Oh I hope this plan comes to be!! If it were me, I would drive either from Boston to a mid-point or from the mid-point to LA & use the train transport around for the other. I’d drive whichever leg I’d be wanting to have more flexibility to get out & wander & see. Chicago is a very logical mid-point. The the drive from Chicago to LA would put you through a lot of really beautiful natural sights but would make the trip really long if you stop even to see just 2-3 and depending on what you already spent time on in the northeast (which is where I would prefer to stop & wander & see especially with the fall foliage), you may want to get from point A to point B so a train allowing you to see what scenery you can & just getting there may be welcome.
I love trains and have been on many trains in my lifetime. I would love to one day do a transcontinental rail tour, although I don’t sleep well on those berths and would prefer to travel during the daytime only. But for someone traveling from Europe, that’s a long way to come to be on a train for days on end!
There is no leaf peeping that time of year so scratch that for these dates. I would do Salem touring on a weekday if possible. Late August/early September can be busy depending on when school starts and generally Labor Day weekend is a traffic and tourisim cluster. Salem Waterfront hotel is my go-to and you really can’t beat the location. Lovely to walk in the morning along the shore and easy to get to the main Salem stuff on foot. The North Shore is lovely (but nothing compares to Cape Cod).
Just went to Chicago and did a river tour this past June. We can’t wait to go back. Also there’s a Hyatt just outside the city proper with a hallway that smells exactly like FOP. DS and I looked like weirdos standing in the hallway excitedly commenting how good it smelled and trying to place the scent while people walked by and then another Disney crazed person pointed out that it smelled like FOP.
I forgot to put the winky emoji on my post. My gentle poke emoji cuz I seem to recall you do love trains.
I don’t remember much prior to age 7. My most vivid memory is of being northbound on the Santa Fe’s El Capitan, in the dining car eating ice cream as we went thru the tunnel north of Raton.
At 3 years old .
That was magical.
I don’t see mention of dates and I’m late to the discussion (kind of) but if you’re going to go to Salem you’ll want to go as early in the season as possible. It gets mad crazy the closer to Halloween you get, and is busy all fall.
Ahem.
That makes sense for lots of reasons.
I missed those details, sorry.
For weather and ambience I would highly encourage September, and as far into September as possible…
August here is not a whole lot different from August in Orlando - it’s gross and hot and sweaty. Not very fall-ish.
I would not do any long trip via Amtrak unless you have extra time (in terms of at least a day) afterwards due to so many unpredictable delays and disruptions (such as a derailment on the line, or a flood). On the long runs (e.g. Chicago to Los Angeles) there is only one train per day, so no easy backup plans the way you can do with flights. I speak from personal experience with a train from Raton, NM to Ft. Madison, IA that was 8 hours late departing and 13 hours late in arriving in Iowa. It would be interesting to know the “on time” ratings for the various routes. Of course, the disruptions get all the news and might be a small percentage, but “buyer beware” with that mode of travel.
The on time rating is different Northeast vs everywhere else. Last I heard, before covid, the northeast was as good as the airlines.
Northeast owns most of the track they run on, so greater control.
Everywhere else Amtrak runs on line owned by that freight company. The SW Chief from Chicago to LA - and Fort Madison and Raton - used to run on Santa Fe track but now I’d guess is Burlington Northern/SF.
The contract provides for Amtrak to have the right of way as long as Amtrak is on schedule. As you pointed out weather and other issues can cause delays, and then Amtrak is at the mercy of the owner of the line.
Amtrak started out rough - late arrivals, cars almost uninhabitable due to HVAC or plumbing issues. So few folks rode that passengers were an interesting (guitar playing, or free tickets to Orlando entertainment), patient hardy folk. Amtrak = adventure. We used to joke if you arrived within 24 hours of schedule, you were on time.
Some of my recent but “before” trips were uneventful to the point of being ho-hum. My 2018 trip from MO to Chicago to DC to Miami was only 2 hours late into Miami and on time elsewhere.
I don’t know about now - every Amtrak trip I’ve been on that experienced some sort of delay or difficulty resulted in some assistance from Amtrak. Once DH and I enjoyed an impromptu 24 hour stay in Chicago, at an hotel with a liviered doorman, food and taxi vouchers. Free steak dinner the trip to Raton that was delayed due to a blizzard in Kansas. Several rides on alternate transport to get us to the station we’re ticketed to.
Probably the bottom line is if you’re looking for adventure or on time arrival Amtrak will disappoint you either way.
I will say this: westbound on the Chief thru Kansas, I was in the observation car awaiting the first call to breakfast (which isn’t announced throughout the train) and enjoying the sun rise. Not so much the Kansas landscape.
A couple seats away was a woman who was enjoying the view. Turns out she was from Maine where her environment was the ocean on one side and highway/hill on the other. The immenseness of Kansas captivated her. She had not expected that there was that much openness. Sure, you see it in pictures, but here it was in person, out the window, hour after hour. I had a slightly better opinion of Kansas after that trip.
Here’s some info: https://www.amtrak.com/on-time-performance
You could do a train to Chicago, spend a day or two there and then fly to LA. I’m looking forward to hearing more about what you decide and then what you do.
I’ve been away from TP for a bit, because of stuff, but I’m planning my own trip to DL, and decided to log in today to see what’s going on…
I will echo Jeff’s thoughts on the East Coast for cities and West of the Mississippi for natural beauty. I love Boston and New York, but I really love driving out west.
My idea is:
Fly from Boston to Phoenix. Then drive:
Sedona
Grand Canyon
Optional: Zion National Park
Las Vegas
Death Valley
Los Angeles
This is a total of 18 hours of driving, 15 without Zion. Death Valley to LA is significant mountain driving. Each stop can be appreciated in one day, or three (or five).