I may know the answer to my own question, but no doubt others of you can confirm and then elaborate. What passenger train route in the US or Canada is the longest, without passengers having to leave that train or change trains (and accommodations) between its origin and its final destination?
Within the US, I suppose it would be the Southwest Chief. But, isn't there a trans-Canadian train route, which surely would be longer? By what means could I learn about such a route, including perhaps joining a guided excursion thereon?
Thanks for any information and/or advice.
The longest route in the U.S. or Canada that does not require a change of trains or accommodations is the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver. The distance is 4,466 kilometers or approximately 2,791.25 miles.
Amtrak's top five long distance runners are the Texas Eagle from Chicago to LA (2,728 miles); the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville (2,438 miles); the Southwest Chief from Chicago to LA (2,265 miles); the Empire Builder from Chicago to Portland (2,255 miles); and the Sunset Limited from New Orleans to LA (1.995 miles).
Prior to the discontinuance of the New Orleans to Orlando segment of the Sunset Limited route, the Sunset was the longest Amtrak route that did not require a change of trains. The distance was 2,764 miles.
This information was obtained from the timetables posted on the ViaRail and Amtrak web pages. The distance for the Sunset Limited when it ran from Orlando to LA was obtained from an old Amtrak timetable.
The Texas Eagle runs Chicago to San Antonio and has cars which continue through on the Sunset Limited to Los Angeles, so it does strictly speaking require a change of trains.
Patrick Boylan
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gardendance The Texas Eagle runs Chicago to San Antonio and has cars which continue through on the Sunset Limited to Los Angeles, so it does strictly speaking require a change of trains.
No change of accommodations (presenting criteria) is required at San Antonio on the Texas Eagle. The through cars are designated Train #421 and #422. Admittedly, it is a bit of a stretch to say that the Eagle west of San Antonio is a separate train, but that is how it is shown in the timetable.
The issue will probably resolve itself this fall when the Texas Eagle will replace the Sunset Limited and become a real through train. Or at least that is the rumor, which appears to be gaining credence every day.
Thank you "gardendance" for your (and the previous) responses to my query.
For my clarification: Can I book a Bedroom on the Texas Eagle out of Chicago and retain (i.e. stay in) that same Bedroom (thus on the same original Sleeping Car) from San Antonio on to Los Angeles? If so, I am assuming that these designated Sleeping Cars ONLY (with the same original Car Attendants) are moved from the Texas Eagle onto the Sunset Limited at San Antonio, whereas those Sleeping Car passengers would now be using a new (Sunset Limited) Dining Car, Observation Car, et al. Correct?
But, as you say, all this may change when and if the Sunset Limited is replaced.
travelingengineer Thank you "gardendance" for your (and the previous) responses to my query. For my clarification: Can I book a Bedroom on the Texas Eagle out of Chicago and retain (i.e. stay in) that same Bedroom (thus on the same original Sleeping Car) from San Antonio on to Los Angeles? If so, I am assuming that these designated Sleeping Cars ONLY (with the same original Car Attendants) are moved from the Texas Eagle onto the Sunset Limited at San Antonio, whereas those Sleeping Car passengers would now be using a new (Sunset Limited) Dining Car, Observation Car, et al. Correct? But, as you say, all this may change when and if the Sunset Limited is replaced.
If you book a bedroom on the Texas Eagle (Eagle) from Chicago to LA, you will stay in the same room through to LA or any other point west of San Antonio (SA), with Del Rio being the first stop west of the Alamo City. The westbound sleeping car is usually designated 2130 whilst the east bound sleeping car is usually designated 2230. A coach also goes through. Thus, coach passengers do not need to change cars in SA.
The southbound and westbound Eagle (21 and 421) arrives in SA at 9:55 p.m. Through passengers have ample time to grab a late night snack at one of several restaurants near the station, or they can walk up to the River Walk for some adult beverages and possibly some late night entertainment. The westbound Sunset Limited (Limited) is due in SA at 3:00 a.m. It is scheduled to depart SA at 5:40 a.m. Sometime between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., if my experience is any indicator, the Texas Eagle through cars are moved from the train that brought them from Chicago and placed on the back of the Limited. Eastbound the process is reversed, except the dwell time in San Antonio for the east bound train is even longer than the layover for the west bound train (7 hour, 45 minutes westbound vs. 9 hours, 30 minutes eastbound and northbound).
