Train advice from the Man in Seat 61...

The Man in Seat 61

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A beginner's guide to

Train travel in the usa.

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You'll see nothing of America at 35,000 feet, come down to Earth and see world class scenery from an Amtrak train across the United States.  You can travel cross-country from as little as $236 (£188 or €220) if you book well in advance, one of the world's great travel bargains.  The USA has an excellent rail network for visitors, it may only be a skeleton network by European standards but it'll take you to almost all the towns & cities a visitor wants to see, in comfort at affordable prices.  It'll take you to many of the U.S. national parks, too.  Long-distance trains in the USA are operated by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known as Amtrak, www.amtrak.com .  This page explains what you need to know to plan and book a memorable cross-country trip by train.

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Train service in the USA, at a glance    See detailed map

This route map shows where Amtrak trains run.  Each of the very long-distance transcontinental routes shown in blue has one daily train, except for New York to Florida with 2 trains a day and the Sunset Limited (New Orleans-San Antonio-Los Angeles) which runs 3 times a week.  Important short distance routes (for example, Washington-New York-Boston or Los Angeles-San Diego) have regular intercity services and are shown in red.  It's easy to check Amtrak train times at www.amtrak.com , just use their online booking system.  Click here for the official large-scale Amtrak route map .

Useful country information

Cross-country by train.

The 3,000 mile journey across the United States by train is one of the world's greatest travel experiences.  It's easy, comfortable, safe, and an affordable alternative to flying.  Free route guides are available on board each train, telling you what to look out for from the window, and the scenery on many routes is world class. 

In a nutshell

The 3,000 mile coast-to-coast train ride takes 3 nights, without stopovers.

Choose from 4 or 5 different cross-country routes, each with their own character.  I explain the most scenic routes below with train times & description.  You can stop off on the way, but remember that a separate ticket/reservation is needed for each stage.

It takes one night from New York, Boston or Washington DC to Chicago where you change trains, then two nights from Chicago to Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle on a superb double-deck Superliner train .  You can also travel coast to coast via New Orleans , this takes an extra night as you need to spend a night in New Orleans.  Most of the trains run daily all year round, although the New Orleans-LA train only operates three times a week.

Check out the cross-country train packages at www.amtrakvacations.com , they can sort packages with tickets, private sleeping accommodations on the train, stopovers & hotels included.

If you book regular tickets online at www.amtrak.com , cross-country fares from New York to Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle start at just $236 in a spacious reclining seat, surely one of the world's greatest travel bargains.  A private sleeper for 1 or 2 people can be added to your booking, the extra cost is often quite hefty but the sleeper room charge includes all meals as well as tea, coffee & fruit juice throughout the trip. Amtrak's spacious trains also have cafe & lounge cars, open to both seat and sleeper passengers.  See descriptions of the trains here .

On-time performance .  Bear in mind that these trains run for over 2,000 miles, although they often arrive on time or perhaps half an hour late, they can sometimes arrive an hour or two late or more, so don't book any tight connections.  You can see how your chosen trains have performed the last few weeks using www.amtrak.com/historical-on-time-performance and you can also see real-time train positions & performance at www.asm.transitdocs.com .

Which is the best cross-country train route?

I've crossed the United States multiple times by train, using every major cross-country train except the Texas Eagle.  Each transcontinental route has its own distinctive character even if the trains themselves are the same, but one stands out as the most spectacular for both scenery & historical significance:  I recommend the California Zephyr between Chicago and San Francisco, which you can take in connection with the Lake Shore Limited between New York or Boston and Chicago, or the Capitol Limited between Washington DC and Chicago.

The California Zephyr is one of world's greatest train journeys, in around 48 hours you will leave Chicago, roll over the vast farmlands of Nebraska, cross the Mississippi, scale the Rockies out of Denver over breakfast in the diner, snake through lovely Colorado canyons, and pass through the Sierra Nevada mountains to reach Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay area.  The route covers much of the very first historic trans-continental railroad route, and there's a commentary for the most significant section.  To give you an idea of what a cross-country train ride is like on this route, see the California Zephyr page . 

However, all Amtrak's cross-country train routes are scenic, and the Southwest Chief is another favourite.  It'll take you from Chicago to Los Angeles over the Santa Fe railroad (which used to operate the famous Super Chief) , alongside the equally famous Route 66, through Navajo Indian country.  This is another amazing trip, with a chance to stop off at the Grand Canyon .

Cross-country westbound 2024

* The California Zephyr terminates in Emeryville and an Amtrak Thruway bus transfers passengers across the Bay Bridge to the Temporary Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco.  Tickets can be booked through to (and luggage checked through to) San Francisco Transbay Terminal as if it was a rail station.

** The Chicago-Los Angles portion only runs 3 times a week, departing Chicago on Tuesdays, Fridays & Sundays. Daily Chicago-San Antonio.

Use these times as a guide, always check current times & fares at www.amtrak.com as they change from time to time.

Cross-country eastbound 2024

* The California Zephyr starts in Emeryville.  An Amtrak Thruway bus links the Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco with Emeryville across the Bay Bridge.  Tickets can be booked through from (and luggage checked in at) the Amtrak station at San Francisco Transbay Terminal as if it was a rail station.

