Riding Amtrak -- Trainful or Painful?

[jxtrrx]

I live in Eastern Colorado, need to make a business trip to western side of the state. I've never ridden a passenger train (in my 50+ years!), so was thinking about taking Amtrak Denver to Grand Junction. It's a scenic route, but I've not heard rave reviews about cleanliness, service, etc. on Amtrak. Would it be a "train" experience, or just a pain?

Thanks!

[RMax1]

I've had good and bad experiences on Amtrak. For the most part they have been good. They seem to run really late most of the time. It's still enjoyable. I would highly recommend getting a sleeper or better class seat if possible. Some trains are really clean and some are dirty. Food has always been good.

RMax1

[Anonymous]

Most of my Amtrak experience has been in the Northeast Corridor so I can't comment on service out west. I'll generally agree though, it can be hit or miss. When I was riding between DC and Albany it was a fine trip, certianly better than the airport hastle (this was before super-cheap airfare between Albany and BWI). I haven't riden in a few years, but in the years I was things seemed to be improving. This may be because as they brought in new equipment, the oldest stuff got bumped off, sort of a trickle down effect. I'd be a bit concerned about the timing. The distance trains, at least in my observation, are almost always late. Make sure you schedule enough pad time and you should be fine.

[TrainFreak409]

I have only ever riden on Amtrak once. We took the Autotrain from Virginia to Florida, from the newly built Norfolk Station, during its grand openig celebration. It was a planned 16 hour trip, but it came closer to 20, as we stopped in the middle of the night. I think the engineer thought that he had hit something on the tracks, but nothing was found. Anyways...

It was quite an experience for me, being a train enthusiast. The crew and service attendants were nice and polite, and the Superliner cars were just awesome. Everything was clean, it was a very nice trip.

I'm not sure about the service in the Midwest US, but the east coast did a great job when we went.[:D]

[Anonymous]

JX, if you take the trip let me know how it is. I have thought about doing it the other way, i live in Grand Jct. Also beebn thinking about riding it to Omaha as my parents live 40 mile east of Omaha.

Marc

[kansaspacific1]

I think it depends WHERE the trip is taken. I know that Amtrack (on UP) from Kansas
City to St. Louis is scheduled for five hours and takes about 9. The coal trains and
other freight have the right of way. Hopefully since Denver to Grand Junction is on
a "tourist" route its better. But doesn't UP own that trackage now? Good luck!

[eng22]

Plan on bieng late, bring your own food.

[ndbprr]

You won't be disappointed by the scenery but having taken the train from Chicago to Alton on business I would never do it again. I arrived in Alton and had the choice of a four mile walk or a cab (If you can find one) to a car dealer to rent a car. Then I had to repeat the whole process again on the way out. Ok to do once but like I sadi I'd never do it a second time.

[Anonymous]

Yo Trainfreak!! The AutoTrain always stops in the middle of the nite. It seems the passengers use a lot of water at bedtime and need more for breakfast so it's a watering stop for one thing. It's also a crew change point.

I had an ACELA trip two weekends ago from Philly to DC. Great equipment and great ride!!

Jimbo

Jimbo

[cacole]

A friend of mine rode Amtrak from Chicago to Tucson once -- and arrived two days late due to a multiplicity of problems along the way.

[areibel]

We took a long trip several years ago. Left Erie PA, went through Chicago to Las Vegas, on to Los Angeles, then Dallas and home- and I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Yes, we were always late, usually 2-4 hours but it is a fantastic way to travel. We didn't have a sleeper, just slept in the seats but it was comfortable- and my wife was 5 mo. pregnant (and afraid to fly!). The dining car was a little expensive, but I've eaten at restaurants that cost much more and the food wasn't as good. We usually grabbed something to eat between stops or in the lounge car.
So many neat things to see- Colorado was a favorite, I can't remember if it was between your two cities but part of the route runs right along a shelf between the mountains and the river- beautiful country. Then the station at Denver itself- they had a neat old shop that sold railroadiana, I spent most of the break there. It was nice through Nevada, Arizona, etc.. too, but another cool site was coming through St. Louis early in the morning and seeing the sun rise shining off the Gateway Arch.
And I must say we didn't meet one rude or nasty member of the crew. Everyone from the engineers, the dining car attendants, conductors were friendly and always helpful. I can't say the same about all airline personnel I've dealt with!
OK, the bad- Getting on in Erie- it isn't a full stop, you meet the train at about 5:30 AM and have to drag your luggage on and stow it yourself- not convenient with several suitcases and a cranky wife! Changing trains was an experience, but that was we didn't know what we were doing- once I broke down and asked someone, it was easy. And probably the worst? One night, the car we were in had a bad door latch. You had to push it down to latch it, it wouldn't catch itself. When it didn't latch, it would roll open then bang shut as the train rocked. I'd get up and latch it and settle back down, 10 minutes later someone would go through and it would start all over again! That was about the worst of it, and compared to the run around at an airport (even pre 9/11) it was the way to go.

