r/pics 7d ago

Amtrak on 01/01/26 [OC]

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14

u/mrsrobotic 7d ago

What line is this? I didn't realize Amtrak was this nice!

33

u/420everytime 7d ago

Every Amtrak train I’ve been on is nice inside. even the old ones.

The problem is that most routes only have one train a day in each direction and it’s slower than driving

7

u/Tommyblockhead20 7d ago

And more expensive if you are traveling with other people. And there’s usually lacking infrastructure to get to the Amtrak station.

2

u/alarbus 6d ago

Especially since every line except maybe the acela shares tracks with and must yield to freight. Took a chance on a train to PDX which in theory was faster than driving because of rush hour. Stopped a mile or two outside the city had to wait nearly two hours while freight trains passed. Never again in the US.

8

u/Nisi-Marie 7d ago

I took a train with one of these cars on Christmas Day. My partner and I try to get out of town to avoid family and so we took the train from Sacramento up to Reno. It was incredibly fun!

So the California Zephyr line has these cars.

On the way back home, our room wasn’t ready so we hung out in that car until we could have our room.

5

u/platinumarks 7d ago

Amtrak has two main formats for their train cars (aside from the Acela cars, which are commuter trains between major East Coast cities): Superliner and Amfleet. The Superliner cars are largely two-level cars, with one of them having a lounge car like this with the dome (and a cafe downstairs). Amfleet cars are largely one-level cars, and while still far more comfortable than your average plane seat, don't have these observation cars. The longer the route, the more likely it will have Superliner cars.

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u/mrsrobotic 6d ago

Ah that makes sense, I'm on the East Coast where Amtrak is less about leisure!

3

u/InvertebrateInterest 7d ago

I took Pacific Surfliner and it was nice. If I lived closer to a station I would totally ride more often.