*** The Los Angles to Chicago portion only runs 3 times a week, leaving LA on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays.  Daily San Antonio-Chicago.

Facilities on each train

What are the trains like.

Click here to see what the trains are actually like inside & out, and to understand the sleeping-car, lounge & dining facilities.

How much does it cost?

3,000 miles coast-to-coast overland for as little at $236 has to be one of the world's greatest travel bargains!  Railpass options .

Amtrak fares are dynamic, so you'll see various prices on various dates, book ahead for the cheapest prices - these are the cheapest examples I have found.

Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.  Children 2-12 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare, children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

There's a 10% discount for seniors over 65 on some fares.  The discount applies to the base fare but not to saver fares, flexible fares, roomette/bedroom charges.

If you choose to travel in a sleeper, the premium fare column on the Amtrak website will show the total cost for all passengers travelling in a roomette or bedroom.  This is calculated as a basic fare for each passenger plus one charge covering the whole roomette or bedroom.  The roomette or bedroom cost is the same whether it's occupied by one person or two.  So a sleeper is a lot better value if there are two of you!  The two people price in the table above is the total you pay for two people sharing a roomette or bedroom.

Tip :  You can save 10% on the basic travel fare (but not on accommodation supplements) by becoming a member of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, which at the time of writing costs $35 for an individual or $50 for a family.  It can pay for itself on one coast to coast trip.  See www.narprail.org for full details and online sign-up.

Can I stop off on the way?

Yes of course, but if you want to stop off you'll need to buy separate tickets for each leg.  To book a cross-country trip with stopovers at any cities you want, simply look for the 'Multi-City' link at top right of the booking form on www.amtrak.com .  This allows you to book a trip with up to 4 segments, and of course you can book additional segments as separate bookings.  However, if you buy a through ticket at the cheapest price between an East Coast city such as New York and a West Coast city such as Los Angeles, then no, you cannot stop off, you must travel direct on your assigned trains.  Although the several hours between trains in Chicago is often time enough to climb the Sears Tower (now owned by the Willis corporation, see theskydeck.com ) and get great views over the city, it's only 5 minutes walk from Chicago Union Station!  As you can see from the fares table above, separate tickets New York to Chicago and Chicago-Los Angeles (so you can stop off in Chicago) work out about $35 more expensive than a New York to Los Angeles through ticket.

Want to stop off at the Grand Canyon?  See the Grand Canyon section

All the trains shown here offer checked baggage.  All passengers (both coach & sleeper) are entitled to check in up to 2 large items of luggage free of charge, plus an additional 2 large items for $20 each.  Maximum 50lbs (23Kg) per item, maximum total linear dimension (length + height + width) = 75".  Oversize bags (up to a total linear dimension of 100") $20 per bag.  A name and address label must be attached to each item.  Hand luggage is limited to two items per passenger, maximum 50lbs (23Kg) per item, dimensions 28" x 22" x 14".  See www.amtrak.com/baggage-policy .

You can check bags through to your final destination, so for example if you have a New York to San Francisco ticket you can check your bags in at New York all the way to San Francisco Transbay Terminal.  They will be transferred for you from train to train in Chicago and from train to bus at Emeryville, leaving you free of it until you arrive.

How to buy tickets

Option 1, buy at www.amtrak.com

Anyone from any country can buy tickets at Amtrak's own website www.amtrak.com , which sells all types of accommodation, seat & sleeper.

Booking opens 11 months in advance.  An e-ticket will be emailed to you, you can print it out or show it on your phone.

Or call Amtrak 24 hours a day on 1-800-USA RAIL.  From outside of the USA, Amtrak's international desk is + 1-215-856-7952.  Open Mon-Fri 08:30-16:00 Eastern Time.

Option 2, buy at Omio.com

Omio.com sells tickets for Amtrak seated accommodation quickly & simply, in multiple languages & currencies.  However, it can't sell sleeper accommodation.  You print out your ticket or can show it on your phone.

Let Amtrak Vacations arrange your trip

Amtrak Vacations is Amtrak's official partner for vacations, tours & packages.

Amtrak Vacations can put a package together from anywhere to anywhere to your specification, with private sleeping accommodations on the train, stopovers at cities or national parks, hotels & transfers.

They'll also do ticket-only bookings for cross-country Amtrak journeys, and you may get more help and advice if you book through them as they specialise in Amtrak's long-haul routes.  

Click here for Amtrak Vacations' cross-country packages

Lines are open 09:00-22:00 Monday-Friday & 09:00-17:30 Saturday, Eastern Time (5 hours behind the UK).

US flag

Let Railbookers arrange your trip

Railbookers are train travel specialists with offices in the UK, Australia & United States.  They can arrange coast to coast tours by train to your own specification, with trains, stopovers, hotels, transfers and (if necessary) flights all sorted.

UK flag

Escorted tours with Great Rail Journeys

Using a usa railpass.

A USA Railpass is available covering the whole Amtrak network or just parts of it, see advice on USA Railpasses here .

