Ducks @ Oregon - University of Oregon

Trains

Katie D.

September 15, 2009 - 6:30 PM

In the last year I have discovered a passionate love for train travel.

Let me preface this by saying that before my junior year of college I had hardly ever used public transportation for any distance greater than the Eugene bus system would go. Before college, in fact, I had hardly been on public transportation at all. My adventures on the Lane Transit District (Eugene) buses are a subject for another day, as are my trips via Greyhound or Amtrak buses. Let me just say quickly that generally bus travel is crowded, loud, and relatively uncomfortable. There are a multitude of stereotypes of bus riders, which mostly amount to the idea that if you're on a bus you're probably poor, possibly homeless, on drugs or alcohol, and definitely a little crazy.

In South America everyone travels on the buses. In Chile I took a twelve hour bus several times and they were comfortable, clean, cheap, and they provided food and blankets. All different segments of the population used buses to get to where they were going, instead of immediately racing to the car or airport. But even in the US the buses aren't as bad as most people seem to think. Be brave, friends! Get on a bus, leave the car behind.

But this is supposed to be about trains.

My first US train trip was from Eugene to Seattle last December. I booked a ticket, got myself to downtown Eugene, and found the Amtrak station. I boarded the train with all kinds of scary expectations: that I'd be crammed and uncomfortable, that it would be noisy or dirty, that the coals would be exploding from the top of the engine (I have an active imagination) and other Hollywood-induced train images and fears.

I loved that first trip. It was comfortable and the view was beautiful. Since then, I have undertaken a train trip whenever the opportunity presented itself. In fact, I am comfortably seated in Seat Three, Car Five of the 509 Cascades train returning from Vancouver, Canada, reporting live to you. It is almost sunset and we are chugging past Puget Sound south of Tacoma. It's a window seat, and I'm watching the world go by as I write these words.

Let me tell you what else I'm seeing right now. There are people in the seats across the isle and in front of me. I'm lucky enough to have an empty seat next to me. Just like on an airplane, I always hope I'll have that extra space to spread out. Unlike an airplane, however, I have enough room to comfortably stretch my legs out in front of me, and space between the cars to answer my cell phone, stretch my legs, and have a change of scenery. The windows take up most of the sides of the cars. And my laptop is plugged in and charging.

I also like trains because of the part of the landscape you are looking over. You're not looking at highways and cars. Trains cut through forests and farmland to offer a truly beautiful view of the country. When we pass through cities, the tracks are often behind sub-industrial areas, and there's a view of the city most people never see. But my favorite parts are when we pass through small towns. Often the tracks go right through neighborhoods and pass behind people's houses, offering a quick glimpse at scenes from people's lives.

So, here's some advice for any of you who haven't ever traveled by train.

1. Just try it. Grab a friend, find a city near you, and just go ahead and go. Especially if you're in the Pacific Northwest, you're probably near a rail line and your destination city probably has decent public transportation. Why bother with a car?

2. Leave room in your itinerary for at least an hour of delays. Trains are great, but they are often off schedule because of freight train interruptions or technical problems. More than half of my trains have been on time, and if it will be more than an hour late Amtrak has usually put me on a bus. Just prepare for it, and then it's not a disaster.

3. Tickets usually cost approximately the gas price for the journey in a large car. Therefore, a train trip is ideal for the solitary traveler, or for a group specifically looking for a train experience.

4. Students: if you have a Student Advantage card, use it! It takes about 10% off your trip. You have to book at least three days in advance to get the discount.

5. Everyone should try to book at least a couple of days in advance. For short trips I have booked day-of, but you're more likely to get the time you want, and for a better price, if you book at least three days ahead.

6. It's OK to take the bus part of the way. Amtrak has buses too, and if you're going on a longer trip, part of the way might need to be on bus. You'll live.

7. If you have a layover in a city that's more than an hour, then leave the station for crying out loud! Train stations are usually in the middle of downtown. Take yourself for a stroll, check out a restaurant or some local shops. Ask the station information booth about something interesting within a five block radius. You aren't dealing with airport security, and you won't miss your train! My favorite thing to do in Portland is walk straight out from the station for about four blocks, and then turn left and you're a great park overlooking the river in three more blocks. Or there's public transportation right there. Be bold!

8. DON'T TALK ON YOUR CELL PHONE IN YOUR SEAT. Under three minutes is barely acceptable. More than that and you're just driving everyone else crazy. Make the world a better place. Stand in the vestibule and chat.

9. Most stations assign seats about half an hour before the train leaves. Be there early for that part. Ask nicely and they'll give you a window seat. That's where the electrical outlet is, and it's where the views are. That's where I always want to be.

10. Don't bother checking your luggage unless you've got excessive amounts of it. There are racks in the back of each car for luggage in addition to overhead compartments.

11. Pack your own food and water. There's food on the train, but it's expensive

12. Come with things to do: book on tape, book, computer, crocheting.

13. This is the big secret: look up the timetables for the individual trains. If the train originates in your city, then it will probably be on time. For example, the 509 I'm on right now starts in Seattle and ends in Eugene. It left right on time. The Coast Starlight train is a comfortable double-decker bus, but it runs between LA and Seattle, so by the time it gets to Eugene it's often at least a couple of hours late.

At some point, someone wise made a statement to the effect that the journey is as important as the destination. That's how I feel when I'm on a train: that I am experiencing a journey somewhere beautiful and special. I arrive at my destination already having seen many beautiful things. And that makes the whole experience more joyful.