From: bobmacd@well.sf.ca.us (Robert MacDowell)
Subject: Re: Business travel by rail (Thanks for the idea)
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 08:17:56 GMT


bunce@asd2.jsc.nasa.gov (Tom Bunce) announces proudly:
> I go out to the San Francisco area every 6-7 months for
>work and the next time is in January, so I thought "why not find out if I can
>go by train?"...
>
>So... I'm booked to leave Houston Sat night Jan 2nd at 10:30 pm on Train #1,
>then transfer to Train #14 (Coast Starlight) in LA to arrive in San Jose at
>7:38 pm Monday night. Of course I have to pay my own meals for the one extra
>day of travel on Sunday, and I can only go coach unless I wanted to cough up
>the extra money to go on a sleeper. Alas, I'm not rich :-( but perhaps the
>train has a public shower.

No it doesn't!  Only the deluxe sleepers have showers.

What I do, is take along a washcloth and a towel, and changes of
clothes.  Downstairs in every coach are the bathrooms, and first door
on your left is a "Men's Changing Room" which is actually quite large.
I use that room to take an "Amtrak spongebath" where I ****LOCK THE
DOOR****, get naked, and wash head to toe.  The best time to do this
is evening, before dinner or before bed.  Don't even *think* of doing
it in the morning, which is bathroom rush hour.

> I discovered that the train from LA to Houston only
>runs on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday so I have to miss a half day of work
coming
>home. (Oh, well)

More superliners coming to save the da(il)y. Someday.

>Thanks to you all I get to ride the rails again. My only trip so far was
>Chicago to LA five years ago by coach, so I know a little of what I'm getting
>into. (bring a blanket, bring snacks, bring reading material...)

Also a Real Pillow, aforementioned washcloth and towel. I use a
small backpack to carry books/tapes/food to the lounge, where I spend
much of my time. And if your walkman or laptop computer plugs in,
bring an extension cord, since you might not get a seat with a plug.

>What are the prices for meals now? They were expensive 5 years ago at $8-$12,
>but what is "expensive" now? $15 to $20?

They haven't gone up much since '87.
Low: Vegetarian Dish (usually lasagne) for $8.
High: New York Strip Steak (always excellent) $13.
Desert: Small scoop of ice cream $1.50, brownie $1.50, both $3.
Cheesecake (or pie) $2.
Breakfast: $4.25,  plus $1.50 for meat.
Lunch: $5.25-5.50, Beefburger or Pizza/salad.

>I'm going to bring my own snacks and a
>lunch or somesuch...

They frown upon eating your own snacks in the lounge.  I've been
discreet and never had a problem.  Depends on the train crew, also
helps if you bought something too.  I bring it up because I assume
you'll be spending a lot of time there. (you should!)

>I'm going to go get a timetable today, but if it doesn't include the names of
>the railroads that I'll be traveling over, can someone fill me in so I can
set
>my scanner accordingly?

Two words.
Southern Pacific.

You're on an all-SP routing.  (oh joy. :-) On the radio, 14 will be
called 13 since it's a westbound.  It becomes 14 at Oakland when it
turns east.  San Francisco is the westernmost point in the Universe.
(Well technically, the West Pole :-) is at One Market Street, and as a
personal note I live near Golden Gate Park, four miles west -er- EAST
of there.  You cannot live west of there.  :-)

>Is there a bus from the train
>station to the airport, so I can get a rental car?

Santa Clara County Transit runs a ton of buses.  Call 408-287-4210, or
write SCCT Customer Service, PO Box 4009, Milpitas, CA 95035-2009.
Ask about bus #64, if it still runs it's a 25-minute ride with hourly
headways in the evenings.  My data is from 1988 but they've had
service cuts.  BTW, there's also a light rail in San Jose, but it
doesn't go to either the airport, or the Cahill St.  depot.

> Is there a Hertz agent at the station?

No.  It's a quiet Amtrak station, but it's a busy commuter station
and real estate is precious.  (Caltrain runs 40 trains a day to SFO)

> Any idea on cab fare to SJ airport?

It's only about 3-4 miles. Shouldn't be much. A bit circuitous route
though, so if the cabbie drags you all over town, that's why.

>Tom Bunce, Lockheed Engineering & Sciences Co.    (713) 333-7497
>bunce@l14h13.jsc.nasa.gov -Flames don't bother me,  I'm a firefighter :-)

They should do a movie like "Backdraft", set in the Usenet. :-) :-)

-- Bob MacDowell | 75730.3410@compuserve.com | bobmacd@well.sf.ca.us | RBWR79B
Seeking computer training/helpdesk job in San Francisco

   "You know, I really never doubted myself for a minute, and
   I think that's a key to success in general." -Deborah Gibson
Newsgroups: rec.railroad