I'm literally the guy who you recorded washing the windows 23:50 and we actually do have a airport here in Albuquerque, it's called the ABQ sunport it was cool to see myself in the video this was on my news feed I've been washing those windows for three years so seeing this was awesome 😎 I'll definitely share with my coworkers I hope you read this comment .
@Jeb Brooks I think telepathy is real, but men are too mean / angry. Some men look smarter in the mind. Some men focus much more on personality than others. “Alphas” never did. It’s only on what people look like. A lot of men still see themselves as having “dominator genes” throughout the generations. The personality is the body ONLY for an “alpha”. Nothing more. It’s never a focus on ideas about consciousness itself. It’s shallow and embarrassing. # Christian Ideology No one really “dominates”. Men share ideas of dominance, or they share ideas related to psychic development, which is always love-based (honesty) and friendly (fair). Two separate wavelengths. They never interact socially. Attraction is real. People focusing on telepathy, and not using their minds to put other people down socially, avoid others that are aggressive, unfriendly, socially elitist, and violent. Prideful men (minds that are bodies) are aggressive. They are unkind. When people are grouped together in large crowds, it feels tense and “atheist”. The more selfish and cruel men are, the less aware they are about telepathy. This is why it seems like it isn’t real for all of us sometimes, and many of us most of the time. Why would men be really cruel and focused on telepathy simultaneously? Men either accept that others see right through them immediately, or they don’t. Those that don’t never control their thoughts. They have pride over being insensitive. No one can be insensitive and focused on telepathy at the same time. It makes people look stupid. So those that are focused on elitism based on what people look like are the least aware. They are angry about it and forceful in the mind. I believe these are the reasons as to why telepathy doesn’t seem real to a lot of people. We actually don’t focus our minds on each other directly at all. What we do is focus on money, talent, and popularity together (material). Our minds feel trapped. If telepathy is real, and we ignore it so that we can hurt other people socially, we will never be happy on Earth. Our species will die out, and we will destroy the planet before we get to that point. We must act immediately. We must grow.
I was thinking when I saw that, “This guy’s an animal!” So cool how you replied. If you’re ever in California on a train, I’ll see if I recognize you by your pic. But I do see you as “practically famous”. You’re mos def on your way!
I took a 3.5 day ride from the east coast to the west coast, taking a total of 3 trains and a bus to get from NY to SF. It was one of the highlights of my first trip to the States and the view was amazing! We went through so many different sceneries as we were crossing the country, from snowy trees to open desert. It truly is an underrated way to travel.
Jeb, Great itinerary. This route is one of very few that stops in Colorado ( other than Denver). I like it because of that: Lamar,LaJunta,and Trinidad. There are promises to connect lines from Denver south to Colorado Springs, Pueblo,and the other southerly venues. This is important for those who want to change trains to go West to LA and beyond. It would be great to have proper stations for all of the stops due to weather and for accessibility to a manned ticket window. Holding good thoughts for the above!
Very cool. I drive a truck. It's about 4 days coast to coast solo. Would love to see high speed rail over flights in the States. Terminals in Europe are so cool.
Jeb, I don't remember how I first came across your channel. But I greatly enjoy it. Your calm demeanor and camera presence make us feel like we're traveling right along with you. Your honest opinions and feelings make your videos that much more authentic. Your love for what you do and your fans is very evident. Thank you for allowing us to ride along with you!
As long as the train is a way to get there, rather than an experience similar to an ocean cruise, it will always remain a vestigial tail of cross country travel. It would be much different if it had been reworked into a leisure marketing campaign: The family road trip, without all the hassles. Extended stopovers in major cities along the route. A true hotel which goes with you. Viking river cruises, but on land. But it might now be too late to take that approach.
In 1984 I graduated from college and tried to talk some friends to drive cross country. I had no takers. I took a train from Baltimore to San Diego. What a great trip it was.
I think Amtrak will make a comeback. The younger generations have that urge to travel as evident by van life. Amtrak has so many options like the auto train from va to fl, so I think they will be good
Everyone should ride the train at least once. I've enjoyed numerous long trips, Christmas was special, stayed awake during the night to see little towns, farms all lite up. Thanks for taking me along this evening.
The trains are nice. But amtrak needs to keep the restrooms cleaner. And people (most) should stop being such pigs. I only travel by train, due to a medical condition. It's trying at times. Filth and no respect.
I hope we develope more train travel in this country. With high gas prices, as well as the polution, I think rail travel could be a real plus. I love taking the train, whenever I can. For me though, living in rural Oregon, the nearest train station is an hour away. Not convenient at all. ..Thanks for these videos. I love watching them.
Yes, I have crossed the US by train several times. I found your comments echoed my own thoughts. I loved seeing the geography of the US come alive for me as I crossed the continent from east to west, eastern forests to Midwest prairie to Great Plains to mountains to desert. It really was a wonderful experience.
I'd love to go cross country on Amtrak, but the money and convincing my family to go with me are two major hurdles, so until both of those things line up, I can live vicariously through people like you. Thank you for this video. :)
You know what would be cool? If you would show an on-screen map of the route and where on the route you were for the stops the train made. Oh and the time-stamps were super helpful and informative. Thanks for these great & fun videos!
I used to work as a secretary to a local chairman of the U.T.U. Local 292, and I got to ride the trains very frequently. It was great getting on a train in Syracuse NY heading for NY and being able to talk to the conductors while traveling about the newsletter we used to put out once a month, etc. Back then in the 70's they were talking about the Turbo Trains. They have come a long way since then havent they!!?!?! I guess watching this, I will learn a lot now!
Congrats Jeb on your engagement. Hopefully things get better in the aviation industry and you can experience the residence on your honeymoon if etihad doesn’t retire it’s a380’s. BTW Dr Pepper is made with prunes
@David Thaler No one will ever know the complete ingredient list. But the company might skirt the issue by saying it doesn't contain prune juice (made from all varieties of dried plums) while not admitting that the possibility of the juice of fresh squeezed black plums is on the list. Prune juice is made from dried prunes while plum juice is made from fresh squeezed plums.
I didn’t realize the family bedrooms didn’t have their own restrooms! For me, that actually makes them a step down from the regular bedrooms - unless you’re traveling with a whole family.
When I was younger my family traveled Amtrak from SLC to Seattle WA. The west coast from San Francisco to Seattle had some seriously awesome scenery!!!
Amtrak also provides commuter trains between San Diego and Los Angeles, which many uses for daily commutes to work. Onboard provides plugs for laptops and gears working during commuter time or lets you relax catching a nap en route to and from work.
I took the SWC from Chicago to LA back in 2016. My dad and I are going to take the California Zephyr from SF to Chicago this fall. I love rail travel, and I love Amtrak. We are blessed to have such service in this country.
I also rode the Cardinal from Newark NJ Penn station and the Southwest Chief to LA. I too had a bedroom. I did however enjoy sitting in the Metropolitan lounge in Chicago. The entire ride was awesome. Although I traveled this route 5 years ago, I still share pictures of my rail journey to my students and others as well. This is definitely a trip that I will undergo again. Thank you for your post!
I love train travel. Our country really needs to support Amtrak, by investing in it’s rails and the culture of train travel. Europe is heads above the US in the quality and pricing of traveling by train. Thanks for sharing your travels. I hope to be on one of these routes soon!
