Trains in America

Subject: Trains in America
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 04:26 PM

I have had an idea for a holiday for next year - fulfilling a long held ambition to visit America.

I've never been to America. I thought about travelling all over by train and thus seeing more of the country. Has anyone done this and can offer advice, as to the practicality of such a scheme?

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 04:46 PM

The times surely have changed. Back in 1952 one could purchase a roundtrip ticket---which I did coast to coast---and get on and off whenever and wherever you wanted.   You really saw the country---and some of the views were spectacular.

But---the times have changed. I doubt you can do that and there certainly are not the connections to be had anymore---and AMTRACK is your only option being the sole operator of passenger trains. As Utah Phillips once said---he knew someone who wanted to comit suicide and lay down on the tracks of AMTRACK---he died of starvation.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: GUEST,Mary Katherine
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 04:50 PM

I think that Amtrak has some kind of rail pass entitling you to unlimited train travel for a specific period of time for a flat fee.

If you are on vacation, and NOT in any hurry, the trains are wonderful. But be warned, they are rarely if ever on time.

The trains do not run all over the country. But check out Amtrak's web site and you'll find that they do run through quite a lot of it.

The two loveliest sceneries are on the Empire Builder, which runs across the top of the country, and on the Coast Starlight, which runs the length of the Pacific coast between Seattle and Los Angeles.

The longest train journey is on the Sunset Limited, which goes the entire length of the US via the southern route, betwee Los Angeles and Jacksonville, FL.

There are two main classes of travel: coach and sleeper car. In coach, you sleep sitting up in your chair and share restroom facilities with everyone else in your coach. Approx. 50 people in each coach. In sleeper cars you get two single beds (on the standard room), one above the other, and there is a shower in the car. Approx. 14 rooms in each sleeper car. There is also a Deluxe sleeper room on some trains which is self contained with its own shower and toilet.

The cost of meals in the dining car is substantial, though all meals are included in the fare if you book a sleeper car. Less costly meals can be had in the snack car (on some trains it's call the club car or or lounge car); pre-made sandwiches in plastic wrap, etc.

I travel only by train; I never fly. But then I'm never in a hurry :-)

Mary Katherine

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: artbrooks
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 04:56 PM

Its been a while, but I enjoyed traveling Amtrak when it was going the same place I was. The train isn't the best deal here for point-to-point travel, since trips are long, the plane is faster, and fares aren't that much less. Amtrak does offer passes, though ( pass information) and, like Eurail and Britrail passes, you can get a better deal buying them before you get to the states.

BTW, the train comes right through Albuquerque, and the guest room is always available for Mudcatters.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Once Famous
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 04:59 PM

Amtrak is not like the old days, but it's sure better than nothing. Amtrak is at least aware of the great heritage of train riding in America.

and some of the sights you will see, from the many old depots that remain and other things like the old occasional switchman's tower and freightyard will take you back in time.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 04:59 PM

Try posting on rail enthusiast boards and newsgroups for technical advice.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Maryrrf
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 05:03 PM

I would echo what others have said. The trains aren't cheap and there can be considerable delays, cancellations, etc. You really need to have plenty of time and be patient. My son went from Richmond to Boston a couple of years ago by train (couldn't get a cheap flight because it was last minute) and there were some really pissed off passengers stranded in the terminal because of assorted delays, problems, etc. Some people had been stuck in Richmond for 14 hours.    Buses aren't that cheap either but there are bus passes for unlimited travel so that might be an idea, and they go more places than the trains. You'll meet some real characters on those buses and trains, though. Also, sometimes the bus and train stations aren't in nice parts of towns or cities, and lots of places don't have very good public transport, so you might be stuck once you get to a place without a car. You can rent a car pretty cheaply and gas/petrol still isn't nearly as expensive as it is in the UK - that's what I'd do.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: PoppaGator
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 06:04 PM

If you contact Amtrak, they should have information on their best deals. In addition to the lines up and down the east & west coasts and the two or three transcontinental routes, there a few special luxury options. For one, there's something called the "America Orient Express" following a scenic route through the Rockies. This would not be so much a way to get from point "A" to point "B" as an event or "destination" all its own.

