Senior Focus: Train travel can be scenic

Traverse City Record-Eagle ^ | Thursday, July 29, 2010 | KATHLEEN GEST

[Willie Green]

Amtrak's Most Scenic Tours

As Baby Boomers enter their retirement years,
Amtrak tours will become a high-growth industry.

[Kozak]

Yeah. And we will demand the government pay for it for us. Maybe we can make it another entitlement.

[KC_Lion]

yeah right.........a few years ago me the and the family thought about taking the train for a mini vacation out to western Kansas.

Please, hundreds of dollars for a trip to Dodge City, not to mention the WHOLE point of taking the train was to see the scenery. But Guess what...Them trains only run a NIGHT!!! Jeez maybe it's different in Missouri shoot I don't know, just more wasted government money

[mountainlion]

Most of the scenic rides in Colorado have gone bankrupt.

[Willie Green]

Colorado Train Trips and Rail Tours

Colorado is railroad heaven with trains such as the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and The Royal Gorge Route.

[Ditter]

The train running at night might have been a blessing. Train tracks always run through the industrial areas and through the trashy est part of every town. In France trains run in a ditch with high walls on both sides most of the time, so you see NOTHING. I took a train through Switzerland one time and that was pretty nice.

[Mr. Lucky]

You’ve failed to mention that the five railroads which operate the passenger trains from “heaven” are all privately owned and not affiliated with Amtrak.

[Ditter]

Colorado trains are nice and scenic. I have taken the Silverton narrow gage with my kids and once when there was bad weather we took the train from Aspen back to Denver to catch the plane back home. But as a general mode of travel, no thanks. I'd rather take my Tahoe.

[equalitybeforethelaw]

You know, the only tenuously profitable line in Amtrak runs from DC to Boston. I have taken it several times and don’t recall any great landscapes. I just remember seeing a whole lot of spray paint taggers art on every available surface. I guess if you like tag art, you’re gonna love Amtrak.

[Grunthor]

“Senior Focus: Train travel can be scenic”

But not affordable.

[Grunthor]

“I took a train through Switzerland one time and that was pretty nice.”

I rode the train from Mannheim, Germany to Vicenza, Italy. Went through Switzerland. One of the things that I hope I never forget in my life. I loved it. Unfortunately I also know that sort of train system just is not feasible in the United States or else I would be an advocate.

[KC_Lion]

I suppose so, but we went in our gas guzzling van to Dodge City and got to see Western Kansas anyway. So it was all good. Amtrack go pound sand

[caseinpoint]

“Senior Focus: Train travel can be scenic”

But not affordable.”

A couple years ago a model train club contemplated making a club trip on the train from Sacramento to Reno over Donner Pass. As a spouse of a club member, I was kind of looking forward to it but the guys, checking out costs, calculated how many locomotive models they could purchase with the fare prices and the trip was off.

[Willie Green]

You’ve failed to mention that the five railroads which operate the passenger trains from “heaven” are all privately owned and not affiliated with Amtrak.

I didn't mention it because it's not true.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is jointly owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico.

[mountainlion]

The ski train is gone. I don't think amtrack is here any more. The little trains you mention are private and are not subsidized and do make money. They are tourists traps. There is no comparison of them to passenger service as they do not really go anywhere. You forgot the Pikes peak cog railway.

A train is something that takes you for where you are not to somewhere that you will not be.

Mark Twain.

[Willie Green]

But not affordable.

Although there's been a painful attempt by the global investment community to weasel out of the retirement plans and pension obligations owed to the Baby Boom generation, it's a pretty safe prediction that the Boomers will get their revenge at the ballot box.

[Mr. Lucky]

...and is operated without subsidy by a private company. Feel better?

[Mr. Lucky]

...and is operated without subsidy by a private company. Feel better?

[Thrownatbirth]

“Senior Focus: Train travel can be scenic”

If you can keep up with it to haul yourself aboard the last boxcar.

[Grunthor]

And that is going to bring down the exhorbitant prices of train passage how, exactly?