See it in pictures: Cross-country by train

See an illustrated journey from New York to San Francisco on Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited and California Zephyr.

Back to top

Cross-country via New Orleans

This is the Southern cross-country route, a whole different flavour from the routes via Chicago.  Coast to coast via New Orleans takes 4 nights, making it slower than the more usual transcontinental route via Chicago, as you need to spend a night in New Orleans - but a stopover down south is hardly a burden!  For a taste of the deep south, this is the way to go.

Amtrak fares vary dynamically, so you'll see various fares on various dates, book ahead for the cheapest prices - these are just typical examples, assuming you book ahead.

Luggage arrangements .  Railpass options .   Can I stop off?

New York to Florida

Introducing Amtrak's Silver Service from New York & Washington DC to Orlando, Tampa & Miami.

Facilities on board

Silver Meteor:   Amfleet reclining seats ,  Viewliner sleeping-car , Amfleet cafe car .

Silver Star:   Amfleet reclining seats ,  Viewliner sleeping-car , Amfleet cafe car.

Luggage arrangements .

Anyone from any country can buy tickets at Amtrak's own website www.amtrak.com .  This sells all types of accommodation, seat & sleeper.

Omio.com sells tickets for Amtrak seated accommodation quickly & simply, in multiple languages & currencies.  However, it can't sell sleeper accommodation.  You just print out your ticket or show it on your phone.

Boston - New York - Washington

A fast and frequent inter-city service links Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.  There are two types of train: Acela Express 150mph high-speed trains with 1st class & business class (premium fares apply) and regular trains with coach class and (in most cases) business class.  There are also services from Boston to Portland (Maine) and from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. See www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking, or try Omio.com .

How long does it take?

New York to Washington takes as little as 2h48 by Acela Express.

New York to Boston takes 3h30 by Acela Express.

Fares vary like air fares, with cheaper prices available the further ahead you book.  Round trip fares are twice the one-way fare.  Children 2-12 (inclusive) travel at reduced fare (except on Acela Express where there is no discount for children on weekdays), children under 2 travel free (limit one child under 2 per adult).

Luggage on Washington-New York-Boston trains:   These trains don't have checked baggage, you simply take your luggage with you onto the train and put it on the racks just as you would on any European train.  You can take 2 items up to 23Kg each, plus two smaller personal bags each up to 11Kg - pretty generous, see www.amtrak.com/baggage-policy .

Omio.com sells Amtrak tickets quickly & simply, in multiple languages & currencies.  You just print your ticket or show it on your phone.

Acela Express

Acela Express is Amtrak's very own high-speed train, reaching 150 mph on certain sections of upgraded line.  It has first class & business class, there's no economy coach class.  Premium fares apply, with no discounts for children on weekdays.

Northeast Regional trains

Cheaper but slower than Acela Express, with coach class & business class between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington DC.

Other Amtrak routes

New york - niagara falls.

Three daily trains link New York via Albany with Niagara Falls.  Journey time is a leisurely 8 hours 30 minutes, a relaxing journey along the Hudson River Valley out of New York, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy, a very scenic route, highly recommended.  See either Omio.com or www.amtrak.com for times, fares and online booking.

New York - Toronto, Montreal (Canada)

A daily train called the Maple Leaf links New York with Toronto via Niagara Falls, and another daily train called the Adirondack links New York with Montreal via the scenic Adirondack mountains.  Both trains travel along the Hudson River Valley out of New York, past Storm King Mountain and West Point Military Academy, a very scenic route, highly recommended.  See the Train travel in Canada page for train times .

Chicago - Memphis - New Orleans

Amtrak's daily City of New Orleans links these cities, with Superliner seats, sleeping-cars, sightseer lounge and dining-car .  For times, fares and online booking, see www.amtrak.com .

Intercity trains in California

Regular trains link Los Angeles, Anaheim (for Disneyland), and San Diego.  Regular trains link San Francisco (Oakland) with Sacramento, Bakersfield and San Jose.  A daily train links Los Angeles with San Francisco (Oakland).  See either Omio.com , www.amtrak.com or www.amtrakcalifornia.com for times, fares and online booking.

Seattle - Portland - Oakland (San Francisco) - Los Angeles

Amtrak's daily Coast Starlight links these cities, with Superliner seats, sleeping-cars, sightseer lounge and dining-car .  For times, fares and online booking, see www.amtrak.com .

Portland - Seattle - Vancouver

Amtrak runs an inter-city service between these cities, see www.amtrakcascades.com - Some of these services use European-design Talgo trains.

Luggage on trains without checked baggage:   Some of these trains don't have checked baggage, you simply take your luggage with you onto the train and put it on the racks just as you would on any European train.  Generous limits apply - 2 items each up to 23Kg, plus two smaller personal bags each up to 11Kg, see www.amtrak.com/baggage-policy .

What are Amtrak trains like ?

Short distance trains come in various types, all with comfortable air-conditioned seating and often with a café car.  On the Boston-New York-Washington DC route, there is now the premium fare, 150mph Acela Express high speed train, based on French TGV technology, but running on conventional tracks.

