My aunt took me from Chicago to LA on the double decker Super Chief back when I was 7 and the fun of that trip made me a rail fan for life. It was clean, fast, and on time. Thanks for the comparison!
I rode the Amtrak California Zephyr many times over a decade between Emeryville, CA and Chicago, IL. It's a 3-day trip through some of the best scenery the US has to offer. It was almost always 2-4 hours late except one time it was 4 hours early. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, engine failure, hit an elk, shitter full, rail bridge fire, criminal kicked off in the middle of nowhere, and so on. The worst was when the train was 12 hours out of Chicago and had to go back to swap conductors due to union hour rules hitting their limit during a delay. Despite all that I loved every trip, roomy seats, great views, and nice people. Much better than flying. The biggest downside specific to that line is no Wi-Fi.
A long time ago, I used Amtrak from LA to Seattle, then to Chicago, New York, Denver, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco. It took me about two weeks. It wasn't a sleeper seat but a normal one. However, it was quite comfortable and saved me a lot of hotel bills.
What a mess and terrible experience! So sorry you had to go through all that. Welcome back US..lol No staff and non-existing / inaudible announcements! Amtrak delays and disorganization is their normal. That hasn't changed in years. Your experience is not an anomaly unfortunately.
I took the Vermonter from Philly to Montpellier for a few years. It was an 9hr ride if everything went perfectly, the train was packed until NYC when about 1/2 got off, all but a handful of folks got off in Springfield Ma, and the train was pretty much empty the rest of the way. Except for the bathrooms which were heavily used it was a pleasant way to travel. 🐈
I'm not sure, was that the Acela bullet train or just regular Amtrak? I took the Acela between Philly and DC about 20 years ago and it was pretty nice.
They have assigned seats on Amtrak but you have to pay for business class tickets. The business class car is also a quiet car so no speakers allowed, lol. You also get more legroom which is astounding because coach has a lot of legroom already.
I've ridden that northeast corridor many times (from virginia all the way up to Albany and back), and that's honestly pretty typical even with the unfortunate delay. The scary thing is the NE corridor is Amtrak's "best" line due to passenger volume. Maybe it's Stockholm syndrome, but I've just become accustomed to the oddities like delays and no assigned seating. If I need to be somewhere reasonably quick, a flight is the way, but Amtrak is very hassle free for what it is - buy the ticket, get on train and go. No TSA or busy airports. Also, you can BYOB!
The trains in the UK are an absolute shocker! Cardiff to Aberdeen is around £290, you sit next to some random alcoholics, crisp packets flying about, and the obligatory punch up between some Karen and another Chav. For context. You can get a cheap flight to Rome for around £80. I've been on the shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto. It's definitely a totally different train experience, for sure.
You can reserve seating here in the UK but most people don't. Many times I've had to stand in the hallway on an hour long journey. Our train system is pretty shite and expensive.
One of the most sophisticated countries in the world and yet they cannot run a train service, with faux leather seats. It certainly did look pretty bumpy; even your food was moving! I have not seen a diesel passenger train since I was a kid. If you go too far, you'll end up with a steam train... How do people in wheelchairs get on a train that is way above the platform? Why are the platforms not level with the train access?
Most of the Train stations in US don't have raised platforms, places like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia are the exceptions not the norm. For wheelchairs Amtrak provides a mechanical lift that will raise the wheelchair to train's height. It something that the passenger arranges when they check in at the station.
I would so LOVE to travel by train in the USA, but practically always, flying is SO much faster and still much cheaper... or busses are cheaper still.....(
yea, depending on the distances train should be door-to-door faster and cheaper. I'd argue train travel should be subsidized the way bus travel is (they use publicly built and maintained roadways) but that probably would anger a lot of people lol.
I'm from Southeast Asia. Things are different. I've been working in mass transit for more than two decades. Things don't work the way it is in Asia. You will be frustrated very much if you want the transit to fit you. That's very true. And Eric, there are two kinds of trains. The common ones (all) that we have have the wheels run on top of the rails. The other ones have wheels run above the rail heads. You find them mostly on high speed trains.
The last time I took the Amtrak it smelled like armpit, haha . . . so I guess it could be worse . . . I really don't want to get down with too much criticism though.
I was at a fast food restaurant many years ago. A department of corrections van pulled up and a group of people exited wearing the uniforms of said fast food restaurant. Needless to say I’ve stopped eating fast food for a long time. Typical American customer service is non existent. Perhaps the people working for scamtrak are cons? 😂
The train system is totally broken and has been for years. It is a mess. America is so big most people fly or rent a car. It takes to long in America to go by train.
that was a lot of real talk lol.
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You two are so funny!
My aunt took me from Chicago to LA on the double decker Super Chief back when I was 7 and the fun of that trip made me a rail fan for life. It was clean, fast, and on time. Thanks for the comparison!
It's frustrating because of how much potential the US could have from an amazing train network. Oh well.
I rode the Amtrak California Zephyr many times over a decade between Emeryville, CA and Chicago, IL. It's a 3-day trip through some of the best scenery the US has to offer. It was almost always 2-4 hours late except one time it was 4 hours early. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, engine failure, hit an elk, shitter full, rail bridge fire, criminal kicked off in the middle of nowhere, and so on. The worst was when the train was 12 hours out of Chicago and had to go back to swap conductors due to union hour rules hitting their limit during a delay. Despite all that I loved every trip, roomy seats, great views, and nice people. Much better than flying. The biggest downside specific to that line is no Wi-Fi.
A long time ago, I used Amtrak from LA to Seattle, then to Chicago, New York, Denver, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco. It took me about two weeks. It wasn't a sleeper seat but a normal one. However, it was quite comfortable and saved me a lot of hotel bills.
