out a way to ride trains all day for free i would

Get an on-board service job at Amtrak - then you literally will ride trains all day, and it won't just be for free -- you'll actually get paid to do it. :lol:

i've looked into that but couldnt find any

They are posted occasionally throughout the year, just keep checking http://jobs.amtrak.com on a weekly basis.

ok will do..thx

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Seeing dudes get thrown off for being drunk and belligerent. Always a good show.

like on the sunset 2 people were kicked off for smoking cigarettes and weed in the bathroom.

 

[BLOND37]

Sleeping on the train, unquestionably. Particularly the sounds of the horn blasting for every crossing and the wheels going over a switch (I've always liked that sound for some reason), and the gentle (or violent, depending on who owns and maintains the track) rocking and swaying of the train as you're falling asleep.

yea i listen to clubby dance music and sometimes the beat of the music will match the sway of the train- very cool..

 

[BLOND37]

Everything, from making the reservation to stepping off the train at the end of the journey !!!!

very well said... i'd have to concur greatly!!!

although like i said 99.9% of the time i am said when i get off the train

 

[BLOND37]

what a GREAT thread.... didnt think i would get so many wonderful replies... makes me proud to be a member of this group

 

[Steve4031]

Sleeping on the train, unquestionably. Particularly the sounds of the horn blasting for every crossing and the wheels going over a switch (I've always liked that sound for some reason), and the gentle (or violent, depending on who owns and maintains the track) rocking and swaying of the train as you're falling asleep.

yea i listen to clubby dance music and sometimes the beat of the music will match the sway of the train- very cool..

I agree with you on the music. "House Nation" comes to mind for house music. 70's funk does pretty well too.

Other favorite things that were not listed above"

Sitting down in the diner and being asked, "coaches or sleeper", and writing my room number down.

Looking out the rear window of the train and watching the track

Jointed rail

Switching tracks on a double track main line to overtake a freight

The long bridges over the Susquehanna and Gun Powder river on the NEC

Riding the Acela

Knowing my way around NYP, Philadalphia 30th street, and Washington Union Station even though I'm from Chicago

And I could go on and on and on and on.

Oh yeah. Just got off the CZ today. This was my 10th trip (or more because I lost count) and this was the best because I was sharing the trip with a railfan buddy.

And one more. Getting maximum use out of the MUNI pass to ride cable cars in San Francisco.

 

[Morris&Essex]

For me, I'm a sucker for the anticipation. Say what you will about NYP, but my favorite parts of the train ride are detraining from my NJ Transit train at NYP and heading upstairs for "the main event", and from the Amtrak concourse, descending on the escalator and getting that first glimpse of silver and blue. Add to that, relaxing in the lounge with a NYTimes and coffee, or prior to boarding the LSL, relaxing at Cabooze.

 

[Andy]

These are some really beautiful posts. I think the most exciting part for me is the planning and anticipation. I enjoy counting down the days, deciding what to pack, learning about the route. I'm not sure I like stepping off the train at the end though. Also, meeting new people, listening to some train music while staring at the scenes sliding by the window feeling the love of the country, the adventure, sometimes saddened that more people don't realize what a wonderful (and beautiful) way to travel this is.

 

[RailFanLNK]

I liked what you had to say Andy. I'm alot the same way. The process of planning and learing the route is something I like to do. My girlfriends daughter recently gave me her antique IPOD. I think it holds like 300 songs. To me, thats really hi-tech. I was asked to give her my 4 favorite CD's to get things rolling on it. I gave her 1 blues cd (Charlie Musselwhite) 1 rockabilly (Mezcal Brothers from Lincoln NE) and two punk rock cd's (Black Flag and The Circle Jerks from LA) While travelling on the train, I really enjoyed the blues and rockabilly, when my favorite punk bands came on, I was disapointed that I had them downloaded because I so enjoy travellling and relaxing on the train that the music just didn't "fit"! I really like kickin' back, not doin' jack and enjoy meeting people and spending time with the people I am travelling with.

 

[Guest]

what a GREAT thread.... didnt think i would get so many wonderful replies... makes me proud to be a member of this group

Why does your own community look different from a train? Leaving Atlanta, Norcoss, Duluth, I285, etc, all look different than they do from a car.

You get to see places from a train that can't be seen from a car: the white banks of that little river between Birmingham and Meridian...catfish farms...unbroken miles of kudzu after Birmingham..towns that the interstate bypasses that you'd never think to go see...

 

[p&sr]

Why does your own community look different from a train? Leaving Atlanta, Norcoss, Duluth, I285, etc, all look different than they do from a car.

So true. Heading down Interstate 80 through Berkeley, with the view across the Bay to the Golden Gate Bridge... it just looks incomparably better from the near-by Tracks, on board the Starlight (or the Zephyr!)...

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

A friend told me years ago that he thought of the train as the "civilized" way to travel. I think he spoke the truth.

Funny thing, I never knew him to ride the train that much if at all. Somehow he had gotten the word, though.

 

[Konrad]

Where to begin. What is not to like?
Settling into my room, putting clothes or jacket on the hanger--that makes it more official.

watching the train go around the corner

anything at night, looking at the farm lights, or at a station-- figuring out what station it is, are we still on time? Or are we still five hours late? Or have we made up time?

people in the dining car

the horn

the funny feeling when you are not sure if your train is moving or if it the one next to you

waking up to a new day, and especially if the topography has changed dramatically, like from green trees to desert overnight.

'Or have we made up time' - surely you jest :lol: .

 

[RailFanLNK]

I don't know about all of you but I pretty much am "wired for 110 but always going 220". I use very small amounts of time to just "sit and relax" and "veg" out. I find relaxing on a train with a good book or just staring out the window to be so cool since I hardly ever take time out to do that. On my last CZ trip, I brought along a 400 page book titled: The Westies, about the infamous Hells Kitchen organized crime syndicate. Even though it wasn't all read on the train, a majority of the book was.

 

[nr272]

The people, adventure, conversations, overheard conversations, memories, sleepless nights, gritty big cities, small towns, vast empty space ... I can't put my finger on it exactly. I love the whole atmosphere and always feel like a I go through a range of emotions when riding the train.