USA questions

[ac6000cw]

AFAIK, if you are a UK citizen (or from another country covered by the US Visa Waiver programme), unless you have a US visa, you need an ESTA to enter the US anyway - it doesn't matter whether you enter direct from the UK or via Canada.

Given the low frequency of the Amtrak long-distance trains, I'd always advise making reservations well in advance, especially if you are travelling in peak tourist season or in the vicinity of public holidays. The first time I went to the US (27 years ago, in pre-internet days) I actually had the 'train full in coach class' problem for the Sunset Limited and had to re-plan part of my trip en-route because of it (and I still haven't been to New Orleans, my original intention on that trip!).

The seating on Superliners (by European standards) is very spacious, with lower leg and foot rests, so about as good as it gets for sleeping - I've done two nights in a row in coach on the Cal Z and SW Chief in the past.

 

[ac6000cw]

By the way, if you have the time, a stopover in Chicago should be on your list - the 'Railroad Capital of the US'. Take a ride around the elevated 'Loop' transit line (the L), then catch an afternoon Metra suburban train out to La Grange Road or Hinsdale (on the line west towards Aurora). Grab a coffee and enjoy the show as BNSF mixes a busy diesel loco-hauled commuter service with heavy freight and Amtrak trains on a triple track mainline.

 

[Taunton]

North American railways have traditionally had multiple configurations of coach seats in different cars in one train. The Superliners originally had some with 62 seats on the upper level and some with 78. Passengers are assigned appropriately dependent on the length of their journey. The Superliners have been rebuilt multiple times (goodness, the main fleet is 40 years old now) but the concept remains. The better seated vehicles were traditionally known as "Leg Rest Coach" (although I think they all have this now).

Long distance coach travel is now pretty standard. The pioneer vehicles that the Superliners were based on, built for the Santa Fe in the 1950s, the "Hi-Levels", were coach only, and introduced a new coach-only train (a real rarity for such a long run in the USA), the "El Capitan", that ran between Chicago and Los Angeles. However prior to this even the emergency vehicles built in WW2 to move the army across the country which were converted from boxcars had sleeping bunks and were known as "Troop Sleepers".

I've done two nights in a row in coach on the Cal Z and SW Chief in the past.

I can beat that with 3 nights in a Canadian National "Dayniter" from Vancouver to Toronto in 1974. Traditional 1950s cars. Ah, student days. Dayniter was CN's term for spacious Leg Rest Coach vehicles. They actually charged a premium for them over the normal coach vehicles.

2am on Day 3 and the diner got a hot box and was shunted out of the formation at Hornepayne, Ont. (deep in the forest, middle of nowhere). You can imagine what it's like with a 4 x F-unit loco set plus about 14 cars trying to get one out of the middle in the absolute dark with no switch locomotive available and the brakemen down on the ground swinging lanterns. WHAM ! Everyone got woken up by the shunting. Oh, and no breakfast, so when we got to Capreol, Ont. several hours later a large crowd descended on a poor little coffee shop across the street, who tried manfully to cope - I don't think the cook had ever knocked out so many hot cakes per minute in her life before. Fortunately it was an extended stop, because the train was spilt here into Montreal and Toronto portions. It had been formed two baggage cars, two Dayniters, three regular coaches, a lounge, the missing diner, four sleepers, and an old car on the rear acting as a crew dormitory which might have been pre-war. This all got split up into one or two of each type on the two trains going forward, an operation which employed two switch engines and two sets of train engines for the best part of an hour - all visible from the coffee shop's front windows.

 

[duncanp]

....By the way, if you have the time, a stopover in Chicago should be on your list - the 'Railroad Capital of the US'.....

Or take a trip on the South Shore Line to Michigan City, Indiana, where a full size train runs down the middle of the street, just as if it were a tram.

 

[ac6000cw]

I can beat that with 3 nights in a Canadian National "Dayniter" from Vancouver to Toronto in 1974. Traditional 1950s cars. Ah, student days. Dayniter was CN's term for spacious Leg Rest Coach vehicles. They actually charged a premium for them over the normal coach vehicles.

2am on Day 3 and the diner got a hot box and was shunted out of the formation at Hornepayne, Ont (deep in the forest, middle of nowhere). You can imagine what it's like with a 4 x F-unit loco set plus about 13 cars trying to get one out of the middle in the absolute dark with no switch locomotive available and the brakemen down on the ground swinging lanterns. WHAM ! Everyone got woken up by the shunting.

