Several years ago, I was riding on the Amtrak "California Zephyr" passenger train through rural Illinois, and noticed two or three farms displaying the Confederate Naval Jack, plus, I saw several signs advertising that guns save lives.
I loved riding economy first class in a roomette of a sleeper car on the Amtrak "California Zephyr" travelling between Chicago, Illinois and either Grand Junction, Colorado or Salt Lake City, Utah, which was my destination at that time.
The Amtrak "California Zephyr" route runs between Chicago, Illinois and Oakland, California.
But, that was then, and this is now.
I don't know for certain, but I suspect that these days, just as in the commercial airline industry, the adventurous experience of travel by rail has probably now been ruined by the tyranny imposed by Transportation Safety Administration agents.
We took Amtrak from CA to DC in 2002 in a family compartment. I told my wife how wonderful taking a train would be, but unfortunately found out there was no more silverware, linen napkins and much service of any sort. Couldn't even get bacon for breakfast one day and since they were behind schedule went round curves at an excessive rate making sleeping difficult. Never again, I assume, will I enjoy the childhood comforts of a train to Florida from DC of which I was thinking.
I spent nearly nine years making the long distance commute between DC and Charlotte. Believe me the long drive, even the route coming through the Shenandoah, became wearying. I took the train once, just once. The ride down in coach was tortuous, crowded and fraught with delays. It ended up taking hours longer than the trip by car and didn't arrive in Charlotte until well after midnight. Add in that the station in Charlotte is small RU down and in a decidedly bad part of town. Before we even arrived I vowed " Never Again"! I swapped my return ticket for first class which was, I won't say more present, but just less arduous experience. Your tax dollars at work, reducing everything to the lowest common denominator.
Several years ago, I was riding on the Amtrak "California Zephyr" passenger train through rural Illinois, and noticed two or three farms displaying the Confederate Naval Jack, plus, I saw several signs advertising that guns save lives.
ReplyDeleteI loved riding economy first class in a roomette of a sleeper car on the Amtrak "California Zephyr" travelling between Chicago, Illinois and either Grand Junction, Colorado or Salt Lake City, Utah, which was my destination at that time.
The Amtrak "California Zephyr" route runs between Chicago, Illinois and Oakland, California.
But, that was then, and this is now.
I don't know for certain, but I suspect that these days, just as in the commercial airline industry, the adventurous experience of travel by rail has probably now been ruined by the tyranny imposed by Transportation Safety Administration agents.
We took Amtrak from CA to DC in 2002 in a family compartment. I told my wife how wonderful taking a train would be, but unfortunately found out there was no more silverware, linen napkins and much service of any sort. Couldn't even get bacon for breakfast one day and since they were behind schedule went round curves at an excessive rate making sleeping difficult. Never again, I assume, will I enjoy the childhood comforts of a train to Florida from DC of which I was thinking.
DeleteI spent nearly nine years making the long distance commute between DC and Charlotte. Believe me the long drive, even the route coming through the Shenandoah, became wearying. I took the train once, just once. The ride down in coach was tortuous, crowded and fraught with delays. It ended up taking hours longer than the trip by car and didn't arrive in Charlotte until well after midnight. Add in that the station in Charlotte is small RU down and in a decidedly bad part of town. Before we even arrived I vowed " Never Again"! I swapped my return ticket for first class which was, I won't say more present, but just less arduous experience. Your tax dollars at work, reducing everything to the lowest common denominator.
ReplyDeleteYour tax dollars at work, reducing everything to the lowest common denominator.
DeleteWell said.