(1)  Long distance trains in the east

Long-distance trains east of Chicago (such as the New York-Chicago Lake Shore Limited , the New York to Florida Silver Star & Silver Meteor or the New York to New Orleans Crescent , but not the Washington to Chicago Capitol Limited ) have Viewliner sleeping-cars , Amfleet reclining seat cars and an Amfleet cafe/lounge car serving snacks and drinks.  If you have paid for a sleeper, meals are included in the fare.

Amfleet reclining seats

These distinctive stainless-steel coaches have comfortable reclining seats with loads of legroom, drop-down tables & 120v power sockets for laptops & mobiles.  Drinking water is available in each coach.  Unlike in Europe, your reservation does not secure a specific seat in a specific coach, you can sit where you like once on board.  An attendant looks after each seats car, and will place a 'seat ticket' above your seat to indicate that the seat is taken.

Dining cars, cafe cars & flexible dining

Most long-distance trains have a cafe/lounge car serving hot & cold drinks and snacks, with an area with seats & tables for socialising.  The cafe/lounge car can be used by both sleeper and seats passengers.

Traditional dining-cars on all the 1-night long-distance trains east of Chicago were discontinued in 2018-2019.

Amtrak now offers sleeper passengers what it calls Flexible Dining on these trains.  Sleeper passengers are served pre-packed reheated or microwaved meals delivered to their sleeper compartments, or meals can be served in the table area of the cafe/lounge car.   The New York-Florida Silver Star and Silver Meteor retain dining-cars of the new Viewliner II type with an impressive double row of windows, but only to serve the pre-packaged Flexible Dining meals to sleeper passengers.

Latest update:   In March 2023 full dining has been reinstated on the Silver Star between New York and Florida.

Viewliner sleeping-cars

Long-distance trains in the East have Viewliner sleeping cars.  The distinctive double row of windows on these cars makes them light & airy during the day, and gives both upper & lower berths a window for star-gazing at night.  Travelling by Amtrak sleeper is a real treat.  All sleeper passengers get complimentary meals in the dining car,  and a 'coffee station' provides complimentary tea/coffee & fruit juice in the morning.  You return from dinner in the diner to find you bed made up for the night by the sleeper attendant.  A hot shower is available at the end of the corridor if you're travelling in a roomette, or en suite if you are travelling in a bedroom.  All necessary bedding, soap and towels are provided.  However, sleeper travel isn't cheap.  In Europe you can pay a small supplement for a berth in a shared couchette or sleeper compartment.  In the US, you have to pay for the whole room whether there are two of you or just one.  To give you a rough idea, some sample sleeper supplements are shown in the fares section above.   Viewliner sleeping-cars have:

(2)  Long distance trains in the west

Long-distance trains between Chicago & Los Angeles/San Francisco/Seattle/Portland, also the New Orleans-Los Angeles Sunset Limited , Seattle-Los Angeles Coast Starlight and Washington DC-Chicago Capitol Limited use impressive double-deck Superliner cars.  Superliner trains have coach class reclining seats , sleeping-cars , a dining car & an observation-lounge car .  A route guide is available free on these trains, telling you want to look out for along the way.  Watch a video guide to Amtrak Superliner trains .

Superliner reclining seats

Coach class reclining seats are spacious with lots of legroom, comparable with business class on an airliner.  Don't worry if you can't afford a sleeper, these seats recline to about 40 degrees, and are quite easy to sleep in, in fact if there is any train in the world where I wouldn't much mind not having a sleeper, Amtrak trains are the ones I'd choose.  There are 120v power sockets for laptops & mobiles at each seat, and drinking water is available in each coach.  Unlike in Europe, your reservation does not secure a specific seat in a specific coach, you can sit where you like once on board.  An attendant looks after each seats car, and will place a 'seat ticket' above your seat to indicate that the seat is taken.  You can either bring a blanket or buy an Amtrak blanket from the lounge car.  Panorama photo of Superliner coach class .

Superliner Sightseer Lounge car

On the upper deck is an observation lounge with armchairs & tables and huge windows for sightseeing.  On the lower deck is a cafe selling drinks & snacks.  All passengers can use the lounge car, whether they are travelling in coach class or in the sleepers.  You end up spending most of your day here, watching America unfold in front of you!   Seats are available on a first-come, first served basis, but it's not usually too difficult to find a seat or two free.  However, they do fill up for the most scenic sections of the journey!  See panorama of a Superliner lounge car .

Superliner dining car

Trains west of Chicago retain a proper dining-car with freshly-cooked food.  During the pandemic, the dining-car was only open to sleeper passengers, but in 2023 coach seat passengers were allowed to use the diner again on most routes.  The dining-car serves breakfast, lunch & dinner.  All the tables in a Superliner dining-car are on the top deck for great views while you eat - the kitchens are downstairs.

Meals are included in the fare if you have a sleeper, although drinks are extra.  In the sleepers, the dining-car manager comes down the train asking each passenger which sitting for lunch or dinner they'd like, and issuing table reservations.  An announcement is made at the start of each sitting. 

Note that couples and singles don't get a whole 4-seater restaurant table to themselves, you'll normally be seated with other passengers. This is a great chance to meet people, even if you're travelling solo.  Panorama photo of Superliner dining-car .