Made this journey almost 10 years ago, DC to LA , and I must say it was a profound life experience. Not only the peace ,tranquility and relaxing fact of just allowing time to pass and watch the enormity of the US and it’s changing scenery, but meeting people and generally enhancing my life.
I took this exact trip years ago and it was great - NYC-Chicago-LA on Southwest Chief. We stopped long enough in some cities to even take in the sights and even had an incredible breakfast in Denver in the city's oldest and elegant hotel. If you have the opportunity, do it. I would love to take this trip again.
Lamar Colorado is is one of my most favorite places out west. It is a small town that has grown and still has its small-town flavor. The people are friendly and service is excellent on every level. They also have a museum interpreting the past of the town as well as introducing the present. I drive a lot and have to take off for 34 hours from time to time and I always try to make Lamar Colorado that 34-hour stop.
Videos like this are so important. Vital, actually. Many folks dont really know this exists. Its a wonderful way to travel. I spent every friday night for 2 years, traveling Amtrak, operated by Metro North, back in 1990s - from New Haven to Boston. I'd like to see Amtrak make a huge comeback, expand their rails. Fill up their trains, upgrade their Cars. It really is a magestic way to travel. Its so sad to see the state of things, now. Folks need to Keep America Great and build on what we had!
So far, my wife and I have made 5 "overnight" trips from Philadelphia on Amtrak. They were 3 to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 1 to New Orleans, and another from N.O. on to Phoenix. We are in our late 70s, so we book a roomette for each of us to avoid having to use the top bunk. This also gives you some private time as well as more room for your baggage. We are going to Florida again in 4 weeks. We do fly home each time. Some of our train travel is free, thanks to my Amtrak Master Card usage.
Best part about this train videos is that they give us an idea about scale of country. Changing scenery, small towns that pass by, some minor details related to a particular train station (like being the only connecting link to rest of country for a particular town), all these makes us appreciate how trains are vital part of infrastructure.
It’s a real shame that this train went through Arizona at night. Those parts are incredibly beautiful and you get to see the transition from desert to shrubs to lush pine forests and mountains, then back to desert at the California state line.
After 44 hours of train travel with AMTRAK... Did you arrive in LA 10 minutes EARLY??? Man, you were SOOOOO LUCKY! It is more than usual to arrive 5 HOURS LATE on a trip like that!!! 😊
Hi Jeb, Amtrak has returned to full cooked meal service in the diner. My wife and have traveled from the east coast to west coast on all the long distance trains. I would guess at least 30 to 40 times. The family bedroom is our favorite accommodation. We always stock up on wine in Chicago and some snacks. The train is one of the best ways to travel.
I just came across your channel a week ago Jeb, and loving watching your videos. I've been on a roadtrip from coast-to-coast mid USA, but there's something very soothing about the idea of travelling across a country by train, and I do hope to see more of your beautiful country by train during a future trip. Greetings to you from Australia.
I pretty much grew up on trains, since my dad worked on the railroad. I have made many trips on Amtrak including a cross country trip from Portland, OR to New York, as well as a complete rail trip around the entire country - Portland, OR to Chicago to Wash. DC to New Orleans to LA then up the coast back to Portland, OR. It's the best way to travel if you have the time.
If you plan a trip on AMTRAK be very flexible with your time schedule!! All train tracks except the Northeast are owned by freight companies. The freight haulers get priority on the tracks and passenger trains gets sidelined. We were 9 hours late getting into Seattle from Chicago. Coming back to NC, we fell so late that we were bussed from Southern Illinois to Indianapolis to catch a connection out of Chicago to Greensboro!!
I'd like to mention that Las Vegas, NM has one of the few remaining Harvey House Hotels, the Casteneda. It's been restored after many years of neglect, and is a gorgeous hotel and fabulous restaurant again! It stands right nextdoor to the train station and easily viewable from the train. Next trip on the Southwest Chief check it out!
I travelled between Pasadena, CA and Flagstaff several times between 1968 and 1971 since I attended forestry school at Northern Arizona University. Santa Fe installed the two level carriages in the early to mid 1960s. When AmTrac took over passenger service, all of the double decker cars transferred from Santa Fe to Amtrak. Ironically, Santa Fe passenger trains ran next to my grade school (on the other side of the fence) powered by large steam engines. Every time one went by, I paid more attention to it than class.
I’m scared of heights but I have to travel to California and New York one day. I literally am a person that had to know information before it happens. I needed to see this. Thank you so much
Thanks so much. This video brings back memories of a train trip my family took between Chicago and LA in December 1964 when I was seven. The route seems to be pretty much the same. I remember passing Pike’s Peak, and Albuquerque was a fresh air stop back then, too. I also remember seeing a few prairie dogs while going through New Mexico. Great memories!
I love watching America roll by. I have taken the Southwest Chief round trip a couple of times, with my final destinations being L.A. or Flagstaff to and from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Good point about meeting new people on Amtrak and "fresh air breeaks". The trip and not the destination is is key when traveling Amtrak. Excellent video and thanks!
When the border opens you should try the VIA Rail The Canadian route from Vancouver, B.C. to Toronto, Ont. or vice versa from Toronto to Vancouver. I would love to hear your comments on that piece of Canadian history.
In Europe, we have private rail car owner clubs where you can rent a luxury rail car that will be hitched to a regular train. I heard that the same is true in the US. If you can do and document a trip like that, that would be amazing to watch.
I went from LA to NY, with a layover in Chicago, the same trip. Highly recommend it if you want to see the whole US, but have patience, and try not to go in the winter. The trains from Chicago to NY are the smaller trains, and the toilets freeze over during snowstorms. While traveling through Indiana, we hit a blizzard, and sure enough I had to go to the bathroom. I guess the toilets had overfilled prior to freezing because there was yellow ice and frozen turds in the toilets. Saw interesting things though, like an Amish family was picked up in Albuquerque and dropped off in some small town in Kansas, I had never seen Amish and Amish country. You also travel through several Indian reservations
Ah somebody who enjoys the bliss and absolute peace with the world on trains... I wish I had more times like this it can really reset me and make me a better human!
Jeb, nice video, and I appreciate the attempts at humor! I do love both trains and train travel to my core, so this is a welcome view into a route I’ve long wanted to do! I live in CA, and have taken the Pacific Surfliner a million times, and the Coast Starlight from Santa Barbara to Portland once, a long time ago on my only ‘romantic’ rail journey with my new wife at the time. Those are long-ago days for me - she died many years ago, and is now simply and happily referred to as the ‘mother-of-my-children.’ The years do fly by - almost faster than the landscapes on an epic train journey. Much though, to the point, that life is an epic journey, to be lived and savored - the journey is always the best part of any adventure. It defines the adventure, and your inference of slowing down and absorbing the experience, feeling the motion and rolling, hearing the patterns of sounds of the steel wheels pushing across the rails, the smells of the food, good or bad... they all define the experience, much as you will associate the feeling spent doing what you love with someone you love. My guess is that will always bring a warm feeling inside and a smile to your face. Thanks for sharing your trip! Stay safe and healthy!
How meta is this... I am watching this on the Southwest Chief. I watch every video and it just so happens that the timing of this was perfect. I am in a roomette and let me say I am glad you enjoyed it. I take five or so trips a year on Amtrak to do writing and the highlight, until now, has been the food. Still super relaxing but I do miss the steak, the burger, and the cooked to order omelets. I hope you can travel again when the food is better. One tip I have is that I always bring a power strip and an extension cord so everyone can have power during the day and you can send the cord up to the bunk to charge phones. In terms of the future of Amtrak, I am hopeful. New environmentally friendly Siemens Charger locomotives are being built and modified to handle long distances. New Acelas next year that have been called the most technologically advanced trains. Supposedly full dining is coming back May 2021. I am also hopeful for new Superliners in the near future. New Viewliner sleepers are slowly coming off the line... did I mention slowly.
