Long Train Runnin

Yes, there are certainly people who do this.

I know I certainly have.

Most of my long distance trips on Amtrak are simply for the sake of taking the train.

I find the Western Long Distance trains great for trips like this. Just spent a couple days in your sleeper/the dinning car, etc.

Each of the 3 times I have taken the train across the country (New York-Chicago-Emeryville, New York-Chicago-Los Angeles-Seattle, and New York-Washington-Chicago-Seattle) I have literally have simply gone from the train station to an airport hotel, and then flew back to New York the next day.

I also did a triangle trip New York-New Orleans spent 1 night in NOLA and the next morning took the train New Orleans-Chicago-Washington-New York. Again the main purpose was to ride the train.

Finally, when I rode New York to Miami it was a similar deal. Rode down spent one night in a hotel and the next day took the train back to New York.

I enjoy the experience on the long distance trains in a sleeper at least pre-COVID. It is a very relaxing way to spend a few days, and you get to see a lot of the US this way.

There are also other online forums that are more oriented to Amtrak travel where you will find people who are as passionate about AGR status as you'll find people here talking about their United status.

Additionally, there is another online community who hosts "RailFests" where the whole point is a group of folks travel long distance on Amtrak to new cities, and then spend the days riding the entirety of that cites transit systems.

Much like there are AvGeeks you can find Rail Fans.

I would actually say that I learned to love to travel for the sake of travel by taking trains first. Later on I started to realize that flying across the world for a couple of days isn't that much different.