Going Back to New Orleans Aboard an Amtrak Train - Plus AA JFK-LAX 321 C
Oct 19, 2014, 8:44 am
#46
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
...... we did Amtrak from Chicago to Seattle in April / May 2011 shortly after the terrible floods along that route.
I really, really enjoyed the trip and remember waking at 3am so we could see Fargo (even if it was pitch black !). I also remember eating well (for a train) and good company of dining guests.
Me thinks I need to plan another Amtrak trip soon ........
I really, really enjoyed the trip and remember waking at 3am so we could see Fargo (even if it was pitch black !). I also remember eating well (for a train) and good company of dining guests.
Me thinks I need to plan another Amtrak trip soon ........
Oct 19, 2014, 11:46 am
#47
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: No more shiny cards -- former LH SEN, SPG Platinum, Flying Blue Platinum, BA Silver
Posts: 704
Thank you! Glad people don't mind that I turned Flyertalk into Railertal for a minute
Wow you're brave, I slept right through Fargo when I rode the Builder, but I was able to see Minot, ND for what that's worth. The Builder has some of the best Amtrak food too. And I agree, remember the ABPTT...Always Be Planning Train Trips
Wow you're brave, I slept right through Fargo when I rode the Builder, but I was able to see Minot, ND for what that's worth. The Builder has some of the best Amtrak food too. And I agree, remember the ABPTT...Always Be Planning Train Trips
Having seen the movie, it just had to be done
It was quite an amazing trip, the water levels were still very high it almost felt like you could touch it when gazing out the window. There were only one or two times when the driver needed to slow down as a result of it.
I must say that train travel in the USA gives a very different perspective on the country as a whole and on train travel as a means of transportation -- I'll be taking a 4.5 hour journey to Vienna before the end of the year and am very much looking forward to it.
Oct 19, 2014, 12:43 pm
#48
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
CMK10, great trip report! Thanks for sharing. I especially enjoyed all of the Amtrak photos - they brought back good memories of my past long-distance sleeper travel on Amtrak . ^
One question, though: did you really need to steal glassware from the Admiral's Club?
-FlyerBeek
One question, though: did you really need to steal glassware from the Admiral's Club?
-FlyerBeek
Oct 19, 2014, 5:20 pm
#49
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
CMK10, great trip report! Thanks for sharing. I especially enjoyed all of the Amtrak photos - they brought back good memories of my past long-distance sleeper travel on Amtrak . ^
One question, though: did you really need to steal glassware from the Admiral's Club?
-FlyerBeek
One question, though: did you really need to steal glassware from the Admiral's Club?
-FlyerBeek
Oh I saw the TR made the front page of FT...that's quite an honor so thank you to everyone for viewing it and commenting to put it there ^
Oct 20, 2014, 3:07 am
#50
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Paris
Programs: FB Plat, *A Silver, Volare Exec (LOL), some hotels (Gold)
Posts: 621
Beautiful report, thanks for sharing. During my trip in the US in may I was supposed to take the California Zephyr from SLC to EMY, but it was canceled due to a landslide. At least I can see here what I have missed 
Oct 20, 2014, 12:48 pm
#51
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Oh wow that's unfortunate. If you ever get a chance, take it, especially from DEN to EMY. Thank you for your words though.
Oct 21, 2014, 3:39 am
#53
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 336
Awesome TR. Great to read train reports. This is now making me seriously think about doing a Amtrak journey next time I'm stateside. However my preliminary research shows that those sleeper tickets cost a pretty penny.
Oct 21, 2014, 7:46 am
#54
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Thank you! Yeah Sleeper tickets are pricy, this one for both of us came to around $1,600. I think it's worth it though, you're getting 3 meals a day plus overnight accommodations. If you go off season or in the middle of the week it can be less, also so if you take a single night trip. We've done those for $600-700.
Oct 23, 2014, 2:18 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Nicely done as always, Mr. K! ^^ You and your Dad make a fine pair of traveling protagonists and I do so enjoy your writing style. Hmm... now wouldn't that be a group for a future train trip - you and your dad hooking up with our mutual friend up in Pennsylvania and his grandfather...
Oct 24, 2014, 5:07 am
#57
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Nicely done as always, Mr. K! ^^ You and your Dad make a fine pair of traveling protagonists and I do so enjoy your writing style. Hmm... now wouldn't that be a group for a future train trip - you and your dad hooking up with our mutual friend up in Pennsylvania and his grandfather...
Thank you very much!
Oct 24, 2014, 11:48 am
#58
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LAN
Posts: 172
I used 15,000 UR points for a Denver to Wolf Point trip in August. Nearly 70 hours on the train with all meals.
Oct 24, 2014, 12:43 pm
#59
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 1,782
Nice TR and thanks for sharing.
I think that they have those tabs in the lounge so people can search for their flight and it'll pop up with a reminder. I was in the AA Lounge in Miami and they made a point to say that they don't make flight announcements. We could however check out our flight on the tab.
Also, why so dressy for a train trip?
I think that they have those tabs in the lounge so people can search for their flight and it'll pop up with a reminder. I was in the AA Lounge in Miami and they made a point to say that they don't make flight announcements. We could however check out our flight on the tab.
Also, why so dressy for a train trip?
Oct 25, 2014, 7:27 am
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Why not? To be sure, dressing up for travel in this day and age does seem kind of old fashioned, but once upon a time taking a long trip somewhere really was a big deal, a special event deemed worthy of dressing nicely for. It's cool to see that for CMK10 and his dad, it still is. Very retro.