The most challenging thing for me would be getting on and off the train. I'd love to take the Texas eagle but I'm elderly and steps and stairs are very difficult. Even with assistance, it would be a problem. I travel through your videos! Thanks for that👍
I’ve been thinking about doing this. Wanted to get the family room but it’s so pricy 😩 never the less I really enjoyed both videos. They were extremely informative thanks!
Hi Jeb I’m from the U.K. and loving your videos travelling The USA on Amtrak it’s my dream to do this and I’m getting so many tips watching Thankyou very much 🙏😇🇬🇧🇺🇸
My parents were from Raton and my great-grandfather was a engineer for the AT&SF. Great to see the Raton sign again, climbed that hill many times as a kid.
I appreciate those kind words of the Southwest Chief. Being a passenger rail advocate with my rail advocacy organization and my hobby which is railroad photography. It has been a long decade to ensure the Southwest Chief remained on her current route. Amtrak has tried to terminate the service and or re route the service out of Raton pass. I live along the route between ABQ & LMY and see the Southwest Chief passes behind my house daily which always brings a smile to my face. I frequently use Amtrak’s Southwest Chief and I never get bored with the route. But allot of your comments on the scenery of the Southwest Chief seems to never get old and I always learn something new.
My one and only train experience was Chicago to Las Vegas back in 1987. It went to Salt Lake City and split 3 ways. Seattle, San Francisco, and we went south towards Las Vegas and it ended up in Los Angeles. The views were fantastic. Going through the Sierra mountains at night was like traveling on the moon.
I would say that the food issues are more of an issue because of the pandemic. We've traveled up to New York and the meals were really nice. But it was pretty cool to see this trip thank you for sharing.
I made this journey late September 2014. I continued onward to San Francisco (well, actually Emeryville) on Coast Starlight. The hardest part of the journey was having to rely on what I had on my cabin baggage. Because of a misunderstanding, my baggage did not travel with me and completed the cross-country journey about twelve hours earlier, on California Zephyr! I still remember attracting some suspicious glances when I finally arrived and claimed my baggage. Being Middle Eastern does wonders in these situations ;)
Thank you for sharing this video. Last June, I took a cross country train ride from Flint, Mi. to Chicago ( Blue Water ), then switched to Empire Builder all the way to Seattle. 5 days later, took Coast Starlight from Tacoma to Sacramento, and on layover for 5 hours, took California Zephyr from Sacramento back to Chicago, and then back to Blue Water; it was a vacation of a lifetime. Lord willing, if I ever do something like this again, I want to ride on the Southwest Chief.
Having been wanting to do this trip for years, I am watching this video in Munich, Germany. Videos like this help me a lot during whe Covid19 situation and all the travel restrictions. Thank you for all the work which you must have put into this project!
I think there are two ways for Amtrak to go. The first is that it’s properly funded, buys track all around the country, and convinces people to start using it. The second is that it dies out and doesn’t get replaced.
I took Amtrak from Chicago, IL to Emeryville, CA (San Francisco). It was a great trip but I learned something from a friend later. Make sure you take your long distance trips on Amtrak in Late Spring or Early Summer. The days are much longer. If you take your trip closer to Christmas, you will spend a lot of time in the dark wishing you could see the scenery.
We've taken the Coast Starlight and the Zephyr many times with our now 9-year-old son. Simply the best way to travel. Great review, thanks. Like yourself, I've been around the world [literally] 125 times on air travel. I'd pick the train any day of the week. No TSA check. Easy access to all of my items on board. Take a bottle of wine on board. Snacks. Pre-downloaded movies. All yes.
Another great video! Have driven through Raton Pass & went up El Captan ( an extinct volcano rising off the flat desert floor) Other than that its all new to me. Had to drive for hours to see these sites. Must be nice to have someone else drive.
Departing Chicago10/22 at 2:50PM and arriving into Los Angeles Union Station on 10/24 at 7:55AM, I just completed a trip on the Southwest Chief in Car 331 Bedroom A. As a late 2021 update: Car purser and dining attendant (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) service has returned and is included for sleeping accommodations passengers. I brought snacks, water, and bourbon. In addition to seeing how spectacular the US's Great Plains, mountains, rivers, small farming towns, and big cities are, I truly enjoyed meeting my fellow Americans. In ages when we can get anywhere quickly, it was the experience of seeing America and meeting people that made this an unforgettable experience.
This brought back a flood of memories, thank you! I was pregnant with my first child and we took a regular Amtrak from Boston to Chicago and then a roomette on the same line as you (except 27 years ago). It was my dream to do this, versus flying, and was not disappointed. After ALB, we were even seated that night at dinner with Tyne Daly (from Cagney and Lacy) because she made that trip often and was afraid of flying. I would only add to do this trip around Christmas because at night, when the scenery would otherwise be pitch black, we saw so many distant twinkling Christmas lights. You've kindled something in me to recreate this trip, maybe the other way around now!
I’m looking forward to using my rail pass this year to take a train trip from NC to CA. Your videos have been so informative. Thank you for doing this!!!
We did the SW Chief a long time ago. We got off in Albuquerque and got a rental car to explore AZ, NM & NV. We loved the train ride there and back to Michigan.
I traveled on amtrack from Livingston Montana to Seattle in the late 70s. They’ve since closed that route. It’s too bad because I’d do it again, it was so beautiful and fun. I had a my 2 year old so we had a sleeper. I loved riding on a train.
Took the SW Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago. My first trip across the country by train was great; traveled by coach. Had plenty of room, privacy, and quiet time. Only downfall was no wifi. But definitely would do again.
I enjoy train travel for many reasons, including relaxing and having no road rage to worry about. I think you have the best videos. You're good at taking us through the experience in a friendly way. I appreciate it. I've gone from Chicago to Boston in coach; @ 26 hours. Man, too hard to sleep sitting up. I would not want to do that for more than one night. I went from Chicago to Seattle. Awesome. In a roomette. Fantastic. Loved it. Though, at 63, I don't think the top bunk would be a good fit. Going to the bathroom in the middle of the night? No. The worst part is the cost. If the cost were lower, more people would take Amtrak. More trains, less cars.
Love these videos. Lots to see both inside the trains and surrounding scenery. All good no doubt. Even so, very different from train travel in the 60's. We lived in Iowa, and traveled to Idaho to see family 4 times. The first time in 1962 during the Seattle Worlds Fair. The last was in 1969, getting us home just in time to see the first Apollo moon landing.
I have driven cross country dozens of time. This is a big, beautiful country. Taking a train is on my bucket list. I got to see a lot of the country, but I didn't really get to "enjoy" the trips.
Interesting fact about Lamar Colorado (my Home town) the train station you went through was original west of Lamar called the Blackwell station. In may of 1888 several cowboys hatched a plan to move the station in to the town of Lamar. The dispute was over land office agreements and cattle loading fees. In the middle of the night several cowboys loaded the station on to flat cars and hauled it in to Lamar. The railroad excepted the move mostly because they did not get along with the original owner. The station you went through was built in 1904.
