In late August, I took Amtrak rail service from Portland, OR, to Washington D.C., arriving in Virginia a few days before school started. Travel by train is a classical experience anyone can enjoy. It feels very "vintage" and dated to me. The concept of moving along the ground at not-so-fast speeds is a bit outdated. And then there's the what-if factor: What if your train hits a cow? or a water truck. Yeah, when that happens, you get a 9-15 hour delay. That DID happen on my trip. But it's those unknown factors that spark adventure.
Side note: Amtrak does NOT compare to european rail systems. I love SNCF (TGV). European rail is both faster and more efficient. I could not help but compare my recent six months of european rail travel to this Amtrak experience. I have taken Amtrak along the north eastern lines (to NYC) and I must say that that line is well conditioned and is usually on time.
Side note: Amtrak does NOT compare to european rail systems. I love SNCF (TGV). European rail is both faster and more efficient. I could not help but compare my recent six months of european rail travel to this Amtrak experience. I have taken Amtrak along the north eastern lines (to NYC) and I must say that that line is well conditioned and is usually on time.
Some photos from the trip:
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