[on30francisco]

I went from Kissimmee, Florida to Tampa. The train was six hour late when it arrived at the Kissimmee station and an additional three hours late when we arrived in Tampa.

[Big_Boy_4005]

I've taken a number of trips on Amtrak over the years, though none recently. For the most part they have been pleasant. Crossing Colorado actually sounds like the perfect trip. Great scenery, but not overly long so as to get that trapped feeling. Overnight trips can be rough, especially if you just go coach. More than 24 hours, and you really should have a room.

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jxtrrx

I live in Eastern Colorado, need to make a business trip to western side of the state. I've never ridden a passenger train (in my 50+ years!), so was thinking about taking Amtrak Denver to Grand Junction. It's a scenic route, but I've not heard rave reviews about cleanliness, service, etc. on Amtrak. Would it be a "train" experience, or just a pain?

I work in downtown Denver and my bus arrives almost the exact time the train is leaving. It is almost always within 10 minutes of its time schedule.

By design the train goes through the mountains in the daylight. I believe they are serving second breakfast out of Denver so you can have breakfast in the diner during the first part of the trip. You will see scenery that cannot be seen by automobile.

On Saturday you would be right behind the ski-train to Winter Park and might actually catch glimpses of it ahead of you. There are a few old railroad things along the way but most have been torn out/down. The station in Glennwood Springs is still facinating and operational.

Personally, I always go first class just so I am more free to wander about the train. Plus in first class the dining/lounge car food is included. For such a short trip that might not be a good idea.

Disclaimer - I have never travelled your proposed direction, I used to regularly take it from Denver to my office in Omaha. Once I came back from Las Vegas via rail, passing this Colorado track from west to east.

[Anonymous]

When I was riding the Cardinal 51 (Amtrak) from Prince WV to Chicago IL the dining car had some sort of electrical problem or someting that put it out of use the entire trip. BUT thats good news, because everyone on board the train got KFC when we got to Charelston WV (2 or 3 stops down the line)
THATS RIGHT Free of charge.
Also, whenever I rode on Amtrak, from Charelston WV to D.C. there was this old man (an employee) who knew everything about the route and it's scenery. He would tell you were to look, and when, and also would give you historical info too.

Nothing like Amtrak in terms of passenger service.

See news updates on Amtrak at:
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/Page/Collection_Page&c=Page&cid=1080772074400&ssid=180

If the above link doesn't work:
http://www.amtrak.com/

[Roadtrp]

My wife and I love Amtrak. We took the train from Mpls to Chicago and back for our 25th wedding anniversary a little over a year ago. Just last month we took Amtrak from Minneapolis to Chicago to Washington DC and back. We loved the long distance trip and have already planned a trip on the Empire Builder from Minneapolis to Seattle for next summer.

Here is a review of our trip that I posted at epinions.com:

<<Pros
Wonderfully relaxing way to travel. The service we received from Amtrak attendants was great.

Cons
Occasional rough ride due to poor track; late arrivals. Neither under the control of Amtrak.

The Bottom Line
Amtrak is a wonderful way to travel if you can look at it as part of your vacation and not just a means of transportation.

Full Review
I love trains. I have great memories of long distance train trips from my youth (40 years ago) and am a model railroader. So I might be inclined to give Amtrak the benefit of the doubt, but will try to remain objective.

My wife, 21 year old daughter and I recently traveled by train from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Washington D.C. and back. We loved the experience of a long-distance train trip; my wife and I plan to take Amtrak to Seattle next summer.

We started our trip at the St. Paul Amtrak depot. The train was about a half hour late arriving and was delayed another 15 minutes or so by the huge number of people waiting in line to purchase tickets. So we started the trip about 45 minutes late.

We boarded the Empire Builder and went to our "Family Sleeper" accommodation. These rooms are designed for two adults with standard sized berths and two relatively young children with shorter berths. We figured it would work for us because our daughter is very short (about 5’ 0") and it did. The room is at the end of the car on the lower level and stretches across the entire width of the car. Even with a couple of medium sized suitcases and a bathroom bag in the room we did not feel cramped.