What's the food like?   The food is surprisingly good:  The Angus Steak Burger is great for lunch, for dinner the herb-roast chicken & rice is good and the garlic butter marinated New York Strip Steak is excellent.  A beer costs around $6, a half bottle of very good Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot costs around $15.  For breakfast next morning a freshly-cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon & potatoes hits the spot.  There is also a children's menu.  Credit cards are accepted.  You can find sample menus on the Amtrak website www.amtrak.com , click 'plan' then look for 'meal & dining options'.

Since 2018, sleeper passengers on the Lake Shore Limited  (NYC-Chicago) & Capitol Limited (Washington-Chicago) get a pre-packed meal either served in their compartment or eaten in a lounge area.

Superliner sleeping-car s

Travelling by Amtrak sleeper is a real treat.  All sleeper passengers get complimentary breakfast, lunch & dinner in the dining car,  and each sleeping-car has a 'coffee station' with complimentary tea/coffee and fruit juice available in the morning.  You return from dinner in the diner to find you bed made up for the night by the sleeper attendant.  All necessary bedding, soap and towels are provided.  Superliner sleeping-cars are double-deck, with 10 very compact 2-berth roomettes and 4 larger 2-berth bedrooms on the upper deck, whilst the lower deck has another 4 roomettes, 1 family bedroom & 1 special accessible bedroom.  The bedrooms have a private shower & toilet, for roomette passengers there are toilets on both upper and lower decks, and a hot shower on the lower deck.  The gangways to the adjacent cars are on the upper deck.  However, sleeper travel isn't cheap.  In Europe you can pay a small supplement for a berth in a shared couchette or sleeper compartment.  In the US, you have to pay for the whole room whether there are two of you or just one.  To give you a rough idea, some sample sleeper supplements are shown in the fares section above.   Superliner sleeping-cars offer:

Video guide: Riding a Superliner train

The grand canyon connection.

There are two main ways to reach the Grand Canyon as part of a cross-country train trip, after you get off Amtrak's Chief at Flagstaff Arizona.  The first is to use a bus between Flagstaff and the South Rim of the Canyon, journey time 1 hour 45 minutes each way.  The other is to take a connecting Amtrak Thruway bus to the nearby town of Williams and use the historic Grand Canyon Railway to the Canyon, journey time 2 hours Williams to the South Rim.

Option 1, Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon by bus

Scheduled buses link Flagstaff's Amtrak station (which also incorporates the excellent local Visitor Centre) with the Grand Canyon's South Rim, with an 8am bus departure from Flagstaff conveniently connecting out of Amtrak's Chief from Los Angeles arriving at the Grand canyon around 1 hour 45 minutes later.  A bus returns from the Grand Canyon at 6.15pm (also at 4.15pm from March to October), arriving back in Flagstaff 1 hour 45 minutes or so later.  It can easily be done as a day trip, returning to Flagstaff in time for the evening Chief to Los Angeles, although you can of course choose to stay overnight at the hotels at the Grand Canyon.  For bus times see groometransportation.com/grand-canyon .  The bus fare is around $34 each way.

Grand Canyon Tours from Flagstaff:   Alternatively, take a tour.  A company called The Grand Canyon Store http://grandcanyoncustomtours.com   offers 1-day tours from both Flagstaff & Williams to the Grand Canyon, including a tour to the Grand Canyon Village & South Rim, and the more extensive Inner Canyon Tour that actually takes you to the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon, not merely to the South Rim as with other tours and the scheduled bus - not surprisingly the Inner Canyon Tour is their most popular!  They also do a tour from Flagstaff to the South Rim using the Grand Canyon Railway, see the section below.

www.amtrakvacations.com can put together an Amtrak coast-to-coast package for you with a stopover at the Grand Canyon, or a tour from Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon and back, customised you your specification.  See Grand Canyon packages .

Option 2, Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway

The more interesting way to reach the Canyon is on the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams to the Canyon's South Rim.  This is the original Santa Fe railroad branch line, Williams Junction just outside Williams town is where the line diverges from the Chicago-LA main line.  However, Amtrak's Southwest Chief no longer calls at Williams Junction (it called there at uncivilised times in any case), you now use Flagstaff as the stop for the Grand Canyon with Amtrak bus connection to Williams.

To reach the Grand Canyon by train, get off the Amtrak's Chief at Flagstaff and take the connecting Amtrak Thruway bus to Williams.  The buses are timed to connect with train's arrival & departure to and from both Chicago and Los Angeles.  Williams is a pleasant town with plenty of motels, shops & diners.  The Grand Canyon Railway runs a daily morning train some 65 miles over the Santa Fe's historic railway from Williams station to Grand Canyon South Rim station in the Grand Canyon Village, right on the edge of the Canyon's South Rim.  The train returns in the afternoon, arriving in time to have dinner then catch the shuttle bus to Flagstaff for Amtrak's Chief onwards to Los Angeles.

