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Topic: Most scenic varnish route? (Read 280 times) |
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Transcon
Historian
Posts: 325
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I would like to know from you which of the following US passenger trains ran or still runs through the most scenic scenery and countryside of the USA.
Here they are:
1.Empire Builder (Chicago-Glacier Park-Seattle/Portland)
2.Olympian Hiawatha (Chicago-Tacoma)
3.North Coast Limited (Chicago-Bozeman-Seattle/Portland)
4.City of Portland (Chicago-Cheyenne-Portland)
5.City of San Francisco (Chicago-Cheyenne-San Francisco)
6.California Zephyr (Chicago-Denver-San Fancisco)
7.City of Los Angeles (Chicago-Cheyenne-Los Angeles)
8.Super Chief (Chicago-Albuquerque-Los Angeles)
9.Golden State Limited (Chicago-El Paso-Los Angeles)
10.Sunset Limited (New Orleans-Los Angeles)
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Pennsy
Historian
Posts: 4479
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Hi All,
Sort of prejudiced. Either the San Diegan or the Surfliner. Los Angeles to San Diego. Can't help but love to watch the surfers hanging ten as you race along the Pacific Coast. You can also take Metrolink, or the Coaster and do the same. Can't have a mixed drink as you watch from either Metrolink or the Coaster. Nothing like sipping a mixed drink and watching the lady surfers at San Clemente and Dana Point. Some of them are almost wearing bathing suits. Gorgeous surfboards too.
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RDG484
Former Member
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The New River Gorge, traversed by Amtrak 50-51, the Cardinal.
Also, until passenger service was discontinued by the Province of British Columbia, the BC Rail route from N. Vancouver to Prince George was the most scenic route I ever traveled.
And, until it was abandoned, the route through the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania was very sought after for fall excursions.
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| « Last Edit: Jan 28th, 2006, 10:29pm by RDG484 » |
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Transcon
Historian
Posts: 325
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Oh my people, I think you misunderstood something in this thread. I didn´t want you to write about your personal train route or routes that you´ve ridden. I want to know from you which of the following trains I mentioned (#1 to #10) in your opinion was or is travelling through the most scenic scenery. Not any other trains, only the ones I´ve mentioned, please.
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ClydeDET
Historian
Posts: 3147
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Probably a coin-flip between the three noth coast trains, teh Cal Zephyr and the City of San Francisco. MAYBE a cat-hair advantage to the Cal Zephyr.
Sunset and Super Chief don't really do much truly spectacular scenery unless you like high (or low) desert. Even Raton and Cajon Passes aren't really spectacular scenery to ride through. Not compared to the stuff the trains to the far northwest or the ones through the heart of the Rockies and Sierra Nevada show you. JMO.
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Norm_Anderson
Historian
Posts: 1296
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I am a Santa Fe True Believer, but my vote definitely goes to the California Zephyr. Not only the most spectacular scenery, but also the most varied of any route, endpoint-to-endpoint. Midwest farms and dairies, high plains cattle country, the "airliner view" of Denver and environs while assaulting the Rockies' Front Range, alpine meadows and deep gorges, desert canyonlands, the Great Salt Lake, the Sierra Nevada, the Great Central Valley of California, and tidewater at San Francisco Bay, with plenty of Vista-Dome seating to go around. The only "downside" would be the need to sleep.
If you are interested in current Amtrak service, Amtrak's California Zephyr combines the original CZ route east of Salt Lake City, and the former City of San Francisco route west of Salt Lake City. In my opinion, this is the most scenic US route today.
Of course, there are as many different definitions of truly "scenic" as there are Members on this Forum. Each route has its own distinct advantages, and there are lots of things you could see from other trains that you couldn't see from the CZ.