My first ride on the SW Chief was the middle leg of an Oakland - LA (change trains) - Chicago (change trains) - Washington DC itinerary (Coast Startlight -> SW Chief -> Capitol Limited). That totalled 3 days and nights in a row travelling in coach, covering about 3100 miles - my personal record...

Back then, the Cal Z also carried portions for Portland and LA, both detached/attached at Salt Lake City - it was quite fun watching them split the westbound train into three in the early hours. It had 3 x EMD F40s to/from Chicago, then (as far as I remember) 2 x F40 to Oakland and a single F40 each on the Portland and LA sections west of SLC.

 

[Taunton]

It had 3 x EMD F40s to/from Chicago, then (as far as I remember) 2 x F40 to Oakland and a single F40 each on the Portland and LA sections west of SLC.

I also rode the Zephyr in (I think) August 1980. It turned out to be the first weeks of Superliners, I actually had reservations, made from the UK, for a Roomette in the old equipment, as news of the equipment change had not filtered through. Supposedly there was a rebate to receive, as Roomettes had an inbuilt shower/toilet each cabin, the Superliners didn't. I'm still waiting ... Also there was no lounge car, they hadn't been built yet, but the old lounge car was gone. Drinks were served by the bartender working across upside-down beer crates in one of the lower deck areas :roll:

Power was an F40 plus a P30CH out of Chicago. An unusual combination. It was the only time I ever even saw a P30CH. Somewhere in the first night this became 2 x F40. Beyond Reno a big Cotton Belt (SP subsidiary) SD45T-2 was added to the front for additional power over Donner Pass, despite which we only did about 20-25mph on the ascent. I wonder how it worked out when it was just the Amtrak locos.

 

[47802]

AFAIK, if you are a UK citizen (or from another country covered by the US Visa Waiver programme), unless you have a US visa, you need an ESTA to enter the US anyway - it doesn't matter whether you enter direct from the UK or via Canada.

Well unless its changed very recently my understanding was you don't need an ESTA to enter the US by Land you can fill in a I-94W instead for VWP countries.

 

[ac6000cw]

Well unless its changed very recently my understanding was you don't need an ESTA to enter the US by Land you can fill in a I-94W instead for VWP countries.

I stand corrected, but the info on the ESTA website is a bit contradictory anyway - the front page: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ doesn't differentiate between how you enter the US:

All eligible international travelers who wish to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must apply for authorization.

...but in the FAQ it clarifies the 'land crossing from Canada or Mexico' situation: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/application.html?execution=e1s1

If you are a citizen of a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), and you enter the U.S. by land from Mexico or Canada, ESTA is not required. If you do not have ESTA, you will be required to complete the paper I-94W form and proceed through a manual entry process at the land border crossing. If you have an approved ESTA when entering the U.S. at a land border crossing, you will not be required to complete the paper I-94W form and your entry process is expedited. However, if issued, you should return your green I-94W card upon departure from the U.S. If you are arriving by air or sea, you do need to apply for ESTA.

Personally I'd pay the $14 for an ESTA to get the potential benefit of the "your entry process is expedited" bit mentioned above anyway.

 

[ac6000cw]

Or take a trip on the South Shore Line to Michigan City, Indiana, where a full size train runs down the middle of the street, just as if it were a tram.

Yes, must get around to doing that sometime

I've been to the Chicago area three times but never had a ride out to the far end of the South Shore line (the last proper remnant of the once extensive interurban system in the mid-west). If only the North Shore line from Chicago to Milwaukee was still running... 90 mph running using trolley poles for current collection!

 

[Hartington]

I would contact the C&T to see if they can suggest any transportation options. It might also be worth contacting a couple of the accommodation options. If either can offer transportation it will cost but I would prefer the C&T and pay a fair amount for that transportation.

It might be worth investigating the hire of a car in somewhere like Pueblo, CO. Smallish town, light traffic and an easy drive to Antonito. You could also visit the sand Dunes National Monument en route.

The various states publish "Drivers Manual" for learners https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/DR2337.pdf - have a read and then consider your options. As in the UK there are schools for learners - never to late to take a "refresher".

 

[me123]

Personally I'd pay the $14 for an ESTA to get the potential benefit of the "your entry process is expedited" bit mentioned above anyway.

Worth remembering that the ESTA is valid for two years, so if you plan to return to the states you'll be covered.

Also, if for any reason you are declined an ESTA, you'll have opportunity to visit the embassy and acquire a visa. If you are in that position, it is probable that you'd have issues at the border anyway so you could clear them up before you head on your way.

(Not that I'm accusing you of anything untoward of course - it is known that people get their ESTAs declined for seemingly no reason).