Shortly after boarding we went to the dining car for breakfast. I love the dining cars on Amtrak. You are usually seated with someone else (they always try to fill the tables with four people) and you can generally count on some lively conversation with the person you are seated with. The surroundings are very nice. The table is covered with a linen table cloth that is replaced after every use. Fresh flowers are also at your table which is a very nice touch. The food is generally quite good. Although certainly not gourmet quality, think of the dining car as a rolling Perkins and at times considerably better than that.

We went back to our room for a few hours and enjoyed the scenery (me) or napped (my wife and daughter). That is the great thing about the train... everyone can pretty much do whatever they want. Then it was time for lunch in the dining car, and a few hours after that we arrived in Chicago. We were about one hour late, which I thought was pretty decent considering we were 45 minutes late when we left St. Paul. That shortened an anticipated two hour layover to about an hour, which was fine with me.

We boarded the Capitol Limited and again settled into our Family Sleeper. Shortly it was announced that our train was being held for the arrival of the California Zephyr which was running late. They wanted the people who were transferring from the Zephyr to the Cap Limited to make the connection. Although the delay (about 45 minutes) was a minor inconvenience for us, it undoubtedly was hugely appreciated by the folks on the Zephyr looking to make the connection.

Not too long after leaving the Chicago station it was time for our dinner reservation in the dining car. I thought my meal was way above average; I ordered the Rack of Lamb and it was excellent. We took our time in the dining car (we were at the last seating, so no one was waiting for our table) and had a very enjoyable meal. After dinner our daughter went back to our room to watch a movie on our portable DVD player. My wife and I stopped by the lounge car to see what it was like and have a nightcap.

The downstairs area in the lounge car where you bought your drinks wasn’t deluxe, but it was perfectly comfortable. They were playing "The Incredibles" as the movie that night, and it was shown on monitors both downstairs and up in the Sightseer Lounge. We enjoyed our drink, watched the movie for a half hour or so and then headed back for our room.

Soon after that it was time to go to bed, so we changed into our sleepwear and robes and then asked the attendant to make up our room for sleeping. With two beds on the lower level and one upper berth opened the room certainly wasn’t as spacious as before, but it really wasn’t too bad. My wife took the full size lower berth, my daughter the shortened lower berth and I climbed into the upper berth.

After a minute or so of viewing my horrified expression my daughter said "You can’t do that Daddy... let me take the upper". I guess I should have known better. I can’t even sit in the back seat of my Mustang because I am too claustrophobic. There was no way I could handle the short distance between the upper berth and the ceiling of the car. Did I ever tell you how much I love my daughter??
;-)

So my daughter climbed into the upper which she didn’t mind a bit. I took her lower, but instead of sleeping on it the short way, I turned 90 degrees and pulled the mattress a few inches to where it combined that bed with the end of my wife’s bed. That meant we both had our lower legs in the same area, but my wife’s berth was plenty wide for that to be comfortable for both of us.

It would have been a great night’s sleep. Except the track we traveled from about 10:00 PM that evening until 1:00 AM had to be about the worst track I have ever experienced. The train didn’t just bump or sway; there were sudden jolts that almost threw you from your bed. Amtrak can’t do much about this... they are using the track of the freight railroads and have to take it as it is. I sure wi***his country would fund Amtrak so that they could have their own track, but of course that will never happen. The track did finally get much better, and we slept well the rest of the night.

I got up early in the morning because I wanted to shower before breakfast. I was surprised at how decent the shower actually was. The water pressure was quite good and you could adjust it to about any temperature you wanted. One thing to be aware of is the water gets hotter a couple of minutes after you turn it on. Either wait outside for a minute or two or know that you need to adjust the temperature a couple of minutes after you get in. I took a much abbreviated shower, knowing that a train cannot have an endless supply of water. But overall, it was a much better experience than I expected.

After getting dressed I went to the dining car for breakfast. My wife and daughter said they would rather sleep than eat, so I had my breakfast with some very nice people I was seated with. I then returned to our room and watched the gorgeous scenery pass by as my wife and daughter slowly woke up. The Cap Limited goes through the Allegheny Mountains, and while not as spectacular as the Rockies, they are very beautiful.

We arrived in Washington just under two hours late. I again felt that wasn’t too bad considering we had left Chicago close to an hour late. We really enjoyed the trip and were amazed at how quickly the time passed. Our return trip was much the same (except backwards) so I won’t bore you by saying the same stuff again.

