See America by Train

For many of us a visit to Florida these days is nothing extraordinary and weekend trips to New York or Boston are becoming commonplace. But the USA has more to offer than guaranteed sunshine and bargain shopping. Luckily, there's a relatively unknown way to discover what this country is really all about. Most people think of travelling by car or plane but if you have a couple of weeks to spare you should certainly investigate America's wonderful trains - perhaps the last means of luxury transport available to everyone. There are rail networks that take in almost all states, giving a choice of 500 destinations and access to such tourist essentials as San Francisco, the Rocky Mountains and the Grand Canyon.

The Iron Horse
Railroads opened up America more than a century ago and some of today's long-distance trains still follow the original pioneering routes. They also use many of the great stations built during the golden age of passenger travel. An impressive example stands in Washington, DC, decorated in gold leaf and restored to its original grandeur with dozens of shops, restaurants and a multi-screen cinema. Chicago's Union Station features a marble and brass waiting room as large as many a cathedral. It's said that Al Capone used to stop by for his daily shoeshine in the shower room below.

Hotels on wheels
US trains are like mobile hotels, boasting gleaming aluminium twin-decked coaches, air-conditioning, observation cars and uniformed attendants who make you feel you have stepped into a 1930s Hollywood movie. Reclining seats are thick and soft, with comfortable leg-rests so that you can snooze after a meal or sleep through the night (a good way to save on hotel bills). Pillows and subdued lighting are provided by the attendant.
Trains also have traditional sleeping cars with cosy bedrooms ranging from single 'roomettes' to family size affairs for those travelling with children. Accommodation includes breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining car, as well as complimentary tea or coffee and a newspaper delivered each morning. Meals are of a high standard, including regional specials such as freshly caught trout or barbecued spare ribs. Video films of recent vintage are shown in the lounge bar during the evenings, when the place becomes lively with impromptu parties and poker games.

Time to unwindv
The atmosphere on board is invariably relaxed and the modest speed perfect for sightseeing, so this is a great way to explore the landscape and meet the natives. You have room to stretch out or walk around and instead of racing above the clouds you can watch an entire continent unroll outside the wraparound windows. Even occasional glimpses of city backyards can be fascinating, although trains are scheduled to pass through the less prepossessing areas by night. Children are particularly well catered for with games and other amusements and rarely become bored with the thrill of riding the tracks and making new friends.
Chance encounters are a vital part of what makes American train journeys such a rewarding experience. One of the most enjoyable aspects of travelling by train, often for several days at a time, is that you never know who you might meet. I once travelled on the Coast Starlight in California with a fifty-year-old hippie who had sung with the Grateful Dead. In between strumming her guitar, she pointed out all the places en route which the young Marilyn Monroe had visited (mostly, it seemed, in order to win beauty pageants). I've also travelled with a dozen Italian schoolgirls (quite an experience), an octogenarian mortician from Kansas and a transvestite dancer on her way to entertain the troops in San Diego. On one memorable evening, in New York's Pennsylvania Station waiting room, I watched a football game on TV with Bill Cosby and left wondering if it might have been a dream.
Luckily, I had the autograph to prove otherwise.

Between small towns and big cities you also experience the country's sheer size and variety, getting a feel for what this land must have been like before the days of McDonalds and Coca Cola.

Low prices
Best of all, ticket prices are amazingly low. Visitors from overseas benefit from an array of passes that make this one of the world's great travel bargains. The nationwide version gives you freedom to roam the entire network for around $295, off season. Other passes give you 15 or 30 days in regions such as the East, Northeast or Fareast from as little as $185. You can stop off en route as often as you wish and for any length of time, so given a little planning you should find a train to take you almost everywhere you want to go and perhaps to a few places you hadn't expected. It's easy to work out an itinerary that lets you see more of this diverse country in a short time than is possible any other way. And as the bell clangs and the conductor calls out 'All aboard!' you soon discover why the railroad experience is so delightfully addictive.

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John Pitt is the author of the guide book USA by Rail plus Canada (Bradt Publications, ISBN 1 898323 83 6) available in book shops or from http://www.bradt-travelguides.com. http://www.bradt-travelguides.com.