Solo Amtrak travel

[lisaviolet]

It's a combination of things. Freight rail was obligated to provide passenger service in the past, and in return they got several rights that government would normally have including the right to use eminent domain and the right to have private police with public law enforcement powers. They were also given land holdings that they could turn around and sell at their discretion. Their ability to obtain land has made them a lot of money over the years, but apparently railroad rights of way are extremely valuable, where they've made money from renting out for utility lines. But the federal law that established Amtrak relieved the participating freight railroads from their obligation to provide passenger service. The law also says that freight railroads must give preference in dispatch to passenger trains, but obviously it hasn't worked out that way since the freight railroads provide dispatch for most of the country.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg...-title49-subtitleV-partC-chap243-sec24308.pdf​

(c) PREFERENCE OVER FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION.—Except in an emergency, intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation provided by or for Amtrak has preference over freight transportation in using a rail line, junction, or crossing unless the Board orders otherwise under this subsection. A rail carrier affected by this subsection may apply to the Board for relief. If the Board, after an opportunity for a hearing under section 553 of title 5, decides that preference for intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation materially will lessen the quality of freight transportation provided to shippers, the Board shall establish the rights of the carrier and Amtrak on reasonable terms.​

Amtrak has gotten determinations from the DOT's Surface Transportation Board that the freight railroads have been in violation of their obligation to provide Amtrak with priority, but they've declined to fine the railroads.

Amtrak owns its own rails in the Northeast Corridor. Stations can be owned by cities, counties, ports, etc. Some stations are even still owned by the freight railroads. But the rails are owned by railroads, even within stations.

I believe we are regional ownership with CN rail (freight) as well bcla. Too lazy to google.

 

[lisaviolet]

I believe we are regional ownership with CN rail (freight) as well bcla. Too lazy to google.

Well I was flat out wrong.

Google -

Canadian National Railway (CN) owns the railroad across Canada, from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast. CN's network also extends into the Midwestern and Southern United States.

Who knew the 51st state was so mighty?

 

[bcla]

Well I was flat out wrong.

Google -

Canadian National Railway (CN) owns the railroad across Canada, from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast. CN's network also extends into the Midwestern and Southern United States.

Who knew the 51st state was so mighty?

Yeah. Amtrak runs on CN rails. Their City of New Orleans route between Chicago and New Orleans is completely on CN rails.

 

[lisaviolet]

Yeah. Amtrak runs on CN rails. Their City of New Orleans route between Chicago and New Orleans is completely on CN rails.

Sshhhh, don't tell him.

 

[lisaviolet]

Yeah. Amtrak runs on CN rails. Their City of New Orleans route between Chicago and New Orleans is completely on CN rails.

Have you done that route - City of New Orleans line?

I had big plans to use the rail pass but I just found the lack of consistency in answers from Amtrak agents frustrating, even about booking (most lovely agents though).

The rail pass went to $299 while I was still travelling home. It is over now, but holy bargain. I should have posted here.

 

[bcla]

Have you done that route - City of New Orleans line?

I had big plans to use the rail pass but I just found the lack of consistency in answers from Amtrak agents frustrating, even about booking (most lovely agents though).

The rail pass went to $299 while I was still travelling home. It is over now, but holy bargain. I should have posted here.

No. I only know about Amtrak as a train enthusiast. I've only ridden on Amtrak on the west coast and during one visit to New York City. We rode the Keystone Service from NYC to a suburb of Philadelphia to visit some friends.

I think a couple of Amtrak routes actually enter Canada. I've heard about some of the things they do like customs checks where they stop immediately at the border for customs to do their checks on the train. Might just be the Maple Leaf. I think the Cascades route only has one stop in BC so they can do customs in both directions at the same station.

https://www.amtrak.com/maple-leaf-train

 

[citruscurtis]

A Amtrak's route includes buses....so buses into BC... you can have a Amtrak ticket to Astoria Oregon...but is a bus to the Goonies

 

[citruscurtis]

If the coast starlight is on time when it reaches k-falls..then freight is secondary...if running late then Portland to k-falls is some beautiful grass field scenery and evergreen trees out your stationary window

Not sure why it has been stalled though for 3 hours in the bay area... leaves Jack London square north than sits for 3 hours before next stop

 

[Dug720]

There is some confusion, and not quite sure if it came from my post about getting a roommette (which is the name of a sleeper class room - more like a cubby ), that one can book as a solo traveller. Just in case that is where the confusion came from -- Amtrak does no 'I have someone for you!' Insert wink.

--------

Though on my way home CHI to BUF some man pulled out wine, fed me black licorice and called me his girlfriend. And then asked me to protect him from all the shady people (his thoughts, hardly reality). So you do indeed get all types of personalities.