There are very few passenger lines any more, so you may not be able to reach your desired destination(s) by train in any event. And Maryrrf is right, the locations of many urban railroad stations are in neighborhoods that have long since been left behind (just as train travel itself has been left behind). However, in the very biggest cities at the beginning and end of each major route, most of the stations are still landmarks and in decent areas.

Bus stations, by the way, are even more likely than train stations to be in scary parts of town.

Renting a car and driving is a good idea, as long as you're not too nervous about learning to drive on the opposite side of the road. Our gasoline prices have increased drastically of late, but they're still lower than anywhere in Europe. Plus, you're free to see the countryside (more or less) from the interstate, or from the older highways that pass through towns, etc., at your discretion. Since the US is essentially a nation of motorists, your widest variety of options for meals, lodging, etc., are along the highways, not the railroads.

I'm afraid train travel is not as attractive as it was a generation ago, and is undoubtedly a less viable option in the US than in Europe. If your only travel needs are to move among the few cities with regular Amtrak service, you can probably find something to your liking -- but if you need more flexible travel options, the train won't do it for you.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 06:25 PM

Ask Marion, she just criss-crossed a good share of the US last year, using buses and I think the train in some instances.

If you do the train, one ride not to be missed is east or west over the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in the VistaDome cars on Amtrak. The most dramatic is climbing up from Denver, switchback rails going up and up, to where one can see the tail coming round, from the fronts already snaking around the next curve. The mountains are glorious, then dropping down on the West side through Glenwood Canyon is spectacular and if you ride it all the way down to Grand Junction...there's at least a couple of us nearby.:-)

I agree with all of the above. Have lots of time and don't forget this country has great, LONG distances.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Mark Ross
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 06:28 PM

Amtrak's Railpass is a pretty good deal, but I think it is only available to foreign travelers,I assume ypou qualify. If you can afford it the bedrooms are the way to go. Unfortunately they are not cheap. When Amtrak started running 30 years ago or so, you could get a slumbercoach(a very, very small single roomette, as they called it)for 7 dollars over the price of your fare between NYC anbd Chicago. Now it's about a hundred dollars a night, or more. But it does include meals.

As Gamble Rogers once said to me, "Mark, the train is the most civilized method of travel man has ever devised!"

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 06:33 PM

I would certainly prefer a rental car to train (echoing Maryrrf). If you really want to see the sights, a train is very limiting.

I think Art Brooks in Albuquerque would recommend the 'Turquoise Trail' from Albuquerque to Santa Fe and from there the 'High Road' to Taos. And west with stops in the Navajo Nation, etc. Can be traveled only by motor vehicle or horse.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 07:24 PM

Many thanks for all this help. I am very grateful to you all for your generous input.

Obviously my trip will take a lot of planning - you have given me some useful insights and ideas with which to start.

Thank you

al

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 07:25 PM

Don't miss the Donner Pass route across the Sierra Nevada mountains, from Reno, Nevada, to Sacramento, California. I'd say it's the most historic stretch of railroad in America - and I can see it from my window. It's a spectacular trip, especially when there's snow on the ground in the Sierra.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 07:39 PM

Amtrak offers discount tickets if you buy at least 30 days before you travel, and the ticket is good for a period of time. They divide the country into (I think) 3 zones, and you get a specific numb. of stopovers per zone, and you have to complete the whole trip within a certain time (45 days?) of your start date.