The observation deck is my favorite part of the train. I stayed there during all of my trips. Jackson, MS-New Orleans, LA, Jackson, MS-Chicago,IL. Amtrak has always been very enjoyable.
Love taking Amtrak. I’ve done the Zephyr, Coast Starlight and Empire Builder. We split the Coast Starlight trip in two - we had a Roomette from LA to Emeryville and then a bedroom to Seattle. Personally, having a bedroom is the only way to go. I would like to do the Southwest Chief one of these days.
Great video, thanks! One other really specific thing you might want to bring on Amtrak, IF you're a smoker, and IF your legs are shot and can't make big steps back up into the train, is a small folding stepstool, with a rope tied on it so you can retrieve it. One of those little folding stools that cost about 15 bucks at Walmart. My last trip, from Chicago to Montana, featured several smoke stops that I didn't dare get out at, because I didn't think I'd be able to get back in. I know they have those little stools for just that reason, but I'll be darned if I could find one.
I’d say the hardest part of going cross country by train is picking what route to take. I want to take a circle journey of the country someday staying a few days in certain cities. I live in southern New Jersey so I’ve decided on starting going Philly to New York, New York to Chicago, but I can’t decide what route to do once I hit Chicago.
Those are Sandhill Cranes @11:35. Thank you for making these videos. I'm 22 minutes North of Union Station by Metra and always wanted to do this and the Glacier Amtrack route. This is solid scouting footage for me. Subscribed.
Congratulations on your engagement, I’m from Glasgow Scotland and I love your videos one day I will get back to America and would love to do the full amtrak experience just watching your video looks amazing especially going through all the little towns etc stay safe and thank you for sharing your journeys
I rode Amtrak east, Chicago to D.C. in a handicapped room in Oct. 2016. Stewards both ways were excellent, friendly and helpful which I was grateful as they took my order for breakfasts. Most of trips were overnight and so I stuck with just breakfast as far as meals go. The trip from Chicago to Cleveland was rough, feeling everything over the tracks. From there to D.C. it was very smooth and more enjoyable windows on each side of the room which was nice. I’ve been told trips west and south were a smoother ride. We hope to take a few trips west after pandemic eases and travel is safer.
In 1964, I took the Super Chief on this route. My family did not get a sleeper, we sat in the coach seats the entire trip. I was 9 years old it was an exciting trip for me, perhaps not so much for my mother! I have many memories that have lasted all this time!
I love train travel. When I was in college many, many, many years ago, I would take the very short train ride home on the weekends. Although I haven't been on the train lately because of the pandemic, I'm planning to take the Empire Builder from St Paul to visit my sister and her family in Washington state once we're back to more normal times. I've made that trip in a sleeper several times before and absolutely loved it. It's so much more relaxing than plane travel. And, being a natural hermit, I love being able to self-isolate from the other travelers. There was "real" food the last time I traveled and hopefully the current situation is just another result of the pandemic and will return to normal soon.
In the mid 60's my parents took me and a sister on that train route from Kansas City to LA, just before Christmas to visit my other sister and her family. We returned on New Years... with drunken partiers! This was way before Amtrak. It was the last Santa Fe Super Chief and was very plush! The food was great, the scenery was greater, and the time table for the two trips was the opposite so what we slept through on the way out was daylighton the way back. Couldn't miss watching from the elevated scenic car! We had a connecting double so it was roomy. That was my second train trip but a highlight of my life and I've done several other trips since then.
I took the journey on the Southwest Chief in 2001. Went from Sacramento, CA to Chicago and back. Loved traveling by train. Splurged on a sleeper room on the way back -- WITH a bathroom. Worst thing was having to take a shower down the hall that other people had used. Best thing was the scenery and the rocking, soothing feel of the train movement. I also took the train from Sacramento to Albuquerque another time. I'm not a "people person" so the hardest part was sitting so close to other people and also loud, misbehaving kids. I 'd do it again, but only in a private sleeper room.
I always loved traveling on Amtrak. I used to take lots of short trips (NYC to Albany, NY 2 hrs), medium trips, (NY to Williamsburg, VA 8 hrs), and once I took an overnight trip from NY to Orlando, FL. I love traveling by train!
Now that I have retired, I plan to take my first cross-country train trip this year. I found, by accident today, your video on the Zephyr, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Afterwards, I checked to see if you had a similar one on the Southwest Chief, and you did! I enjoyed it as well; both have given me something to which I can look forward. However, I just have a few questions: you mentioned WiFi on the Cardinal, but not on the Southwest Chief. Is there WiFi available on that train? Secondly, since so much of what you show is accessible to you because of your room accommodations, is the observation lounge on the Southwest Chief available/open to coach passengers or is there an observation lounge on that train? And lastly, are there shower accommodations for coach passengers? Thanx!
I've taken almost the identical journey as you did. Cardinal from DC to Chicago, and then the Chief from Chicago to LA. I did it in coach though. And I wouldnt have traded it for the world. The experience was amazing, the seats comfortable and spacious. And not a weird person in sight. I made great friends in coach on the Chief, most of them smokers who we all looked out for each other on the smoking stops. I do think the next time I will book a bedroom or at least a roomette for the journey but doing the coach journey was an adventure to treasure for a lifetime. We got stuck on the way back in Winslow AZ (cue many people doing their best Eagles covers singing about a flatbed Ford) due to a coal train derailment, but Amtrak took good care of us.
Not seen any of America. However, I have travelled both East to West and West to East on the Indian Pacific in Australia. Both times first class. Loved both journeys.
I traveled between Baltimore and Salt Lake City several times in the early 1990s. I did the trip in coach. Very comfortable seats. Dining car was exemplary most of the time. The best was dinner west of Denver. I had the best stuffed trout ever. That still holds true 30+ years later.
Btw, having traveling in Europe for several decades, I got more interested in getting on one of the Amtrak journeys that you introduced. Thank you for making these videos 👍
I’m stunned that it was that fast. I took Amtrak from San Antonio to Dallas (a five hour drive) and it took 12 hours. We did it for fun because my son and I are train lovers, but here freight takes precedence over passengers and we spent a lot of time shunted to the sidings waiting for them to pass.
I'm literally the guy who you recorded washing the windows 23:50 and we actually do have a airport here in Albuquerque, it's called the ABQ sunport it was cool to see myself in the video this was on my news feed I've been washing those windows for three years so seeing this was awesome 😎 I'll definitely share with my coworkers I hope you read this comment .
like your style and how you flipped the squeegee.. efficient and clean.. btw jack do the windows on the other side away from the platform get cleaned?
@Jeb Brooks I think telepathy is real, but men are too mean / angry. Some men look smarter in the mind. Some men focus much more on personality than others. “Alphas” never did. It’s only on what people look like.
A lot of men still see themselves as having “dominator genes” throughout the generations. The personality is the body ONLY for an “alpha”. Nothing more. It’s never a focus on ideas about consciousness itself. It’s shallow and embarrassing. # Christian Ideology
No one really “dominates”. Men share ideas of dominance, or they share ideas related to psychic development, which is always love-based (honesty) and friendly (fair). Two separate wavelengths. They never interact socially. Attraction is real.
People focusing on telepathy, and not using their minds to put other people down socially, avoid others that are aggressive, unfriendly, socially elitist, and violent. Prideful men (minds that are bodies) are aggressive. They are unkind.
When people are grouped together in large crowds, it feels tense and “atheist”. The more selfish and cruel men are, the less aware they are about telepathy. This is why it seems like it isn’t real for all of us sometimes, and many of us most of the time.
