M. Adam Davis wrote:

>>
>>Because ?
>>    
>>
>
>It was a night time ride, which may have made it worse.
>
> * The train was over two hours late for departure (nothing
>interesting to do near or at the station)
> * There were two people talking very loudly on their cell phones and
>to each other for about 3 hours during the night who ignored the
>impotent conductor's pleas to stop
> * It was exceedingly slow - lots of 30mph sections of track
> * Several hour or longer stops on side tracks while 'priority' trains
>(such as coal and cargo trains) moved in the other direction
> * Several other minor issues
>
>Suffice to say that while I was looking seriously at taking a train
>vacation across the country prior to this trip, I think I'm going to
>skip it.  Of course I doubt all, or even most, trips have these
>problems, but it did leave an impression.
>
>I guess the biggest problem for trying again is that everyone I've
>talked to about it decries Amtrak for many of these reasons.  Sounds
>like James has had a different experience, and I'd certainly like to
>hear better stories and perhaps experience the joy James finds in it.
>
>-Adam
>  
>
Adam,
Sounds like a pretty 'typical' train ride to me.  Amtrak doesn't get the 
right of way on anybody's tracks -- the people paying to have their 
freight moved get it.  Sitting on siderails is all part of the process.  
Rude passengers, especially at night can be a real drag though.

Last October, we took Amtrak from Cincinnati to Chicago to Los Angeles, 
drove up the coast to San Franciso and returned home on the train from 
San Fransisco to Chicago to Cincinnati.  The trip was quite educational 
and the scenery very interesting.  It really gave us an appreciation 
just how far away the west coast is from Cincinnati.  We arrived at each 
destination early with one exception when we were about an hour late on 
the first leg into Chicago.  The food on the trains was pretty decent.  
Now for the fun part....  We had our own sleeper compartment.  A nice 
place to sit and watch the scenery but quite cramped as sleeping 
quarters.  One night I was practically catapulted out of bed when we 
flew through a cross track about 60mph.  Track conditions on CSX were 
the poorest between Cincy and Chicago, then on the BNSF route to LA.  
Union Pacific tracks were by far the smoothest and those weren't so 
smooth.  Going through the mountains and changing elevation slowly made 
my head feel like it was going to explode some nights.  As far as the 
shower is concerned -- you can clean the important parts but a nice 
leisurely soak ain't gonna happen. 

I found the trip educational, scenic and semi-relaxing.  There are lots 
of little annoyances you have to overlook along the way but I'd do it 
again.  I was also told I'd be doing it by myself next time though.  The 
wife got antsy sitting there all day.

BB
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