Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well..... I have to add my RECENT .02 cents into this thread. Partly as a result of a similar thread a couple weeks ago, I have since traveled from LA to San Francisco by Amtrak, and a friend actually tried going from San Franciso to New York.... and she arrived just yesterday... but by plane instead. Here's what happened: Her plans called from departing Oakland's Jack London I think, to Salt Lake City, to Denver, Chicago and on into New York. Somewhere aound Denver, she woke up in the sleeper almost easten alive by too tiny to see insects. Almost covered from head to foot with tiny red welts. Upon her arrival in Chicago, and another night in a sleeper (that had supposedly been cleaned), she was literally, covered head to toe with by now... LARGE red welts. She took a taxi to the airport and fly the rest of way. Yesterday, when she arrived in NYC, she went directly to a doctor for treatment. As a Japanese national, she was very excited to "see America" and had purchased the special "international rail pass". But the trip turned disasterous for her. Guess what her reports will be to friends and relatives back home. I doubt if they will be beating a path to the Amtrak counters. My own experience to San Francisco...... Well.. the train was spacious and comfortable. But..... It was almost 2 hours late at departure time, and almost three hours late in arrival. Plus.. the trip took nearly 13 long, long, long hours to make the trip. The food in the dinning car was alright, but way overpriced. The snacks aboard was also overpriced. The people were great... The scenry was good, (for the most part). But the train is toooooooooo damnnnnnnnnn slow. Plus, the cost of the ticket was virtually the same as a SW flight. I frequently spend weekends in San Fran..... but I cannot do so with Amtrak. It would take the entire weekend to make the round trip. With that said.... I did get some nice photos of weary travelers. Just my two cents. - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ernest Nitka" <enitka@twcny.rr.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Friday, July 26, 2002 11:25 AM Subject: RE: [Leica] WAS film and travel - NOW travel by Amtrak > I can second that emotion - two years ago, very expensive trip with family > on sleepers from Syracuse to Albuquerque/Denver back to Syracuse. The > Amtrak people ON the Train were nice but equipment failure, frequent > un-explained stops marred the trip. The Chicago train station was a Zoo > with some not so pleasant animals at the healm. On the other hand I found > lots to take pictures of - M6 with 35/2 (non-asph) loaded with Delta 3200. > Some stops that were at trainstations were ok as I had time to get out and > wander around a bit. Nothing like hurtling thru the heartland at sun up in > the dinner car, drinking coffee and trying to wake up. > > ernie nitka > > > My best advice to anyone considering medium to long > distance travel with Amtrak is to be patient, have a > sense of humor and give yourself more leeway time than > you would with air travel regarding connection and > arrival destinations. > > /Mitch - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html