Regards,
Norm
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| « Last Edit: Jan 29th, 2006, 11:27pm by Norm_Anderson » |
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Norm_Anderson
Historian
Posts: 1296
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Almost all of the routes on your list still survive as freight-hauling lines, but these are the portions over which you may still ride via Amtrak:
1. (Empire Builder): Amtrak's Empire Builder follows the original route west of Minot, North Dakota to Seattle (with a connecting section between Spokane, Washington and Portland, Oregon that was also the route of a connecting section for the original Empire Builder). Between Chicago and Minot, Amtrak's Empire Builder follows a different route.
2. (Olympian Hiawatha): Amtrak's Empire Builder follows the original Olympian Hiawatha route between Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.
3. (North Coast Limited): Amtrak's Empire Builder follows this route between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Fargo, North Dakota, though during the dark of night in both directions. It also follows the NP route between Spokane and Pasco, Washington, though again at night.
4. (City of Portland): To my knowledge, no portion of this route sees passenger service today, though along the Columbia River between Pasco, Washington and Portland, Oregon, Amtrak's Empire Builder (Portland Section) follows the north bank of the river, while the City of Portland route followed the south bank.
5. (City of San Francisco): Amtrak's California Zephyr still polishes these rails from just west of Salt Lake City, Utah to Emeryville (Oakland), California.
6. (California Zephyr): As noted in my other post above, Amtrak's CZ follows this route west from Chicago to just beyond Salt Lake City.
7. (City of Los Angeles): Amtrak's Southwest Chief follows 100 miles of this route (at night), over Southern California's Cajon Pass, between Daggett and Riverside, California. These rails belonged to Santa Fe (now BNSF) and were used by the City of Los Angeles through trackage rights from Santa Fe.
8. (Super Chief): Amtrak's Southwest Chief follows this route almost in its entirety, the exceptions being the first 70 miles or so west of Chicago (where it follows the former California Zephyr route as far as Galesburg) and the last 70 miles into Los Angeles, west of San Bernardino.
9. (Golden State): To my knowledge, the only passenger service on the "Golden State Route" is west of El Paso, where Amtrak's Sunset Limited re-traces the route of Southern Pacific's train of the same name. (In truth, even under SP, the "Sunset Route" and "Golden State Route" were the same trackage west of El Paso). Amtrak's route bypasses Phoenix, Arizona to the south, whereas SP's Sunset and Golden State served the city directly.
10. (Sunset Limited): Amtrak's Sunset follows the same route over almost its entire length (there may be some minor variations in eastern Texas-- another member, such as Clyde DET, would be more informed than I about this).
Hope this helps,
Norm
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| « Last Edit: Jan 30th, 2006, 12:03am by Norm_Anderson » |
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ClydeDET
Historian
Posts: 3147
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Nope - teh Sunset on Amtrak follows teh old SP line with no essential changes all the way, at least in the Louisiana and Texas parts. And pretty well west of El Paso AFAIK. Now UP, of course, but it still comes out of NOLA, gets to Beaumont and Houston and on to San Antone the way it used to, and then on west. Not really much opportunity for changes, in fact, and there ain't none I know of (maybe minor changes in exacvt routes through and around some of the cities where there might be some alternate routes, but not even there that I can recall hearing about - maybe uses a slightly differnt way to get through San Antonio, for example, but UP main is UP main, east and west of town, only difference might be which way you got to the station on local trackage).
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Transcon
Historian
Posts: 325
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Well, and what would you say if we change the question a little bit.....
Which PRE AMTRAK streamliner train RAN through the most beautiful area and countryside in your opinion
In my opinion it was one of the Northwest Streamliners. I cannot really decide between the Empire Builder, North Coast Limited and Olympian Hiawatha, but certainly the Pacific Northwest speaks for itself. Is there anything nicer than big mountains, snowy peaks, big green woods and clear rivers?
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ClydeDET
Historian
Posts: 3147
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For train riding to see the countryside, especially with a dome - nope, pretty hard to beat the stuff the trains to the northwest provided.
