I have a question

[old2531]

In this age of get there yesterday does anyone go by train anymore ?

[kyratshooter]

Last time I tried to travel by train they told me to get off, hobos wern't welcome.

Cincinnati only has 9 Amtrack arrivals and departures weekly, and who wants to go to Cincinnati?

[crashdive123]

I haven't for quite some time. When I lived up north that's the only way I went to New York City. Anymore I prefer driving over other methods of travel. Unless I'm on a tight schedule I like to take my time and explore.

[Rick]

I love trains and we take them as often as we can. We're fortunate to have the state train museum in our town and they run dinner trains, various excursions and back and forth to the state fair. It's the only way we go to the fair. We've taken them in many other states too. We've been stopped in the middle of the Ohio on the Beaver Bridge outside of Pittsburgh. It's part of the CSX line today I think. I don't think this railroad even exists today. It was located in Northern Ohio. Fostoria if I remember correctly. We've taken the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Anchorage and the White Pass out of Skagway to name a few. People still come out to wave at trains. It's like going back in time.

If you've never ridden an open car let me give you one piece of advice. Never hang out the window to watch the ride. You'll come away with a line right down the center of you. Inside the car will be clean and the parts hanging outside the car will be dirty. Don't ask how I know.

[Stiffy]

I tried once, but it was a mountain trip, and the train averaged about 20 mph. I really think I would enjoy a flat land trip, on a faster train.

[old2531]

ive taken one from salem or.to fresno took 16 hrs was a great trip but i took the night run so didnt see much i live near a place called the tehachapi loop trains go up and down 3500 ft in twenty miles so a lot of train people from all over the world come to watch ,sadly only frieght trains us the tracks

[crashdive123]

If anybody gets a chance - ride the Thunder Mountain Line in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. It really is spectacular.

[finallyME]

I rode the train a lot in Europe. Here in the states, it just doesn't go where I need it to.

[Wildthang]

We rode the Cuyahoga railway in northern Ohio last year, and was the first train we have ever ridden. It was a lot of fun!

[Old Professor]

The last time that I rode a train was in 1963, when I had to go to Pittsburgh, Pa for a pre-induction physical. I had made that trip before as a child. There is a train ride that is on my bucket list, though. The Algoma Canyon trip out of Sault St Marie, Ontario. I particularly would like to go on the Fall Color Tour. Also there is the Polar Bear Special that goes from Cochrane, Ontario to Moosinee on Hudsons Bay. That would be a summer trip. Just need to find someone to go along.

[PineMartyn]

When I was a university student in Montreal I loved taking the commuter trains to and from school. It was fast, comfortable, roomy, relaxed.

My only experience with trains in the USA was when in 1992 when my wife and I took a month-long trip to do some camping in the southwestern states. We took trains from Montreal down to NY, then through the midwest to Flagstaff Arizona and then all over the southwest down to Big Bend Nat'l Park in Texas, and then all the way home again. It was a luxurious way to travel, even though we were on a budget and could not afford sleepers.

Whenever I fly, I feel rushed, pushed around, herded, stalled...all at the same time. When I take trains, I feel like a civilized person travelling in comfort.

Hope this helps,
- Martin

[hunter63]

Back in my previous life, every once in a while I was required to travel to down town Chicago for meeting and such at the Corporate HQ......so took the commuter train.....in/out, no parking to deal with....the way to go for a no hazzle trip.

Was interesting as everyone had their daily seat, and was kinda a problem finding a place to sit that didn't "belong" to some one.

Some towns and city along the way embraced their railroad, and had a nicely fixed up station, and area......somewhere pretty much rail road waste land...

Grew up at a center for crew change and repair location, had many friend whos fathers worker for the RR and day trips were common.

I would like to travel to the west cost by train as the scenery should be fantastic......Or go south on "The City of New Orleans".

Hopefully they won't just fade away before having a chance to experience travel that way.

[old2531]

i was thinking more on bob conciderations of not being able to take on planes -but this is great too

[kyratshooter]

BOBs on trains?

Yea right!

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/06/opinio...tsa-vipr-teams

[Rick]

Martin - You nailed it! It is just so much more relaxing. Hey, TSA! I got your body search right here, pally.

[Seniorman]

BOBs on trains?

Yea right!

I haven't travelled by train in a long time but these days, I don't believe a passenger on Amtrak can even carry a pocket knife, can he???

S.M.

[old2531]

last time i was near one they dont even have metal detectors but trains are fixed critters they can be stopped

[Solar Geek]

Travelled to work by train in Chicagoland for 13 years and loved it. Clean and safe. BOBs would be no problem IMHO. In all those years and even now when I am on Amtrak and my DH and kids are also on a monthly basis, NO searches whatsoever. NONE. Even for very strange carry-on cases.

It was relaxing, I could work on the train and even tho my commutes could get long as we lived at times way the heck out, I really preferred it. Metra (Chicago train system) was clean; Amtrak, not as much.

[kyratshooter]

Searches of passengers on the train are sort of pointless anyway.

All those millions of miles of track, bridges, tunnels. Less hastle, less risk, more opprotunity.

Worked in the CW, worked in the Boer War, very effective in WW1 for the Arabs in the mid east and in WW2 for the resistance in Europe. You damage a train they bring in a new train, you damage track, tunnels, bridges and it takes weeks to repair.

Of course you do not get to hire 20,000 TSA guards to create jobs harassing the public if no one is "hijacking" a train.

[2crows]

Only once in the US. I took the 'City of New Orleans' from Memphis to New Orleans and back. It was okay, but I much prefer motorcycle or car.