Comments on: Taking The Train From Los Angeles To Chicago For Christmas. http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/ A place to discuss money...for the rest of us. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:21:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Top 10 Money Saving Tips for Christmas - #6 Travel | Generation Y Financehttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-24071 Top 10 Money Saving Tips for Christmas - #6 Travel | Generation Y Finance Wed, 26 Dec 2007 22:59:40 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-24071 [...] great example this is David over at My Two Dollars who has decided to take the train from Los Angeles to Chicago for the Christmas [...] [...] great example this is David over at My Two Dollars who has decided to take the train from Los Angeles to Chicago for the Christmas [...]

]]> By: Hazzardhttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23370 Hazzard Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:19:09 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23370 My wife, 4 year old daughter and I took the Amtrak train from Seattle to Portland a few weeks ago. It was the first time we've done that and it was great!!! Yeah, it's only a little over 3 hours and we just had standard coach seats but it was so much better than driving. It was fun to just take a backpack and hit the rails. It felt like we were being far more adventurous than normal (yes boring lives). Anyway, having a cabin on the train should make it even better! I bet you have a blast and I'm looking forward to reading all about it. My wife, 4 year old daughter and I took the Amtrak train from Seattle to Portland a few weeks ago. It was the first time we’ve done that and it was great!!! Yeah, it’s only a little over 3 hours and we just had standard coach seats but it was so much better than driving. It was fun to just take a backpack and hit the rails. It felt like we were being far more adventurous than normal (yes boring lives).

Anyway, having a cabin on the train should make it even better! I bet you have a blast and I’m looking forward to reading all about it.

]]> By: davidhttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23194 david Tue, 06 Nov 2007 04:57:53 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23194 Hey Cap, thanks for the comment and appreciate your input. We are taking the Southwest Chief and are looking forward to it. I will do some searching and will tell the wife to bring motion sickness medicine as she tends to be susceptible to it. Will certainly report back on the experience! Hey Cap, thanks for the comment and appreciate your input. We are taking the Southwest Chief and are looking forward to it. I will do some searching and will tell the wife to bring motion sickness medicine as she tends to be susceptible to it. Will certainly report back on the experience!

]]> By: Caphttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23190 Cap Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:51:41 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23190 I took a trip from southern california to houston earlier this year, and it took about 36 or so hours, on the Sunset Limited (flew for the trip back due to time constraint). I'm assuming your route is the Southwest Chief. It should be an interesting and fun experience. Having dinner in the dinning cart w/ strangers is somehow warm and fun... just make sure you and your wife are prepare for the trip. There are numerous sites online w/ good preparation list, not to mention amtrak's own. Stuff I regret not forgetting to bring w/ me were ear plugs and motion sickness medicine (didn't realize I'd get slightly queasy). Thankfully I got a sleeper, so it was comfortable enough for one person. Try the search engine w/ phrases like "Southwest Chief Trip Report" to read up on other's experience, so you have an idea of what to expect. Make sure to plan for delays (as long as 8-12 hours), as the freights own majority of the rail and delays are inevitable (even though they are supposedly factored in). Either case, should be a great experience! I plan to try one more route one of these days, most likely the Empire Builder (read that it's an awesome route). Everyone should take Amtrak at least once! I took a trip from southern california to houston earlier this year, and it took about 36 or so hours, on the Sunset Limited (flew for the trip back due to time constraint).

I’m assuming your route is the Southwest Chief. It should be an interesting and fun experience. Having dinner in the dinning cart w/ strangers is somehow warm and fun… just make sure you and your wife are prepare for the trip. There are numerous sites online w/ good preparation list, not to mention amtrak’s own.

Stuff I regret not forgetting to bring w/ me were ear plugs and motion sickness medicine (didn’t realize I’d get slightly queasy). Thankfully I got a sleeper, so it was comfortable enough for one person.

Try the search engine w/ phrases like “Southwest Chief Trip Report” to read up on other’s experience, so you have an idea of what to expect. Make sure to plan for delays (as long as 8-12 hours), as the freights own majority of the rail and delays are inevitable (even though they are supposedly factored in).

Either case, should be a great experience! I plan to try one more route one of these days, most likely the Empire Builder (read that it’s an awesome route). Everyone should take Amtrak at least once!

]]> By: Sunday Morning Link Love - List-ish Edition | I've Paid For This Twice Already...http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23129 Sunday Morning Link Love - List-ish Edition | I've Paid For This Twice Already... Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:27:51 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23129 [...] Two Dollars: Taking The Train From Los Angeles to Chicago For Christmas. Life is about experiences, and this will be a great on I bet! I once took the train cross-country [...] [...] Two Dollars: Taking The Train From Los Angeles to Chicago For Christmas. Life is about experiences, and this will be a great on I bet! I once took the train cross-country [...]

]]> By: davidhttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23097 david Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:33:22 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23097 I will be sure to let everyone know about the experience after we do it. So many people complain about Amtrak's service that I guess we will see for ourselves! I will be sure to let everyone know about the experience after we do it. So many people complain about Amtrak’s service that I guess we will see for ourselves!

]]> By: Kylehttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23094 Kyle Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:59:05 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23094 Good for you guys! What a great way to see the southwest and the rockies! Good for you guys! What a great way to see the southwest and the rockies!

]]> By: paidtwicehttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23074 paidtwice Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:21:00 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23074 I took the train cross country (from Boston, MA to Portland, OR) when I was in college and it was FUN. We were poor broke college students (hmm, only the college student part has changed, hmm) and we slept in our seats. no bedroom cabin for us! lol. So fun. I took the train cross country (from Boston, MA to Portland, OR) when I was in college and it was FUN. We were poor broke college students (hmm, only the college student part has changed, hmm) and we slept in our seats. no bedroom cabin for us! lol.

So fun.

]]> By: plonkeehttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23069 plonkee Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:26:18 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23069 Sound great and reminds me that I still want to take the Trans-Siberian Express. I reckon kids would enjoy an overnight train ride more than a plane trip, but 40 hours might be a bit much. Sound great and reminds me that I still want to take the Trans-Siberian Express. I reckon kids would enjoy an overnight train ride more than a plane trip, but 40 hours might be a bit much.

]]> By: Chief Family Officerhttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23067 Chief Family Officer Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:15:06 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/11/01/taking-the-train-from-los-angeles-to-chicago-for-christmas/#comment-23067 This sounds wonderful! And you're absolutely right in thinking that you should make the most of the couple time you have now - kids will change that like you wouldn't believe! This sounds wonderful! And you’re absolutely right in thinking that you should make the most of the couple time you have now – kids will change that like you wouldn’t believe!

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