Oh! Sorry, I misread and thought you said "roommate"! Good thing I got new contacts today!

 

[citruscurtis]

Emily Litella... would have loved it !!!!

 

[bcla]

If the coast starlight is on time when it reaches k-falls..then freight is secondary...if running late then Portland to k-falls is some beautiful grass field scenery and evergreen trees out your stationary window

Not sure why it has been stalled though for 3 hours in the bay area... leaves Jack London square north than sits for 3 hours before next stop

You mean the Coast Starlate? This was from 2006, but the reputation persisted for years.

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/coast-starlight-losing-its-luster-the-train-2491613.php​

Once one of the most popular train lines in the world, the Coast Starlight is in jeopardy because it consistently runs five to 15 hours late due to neglect by Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad, said Gerald Cauthen, president of the Train Riders Association of California.​

Southern Pacific use to run a companion to the Starlight called the Coast Daylight between San Francisco and Los Angeles. As in the train actually started in San Francisco in front of the Ferry Building. I think Amtrak might have used the Coast Daylight name for a few years. But I guess with all the delays they could have called it the Coast Day-Late.

 

[citruscurtis]

That is correct... I love riding Amtrak out of LA North.. but southbound is a different ride altogether... railrat .net is the best way to track Amtrak..the longest delay 2024 was 12 hours southbound....so far 2025 is 8 hours.. starting out of Oakland North

 

[citruscurtis]

Our 3 trips to Disney where always late....now you have to depart and catch san jusquian to Bakersfield and then bus

 

[lisaviolet]

Oh! Sorry, I misread and thought you said "roommate"! Good thing I got new contacts today!

It was a very cute misread.

 

[lisaviolet]

No. I only know about Amtrak as a train enthusiast. I've only ridden on Amtrak on the west coast and during one visit to New York City. We rode the Keystone Service from NYC to a suburb of Philadelphia to visit some friends.

I think a couple of Amtrak routes actually enter Canada. I've heard about some of the things they do like customs checks where they stop immediately at the border for customs to do their checks on the train. Might just be the Maple Leaf. I think the Cascades route only has one stop in BC so they can do customs in both directions at the same station.

https://www.amtrak.com/maple-leaf-train

Years and years ago when I took The Montrealer (Montreal to DC, no longer exists) customs came right on the train. Now they make you collect all your belongings and line up inside - customs - wait a decent amount of time and back on the train.

Since I was taking such a short trip on the Maple Leaf, on the way back I simply got myself to the Rainbow Bridge & walked into Canada. Seemed so much easier, believe it or not.

I believe Amtrak pairs with Via for Montreal, Toronto & Vancouver. The price is ridiculous due to Via rail, not Amtrak.

 

[lisaviolet]

That is correct... I love riding Amtrak out of LA North.. but southbound is a different ride altogether... railrat .net is the best way to track Amtrak..the longest delay 2024 was 12 hours southbound....so far 2025 is 8 hours.. starting out of Oakland North

This entire time I thought you were being facetious and calling Amtrak bad names.

 

[citruscurtis]

This entire time I thought you were being facetious and calling Amtrak bad names.

You are on a roll tonight... thank you for extending my life with laughter

 

[bcla]

That is correct... I love riding Amtrak out of LA North.. but southbound is a different ride altogether... railrat .net is the best way to track Amtrak..the longest delay 2024 was 12 hours southbound....so far 2025 is 8 hours.. starting out of Oakland North

Oh I've encountered delays. My first rides on the Coast Starlight were short trips with the kiddo just for fun. But the scheduled time for Richmond, California to San Jose on the Coast Starlight was two hours. Plenty of time for breakfast in the dining car. We tried doing it again, but after they eliminated Richmond as a stop (started in Emeryville instead), and with an hour delay the dining car was closed. So we didn't get anything until we got to San Jose, although with the previous delay they made up a lot of time since 90 minutes from Oakland to San Jose means just crawling, which they don't do when they're behind schedule.

I've gone on a few trips from the Bay Area to Salinas. Once I kind of missed what the announcement was saying (they said something about waiting in the garden area). So we waited in the wrong place and the train stopped and then went on. So we had to improvise. A family had also missed the train with that oddball announcement about where to wait, but they were going to LA and an Amtrak agent suggested just catching a taxi or Uber to Oakland where they have a long stop. I just cancelled it (booked it with rewards points) and completely rebooked using an alternate way to get to Salinas (Capitol Corridor to San Jose and a bus to Salinas) but the same Coast Starlight train we planned on taking back. But we were allowed to take an earlier train (Capitol Corridor is "unreserved") and had a few hours in San Jose were we got lunch and found a park with a playground for the kiddo. Got to Salinas late, but when I checked the status for our return train, it was way late. Found out that a Metrolink train in LA had hit someone on the tracks and everything coming out of LA Union Station was delayed. Ended up being delayed over 3 hours.