Why would men be really cruel and focused on telepathy simultaneously? Men either accept that others see right through them immediately, or they don’t. Those that don’t never control their thoughts. They have pride over being insensitive.
No one can be insensitive and focused on telepathy at the same time. It makes people look stupid. So those that are focused on elitism based on what people look like are the least aware. They are angry about it and forceful in the mind.
I believe these are the reasons as to why telepathy doesn’t seem real to a lot of people. We actually don’t focus our minds on each other directly at all. What we do is focus on money, talent, and popularity together (material). Our minds feel trapped.
If telepathy is real, and we ignore it so that we can hurt other people socially, we will never be happy on Earth. Our species will die out, and we will destroy the planet before we get to that point. We must act immediately. We must grow.
I was thinking when I saw that, “This guy’s an animal!” So cool how you replied. If you’re ever in California on a train, I’ll see if I recognize you by your pic. But I do see you as “practically famous”. You’re mos def on your way!
Ha ha.
Coool Jack it’s good to meet new people. Keep up the good work. From California. 👍
I took a 3.5 day ride from the east coast to the west coast, taking a total of 3 trains and a bus to get from NY to SF. It was one of the highlights of my first trip to the States and the view was amazing! We went through so many different sceneries as we were crossing the country, from snowy trees to open desert. It truly is an underrated way to travel.
Jeb,
Great itinerary. This route is one of very few that stops in Colorado ( other than Denver). I like it because of that: Lamar,LaJunta,and Trinidad.
There are promises to connect lines from Denver south to Colorado Springs, Pueblo,and the other southerly venues. This is important for those who want to change trains to go West to LA and beyond.
It would be great to have proper stations for all of the stops due to weather and for accessibility to a manned ticket window. Holding good thoughts for the above!
Very cool. I drive a truck. It's about 4 days coast to coast solo.
Would love to see high speed rail over flights in the States. Terminals in Europe are so cool.
Jeb, I don't remember how I first came across your channel. But I greatly enjoy it. Your calm demeanor and camera presence make us feel like we're traveling right along with you. Your honest opinions and feelings make your videos that much more authentic. Your love for what you do and your fans is very evident. Thank you for allowing us to ride along with you!
As long as the train is a way to get there, rather than an experience similar to an ocean cruise, it will always remain a vestigial tail of cross country travel. It would be much different if it had been reworked into a leisure marketing campaign: The family road trip, without all the hassles. Extended stopovers in major cities along the route. A true hotel which goes with you. Viking river cruises, but on land. But it might now be too late to take that approach.
In 1984 I graduated from college and tried to talk some friends to drive cross country. I had no takers. I took a train from Baltimore to San Diego. What a great trip it was.
I think Amtrak will make a comeback. The younger generations have that urge to travel as evident by van life. Amtrak has so many options like the auto train from va to fl, so I think they will be good
Everyone should ride the train at least once. I've enjoyed numerous long trips, Christmas was special, stayed awake during the night to see little towns, farms all lite up. Thanks for taking me along this evening.
The trains are nice. But amtrak needs to keep the restrooms cleaner.
And people (most) should stop being such pigs. I only travel by train, due to a medical condition. It's trying at times. Filth and no respect.
I’ve ridden the American train system which is quite embarrassing.
''All lite up'' ........ Oh dear.
Christmas is the best time riding the rails..
I hope we develope more train travel in this country. With high gas prices, as well as the polution, I think rail travel could be a real plus. I love taking the train, whenever I can. For me though, living in rural Oregon, the nearest train station is an hour away. Not convenient at all. ..Thanks for these videos. I love watching them.
Yes, I have crossed the US by train several times. I found your comments echoed my own thoughts. I loved seeing the geography of the US come alive for me as I crossed the continent from east to west, eastern forests to Midwest prairie to Great Plains to mountains to desert. It really was a wonderful experience.
I'd love to go cross country on Amtrak, but the money and convincing my family to go with me are two major hurdles, so until both of those things line up, I can live vicariously through people like you. Thank you for this video. :)
You know what would be cool? If you would show an on-screen map of the route and where on the route you were for the stops the train made. Oh and the time-stamps were super helpful and informative. Thanks for these great & fun videos!
Oops. Spoke a little too soon. I see that you put “some” mapping on screen. 😜
I used to work as a secretary to a local chairman of the U.T.U. Local 292, and I got to ride the trains very frequently. It was great getting on a train in Syracuse NY heading for NY and being able to talk to the conductors while traveling about the newsletter we used to put out once a month, etc. Back then in the 70's they were talking about the Turbo Trains. They have come a long way since then havent they!!?!?! I guess watching this, I will learn a lot now!
Congrats Jeb on your engagement. Hopefully things get better in the aviation industry and you can experience the residence on your honeymoon if etihad doesn’t retire it’s a380’s. BTW Dr Pepper is made with prunes
His fiance looks pretty hot.
No prunes in Dr. Pepper.
@David Thaler No one will ever know the complete ingredient list. But the company might skirt the issue by saying it doesn't contain prune juice (made from all varieties of dried plums) while not admitting that the possibility of the juice of fresh squeezed black plums is on the list. Prune juice is made from dried prunes while plum juice is made from fresh squeezed plums.
There are no prunes, juiced or otherwise, in Dr Pepper. That rumor’s been around for nearly a century and has been repeatedly debunked.
I didn’t realize the family bedrooms didn’t have their own restrooms! For me, that actually makes them a step down from the regular bedrooms - unless you’re traveling with a whole family.
Family bedroom is a step down….bathroom in a “Bedroom” is not near where you sleep. That’s only in the old East of Chicago Roomettes
For me it,s a plus. I find it discussing having a toilet right beside your head while your seedling! Everyone have is preference I guess.
When I was younger my family traveled Amtrak from SLC to Seattle WA. The west coast from San Francisco to Seattle had some seriously awesome scenery!!!
As does the SF-LA segment, which runs right along the ocean for miles in SoCal.
Amtrak also provides commuter trains between San Diego and Los Angeles, which many uses for daily commutes to work. Onboard provides plugs for laptops and gears working during commuter time or lets you relax catching a nap en route to and from work.
I took the SWC from Chicago to LA back in 2016. My dad and I are going to take the California Zephyr from SF to Chicago this fall. I love rail travel, and I love Amtrak. We are blessed to have such service in this country.
I also rode the Cardinal from Newark NJ Penn station and the Southwest Chief to LA. I too had a bedroom. I did however enjoy sitting in the Metropolitan lounge in Chicago. The entire ride was awesome. Although I traveled this route 5 years ago, I still share pictures of my rail journey to my students and others as well. This is definitely a trip that I will undergo again. Thank you for your post!
I love train travel. Our country really needs to support Amtrak, by investing in it’s rails and the culture of train travel. Europe is heads above the US in the quality and pricing of traveling by train. Thanks for sharing your travels. I hope to be on one of these routes soon!
@videofan1010 no
Train travel makes more sense in smaller places where things are closer together...
Made this journey almost 10 years ago, DC to LA , and I must say it was a profound life experience. Not only the peace ,tranquility and relaxing fact of just allowing time to pass and watch the enormity of the US and it’s changing scenery, but meeting people and generally enhancing my life.
I took this exact trip years ago and it was great - NYC-Chicago-LA on Southwest Chief. We stopped long enough in some cities to even take in the sights and even had an incredible breakfast in Denver in the city's oldest and elegant hotel. If you have the opportunity, do it. I would love to take this trip again.