At least, a coupla times, when I was looking for a way to go from here to somewhere else for various reasons, this seems to be my memory of Amtrak's spiel.   Tw

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 08:04 PM

Whatever you decide to do---one thing is truly spectacular. To get on board a Vista Dome car that courses through Feather River Country. In the days I referred to it was run by Denver Rio Grande Western (people said Dangerous and Rapidly Growing Worse). Truly a beautiful ride as is the Starlight on the west coast (Used to be Soutehrn Pacific). From the East the train that runs along the Hudson and then turns toward Chicago is also magnificent (then called the Pacemaker (NY Central---long gone)---(before Dick Cheney used it to keep pumping us up). I do not know if that still exists---but in all areas the western routes are the most spectacular.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: jimmyt
Date: 09 Nov 04 - 10:19 PM

Weelittledrummer. THe train is nice if it goes where you want to, it seems to see the most beautiful part of the country and the ugliest parts of the cities.

Just curious, but is it the right side driving that is keeping you from considering rental car? it is certainly the cheaper option in AMerica, and driving here is not that difficult for you UKers to get a handle on. I found that my first driving day in UK was a bit dicey and then it became second nature soon after.

I started driving in ENgland and Scotland because the trains didn't go where I wanted to go. If you want to consider a driving trip, I am sure enought AMerican Catters can help you plan and accomodate you. Let us know jimmyt

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Mark Ross
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 02:33 PM

Unfortunately, they took the Vista Domes off the runs years ago. The lounge car has panoramic windows but it's not quite the same. The run over Donner Pass and thru Salt Lake City and over to Denver by way of the Colorado River is spectacular! It's called the California Zephyr. The run through Glacier Park and Montana on the Empire Builder is unbeatable. The best part of the run is along the Kootenai River west of Glacier, but that part of the trip is in darkness. I only got to see it because I rode on the flatcar of a freight train.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:14 PM

Shame about those wonderful VistaDome cars. I understand that the Canadian roads still use them and are spectacular to ride in the Rockies. Shame that our RR service is so miserable compared to other nations.   

An interesting sidelight is that AMTRACK runs on tracks owned by the freight carriers and they do not maintain the trackage as well as it should so any problems AMTRACK has one has to go to the track owners for legal relief in case of accident and such.

I digressed from the original question---sorry.   


Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:38 PM

no don't apologise - digressions are great! I'm enjoying this

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 06:25 PM

Although the long trips are confining and not up to the old days, there are a number of small trips that are wonderful.
1. Cumbres and Toltec. This takes the mountains on the border between New Mexico and Colorado. From Chama NM to the Cumbres Pass (10,000 feet) and Antonito, CO on the old narrow guage trains of the former Denver & Rio Grande Western. The best part is from Chama to the Passand on to a lunch stop, and return to Chama; takes a day. Cumbres
The site is under revision at the moment, but the map is available.

2. The Napa Valley Wine Train in California, Napa to St. Helena. Great food and wine, a one-day trip if you include the car trip from Sacramento or San Francisco to Napa. Napa Wine Train
One of the great rail experiences. A good selection of chef-prepared food and many wines available.
The rail museum at Sacramento is, I think, the best in the country.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 08:44 PM

I've travelled by sleeper once, on a business trip from DC to Florence, SC a few years ago. I must say I wasn't very impressed by the Slumbercoaches. OK, they were modern and clean, but the regular compartment was really cramped and the bed not quite big enough for my 5'10" frame (and also thin and not real comfortable). Train was pretty close to on-time though.

I contrast this with Trenitalia; even travelling **second** class overnight, the bench-turned-bed was long enough for me and more comfortable. And there was enough room for our quite-large suitcases; there wouldn't have been in the Amtrak compartment.

Now for shorter runs, I've always liked the Metroliner (now Acela) trip up the Northeast Corridor from DC to NYC. I used **that** quite frequently for a series of business trips in 2000 and 2001.