The Amtrak reservation system at www.amtrak.com will actually let you buy through tickets between Los Angeles and Grand Canyon in either direction, although if you want to book through tickets between New York or Chicago and Grand Canyon this involves an overnight stay in Williams so you'll need to use the multi-city booking feature.  But you can book your Amtrak trains at www.amtrak.com then book the Grand Canyon train at the GCR official website, www.thetrain.com .

You can also book Chicago-LA packages with Amtrak travel and a trip to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway at www.amtrakvacations.com , Amtrak's official partner for tours and packages involving Amtrak travel.  See Grand Canyon packages .

The fare includes entry to the Wild West show at Williams station in the hour before departure, and some Wild West entertainment on board!

USA rail passes

One of the best ways to see America is with an Amtrak USA rail pass, but be aware of its limitations before you invest in one.

A 30-day 10-segment rail pass costs around $499.

That's 10 train rides, enough to travel coast to coast 5 times, at €49.90 per train ride!  Children aged 2-12 get passes for half price, under 2's travel free.

Segments:   Sadly, since 2008 Amtrak's USA railpass no longer gives unlimited travel, it only covers a maximum of 10 'segments'.  This is the maximum number of individual train rides you can take during your 30 day pass duration.

A segment is one train ride on one train:  So a 2-day 2,200-mile trip from Chicago to Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief counts as one segment, and a 30-minute ride on a Northeast Regional train is also one segment.  Go figure!  A journey involving a change of train (for example, New York to Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited then Chicago to San Francisco on the California Zephyr ) counts as two segments.

Will a railpass save you money?   Very probably, if you intend making 8, 9 or 10 long-distance train rides.  10 rides for $499 is €49.90 per train ride, if (say) you only used 7 segments it'd work out at $71 per train ride.  Now use the journey planner at www.amtrak.com to see what normal fares would be, to compare.  But read the bit about passholder quotas below!

Reservations, upgrades & quotas

Railpasses are valid for any Amtrak train in the USA except Acela Express high-speed services and the Auto-Train car-carrying service.

Reservations are required!   The railpass is not a ticket, you must make a (free) reservation before boarding any train.  You can make reservations online at www.amtrak.com after buying your pass.  Alternatively, you can make them at stations as you travel around or by calling Amtrak's 24 hour freephone number, 1-800-USA RAIL (from outside the States call Amtrak on (001) 215-856-7953, not free).

Upgrading to a sleeper is no longer possible:   It used to be possible to upgrade to a private sleeper when using a pass, simply by paying the appropriate room charge.  For an idea of sleeper room charges, see the fares section above .  However, in 2021 this has changed, though it's not clear if this is permanent or temporary.  At present you cannot upgrade to a sleeper (or to business class) with a pass.  So only buy a pass if you're happy using a seat, even overnight.

Warning about passholder quotas:   After buying your pass, you can make reservations online, or at stations as you go, or by calling Amtrak.  However, with a pass you can only book trains on which a Value or Saver fare is available.  If only the most expensive Flexible fare is showing, you cannot use your pass on that train, even if there are seats still available for customers paying cash.  Many trains have Value or Saver fares available even on the day before departure, and sometimes even on the day of travel itself, but not always.  Trains get busy in summer, Value and Saver fares have limited-availability and often sell out.  When they sell out, you can't use your pass on that train.  So don't buy a pass only to find you can't travel on the trains you need.  Before buying the pass, use the journey planner at www.amtrak.com to get a feel for how fares work, and to see if your chosen trains have Value or Saver fares left.

How to buy an Amtrak Railpass

Check prices in pounds & buy a USA railpass (UK-based company, but passes sent to addresses worldwide)

Check prices in Australian dollars & buy a USA railpass (Australia & NZ residents)

Tours by train across America

Amtrak vacations, www.amtrakvacations.com.

Amtrak Vacations is Amtrak's official partner.  They can put a package together to your own specification, from anywhere to anywhere, with private sleeping accommodations on the train, stopovers at cities or national parks, hotels & transfers.  They'll also do ticket-only bookings for cross-country Amtrak journeys, and you may get more help and advice if you book through them as they specialise in Amtrak's long-haul routes.

Railbookers

Train travel specialist Railbookers have offices in the UK, USA & Australia.  They can arrange a tour by train across the United States on Amtrak, starting any date you like, to your own specification with hotels and train reservations all made for you, hassle-free.  They know what they're doing, and take good care of their clients, and I have no hesitation in recommending them.

US flag

Escorted coast-to-coast tour with www.greatrail.com , 01904 527 120

G uidebooks, click the images to buy at amazon.co.uk or amazon.com.

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website , from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

Hotels in the USA

New York:  The Algonquin is New York's oldest operating hotel, opened in 1902, and a designated New York City Historic Landmark.  Perfectly located in mid-town Manhattan, a block or two from Times Square one way and Grand Central the other, with a lovely wood-panelled lobby and even its own hotel cat, which you may find wandering the corridors or sitting on the reception desk.  To check prices & book, click here .  For the Algonquin's history see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algonquin_Hotel .

Washington DC:   Phoenix Park Hotel .  A great choice, directly across the road from Union Station so handy for arrivals and departures by train, with an excellent Irish Pub doing great food & Irish beer on the premises, and just 2 minutes walk from the capitol.  From around $154 for a double.