Lamar Colorado is is one of my most favorite places out west. It is a small town that has grown and still has its small-town flavor. The people are friendly and service is excellent on every level. They also have a museum interpreting the past of the town as well as introducing the present. I drive a lot and have to take off for 34 hours from time to time and I always try to make Lamar Colorado that 34-hour stop.
Videos like this are so important. Vital, actually. Many folks dont really know this exists. Its a wonderful way to travel. I spent every friday night for 2 years, traveling Amtrak, operated by Metro North, back in 1990s - from New Haven to Boston.
I'd like to see Amtrak make a huge comeback, expand their rails. Fill up their trains, upgrade their Cars. It really is a magestic way to travel.
Its so sad to see the state of things, now.
Folks need to Keep America Great and build on what we had!
So far, my wife and I have made 5 "overnight" trips from Philadelphia on Amtrak. They were 3 to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 1 to New Orleans, and another from N.O. on to Phoenix. We are in our late 70s, so we book a roomette for each of us to avoid having to use the top bunk. This also gives you some private time as well as more room for your baggage. We are going to Florida again in 4 weeks. We do fly home each time. Some of our train travel is free, thanks to my Amtrak Master Card usage.
Best part about this train videos is that they give us an idea about scale of country. Changing scenery, small towns that pass by, some minor details related to a particular train station (like being the only connecting link to rest of country for a particular town), all these makes us appreciate how trains are vital part of infrastructure.
It’s a real shame that this train went through Arizona at night. Those parts are incredibly beautiful and you get to see the transition from desert to shrubs to lush pine forests and mountains, then back to desert at the California state line.
After 44 hours of train travel with AMTRAK... Did you arrive in LA 10 minutes EARLY??? Man, you were SOOOOO LUCKY! It is more than usual to arrive 5 HOURS LATE on a trip like that!!! 😊
Hi Jeb, Amtrak has returned to full cooked meal service in the diner. My wife and have traveled from the east coast to west coast on all the long distance trains. I would guess at least 30 to 40 times. The family bedroom is our favorite accommodation. We always stock up on wine in Chicago and some snacks. The train is one of the best ways to travel.
People in coach aren’t allowed to eat in the dining car.
I just came across your channel a week ago Jeb, and loving watching your videos.
I've been on a roadtrip from coast-to-coast mid USA, but there's something very soothing about the idea of travelling across a country by train, and I do hope to see more of your beautiful country by train during a future trip.
Greetings to you from Australia.
I pretty much grew up on trains, since my dad worked on the railroad. I have made many trips on Amtrak including a cross country trip from Portland, OR to New York, as well as a complete rail trip around the entire country - Portland, OR to Chicago to Wash. DC to New Orleans to LA then up the coast back to Portland, OR. It's the best way to travel if you have the time.
I have taken 2 cross country trips with Amtrak what an incredible enjoyable way to see the country!
If you plan a trip on AMTRAK be very flexible with your time schedule!! All train tracks except the Northeast are owned by freight companies. The freight haulers get priority on the tracks and passenger trains gets sidelined. We were 9 hours late getting into Seattle from Chicago. Coming back to NC, we fell so late that we were bussed from Southern Illinois to Indianapolis to catch a connection out of Chicago to Greensboro!!
I'd like to mention that Las Vegas, NM has one of the few remaining Harvey House Hotels, the Casteneda. It's been restored after many years of neglect, and is a gorgeous hotel and fabulous restaurant again! It stands right nextdoor to the train station and easily viewable from the train. Next trip on the Southwest Chief check it out!
I travelled between Pasadena, CA and Flagstaff several times between 1968 and 1971 since I attended forestry school at Northern Arizona University. Santa Fe installed the two level carriages in the early to mid 1960s. When AmTrac took over passenger service, all of the double decker cars transferred from Santa Fe to Amtrak. Ironically, Santa Fe passenger trains ran next to my grade school (on the other side of the fence) powered by large steam engines. Every time one went by, I paid more attention to it than class.
I’m scared of heights but I have to travel to California and New York one day. I literally am a person that had to know information before it happens. I needed to see this. Thank you so much
Thanks so much. This video brings back memories of a train trip my family took between Chicago and LA in December 1964 when I was seven. The route seems to be pretty much the same. I remember passing Pike’s Peak, and Albuquerque was a fresh air stop back then, too. I also remember seeing a few prairie dogs while going through New Mexico. Great memories!
One of my bucket lists coming from London travelling on a train across the USA is freaking awesome.
I love watching America roll by. I have taken the Southwest Chief round trip a couple of times, with my final destinations being L.A. or Flagstaff to and from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Good point about meeting new people on Amtrak and "fresh air breeaks". The trip and not the destination is is key when traveling Amtrak. Excellent video and thanks!
When the border opens you should try the VIA Rail The Canadian route from Vancouver, B.C. to Toronto, Ont. or vice versa from Toronto to Vancouver. I would love to hear your comments on that piece of Canadian history.
In Europe, we have private rail car owner clubs where you can rent a luxury rail car that will be hitched to a regular train. I heard that the same is true in the US. If you can do and document a trip like that, that would be amazing to watch.
Yes you can link a private car to back of Amtrak… for fee of course
Love that your making the best out of domestic travel during the pandemic!
I went from LA to NY, with a layover in Chicago, the same trip. Highly recommend it if you want to see the whole US, but have patience, and try not to go in the winter. The trains from Chicago to NY are the smaller trains, and the toilets freeze over during snowstorms. While traveling through Indiana, we hit a blizzard, and sure enough I had to go to the bathroom. I guess the toilets had overfilled prior to freezing because there was yellow ice and frozen turds in the toilets. Saw interesting things though, like an Amish family was picked up in Albuquerque and dropped off in some small town in Kansas, I had never seen Amish and Amish country. You also travel through several Indian reservations
Ah somebody who enjoys the bliss and absolute peace with the world on trains... I wish I had more times like this it can really reset me and make me a better human!
Jeb, nice video, and I appreciate the attempts at humor! I do love both trains and train travel to my core, so this is a welcome view into a route I’ve long wanted to do! I live in CA, and have taken the Pacific Surfliner a million times, and the Coast Starlight from Santa Barbara to Portland once, a long time ago on my only ‘romantic’ rail journey with my new wife at the time. Those are long-ago days for me - she died many years ago, and is now simply and happily referred to as the ‘mother-of-my-children.’ The years do fly by - almost faster than the landscapes on an epic train journey. Much though, to the point, that life is an epic journey, to be lived and savored - the journey is always the best part of any adventure. It defines the adventure, and your inference of slowing down and absorbing the experience, feeling the motion and rolling, hearing the patterns of sounds of the steel wheels pushing across the rails, the smells of the food, good or bad... they all define the experience, much as you will associate the feeling spent doing what you love with someone you love. My guess is that will always bring a warm feeling inside and a smile to your face. Thanks for sharing your trip! Stay safe and healthy!
Beautifully written ❤
Have you ever traveled in Europe on a train? One of the great travel pleasures in first class!
A private family bedroom sounds like the way to go since it might include your own, private "WC" too! A very nice luxury.
How meta is this... I am watching this on the Southwest Chief. I watch every video and it just so happens that the timing of this was perfect. I am in a roomette and let me say I am glad you enjoyed it. I take five or so trips a year on Amtrak to do writing and the highlight, until now, has been the food. Still super relaxing but I do miss the steak, the burger, and the cooked to order omelets. I hope you can travel again when the food is better.