-- Gary

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 08:08 PM

Driving is certainly 'easier' but you spend your days, well, driving. Not a real vacation unless you have a friend to share driving with. I think you'd meet a heck of a lot more people on trains and buses if you're traveling alone--you'll meet the upper class on the trains and the lower class on the buses, with plenty of exceptions. If what you want to see are the main cities, coasts, and a few national parks, trains could work. Buses go almost everywhere else.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Padre
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 08:23 PM

We're taking a trip by train from Washington DC to Seattle Washington - crossing by the Northern route through Wyoming, Montana, etc. Looking forward to the trip since I grew up riding the C&O, the B&O, the Southern, the N&W and the L&N through the Upper South as a young man.

Padre

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: GUEST,Seth in Olytown
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 12:01 PM

I've ridden Amtrak from Seattle to New York and back, and up and down the west coast, and on pre Amtrak lines all over the midwest. My experience is that it all gets funkier the further east you go. Trains run later, service is unpredictable, people are more friendly, more bizarre or more hostile, most certainly more interactive. Some poet said that the trains,then and now, run through the backyard of the U.S., I think it's true, and you can put any spin on that that your poetic muse serves up. East of Chicago, you travel through the remains of midwest industrial America. Nobody prepares you for this. Even though I grew up in Cleveland, I am still impressed by the images of the ruins of the places where once "they made stuff". But no longer do, so you see abadonded factories, railyards, pieces of the connective wiring of this country laying in the weeds by the trackside. Miles of it. Sad, but kind of fascinating too, particularly if you have someone there who can tell you "that used to be where they made Studebakers, Carling beer, or where the Cleveland Indians played" ( I know they knocked it down) I say check it out. It's the only way you get to see this partin scale. Planes fly over it, buses take the freeway built around it. Best luck.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Linda Goodman Zebooker
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 12:02 PM

A couple of years ago my son and I traveled from Washington DC to Cincinnati Ohio to visit relatives. My son regularly pores over the Amtrak route descriptions and schedules, and I fondly remembered a few long-distance train trips I took in years past, so we knew we wanted to take the train.

In the interests of time, and because trains on that route don't run every day, we flew one way (to Cincinnati) and returned via the Cardinal. The Cardinal from Cincinnati is an all-day trip, leaving at about 5 AM and getting in to DC at about 8 or 9 PM. We got a very cheap flight and just "wasted" the return portion. On Amtrak my son got half fare, so the cost was pretty reasonable. Amtrak does offer "air-rail" fares to do the same thing, but it wasn't advantageous for our route--works better for coast-to-coast trips.

Our trip on the Cardinal began in Cincinnati, at the spectacular train station, which has been fully restored and now houses museums, an IMAX, and a room-sized working scale model of the city. The Station itself looks like a giant Crosley radio. You really need to visit the station-museum-complex the day before you take the train, though, as the Cardinal leaves for Washington at something like 5 AM.

The route is mainly through mountainous West Virginia, and the scenery was quite beautiful even in bleak January, with a minimum of daylight hours. We chose to take a sleeper room (with two sofas during the day) even though it's a daytime train, because we wanted comfort: however, we'd have been happier with the much cheaper coach, because a sleeper only has one window and all the "good" scenery was inevitably on the other side of the train! You'd get a better view from coach, and be at least equally comfortable. The dining car was fun, with interesting companions (four people share a table), and the food was good.

The Cardinal has a guide come on board the train to narrate via loudspeaker and point out the sights during several hours of the West Virginia portion (in the West-East direction only). The Cardinal actually begins in Chicago and overnights to Cincinnati.

The only downside to the trip was a disinfectant smell that we didn't notice anymore after we'd been on board about half an hour, and the lunchtime attendant in the Dining Car who decided to switch off the Dining Car's loudspeaker so we weren't able to hear the guide during lunch. The attendant wasn't too impressed with all that talk, and when we asked her about the highly scenic Victorian-era station we'd just passed and (but missed seeing) she said "Oh, that's just some old train station".

I'd recommend this train trip if you have the time and if it suits your itinerary. A Mudcatter or two is always welcome to stay here, in the close-in Washington DC suburbs. The Metro (subway) runs directly from Union Station in DC to here.

