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Train Travel
Train Travel for the Super-Lethargic
November 26, 2007 at 2:06 PM | 1 Comment
Find you have way too much vacation time? Don't enjoy punctual conveyances? You're one of those "the journey is the destination" people? The New York Times has the trip for you: a passage from New Orleans to Los Angeles on Amtrak's Sunset Limited.
The epic rail journey is scheduled for 48 hours, but rarely makes it to the West Coast that quickly because of delays caused by freight trains. But that doesn't seem to bother the passengers, who share groceries and swap stories as they inch across the Chihuahuan Desert in sleeper cabins, relaxed by the rocking of the train.
Of the cross-section of passengers--a social worker, an artist and an agronomist among them--one in particular stood out to us:
John Pelham, a Continental Airlines flight attendant from Houston on a vacation to visit friends in Los Angeles, uncorked a bottle of red wine and offered drinks around.
Unbelievable. Even on a tranquil train ride, this guy doesn't take a break from passing out cocktails.
Related Stories:
· Family of Strangers on the Sunset Limited [NYT]
· Train Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Amtrak coverage [Jaunted]
Amtrak
Adventures of Link: Terror on Two Tracks
August 8, 2007 at 5:15 PM | 0 Comments
Just the other day, we were considering a leisurely train trip thanks to Amtrak's booze promotion. But given recent events, maybe we're safer sticking with just planes and automobiles.
To wit:
· NYC Subways Crippled by... Rain? [NYT]
· Actually, Rain Stops the Subways More Often Than You'd Think [NYT]
· Bed Bugs Assault French Train Passengers [NYP]
· South African "Blue Train" not Exactly as Advertised [Independent Online]
· Beer Tap Failure Aboard German Train [IHT]
[Photo: Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press]
Amtrak
Amtrak's $100 Booze Credit
August 2, 2007 at 9:58 AM | 0 Comments
Apparently Amtrak realized how slow its service can be sometimes, and has just announced something that will make those neverending trips a bit quicker: a $100 credit per person for alcohol between November and January. Woot! Relax, you can't exactly take part in this sweet deal unless you're traveling on the newly introduced higher-end GrandLuxe trips on the California Zephyr --between Chicago and San Francisco -- the Southwest Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles, or the Silver Meteor between Washington, D.C., and Miami or Orlando, Florida.
The above described trips are separate, special cars that attach to regular trains and operate primarily as sleeper cars. The idea is to revive some of the old-style luxury of train travel from days gone by. Tickets for these trips start at about $789, and include dinner and other drinks too, so $100 will probably cover part of your bottle of champagne in the dining car. Hey, if you've got money to burn and aren't in a rush to get there, overnight train travel is a great idea.
[Photo: pandoralyrael]
Related Stories:
· All Aboard the Booze Train [CNN]
Amtrak
For a Good Time, Call Julie
January 4, 2007 at 1:43 PM | 2 Comments
Hey, we like Amtrak. You might think it serves no purpose anymore, but you're wrong. The train can be great, especially along the Northeast Corridor. We hear the Empire Builder is nice, too. The only real problem we have with Amtrak is the way Trenton people always wake us up when we grab the last train home from D.C. to New York. It's always the Trenton people.
Now, that ain't the company's problem, but we do have a bone to pick with Amtrak. What's the deal with giving your automated operator a name? If she wants to give us a discount, fine...but that's yet to happen when she picks up. This reminds us of how seriously the Finnish tourism board takes Santa and tried to pretend like he's real.
Related Stories:
· Options for Booking (Making Reservations and Buying Tickets) [Amtrak]
Newyorkology
Newyorkology: Training Day
May 26, 2006 at 12:04 PM | 0 Comments
Here's this week's Newyorkology update from amy Langfield:
Oh Amtrak, how I want to love you, but you make it so hard.
The Northeast Corridor--basically, Washington D.C. to New York to Boston-- is the train company's only profitable route. It's used by commuters, fancy business travelers, average joes toting cheap luggage, and celebrities (I saw Susan Sarandon on Sunday.) As the conventional wisdom goes, it's cheaper, more reliable in bad weather, and about as fast, door-to-door, as taking a plane. But that's not always the case.
Amtrak
A Steak in the Heart
April 13, 2006 at 11:36 AM | 0 Comments
All this time we thought that the only food Amtrak served on their trains was microwaved beef fajita wraps. The Lake Shore Limited between New York and Chicago will be serving exactly that dish, starting next week. But before then, you could eat a freshly prepared steak in the dining car from a chef-run galley, one of the last that Amtrak operated. All food on Amtrak will be served piping hot and nuked by the end of May, as they phase out the galleys entirely.
It's fine that Amtrak doesn't offer glamorous, or even punctual, train travel these days. Unless you own a private jet, there are few chic ways to move from point to point anymore. But, really, does the food have to be microwaved? They've got the space--hire a short order cook! We'd take the train a lot more often if we were given the option of having a BLT with our trip. Oh well.
[Image via Luke S./Flickr]
Related Stories:
· A Removable Feast [WSJ]
· Take the A Train [Jaunted]
Amtrak
Feds Plan to Take Back NE Corridor
October 17, 2005 at 9:13 AM | 0 Comments
The Bush administration is sick and tired of Amtrak's messes, as are we. Apparently it's attempting to separate Amtrak's control over the Northeast corridor, forcing the railroad to give up its ownership of the region. We say fantastic. There hasn't been a time that we have ridden it and its been on-time or the ticket prices have been reasonable.
Interesting to learn that Amtrak has also NEVER made money in its 34-year history (um, what?) and is about $3.5 billion in debt. The restructuring would mean less federal aid for Amtrak and could mean competitive bids for some of its routes. Finally.
Related Stories:
· Plan would end Amtrak control of NE corridor [CNN]