Los Angeles:   Hotel Queen Mary (closed for refurbishment in mid-2022, but reopened in April 2023).  This has got to be of the most fascinating places to stay, anywhere.  If you go to Los Angeles, consider making the Hotel Queen Mary your base to explore the Los Angeles - Hollywood - Disneyland area.  The original Queen Mary of 1936 has been permanently moored at Long Beach in California since the late 1960s, some 25 miles from Los Angeles Union Station (about a $90 taxi ride), and it's undoubtedly the most wonderful place to stay in LA.  The hotel consists of most of the original first class cabins on board the Queen Mary, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars available on board, too.  Hotel guests can more or less wander the ship at will, and even sign up for ghost hunts at night on board (and yes, from my own experience there is something going on aboard that beautiful ship!).  Wood panelled art deco interiors have been preserved, although a few modern items have been installed such as televisions, and (as we worked out from a historic deck plan) in some cases two of the Queen Mary's original cabins have been knocked into one hotel suite by turning one of the en suite bathrooms into a connecting corridor.  She is one of the most atmospheric places I have ever stayed.

Backpacker hostels in the USA: www.hostelworld.com

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in many places across the States at rock-bottom prices.

Flights to the USA

1)  check flight prices at opodo, www.opodo.com, 2)  use skyscanner to compare flight prices & routes worldwide across 600 airlines....

skyscanner generic 728x90

3)  Lounge passes

Make the airport experience a little more bearable with a VIP lounge pass, it's not as expensive as you think, see www.loungepass.com .  I have found that having lounge access with complimentary tea, coffee, food and wine makes all the difference to an economy flight.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  W hy you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com .

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PlanetWare.com

12 Top-Rated Train Trips in the USA

Written by Lavanya Sunkara and Lura Seavey Updated May 26, 2022 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

There's an intangible charm to traveling by train in the United States. Ride in comfort as you glide past the skyscrapers of the Northeast and through the prairies of the Midwest, alongside gushing rivers and across the western desertscapes and mountains.

Historic stations, with massive windows, marble pillars, chandeliers, and terrazzo floors, are time capsules, providing a glimpse into the glamorous locomotive past and acting as gateways to the many national parks and cultural attractions the country has to offer.

The day the ceremonial golden spike connected the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads in 1869 in Promontory, Utah, life in the country changed forever. The 1,912-mile Transcontinental Railroad made travel and transportation of goods out west easier, revolutionizing the young nation and fueling the economy. The gilded age of train travel may have been replaced by the speed of airplanes, but the romance of journeying by rail remains.

Although many of the original tracks have been abandoned, and Amtrak has built newer rail paths, traveling between states and across the country is easier and more comfortable than ever. Passengers can choose from organized tours, regional and vintage railroad companies, Amtrak Vacations , and curated experiences. Enjoy spectacular vistas as you leisurely make your way to your destination, taking advantage of luxuriously appointed rooms, dining cars, and modern amenities.

Get inspired for your next rail adventure with our list of the best train rides in the United States.

1. Grand Canyon Railway

2. amtrak coast starlight, 3. amtrak empire builder, 4. rocky mountaineer, 5. amtrak california zephyr, 6. verde canyon railroad, 7. white pass & yukon railway, 8. amtrak adirondack, 9. durango & silverton narrow gauge railroad, 10. great smoky mountains railroad, 11. alaska denali star, 12. amtrak city of new orleans, map of train trips in the usa.

View of the Grand Canyon from Pima Point

Ride the historic cars of the Grand Canyon Railway to one of the nation's grandest national parks on a Grand Canyon Railway Adventure tour . The rail line opened in 1901 and now operates on recycled waste vegetable oil from restaurants in Williams, Arizona and the South Rim.

The train offers six classes of service, including First, Coach, Pullman, Observation Dome, Luxury Dome, and Luxury Parlor. The Pullman class harkens to 1923 trail voyages, with bench seating and windows that open to fresh air.

Before embarking on your journey in Williams , catch a Wild West shootout show at an outdoor theater. On the full-day round trip, take in the dramatic views of the Grand Canyon while being entertained by Western music and reenactments by railway characters and cowboys. Traverse through pine forests, sprawling prairies, and the San Francisco peaks to reach the iconic park.

Once there, choose from a number of activities , including a motor coach rim tour of the Grand Canyon with stops at highlights such as Hermits Rest, Mohave Point, the Abyss, and Pima Point. Upgraded First Class passengers get a buffet lunch at the Maswik Lodge at the Grand Canyon.

Train tracks along the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara

Travel alongside the jaw-dropping Pacific coastline and visit western urban centers on the legendary Amtrak Coast Starlight . The Starlight, equipped with Superliner sleeping, sightseer lounging, and dining cars, takes you on a 36-hour trek from Seattle to Los Angeles. The route stops in Portland, Sacramento , the San Francisco Bay Area , and Santa Barbara , passing by dramatic coastal cliffs, Mount Rainier, the Cascade Mountains, and Puget Sound.