On the other hand - at the right time of the year, the D&H runs through the lakes region, the NYC up the Hudson Valley, some of the New England runs or the Southern's trips up Saluda to Asheville would be hard to top. "Right time of the year" meaning while the trees have turned and the fall colors are are at their height...
And the Cal Zephyr is right there with (maybe even ahead of) the runs to the Northwest. And don't forget the Coast Daylight up the coast from LA to San Francisco, or the Shasta Daylight from Oakland to the far Northwest.
Fact of the matter is - there are so many wonderful things you can see, especially from a train, that "best" is hard to make the call on.
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coaster
Moderator
Historian
Posts: 1066
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on Jan 30th, 2006, 2:03pm, Transcon wrote: (Click here for original message)Well, and what would you say if we change the question a little bit.....
Which PRE AMTRAK streamliner train RAN through the most beautiful area and countryside in your opinion
In my opinion it was one of the Northwest Streamliners. I cannot really decide between the Empire Builder, North Coast Limited and Olympian Hiawatha, but certainly the Pacific Northwest speaks for itself. Is there anything nicer than big mountains, snowy peaks, big green woods and clear rivers? |
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Basically, you've hit the problem squarely as regards any question of "which was best," as it involves comparing apples and oranges. You prefer majestic mountain scenery, and so you'll never get a fan of desert locales to agree with your choice (nor should he/she) or vice versa . . .
Paul
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Pennsy
Historian
Posts: 4479
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Hi Paul,
Once again, we agree. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Or, in other words, depends on what you like to see. If you like to see lady surfers, almost wearing bathing suits, hanging ten on gorgeous surfboards, then the west coast is definitely for you. However, if you like to see engines brought down to their axles, battling snow, ice and steep grades, the east coast is for you. Something to be said for each point of view. You pays your money and you takes your choice.
I prefer to sit in the top of a full length dome, Amtrak, mixed drink in hand and cruise at high speed through the Dana Point area and just admire the lady surfers. When the surf is really high, really high curls, then it is something else to see a fellow swallowed up in the curl of a wave, and come out in one piece. Really gets the heart rate and blood flowing.
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ClydeDET
Historian
Posts: 3147
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Doesn't one of the West Coast lines run by a "clothing optional" beach? MAybe between San Diego and LA?
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ClydeDET
Historian
Posts: 3147
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Doesn't one of the West Coast lines run by a "clothing optional" beach? MAybe between San Diego and LA? I reckon that qualifies as "Scenic"...
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Mark_Foster
Historian
Posts: 918
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One of the most scenic pre-Amtrak streamliner routes was that of the Southern's New Royal Palm over the CNO&TP "Rathole" Division (so named because of the many tunnels) between Cincy and Chatanooga. High trestles, winding mountain side trackage through river gorges and tunnel after tunnel.
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Mark_Foster
Historian
Posts: 918
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I only rode two of the initial 10 routes mentioned. The Golden State (at least between Chicago and El Paso) was definitely NOT scenic. On the other hand the San Diego - LA route was interesting with its ocean views and quaint coastal towns.
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espeefoamer
Railfan
Posts: 185
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Current. Amtrak Adirondak between Montreal and Schenectedy,NY.
Historic.SP San Joaquin Dalyght through the tehachapi mountains between Mojave and Bakersfield,especially in the springtime when the hills are green.   
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| « Last Edit: Mar 20th, 2006, 7:13pm by espeefoamer » |
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Passenger_Extra
Historian
Posts: 1284
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I'd have to vote for the Empire Builder, but Ive heard the old Western Pacific portion of the California Zephyr was quite scenic.
Or if you ever get a chance to be 8 hours late on the Coast Starlight (not at all unlikely sometimes, and obviously not in a hurry to get to Seattle  ), the run from Redding to Klamath and over the Cascades in daylight is nothing to sneeze at.
PX
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Not good on trains 1, 2, 5, 6, 25 & 26 west of Washington D.C. and trains 27 & 28.
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