--Linda Goodman

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: open mike
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 08:38 PM

found this:
TRAC
Train Riders Association of California..
www.calrailnews.com
the california zephyr no longer runs up the feather river canyon..
not safe enough for apssengers, with land slides, etc.
but freight including nuclear waste is fine..
who knew/?!!

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 09:03 PM

Ah, I'd forgotten the name of it, the California Zephyr. I road one several times when they still had VistaDome cars. Here's a nice trip report site with some pix of that route, with mention of the 6 mile long Moffat Tunnel: click here.

Have fun!

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 10:40 PM

Last winter I took the train from Salem, Oregon to Charlotte, North Carolina, and back again by a different route, traveling most of the time in a sleeper. (There were a couple of stretches where a sleeper wasn't available.) I much prefer the stateroom; however the day coach isn't bad. You still have access to the showers and to the dining car or the snack car. But do remember to pack a small blanket, if you're traveling by coach. It gets chlly at night.


This winter I'm planning a different kind of run. I'm buying a 30-day ViaRAIL pass, a combination Canada/USA package. If one is over 65 years old- as I am - it's CHEAP. $499 per person for a month, off season. That is only for day coach, however. If you want a sleeper, on top of that $499 you pay by each leg of the trip. (For instance, one section is $234) Other legs vary in price. On the other hand, your food - and it is very good - is included in that price.

One expense one has in sleepers is that you will want to tip your steward and waiters; day coach doesn't call for that much. As a general thing, it is excellent service.

Last winter's train travel was quite an experience, on a multitude of levels. I got a number of black and blue bruises, and once our plates in the dining car went flying. As someone said above, most of the tracks are not well maintained and they frequently travel too fast for the conditions. The northern route is much rougher than the southern route, in my experience.

And as someone else said, they are routinely late. On the northern route going through Montana and North Dakota on the Empire Builder we missed connections at Chicago for going to Washington, so they put a number of us up in a hotel, complete with vouchers for taxis and food. Coming back on the Sunset from New Orleans through Teas and west, we were 8 hours late by the time we hit Palm Springs, California, and of course missed our connections on the Coast Starlight at Los Angeles. They gave us a WILD bus ride (the only part of the trip I did not enjoy) to Bakersfield where they put us on the San Joaquin which caught up with the Starlight at Martinez.

I love traveling by train. It takes you into the back country into places you don't see from the highways. I've driven across the country various times and going by train is completely different.

I had a wonderful time.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 Nov 04 - 11:09 PM

Insert "x" in the appropriate place, please.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 02:06 AM

We took the Coast Starlight from San Luis Obispo (half way between Los Angeles and San Franisco) to Seattle and back in July. We were 5 hours late arriving in Seattle which put us in at 1:30 AM! The good news was that the taxi company was tuned in to the train status and a gazillion cabs were waiting at the station. We were literally in our hotel room by 1:40! On the return trip we were about 1 hour late but people on board told us that this train is sometimes as much as 12 hours late.

Sleeping in the roomette (less than 4 by 8 feet) is difficult due to the erratic rocking of the train but we managed. There is absolutely no room for luggage. You leave it in a rack downstairs. There may be room for a tooth brush if it's not too big.

It sounds like you are Brit and the best thing about the train is that, in the dining car, each table holds four people. You are seated with total strangers and they are, in general, different for each meal so you'll get to meet a variety of Americans for better or worse. Also, if you go to the lounge car you'll meet even more people.

When we're in the British Isles, we look for ways to meet people because we think it's more fun that way.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 05:44 AM

Thank you! Thank you for all these thoughts. I have enjoyed them so much. I'm going to make a little book of them and tick off the suggestions I take up!

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 08:44 AM

Sorry I didn't see this thread sooner.

ADVANTAGES

Long-distance train travel is much easier on kids than driving. Kids don't appreciate scenery, and they hate being confined to car seats for long periods. On a train they can move around and meet other kids.