A few parting comments...

1) Train travel is without a doubt the most relaxing way to get somewhere.

2) If you are going to enjoy it you need to look at the train trip as part of your vacation and not just a means of transit.

3) The Family Sleeper and the service we received were absolutely excellent.

4) The dining car is usually quite good, and occasionally excellent.

5) The train will probably be late. Expect it and don’t worry about it.

Amtrak probably takes more criticism for being late than any other area. I think it is an unfair criticism. People typically compare train punctuality with airplane punctuality and that is really comparing apples to oranges. The airplane travels about 10 times as fast as the train. Being 30 minutes late on a plane (not that unusual) would be equivalent to being 300 minutes (5 hours) late on a train. The train also is dependent on many things that airplanes don’t have to worry about... track conditions, other trains having priority over the same track, etc.

It is more realistic to compare it to a trip by automobile. Say it usually takes X amount of time to drive from Minneapolis to Washington DC. This particular trip you drive at a time of heavy traffic and considerable road construction. You arrive in DC 4 hours later than you thought you would. Would you be horrified, or surprised that you actually made pretty decent time under the circumstances? I think it would be the latter.

Don’t compare train timeliness to that of airplanes; it is a whole different thing.

Total cost for the three of us from Mpls/St. Paul to Washington DC with a Family Sleeper the entire way was $1,420, or about $473 each. That price includes all meals in the dining car. Higher than coach airfare, but not by that much. We all thought the cost was a good value. >>

[:)]

[rexhea]

Jerry,
Thank you for sharing your trip with us and your writing put me there with you...I hope you didn't mind me tagging along. It has been too long since I have been on a train. You certainly made me think about the wife and I taking off somewhere soon.

REX

[twhite]

You'll be taking the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR to Grand Junction, and I've always had a good experience on that train. I was on it from Sacramento to Reno this summer and it was on time, didn't get hung up for UP freights, and was a nice ride. I'm taking it from Sacramento to Grand Junction this October, and looking forward to it. I can tell you one thing, the scenery from Denver to Grand Junction is just jaw-dropping!
Tom [^]

[Anonymous]

Im taking a trip from Philly to Chicago next Sunday, last time I took Amtrak 3 years ago from Philly to SC Everything was great, The west will probably be good as well, tell us how it was.

Andrew

[skerber]

I have rode Amtrak three times, two recently--but on the Cresent. It was a great experience. The coaches were very crowded!!! The food good. On the Cresent we were actually on time once and ten minutes early the other time!! I met an Amtrak employee who is also a fellow model railroader while traveling the last time. We were talking quietly at 4AM about things.

As mentioned above by another, try to get the rooms. It is quite a step above (unlimited soft drinks, coffee, food and desert in cost, morning paper) from coach and the attendants seem to be very helpful and friendly. I would like to take more trips, but with a newborn son it is hard to do unless we get a room, and that costs extra cash I don't have. But hopefully within the near future a trip can be arranged.

Steve

[ndbprr]

No question that sightseeing from a train can be enjoyable but most posts have overlooked the fact the original poster is on a business trip. Unless his cutomer is very flexible as to his arrival time it seems that the vast bulk of trips ran late or had problems. Not the way to get started on a business trip/

[Anonymous]

Myself and two friends were touring Colorado in 2003 after attending the National Narrow Gauge Convention in Denver. On the way back to Denver, one of the group took the exact same trip on Amtrak, but in reverse. We let him off in Grand Junction, and we drove to Denver. When he arrived at our motel later that night, he was estatic with the trip. Of course, he's a overly enthusiastic railfan, so I imagine a ride in a boxcar would have tickled him too. It sure seemed like a worthwhile trip.

The two of us left driving back to Denver had a more difficult time passing through the mountains, as we ran into quite a snowstorm - and this was in early September! Snow everywhere, signs advising trucks to put on chains, traffic stopped for half an our, etc. And we were in a minivan with only summer clothes! Anyway, it all worked out OK, as once we got over the summit near Vail things cleared up and it became again a nice sunny day.

Bob Boudreau

[Jetrock]

I have taken the California Zephyr to and from Chicago three times, and every time was a pleasure, albeit a pleasure with occasional delays.

The trip from Denver to Grand Junction is kind of slow and windy--they definitely take the "scenic route" through the mountains. If you're vulnerable to seasickness or uneasy with heights it might be a little nerve-rattling, but if you like looking at mountains it's great fun. Bring a camera--between the mountains and the occasional amazingly cool "I have to build a model of that!" trackside structures, expect to burn some film.