The sleeping car attendants are changed in SA. This is the only place that I know of where Amtrak changes the sleeping car attendants on a supposedly through train. The sleeping car attendant from Chicago to SA is a Chicago based crew member. The attendant west of SA is a LA based crew member.
I took the Eagle from Austin to LA in January. Westbound the Chicago based attendant stayed on the car until approximately 5:00 a.m., when he was relieved by the LA based attendant. Eastbound the LA based attendant stayed on the car until approximately 6:00 a.m., when he was relieved by the Chicago based attendant. I believe the Chicago based coach attendant, who services the Eagle coaches (usually two) from Chicago to SA, terminates his or her run in SA and heads back to Chicago the next day. The LA coach attendant, who runs through from LA to New Orleans and back, services the through coach west of SA.
Thank you, "Sam1," You (and others) are most knowledgeable, with quite detailed information that will be of value to me. I will forego the originally-mentioned trans-Canada "longest" route, in favor of taking the Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago, then return via the Texas Eagle to San Antonio, hooking on to the Sunset Limited (if still separate) back to Los Angeles. Albeit rather expensive, regardless of the rate code acquired, with Bedrooms all the way!
With the Texas Eagle Sleeping Cars hooked onto the back of the Sunset Limited, I assume that one would traverse all the way forward through the Texas Eagle Coach and Observation cars to get to the Sunset Limited Dining Car for meals. No big deal, though.
Thanks.
CP Rail used to run the Canadian between Montreal - Vancouver and Toronto - Vancouver. The two trains were joined at Sudbury, Ontario. When VIA took over the passenger trains throughout Canada the Canadian then went on CN trackage Toronto - Vancouver only, dropping the Montreal to Sudbury portion CP used to run daily service. VIA now runs three days a week. Check the pricing on VIA against AMTRAK and I believe you will find AMTRAK considerably cheaper. (That is what I found several years ago when checking pricing Montreal-Toronto-Vancouver on VIA and Philadelphia-Chicago-Seattle-Vancouver on AMTRAK ) I haven't check the costs lately, so I may stand corrected. Also there used to be two cross country trains following the above route - The Canadian and the Dominion. The Dominion used to make more frequent stops and I believe took about twelve more hours to cross Canada.
Sam1The longest route in the U.S. or Canada that does not require a change of trains or accommodations is the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver. The distance is 4,466 kilometers or approximately 2,791.25 miles. Amtrak's top five long distance runners are the Texas Eagle from Chicago to LA (2,728 miles); the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville (2,438 miles); the Southwest Chief from Chicago to LA (2,265 miles); the Empire Builder from Chicago to Portland (2,255 miles); and the Sunset Limited from New Orleans to LA (1.995 miles). Prior to the discontinuance of the New Orleans to Orlando segment of the Sunset Limited route, the Sunset was the longest Amtrak route that did not require a change of trains. The distance was 2,764 miles. This information was obtained from the timetables posted on the ViaRail and Amtrak web pages. The distance for the Sunset Limited when it ran from Orlando to LA was obtained from an old Amtrak timetable.
Sam1 Prior to the discontinuance of the New Orleans to Orlando segment of the Sunset Limited route, the Sunset was the longest Amtrak route that did not require a change of trains. The distance was 2,764 miles.
Please remember when the Sunset Limited was originally extended east of New Orleans it ran all the way to Miami, Florida.
From Amtrak's Spring / Summer 1993 National Timetable I found these distances for long distance trains:
Sunset Limited = 3066 miles LA to Miami, Texas Eagle = 2767 miles Chicago to LA, Pioneer = [2689 miles Chicago to Seattle via D&RGW route through Colorado, 2662 miles Chicago to Seattle via UP route through Wyoming (in 1993 TT)], California Zephyr = 2416 miles Chicago to Oakland, Desert Wind = 2397 miles Chicago to LA, Empire Builder = [2261 miles Chicago to Portland, Ore. section, 2209 miles Chicago to Seattle section], Southwest Chief = 2247 miles Chicago to LA, Coast Starlight = 1389 miles Seattle to LA, Silver Meteor = 1389 miles New York City to Miami (Silver Star may have been about 40 miles longer due to different routings through Carolinas and Florida), Crescent = 1380 miles NYC to New Orleans, Cardinal = 1154 miles NYC to Chicago (current TT shows1147 miles for what looks to be exact same route?). It was also interesting to note in the 1993 timetable, the Texas Eagle was daily between Chicago and San Antonio, TX (1308 miles) and also had a daily section Chicago to Houston, TX (1256 miles) which separated from / rejoined to the main train at Dallas, TX. No other long distance Amtrak trains exceeded 1000 miles traveled.
