| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 550.1 | Me too | CHCLAT::HAGEN | Please send truffles! | Thu Dec 06 1990 15:43 | 13 |
| 550.2 | Vague reference to article | NOVA::WASSERMAN | Deb Wasserman, DTN 264-1863 | Thu Dec 06 1990 16:03 | 12 |
| There was an article someplace (can't remember where, sorry) about a
month or so ago about a family w/ 2 school-age kids that took an Amtrak
train from St. Louis to L.A. The "all-aboard America" ticket entitled
them to 3 stops anywhere along the way. The writer said that it was
a great way to travel because it made the "getting there" part of the
vacation, plus the 4 of them weren't cooped up in the car for days.
The kids thought it was a great adventure. The writer also said that
it was cheaper to just sleep in the seats, but getting a cabin was well
worth it.
This article might have been in Working Mother (or maybe in the Globe
travel section.. maybe someone remembers seeing it?)
|
| 550.3 | Choo Choo | USCTR1::JTRAVERS | | Thu Dec 06 1990 19:32 | 4 |
| FWIW - the SENIOR::DISNEY Notes file has info on taking the train to
Florida.. I know that's not your destination, but it could be helpful.
J.
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| 550.4 | trains the only way. | CSC32::M_EVANS | | Fri Dec 07 1990 15:00 | 13 |
| I took Carrie at age 2 1/2 on an overnight to Reno from Denver. We
slept in the chairs, rather than rent a sleeper (it would have almost
doubled the cost) She loved it!
One thing I did do was keep her on a leash, so that she wouldn't get
lost, or fall down the stairs. The trains west of Chicago are dual
deckers with a narrow spiral staircase. It was great not to drive, or
to white knuckle my way through an ailine flight, the food was fair,
and it is a rolling party.
Have a great trip
Meg
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| 550.5 | I love it | TLE::RANDALL | Bonnie Randall Schutzman | Fri Dec 07 1990 15:17 | 18 |
| I used to love the train -- sleeping in the seats was part of the
adventure. I strongly suspect that as an adult I'd prefer the
sleeper if I could afford it. The double-decker cars .4 talks
about are great -- you get an up-high view of the world, and
changing levels gives you a simple and quick change when the kids
get tired with where they're at.
While we were in France we took the train a couple of times (we
didn't do any overnighters, though) but while we, and Steven, who
was then 3, loved it. He could move and fidget around a lot more
than in a car, and since we didn't have to pay attention to
driving, we could watch and see what he was looking at and answer
his questions and play games.
And you get a very different perspective on the world looking into
its back yards . . .
--bonnie
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| 550.6 | ex | CECV03::POND | | Fri Dec 07 1990 17:39 | 6 |
| Very timely, Jane. I'll be going to NYC next week to take care of my
mother (who has just had some surgery). I'll be taking one of the kids
and was considering taking the train. Beats driving all by myself...
LZP
|
| 550.7 | We did it with a 4 year old. | SHRMAX::ROGUSKA | | Fri Dec 07 1990 18:50 | 41 |
| In May 1989 my husband, my son - four in April of 89 - an I took
the train from Framingham Ma to South Bend Indiana. It was GREAT!
We had decided to take the train over plane for the adventure of
taking a train W/sleeper. The train trip was part of the vacation,
not just a means of transportation. It was NOT cheaper than taking
a plane - maybe $10-$20 dollars cheaper.
We reserved a sleeper from Framingham, we could have waited to Albany
New York for a sleeper and it would have been cheaper. We boarded the
train at 5:15 PM in downtown Framingham, arrived at the South Bend
train station at 11:15 the next morning! This was ideal, just enough
time upon boarding to get settled and check things out, then have
dinner (included in the fare) and back to the sleeper for reading etc.
the sleeper was small, a bench seat W/ armrest that fold down. About
two feet from the bench seat - not a lot of room but enough for Sam to
sit on the floor and play with his legos to the wall. We had a bathroom,
with a pull down sink - VERY small but servicalbe!! The sleeper had two
bunks, Sam sleep with one of us in a bunk - tight but not too tight.
The trip was just long enough and just short enough. Meals, snack etc
take up some time, walking to the club car etc. Sam liked. Once again
meals were included with the first class ticket (which we had to have
to get a sleeper before Albany) We took food with us, juice boxes,
books, toys etc. We all enjoyed it and I was not dreading the return
trip, so the trip out was not bad! I'd love to do it BY MYSELF! What
a great was to travel - not hassle to and from an airport, for us no
changing trains etc.
But I would not have wanted to sleep in the chairs - just my personnel
quirk - but it would have been MUCH cheaper! We all could have gone
out and back for what it cost us for one adult w/sleeper! But it was
train W/sleeper or it was plane! So the over all cost was the same
for us. I would do it again, don't know if I'd want to sleep in the
same bunk with Sam again but .....
If you have any specific questions I'll try to answer them!
Kathye
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| 550.8 | timing is important | SHIRE::DETOTH | | Mon Dec 10 1990 07:17 | 8 |
| .7 made a crucial - imho - point : timing... I made several train
trips with my daughter and found that it is important to balance length
of trip with travel times. The longer the trip, the better it is to
travel (in sleeper - I prefer by far) overnight. I could suggest also
a tape recorder/walkman for listening to stories.
Enjoy your trip - it's a lot of fun and sure beats driving all those
hours !
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| 550.9 | Sample prices | CIVIC::JANEB | See it happen => Make it happen | Mon Dec 10 1990 12:32 | 15 |
| Here are the prices for Boston to Milwaukee and back. You can see why
I need to know if we can get by without a sleeper!
Adult Roundtrip: $149
Child Roundtrip: $75
Additional charge for sleeper ONE WAY: $279 for the family, includes
meals
The trip takes 24 hours each way.
How does it work when you get a sleeper for part of the way? Can you
reserve it that way? How is it priced for a partial day?
Keep that info coming!
|
| 550.10 | Sleeper part way may depend on area | SHRMAX::ROGUSKA | | Mon Dec 17 1990 11:28 | 25 |
| When we went to South Bend from Framingham Ma, we had the option
of getting a sleeper right from Framingham or waiting until Albany,
NY to move to a sleeper. We boarded the train at 5:15 and went
immediately into our compartment/sleeper. If we had opted for picking
up a sleeper in Albany we would have sat in coach until we reached
Albany at 11PM or so that night. We did not want to get settled with
Sam, then four, who we hoped would be alseep by 11PM, and then have to
move everthing again. But we were not trying to save money - the train
trip was the vacation, South Bend and Chicago were the manditory
visiting relatives vacation! We had a different motive for the train
trip than the noter in the original note.
Again the length of the trip, and the time that you travel - holiday
vs. mid-week non-holiday time, will make a difference. We went the
end of April, and returned early May. I would have thought that this
was not the busy season but the sleepers were all full and the coach
was full - not many if any empty seats! Maybe the person making the
reservations could tell you when it might be the least crowded - so
that the kids can move to different sides of the train etc - it might
make it more comfortable. Also I've heard that west of Chicago that
the trains are double deckers, that would probably be fun for the
kids! But remember trains don't pass through the prettiest parts
of towns and cities! But the areas in between can be pretty!
Kathy
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