An amusing if tacky tradition is the tradition of campers and rafters in eastern Colorado is to moon or otherwise expose themselves to the train as it passes--this can be anywhere from highly amusing to stomach-churning depending on the gender, age and level of physical fitness of the person doing the "mooning."

The trip takes about eight hours, roughly 8 AM to 4 PM, so a private sleeper isn't really necessary.

[TomDiehl]

Jerry, thanks for the great insight. In a couple weeks, I'll have my own trip report to post. I'm going to miss Andrew by a week. I'm leaving Philly on August 28, taking the Pennsylvanian to Pittsburgh (Coach), then the Capitol Limited to Chicago (Roomette). We're staying a couple days in Chicago, then catching the Empire Builder to Seattle (Bedroom). Afer a few days in Seattle, we're flying home (wife only gets a week vacation). This will be our first long distance train trip and I've programmed in some slack time (4.5 hours in Pittsburgh and 2.5 days in Chicago) so connections shouldn't be a problem. We don't know anyone in Chicago or Seattle, so it's strictly a touring trip. I chose the Empire Builder for the scenery, and just read about the service enhancements about a week before I travel (check Amtrak's news releases). I figure it's a long enough trip to get a feel for long distance rail travel, and if it really sucks, it's only a couple days.

[jaybird1]

I have taken the train to Fla. 3 times a year and have never been later than 1 hour and the service has been good to great . Enjoy your ride!

[johncolley]

I had a great trip west after helping a friend team drive his move to Altoona, PA. from Port Townsend, WA. As a thank you for the help he bought my ticket to Chicago, then to Seattle on the Empire Builder. I met friends from my old neighborhood at breakfast in the diner. A really neat trip. The only downer was due to 9/11, I wasn't able to get a cab ride, which I would have loved. Seeing the old S2 at Havre, MT when we stopped for fuel and crew change was neat, too! I wish our "government" would get in touch with the realities of properly funding Amtrack as much as they subsidize trucking and air transport.

[Anonymous]

I live in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and I use Amtrak all the time. No matter which direction I am going, either to the west coast or Chicago, I get a comfortable bed and good food and I do not have to face the kind of hassle trying to get on a plane.
Take the train, you will never see scenery like it anywhere.
Despite many coal trains, I have never been more than15 minutes late.
I hope you enjoy your trip.

[Anonymous]

Just got back from Chicago on Friday. The trip was great, we took the Capitol Limited from Philadelphia to DC, Then to Chicago. Whole trip took 22 hours from 30th Street Station to Chicago Union Station. We were in DC for an hour and a half. The train was great, everything was clean and the crew was friendly.
The best part though was going through the mountains in the observation car.
Andrew

[Wdlgln005]

A train trip on the CZ from Denver to Grand Junction is one of the best trips you can make. Begining at 8AM you will want to have breakfast in the diner. Then hit the lounge car for the rest of the trip. The large windows make the best seat in the house. A coach ticket will be fine. They should throw you off the train & make you walk if you do any work onboard! Turn your cellphone off!
Bring your camera with plenty of film. The train will be slow enough due to grades & curves so you can get some scenic shots. You should try to get the same seat in both directions so you can see what you missed on the westbound trip. Relax and enjoy the view!

With BNSF in charge from Chicago to Denver & the loss of mail cars, I suspect the train may have better on time performance. however, if the train is late, it will be very difficult to make up any time.

i've ridden the route both directions, fromDenver to Salt Lake City. Even on the old Rio Grande Zephyr, it was a 13 hour trip between the 2 cities. You wilkl miss the short domes that would let you look over the train & see both sides of the track. On the eastbound trrip, you can wait till dark to get a dinner reservation. THen you can enjoy the view as Denver gets closer in the dark. It can be like riding in a slow moving airplane & see the lights in the city below.

When you get back, we need you to tell us how it went!

[Anonymous]

I take the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Emeryville (San Francisco) and it is a real joy. lt doesn't seem to ever be on time, but the scenery is great and the staff are terrific. I then catch the CZ for Denver the next morning. There must be two different companies owned by Amtrak. The CZ was dirty, THe food was poor and the staff appeared to want to be somewhere else. Of course the scenery is great. Buy a 1st class ticket. The meals will be included and you can use the dome car. Try it. I bet you will take the train both ways to Grand Junction and back always.