One tip I have is that I always bring a power strip and an extension cord so everyone can have power during the day and you can send the cord up to the bunk to charge phones.
In terms of the future of Amtrak, I am hopeful. New environmentally friendly Siemens Charger locomotives are being built and modified to handle long distances. New Acelas next year that have been called the most technologically advanced trains. Supposedly full dining is coming back May 2021.
I am also hopeful for new Superliners in the near future. New Viewliner sleepers are slowly coming off the line... did I mention slowly.
The food isn’t back yet 😢
I love the Sightseeing Lounge on the Southwest Chief, i love when you're in the Lounge you can see the front and the rear of the train.
The most challenging thing for me would be getting on and off the train. I'd love to take the Texas eagle but I'm elderly and steps and stairs are very difficult. Even with assistance, it would be a problem. I travel through your videos! Thanks for that👍
I’ve been thinking about doing this. Wanted to get the family room but it’s so pricy 😩 never the less I really enjoyed both videos. They were extremely informative thanks!
Hi Jeb I’m from the U.K. and loving your videos travelling The USA on Amtrak it’s my dream to do this and I’m getting so many tips watching Thankyou very much 🙏😇🇬🇧🇺🇸
My parents were from Raton and my great-grandfather was a engineer for the AT&SF. Great to see the Raton sign again, climbed that hill many times as a kid.
I appreciate those kind words of the Southwest Chief. Being a passenger rail advocate with my rail advocacy organization and my hobby which is railroad photography. It has been a long decade to ensure the Southwest Chief remained on her current route. Amtrak has tried to terminate the service and or re route the service out of Raton pass. I live along the route between ABQ & LMY and see the Southwest Chief passes behind my house daily which always brings a smile to my face. I frequently use Amtrak’s Southwest Chief and I never get bored with the route. But allot of your comments on the scenery of the Southwest Chief seems to never get old and I always learn something new.
@Sam Harris yes I know that, hence why I didn’t state the obvious. I’m stating past tense dude. No need to take it 100% literal.
My one and only train experience was Chicago to Las Vegas back in 1987. It went to Salt Lake City and split 3 ways. Seattle, San Francisco, and we went south towards Las Vegas and it ended up in Los Angeles. The views were fantastic. Going through the Sierra mountains at night was like traveling on the moon.
What a journey! I wish I'll get the chance to journey like you did. I have taken Amtrak many times but no long trips yet.
I would say that the food issues are more of an issue because of the pandemic. We've traveled up to New York and the meals were really nice. But it was pretty cool to see this trip thank you for sharing.
I made this journey late September 2014. I continued onward to San Francisco (well, actually Emeryville) on Coast Starlight. The hardest part of the journey was having to rely on what I had on my cabin baggage. Because of a misunderstanding, my baggage did not travel with me and completed the cross-country journey about twelve hours earlier, on California Zephyr! I still remember attracting some suspicious glances when I finally arrived and claimed my baggage. Being Middle Eastern does wonders in these situations ;)
Thank you for sharing this video. Last June, I took a cross country train ride from Flint, Mi. to Chicago ( Blue Water ), then switched to Empire Builder all the way to Seattle. 5 days later, took Coast Starlight from Tacoma to Sacramento, and on layover for 5 hours, took California Zephyr from Sacramento back to Chicago, and then back to Blue Water; it was a vacation of a lifetime. Lord willing, if I ever do something like this again, I want to ride on the Southwest Chief.
Epic.
Having been wanting to do this trip for years, I am watching this video in Munich, Germany. Videos like this help me a lot during whe Covid19 situation and all the travel restrictions. Thank you for all the work which you must have put into this project!
I think there are two ways for Amtrak to go. The first is that it’s properly funded, buys track all around the country, and convinces people to start using it. The second is that it dies out and doesn’t get replaced.
I took Amtrak from Chicago, IL to Emeryville, CA (San Francisco). It was a great trip but I learned something from a friend later. Make sure you take your long distance trips on Amtrak in Late Spring or Early Summer. The days are much longer. If you take your trip closer to Christmas, you will spend a lot of time in the dark wishing you could see the scenery.
We've taken the Coast Starlight and the Zephyr many times with our now 9-year-old son. Simply the best way to travel. Great review, thanks.
Like yourself, I've been around the world [literally] 125 times on air travel. I'd pick the train any day of the week. No TSA check. Easy access to all of my items on board. Take a bottle of wine on board. Snacks. Pre-downloaded movies. All yes.
Another great video! Have driven through Raton Pass & went up El Captan ( an extinct volcano rising off the flat desert floor) Other than that its all new to me. Had to drive for hours to see these sites. Must be nice to have someone else drive.
Departing Chicago10/22 at 2:50PM and arriving into Los Angeles Union Station on 10/24 at 7:55AM, I just completed a trip on the Southwest Chief in Car 331 Bedroom A. As a late 2021 update: Car purser and dining attendant (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) service has returned and is included for sleeping accommodations passengers. I brought snacks, water, and bourbon. In addition to seeing how spectacular the US's Great Plains, mountains, rivers, small farming towns, and big cities are, I truly enjoyed meeting my fellow Americans. In ages when we can get anywhere quickly, it was the experience of seeing America and meeting people that made this an unforgettable experience.
This brought back a flood of memories, thank you! I was pregnant with my first child and we took a regular Amtrak from Boston to Chicago and then a roomette on the same line as you (except 27 years ago). It was my dream to do this, versus flying, and was not disappointed. After ALB, we were even seated that night at dinner with Tyne Daly (from Cagney and Lacy) because she made that trip often and was afraid of flying. I would only add to do this trip around Christmas because at night, when the scenery would otherwise be pitch black, we saw so many distant twinkling Christmas lights. You've kindled something in me to recreate this trip, maybe the other way around now!
I love train travel! It is awesome. :)
I’m looking forward to using my rail pass this year to take a train trip from NC to CA. Your videos have been so informative. Thank you for doing this!!!
We did the SW Chief a long time ago. We got off in Albuquerque and got a rental car to explore AZ, NM & NV. We loved the train ride there and back to Michigan.
I traveled on amtrack from Livingston Montana to Seattle in the late 70s. They’ve since closed that route. It’s too bad because I’d do it again, it was so beautiful and fun. I had a my 2 year old so we had a sleeper. I loved riding on a train.
Took the SW Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago. My first trip across the country by train was great; traveled by coach. Had plenty of room, privacy, and quiet time. Only downfall was no wifi. But definitely would do again.
I enjoy train travel for many reasons, including relaxing and having no road rage to worry about. I think you have the best videos. You're good at taking us through the experience in a friendly way. I appreciate it.
I've gone from Chicago to Boston in coach; @ 26 hours. Man, too hard to sleep sitting up. I would not want to do that for more than one night.
I went from Chicago to Seattle. Awesome. In a roomette. Fantastic. Loved it. Though, at 63, I don't think the top bunk would be a good fit. Going to the bathroom in the middle of the night? No.
The worst part is the cost. If the cost were lower, more people would take Amtrak. More trains, less cars.
Made this trip half a dozen times. Loved it every time. Counting my other trips on Amtrak, I've traveled nearly 100,000 mile by train.
Love these videos. Lots to see both inside the trains and surrounding scenery. All good no doubt.
