The California Zephyr runs from Chicago to Sacramento. We rode from Chicago to Reno, where we got off the train to spend the day. We had an extended stopover in Denver, which seems to be experiencing an urban revival in the area surrounding the station. The station has been recently … Continue reading →
I don’t know about you, but after a couple weeks on the road, we’re just ready to be home. We knew that was going to happen on this trip, but we really wanted to travel these routes, and this was the most efficient way. We’re glad to be home, but … Continue reading →
The beauty of a cross-country ride is the extended, uninterrupted time on board. When we took our first trip, I was concerned my husband would be anxious and not like it. On the contrary, it was the first time I’ve seen him truly relaxed. It’s as if his mind accepted … Continue reading →
I’ve managed to meet my writing friend Wendy several times during our travels. For several years, she lived near St. Louis, and recently, she and her husband moved to Chicago. On this trip, we had expected a six hour layover at Union Station in Chicago while waiting for our next … Continue reading →
We think traveling Amtrak is best when your destination times are flexible, and you don’t need to get somewhere in a hurry. Surprisingly, we run into many people on the train who arrange their work schedule so they can use the train for travel on a business trip. This approach … Continue reading →
There’s something enchanting about submarines. As an aside, my friend, Tom Vetter, a retired Navy Lieutenant Commander and career-long submariner, just published a memoir about his singular historical career, and I’d be remiss not to include a link to more information about this tremendous book. The submarine pictured here is … Continue reading →
The Texas Eagle runs from San Antonio to Chicago (or, from Chicago to San Antonio, if you prefer). Since we almost always leave from and return to San Antonio, the Texas Eagle route figures prominently in our train plans. If we decide to leave from Temple, Texas, the Texas Eagle … Continue reading →
We used Enterprise Car Rental in Sacramento. They were wonderful. They picked us up at the train station, took us to the rental location, handled all the paperwork efficiently, and, when we turned the car in, offered us a ride back to our hotel (or anywhere else we needed to … Continue reading →
We were supposed to catch the train from Reno to Sacramento; however, this was where we experienced our first aberration in the trip. I was sitting in the hotel lobby waiting to check in when I received an automated phone call from Amtrak notifying me of a delay in the … Continue reading →
During the day, announcements are made throughout the train about upcoming stops, but no announcements are made during quiet hours (10pm – 7am). The final announcement is usually made about 9:30 pm. Quiet hours are more critical when traveling in coach class on the train. This ensures there are times … Continue reading →