My only overnight train trip on Amtrak was Seattle to Emeryville to go home. My brother in law dropped me off while my family stayed with him. Sleeping overnight in coach is a little different. The Superliner coach seats are huge, but there isn't good neck support (a neck pillow would have been nice to have) and there's no center armrest. And you're not likely to be seated alone, so you kind of have to negotiate if you're riding solo and there's someone next to you.

I have done some weird trips with the kiddo. Just did an overnight on the Coast Starlight to Santa Barbara and then back to Emeryville on a bus. It was an hour late to Santa Barbara so we felt a bit rushed. But it was fun. That was followed by a few trips to OC/LA after experiencing the overnight bus, although those trips were train/bus in both directions where overnight was always by bus.

 

[citruscurtis]

Oh I've encountered delays. My first rides on the Coast Starlight were short trips with the kiddo just for fun. But the scheduled time for Richmond, California to San Jose on the Coast Starlight was two hours. Plenty of time for breakfast in the dining car. We tried doing it again, but after they eliminated Richmond as a stop (started in Emeryville instead), and with an hour delay the dining car was closed. So we didn't get anything until we got to San Jose, although with the previous delay they made up a lot of time since 90 minutes from Oakland to San Jose means just crawling, which they don't do when they're behind schedule.

I've gone on a few trips from the Bay Area to Salinas. Once I kind of missed what the announcement was saying (they said something about waiting in the garden area). So we waited in the wrong place and the train stopped and then went on. So we had to improvise. A family had also missed the train with that oddball announcement about where to wait, but they were going to LA and an Amtrak agent suggested just catching a taxi or Uber to Oakland where they have a long stop. I just cancelled it (booked it with rewards points) and completely rebooked using an alternate way to get to Salinas (Capitol Corridor to San Jose and a bus to Salinas) but the same Coast Starlight train we planned on taking back. But we were allowed to take an earlier train (Capitol Corridor is "unreserved") and had a few hours in San Jose were we got lunch and found a park with a playground for the kiddo. Got to Salinas late, but when I checked the status for our return train, it was way late. Found out that a Metrolink train in LA had hit someone on the tracks and everything coming out of LA Union Station was delayed. Ended up being delayed over 3 hours.

My only overnight train trip on Amtrak was Seattle to Emeryville to go home. My brother in law dropped me off while my family stayed with him. Sleeping overnight in coach is a little different. The Superliner coach seats are huge, but there isn't good neck support (a neck pillow would have been nice to have) and there's no center armrest. And you're not likely to be seated alone, so you kind of have to negotiate if you're riding solo and there's someone next to you.

I have done some weird trips with the kiddo. Just did an overnight on the Coast Starlight to Santa Barbara and then back to Emeryville on a bus. It was an hour late to Santa Barbara so we felt a bit rushed. But it was fun. That was followed by a few trips to OC/LA after experiencing the overnight bus, although those trips were train/bus in both directions where overnight was always by bus.

1 out of 10 times I can discover why train is drastically late... north bound I can choose my seat and not have a mate till san Luis then a Sacramento midnight train empty out and will have seats to myself.... but southbound out of Salem you are the mercy/work ethic/laziness of trip seat attendant ....on my last trip 10/24... she saved the last car for LA folks only ...it was heaven ...best trip ever

 

[bcla]

1 out of 10 times I can discover why train is drastically late... north bound I can choose my seat and not have a mate till san Luis then a Sacramento midnight train empty out and will have seats to myself.... but southbound out of Salem you are the mercy/work ethic/laziness of trip seat attendant ....on my last trip 10/24... she saved the last car for LA folks only ...it was heaven ...best trip ever

Can't really complain. When traveling alone I usually asked for a window seat if given an option. I had a seat companion all the way from Seattle to Emeryville, but we never said a word to each other the entire time. Just universal gestures whenever I wanted to leave my seat or come back.

I've booked with a non-fare infant and we had two seats together even though technically that's only paying for one seat to share. When older, my kid once wanted to just lie down on both seats and the attendant didn't care when I sat in an empty seat.

But the buses are something else. I remember riding the Coast Starlight overnight and could sleep through the night easily (other than a stiff neck). I'm pretty sure the conductors were just waking up passengers based on their destinations on their seat checks. But on the overnight buses the driver loudly announces every stop to wake people up.