Even so, very different from train travel in the 60's. We lived in Iowa, and traveled to Idaho to see family 4 times. The first time in 1962 during the Seattle Worlds Fair. The last was in 1969, getting us home just in time to see the first Apollo moon landing.
In June 1977 I took the Sunset Limited from Houston to L.A. and it has remained one of the most wonderful memories I will cherish.
I have driven cross country dozens of time. This is a big, beautiful country. Taking a train is on my bucket list. I got to see a lot of the country, but I didn't really get to "enjoy" the trips.
Interesting fact about Lamar Colorado (my Home town) the train station you went through was original west of Lamar called the Blackwell station. In may of 1888 several cowboys hatched a plan to move the station in to the town of Lamar. The dispute was over land office agreements and cattle loading fees. In the middle of the night several cowboys loaded the station on to flat cars and hauled it in to Lamar. The railroad excepted the move mostly because they did not get along with the original owner. The station you went through was built in 1904.
The observation deck is my favorite part of the train. I stayed there during all of my trips. Jackson, MS-New Orleans, LA, Jackson, MS-Chicago,IL. Amtrak has always been very enjoyable.
An Amtrak travel adventure is on my "bucket list" Thank you for this segment.
Thanks for the content, brother. Huge travel enthusiast myself. Such an adventure living through these vids. Keep doing what you're doing.
Love taking Amtrak. I’ve done the Zephyr, Coast Starlight and Empire Builder. We split the Coast Starlight trip in two - we had a Roomette from LA to Emeryville and then a bedroom to Seattle. Personally, having a bedroom is the only way to go. I would like to do the Southwest Chief one of these days.
Great video, thanks! One other really specific thing you might want to bring on Amtrak, IF you're a smoker, and IF your legs are shot and can't make big steps back up into the train, is a small folding stepstool, with a rope tied on it so you can retrieve it. One of those little folding stools that cost about 15 bucks at Walmart. My last trip, from Chicago to Montana, featured several smoke stops that I didn't dare get out at, because I didn't think I'd be able to get back in. I know they have those little stools for just that reason, but I'll be darned if I could find one.
I’d say the hardest part of going cross country by train is picking what route to take. I want to take a circle journey of the country someday staying a few days in certain cities. I live in southern New Jersey so I’ve decided on starting going Philly to New York, New York to Chicago, but I can’t decide what route to do once I hit Chicago.
Well, when you get to Chicago, don't get out of the train, you may never make it back home! But it's a nice route.
Those are Sandhill Cranes @11:35. Thank you for making these videos. I'm 22 minutes North of Union Station by Metra and always wanted to do this and the Glacier Amtrack route. This is solid scouting footage for me. Subscribed.
Congratulations on your engagement, I’m from Glasgow Scotland and I love your videos one day I will get back to America and would love to do the full amtrak experience just watching your video looks amazing especially going through all the little towns etc stay safe and thank you for sharing your journeys
I rode Amtrak east, Chicago to D.C. in a handicapped room in Oct. 2016. Stewards both ways were excellent, friendly and helpful which I was grateful as they took my order for breakfasts. Most of trips were overnight and so I stuck with just breakfast as far as meals go. The trip from Chicago to Cleveland was rough, feeling everything over the tracks. From there to D.C. it was very smooth and more enjoyable windows on each side of the room which was nice. I’ve been told trips west and south were a smoother ride. We hope to take a few trips west after pandemic eases and travel is safer.
In 1964, I took the Super Chief on this route. My family did not get a sleeper, we sat in the coach seats the entire trip. I was 9 years old it was an exciting trip for me, perhaps not so much for my mother! I have many memories that have lasted all this time!
I love train travel. When I was in college many, many, many years ago, I would take the very short train ride home on the weekends. Although I haven't been on the train lately because of the pandemic, I'm planning to take the Empire Builder from St Paul to visit my sister and her family in Washington state once we're back to more normal times. I've made that trip in a sleeper several times before and absolutely loved it. It's so much more relaxing than plane travel. And, being a natural hermit, I love being able to self-isolate from the other travelers. There was "real" food the last time I traveled and hopefully the current situation is just another result of the pandemic and will return to normal soon.
In the mid 60's my parents took me and a sister on that train route from Kansas City to LA, just before Christmas to visit my other sister and her family. We returned on New Years... with drunken partiers! This was way before Amtrak. It was the last Santa Fe Super Chief and was very plush! The food was great, the scenery was greater, and the time table for the two trips was the opposite so what we slept through on the way out was daylighton the way back. Couldn't miss watching from the elevated scenic car! We had a connecting double so it was roomy. That was my second train trip but a highlight of my life and I've done several other trips since then.
I took the journey on the Southwest Chief in 2001. Went from Sacramento, CA to Chicago and back. Loved traveling by train. Splurged on a sleeper room on the way back -- WITH a bathroom. Worst thing was having to take a shower down the hall that other people had used. Best thing was the scenery and the rocking, soothing feel of the train movement. I also took the train from Sacramento to Albuquerque another time. I'm not a "people person" so the hardest part was sitting so close to other people and also loud, misbehaving kids. I 'd do it again, but only in a private sleeper room.
I always loved traveling on Amtrak. I used to take lots of short trips (NYC to Albany, NY 2 hrs), medium trips, (NY to Williamsburg, VA 8 hrs), and once I took an overnight trip from NY to Orlando, FL. I love traveling by train!
Now that I have retired, I plan to take my first cross-country train trip this year. I found, by accident today, your video on the Zephyr, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Afterwards, I checked to see if you had a similar one on the Southwest Chief, and you did! I enjoyed it as well; both have given me something to which I can look forward. However, I just have a few questions: you mentioned WiFi on the Cardinal, but not on the Southwest Chief. Is there WiFi available on that train? Secondly, since so much of what you show is accessible to you because of your room accommodations, is the observation lounge on the Southwest Chief available/open to coach passengers or is there an observation lounge on that train? And lastly, are there shower accommodations for coach passengers? Thanx!
I've taken almost the identical journey as you did. Cardinal from DC to Chicago, and then the Chief from Chicago to LA. I did it in coach though. And I wouldnt have traded it for the world. The experience was amazing, the seats comfortable and spacious. And not a weird person in sight. I made great friends in coach on the Chief, most of them smokers who we all looked out for each other on the smoking stops. I do think the next time I will book a bedroom or at least a roomette for the journey but doing the coach journey was an adventure to treasure for a lifetime. We got stuck on the way back in Winslow AZ (cue many people doing their best Eagles covers singing about a flatbed Ford) due to a coal train derailment, but Amtrak took good care of us.
Not seen any of America. However, I have travelled both East to West and West to East on the Indian Pacific in Australia. Both times first class. Loved both journeys.
Train travel is just so fun and relaxing.
I traveled between Baltimore and Salt Lake City several times in the early 1990s. I did the trip in coach. Very comfortable seats. Dining car was exemplary most of the time. The best was dinner west of Denver. I had the best stuffed trout ever. That still holds true 30+ years later.
My flying phobia finally got the best of me. I went cross country by train and loved it.
Your videos are very professionally filmed and edited!
Thank you so much!
Btw, having traveling in Europe for several decades, I got more interested in getting on one of the Amtrak journeys that you introduced. Thank you for making these videos 👍
I’m stunned that it was that fast. I took Amtrak from San Antonio to Dallas (a five hour drive) and it took 12 hours. We did it for fun because my son and I are train lovers, but here freight takes precedence over passengers and we spent a lot of time shunted to the sidings waiting for them to pass.