Date:         Sat, 5 Sep 2015 00:09:41 -0500
Reply-To:     David <okdavid55@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David <okdavid55@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Amtrak Auto Train
In-Reply-To:  <20150904144127.VBIDQ.9150.imail@eastrmwml207>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Like Mr. McNeely, I've never been on the autotrain, but I've taken Amtrak several times across country to and/or from Oklahoma City. I learned to plan to always arrive late.  

About 10 years ago, I took Amtrak from Oklahoma City to Portland, Oregon (OKC-Ft. Worth-San Antonio-Los Angeles-Portland).  I was prepared for it to be a l-o-n-g trip, and it was longer than expected with numerous delays along the way. Train was on-time only once - when it left Oklahoma City.  Was very happy I had first-class sleeper-car passage on the trains beginning at Ft. Worth (not offered from OKC to Ft. Worth). Fortunately, never had the problem of being denied first-class when changing trains.  

I did learn on that particular trip why the train came to a stop several times in the middle of nowhere.  Amtrak is second-priority on track it does not own, which, for that trip is every inch of the rails from OKC to Portland.  It must allow the track owners' right-of-way, so Amtrak will pull over and sit on a siding waiting for freight trains (usually) to approach and pass.  Despite the delays (I think we pulled into Portland 14 hours late) the scenery was mostly wonderful, especially so on the LA to Portland part, the food was excellent, and it was overall a pleasant trip.

David Stell
OKC


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Dave Mcneely
Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 1:41 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Amtrak Auto Train

Again, no experience with the car train, but did take Amtrak on the southern Oregon to LA leg.  It has been 13 years now, so take it for what it's worth.

Our intention was to take the train from Klamath Falls (after taking a rental car from Portland to Crater Lake, then to Klamath Falls) all the way to Oklahoma City.

--/ snip /--

We hear that the big problem is the particular train we were on, the Sunset Limited that runs LA to New Orleans via San Antonio, El Paso, and Tuscon, and that other trains operate better than that.  We actually have considered making another long distance Amtrak trip, but so far have not gotten up the nerve.  Maybe we will take the train from Spokane to Seattle, but it leaves Spokane at midnight.

mcneely

---- Dan N <dn92610@GMAIL.COM> wrote: 
> I never put my van on the Amtrack but one thing for sure... it slow... 

> very slow...
> 
> our daughter lives in Souther Oregon, we live in Southern 
> California... one hour and 15 minutes by plane - 13 hours by car - 24 hours by Amtrack...

--
David McNeely