I would NEVER ride trains here in America. But in Japan I’m taking them everywhere I go.
I have just taken the same ride yesterday to go to Washington DC. I concur the rattling.
get your fillings checked asap.
Pricewise how is it compared to the Shinkansen?
And this from the country that got to the moon! Shockingly unorganised.
You know the moon landing was fake, right? It was a soundstage, all made up.
Hey guys! On your trip to Virginia, you will riding right by my home!!! So excited to know that you are in my sphere!!! Safe journey! ❤
What a mess and terrible experience! So sorry you had to go through all that. Welcome back US..lol No staff and non-existing / inaudible announcements! Amtrak delays and disorganization is their normal. That hasn't changed in years. Your experience is not an anomaly unfortunately.
Thanks!
AWWW that poor puppers 😢 Doggo looked a little scared
食べ物、トイレ、その他の話…1番楽しかったのは、2人がずっと小さな声で話していた事lol まるで日本人w👍👍👍
I took the Vermonter from Philly to Montpellier for a few years. It was an 9hr ride if everything went perfectly, the train was packed until NYC when about 1/2 got off, all but a handful of folks got off in Springfield Ma, and the train was pretty much empty the rest of the way.
Except for the bathrooms which were heavily used it was a pleasant way to travel. 🐈
I'm not sure, was that the Acela bullet train or just regular Amtrak? I took the Acela between Philly and DC about 20 years ago and it was pretty nice.
I assume it was just a normal train. the idea that anything they have could be on "bullet train" level is amusing to me, haha. -E
I havent had a decent train experience outside of Japan - and you saying that its a mess within the first 60 seconds just adds to the list :-D
They have assigned seats on Amtrak but you have to pay for business class tickets. The business class car is also a quiet car so no speakers allowed, lol. You also get more legroom which is astounding because coach has a lot of legroom already.
Hah, we don't expect assigned seatings on "local" transport, but for something like this it seems sorta nuts lol. -E
the west coast train line or the one from ny to Seattle is nice
Excited to see you back in the States again. Amtrak Blows, The only way its bearable is to get a private room.
There’s no seats in Penn to avoid homeless people camping out there. It’s called “hostile architecture”. It’s the new architecture around the city.
I've ridden that northeast corridor many times (from virginia all the way up to Albany and back), and that's honestly pretty typical even with the unfortunate delay. The scary thing is the NE corridor is Amtrak's "best" line due to passenger volume. Maybe it's Stockholm syndrome, but I've just become accustomed to the oddities like delays and no assigned seating. If I need to be somewhere reasonably quick, a flight is the way, but Amtrak is very hassle free for what it is - buy the ticket, get on train and go. No TSA or busy airports. Also, you can BYOB!
The trains in the UK are an absolute shocker!
Cardiff to Aberdeen is around £290, you sit next to some random alcoholics, crisp packets flying about, and the obligatory punch up between some Karen and another Chav.
For context. You can get a cheap flight to Rome for around £80.
I've been on the shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto. It's definitely a totally different train experience, for sure.
having done train travel in the UK as well can confirm it's not as good as Japan but it's leagues above what's going on in the colonies lol
aww I loved the end ❤
You can reserve seating here in the UK but most people don't. Many times I've had to stand in the hallway on an hour long journey. Our train system is pretty shite and expensive.
Awww the dad ❤❤, are you tired and hungry !!
One of the most sophisticated countries in the world and yet they cannot run a train service, with faux leather seats. It certainly did look pretty bumpy; even your food was moving!
I have not seen a diesel passenger train since I was a kid. If you go too far, you'll end up with a steam train...
How do people in wheelchairs get on a train that is way above the platform? Why are the platforms not level with the train access?
Most of the Train stations in US don't have raised platforms, places like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia are the exceptions not the norm.
For wheelchairs Amtrak provides a mechanical lift that will raise the wheelchair to train's height. It something that the passenger arranges when they check in at the station.
We need foreign input to train schedule functioning. And we need to repair tracks.
I would so LOVE to travel by train in the USA, but practically always, flying is SO much faster and still much cheaper... or busses are cheaper still.....(
yea, depending on the distances train should be door-to-door faster and cheaper. I'd argue train travel should be subsidized the way bus travel is (they use publicly built and maintained roadways) but that probably would anger a lot of people lol.
Back to Old Virginny, well, you're long gone by now lol. I grew up just up the road in Prince William county.
Wow! What a mess. Thanks for the insightful video. 😅
What a chaotic shitshow. Compared to Japan, some parts of the U.S. feel like they belong to a developing country.
You used to pay to receive a service. Now you just pay.
Thanks for the video. And I thought the Deutsche Bahn is terrible😀
And not a vending machine in sight
I'm from Southeast Asia. Things are different. I've been working in mass transit for more than two decades. Things don't work the way it is in Asia. You will be frustrated very much if you want the transit to fit you. That's very true. And Eric, there are two kinds of trains. The common ones (all) that we have have the wheels run on top of the rails. The other ones have wheels run above the rail heads. You find them mostly on high speed trains.
thanks Kyde and Eric great video, and that's why i don't use public transport
What a mess haha
The last time I took the Amtrak it smelled like armpit, haha . . . so I guess it could be worse . . . I really don't want to get down with too much criticism though.
Just to clarify. The rest of the world KNOWS that Amtrak is a joke.
I was at a fast food restaurant many years ago. A department of corrections van pulled up and a group of people exited wearing the uniforms of said fast food restaurant. Needless to say I’ve stopped eating fast food for a long time. Typical American customer service is non existent. Perhaps the people working for scamtrak are cons? 😂
The train system is totally broken and has been for years. It is a mess. America is so big most people fly or rent a car. It takes to long in America to go by train.
Thanks!