Because the train keeps going 24 hours a day, you get where you're going much sooner than driving (assuming you're going cross-country).

Amtrak is much more liberal about luggage than airlines are. I've traveled with my wife and son and a complete set of camping gear: tent, sleeping bags, cooler, clothes, and cooking gear.

The local Amtrak station even allowed me to park my car in their lot free for the entire 2 weeks we were gone! (This might not work everywhere.)

DISADVANTAGES

Schedules are limited. The Empire Builder, for example, only travels once per day each direction.

In most cities, you can't just pop into a station any time you like and ask questions. The station might open only an hour or so before a train is scheduled to arrive, and close soon after the train leaves. It's best to get your information from the Amtrak web site.

You might find that your train is passing though the prettiest scenery at night, when you can't see anything! For best scenery watching, travel in June when the days are long.

In Minneapolis/St. Paul, they idiotically built the train station, the airport, and the inter-city bus (coach) stations miles apart from one another. You can take city buses between them, but of course, it adds to the trouble. (Not like in England, where the trains and the coaches go right into the airport!) Car-rental services might have a shuttle bus that will pick you up/drop you off at the train station, but you'd best inquire.

Trains can be crowded at peak times. I'd say avoid July and August and the last half of December. Traveling off-peak gives you more room to stretch out.

QUESTION
I'd like to hear from anyone who has tried to play an instrument on board a train. I think a folk jam in the bar car would be a great idea, but the management might not see it that way. I once met a bagpiper who tried to play his pipes (we were a bit drunk at the time) and was promptly and firmly told "You can't do that here." Several passengers were disappointed.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: fretless
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 09:28 AM

Jim, A group of us once played old timey on a stalled LIRR train without raising objections, but we quit once the wheels began rolling. We figured we were allowed to ease the boredom during the unscheduled stop, but didn't want to impose our music on fellow passengers once the train got back to business. And once on AMTRAK a conductor got some kid who had walked onto the train with a didgeridoo to give an impromptu concert over the train's speaker system. Generally, however, I suspect that a concert to a captive audience will get the reception that any imposition deserves.

As to the cross-continental trips, my mother- and sister-in-law made the journey a few years ago from Washington DC to Seattle and loved it. My m-i-l is handicapped, and there are special accommodations on the trains that made the trip very easy for her and a pleasure for both.

For my part, I tend to avoid trains because I HATE sitting next to or near to jerks screeching into cell phones, and even AMTRAK's so-called quiet cars are not immune to that abuse.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: GUEST,Dani
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 10:05 AM

Do it! Do it!

There's not TOO much scenery going up and down the Eastern Seaboard, but you do go through enough biggish cities that you can make fun detours happen. I've done the East/West crossing, too, and it's gorgeous - something I think all Americans should do. Two Amtraks go practically through my backyard in North Carolina. I'll bet you could make this a Mudcat trip as well as a train trip! I second the suggestion that you talk with Marion. And I'm looking forward to doing some of these other trips myself one of these days.

Dani

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Maryrrf
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 10:08 AM

One idea would be to combine train and car rental. Make long trips by train where you can enjoy the scenery, relax, etc. and when you get somewhere you want to stay a couple of days - rent a car.

Subject: RE: Trains in America
From: Mark Ross
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 11:02 AM

I was heading back to Montana from California and changing trains in Portland. The old Union Station there is huge with great acoustics. Having plenty of time I pulled out my banjo to pass the time. I must say my 1927 Mastertone never sounded better. All of a sudden, the security guard came up and told me that I had to put it away. When I inquired as to why, he replied, "Think of what would happen if someone came in with an accordian!" I've also had mixed reactions on the train. The last time I was heading home to Oregon from Spokane and some fellow travelers requested that I play a couple of tunes. The chief of service on board told me I couldn't(I suppose he thought the film was more important, even though noone in our car had bought headphones, or was really watching.)

Mark Ross