Railfanjohn
Thank you, "Railfanjohn" and others, for your vast knowledge (and informational resources) of long-distance passenger trains. Shortly after my son was born, my wife, son, and I took the Super Chief overnight in the winter of 1969 just from LA to Flagstaff, and had a delightful time aboard (exquisite dining car service, etc.), followed by a few days at the South Rim of Grand Canyon, then return. A tad more luxurious on that Super Chief than on the current Southwest Chief now, but it served to put serious railroad passenger travel on my wish list in the future, which is lately.
Nonetheless, the Superliner accommodations now are quite adequate for me, regardless of the usual complaints. In a sense, it is almost like the long-distance ocean racing and yacht delivery that I have done for decades aboard cramped, rolling, big sailboats (the head facilities underway on sailboat and train being remarkably similar - you just gotta keep your elbows out to the bulkheads for stabilization!).
Your 1993 guide certainly shows how routes have been eliminated and/or truncated; wished I could have done some more travel then, but family, time, money, and job intervened, of course. My train traveling now is not about the "destinations," but rather about the "journeys," as I am sure you would understand.
"With the Texas Eagle Sleeping Cars hooked onto the back of the Sunset Limited, I assume that one would traverse all the way forward through the Texas Eagle Coach and Observation cars to get to the Sunset Limited Dining Car for meals. No big deal, though."
This is true, but you actually traverse the Sightseer Lounge, which is NOT an observation car (an observation car has windows at the rear so you can look back and see where you have been).
"VIA now runs three days a week. Check the pricing on VIA against AMTRAK and I believe you will find AMTRAK considerably cheaper."
VIA now takes four nights and three days between Toronto and Vancouver. I do not know how the VIA/Amtrak coach fares compare, but you get far better meals when traveling first class on VIA than on Amtrak, and the diners have a different menu each day.
Johnny
To really compare VIA and Amtrak, you should compare the service each offers in competition with the other--Toronto-Vancouver.
VIA: leave Toronto at 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, and arrive in Vancouver at 9:42 a.m. on Saturday, Monday, or Wednesday. Economy (coach) passengers have meal service and access to a vista-dome. First-class passengers have much better meals, with a different menu for lunch and dinner each day, and access to at least one vista-dome and an observation car. I just checked the VIA site, and discovered that this holds in the summer season; in the off-season, economy passengers now have acces to the diner(s).
Amtrak: leave Toronto at 8:30 a.m. daily (let us take Tuesday as an example), arrive in Depew at 1:21 pm (coach or business class, with a cafe). Leave Depew at 11:55 p.m. (coach or sleeper, diner & lounge) and arrive in Chicago at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday. Leave Chicago at 2:15 p.m. (coach or sleeper, diner & lounge(lounge to Spokane) and arrive in Everett at 8:38 a.m. (morning train to Vancouver leaves Everett at 8:31 a.m.) and Seattle at 10:25 a.m on Friday. Lv Seattle at 6:50 p.m. (coach or business, with a cafe) and arrive in Vancouver at 10:50 p.m. Friday.
Total miles--Amtrak: 3003; VIA: 2761.
If you want an adventure, leave Toronto for Sarnia at 11:05 a.m. or 5:40 p.m. and arrive in Sarnia at 3:11 p.m. or 10:01 p.m. Then, take a taxi to Port Huron (you may have to specifically request a driver who has permission to cross the international border) The train for Chicago leaves Port Huron at 6:00 a.m., and arrives in Chicago at 11:59 a.m. This route is 2864 miles, and entails a night in a hotel in either Sarnia or Port Huron. It has one less night in transit than the route through Niagara Falls.
cudjoebob I took the 'Pioneer' from chicago to seattle (via denver-salt lake city-portland) about 20 years ago. that seemed like the longest Amtrak route. do you know what the mileage was? a very long train as far west as salt lake city, then the train was broken up into 3 sections: Desert Wind to los angeles, California Zephyr to oakland, and the Pioneer to seattle. it was a great trip, even with the length of time it took. I took the Empire Builder back to chicago. the Pioneer was far more scenic.
When the Pioneer ran through Salt Lake City, its route was 2835 miles. Just before it was discontinued, when it ran across Wyoming, its route was 2691 miles.
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