The train has a bi-level coach class featuring long-distance amenities including extra legroom, foot and leg rests, and curtains. Sit on the west side on the upper level for the best views. Upgrade to a private room for perks, including priority boarding, premium dining, and turndown service. Family rooms are available, each accommodating up to four people and featuring private toilet and shower facilities; all private room rates include onboard meals.

Railroad tracks through Glacier National Park

If long train odysseys across the country are up your alley, then the Amtrak Empire Builder traces the steps of Lewis & Clark through the heartland, from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest. The one-way, 46-hour journey delivers majestic views of the Great Plains, Mississippi River, Glacier National Park , Gassman Coulee Trestle, and Montana's Big Sky Country.

The train has a sleeping car, lounging car, and a dining car to make your ride as comfortable as possible. Family rooms and accessible rooms are available, and there are a variety of onboard dining options; however, there is no Wi-Fi service. Each station stop can last anywhere from five minutes to over half an hour, so at times there may be opportunities to hop out and grab a bite to eat, but passengers should be aware that the train will leave at its scheduled time, with or without ticketed passengers.

During warmer months, a volunteer from the National Park Service through the Trails & Rails program boards the train between Shelby, Montana, and Seattle, providing information on the landscapes, habitats, and history.

Trains depart daily to Spokane ; upon arrival, you can choose to travel to Seattle or down the Columbia River Gorge to Portland .

Train tracks in Colorado

The Rockies to Red Rocks experience is quite different than others, offering a unique approach to rail travel dedicated to sightseeing between Moab, Utah and Denver, Colorado. The first thing passengers will notice is the train cars, custom-designed to maximize views for everyone on board. Standard class cars are one story, featuring large windows that extend up onto the roof, allowing passengers to catch every detail of the landscape.

The other unique aspect of these train tours is the overnight accommodation and opportunity to explore sights along the way. Unlike passenger trains that run from one stop to the next on a tight schedule, the Rocky Mountaineer stops in a city each evening, where passengers disembark and spend the night at a hotel. In addition to being a far more comfortable option, it means that all rail travel is done by daylight, so that passengers don't miss a thing.

"Gold Leaf" passengers are treated to a two-level car with all seating on the top level, which features windows that extend up and over, with only a narrow band obscuring the center of the ceiling. The lower level is a separate dining area, which serves all meals to order from an a-la-carte menu. Standard fare passengers also enjoy all meals as part of the package, served at their seats.

The basic tour package includes all meals, hotel stays, and narration during the train ride by knowledgeable guides. It lasts two days, starting in Moab with an overnight in Glenwood Springs and then on to Denver. Longer packages are also available, including a round-trip sightseeing tour with four days on the train, two full days in Moab, and plenty of time to explore Denver . Other packages include sightseeing flights and time in Las Vegas before an extended stay along the train route, as well as an option to add motor coach portions and a guided tour of Bryce Canyon.

California Zephyr riding through the Rocky Mountains

Using a combination of Transcontinental Railroad routes and new tracks, Amtrak's California Zephyr transports passengers across America on an extraordinary two-day expedition. The 2,300-mile, 51-hour-long trip, touted as the most scenic in the country, begins in Chicago and ends in Emeryville, California, located just outside San Francisco in California.

Going across the endless prairies of Nebraska, the scenic Rocky Mountains outside Denver, rugged red rock country in Utah, and the snowcapped Sierra Nevadas, the rail voyage retraces the steps of the early pioneers who settled the Wild West.

The train includes a dining, sightseer lounge, and Sleepliner cars that come with roomettes and bedroom suites (some that can easily accommodate up to six people). Major stops include Omaha , Denver , and Salt Lake City .

The train doesn't have Wi-Fi, and cellular service is spotty, so bring your own downloaded content, books, and board games for entertainment. Amtrak allows you to bring a small cat or dog with you for a separate fare.

Verde Canyon Railroad through Arizona

Soar through the natural splendor of Verde Canyon in the American Southwest in a refurbished rail car aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad on a 3.5-hour, 20-mile round trip from Sedona, Arizona . Savor awe-inspiring scenery while comfortably seated in a climate-controlled and thoughtfully decorated car. The train has three classes: coach, first, and luxurious caboose rentals for groups, with both vintage train cars, as well as an open-air viewing car to make the most of your time onboard.

Whether you opt for an organized tour or board the train on your own, be sure to explore the cliff dwellings by the Native American Sinagua people and the old mining sites, and keep a lookout for native wildlife like bald eagles and antelope.

The Verde Canyon Railroad Adventure includes train fare, as well as admission to the John Bell Railroad Museum, located at the depot, which features artifacts and exhibits related to not only rail travel, but the area's Indigenous populations.

Accommodation: Best Spa Resorts in Sedona

White Pass & Yukon Railway

Whether you find yourself in Skagway on a cruise or by way of the Alaska and South Klondike Highways, don't miss the rare opportunity to ride the historic narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Route Railway through stunning landscapes. A marvel of engineering, the track was built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush and continues as a tourist attraction to bring passengers on an unforgettable, narrated ride.

The train chugs up to an elevation of 2,885 feet through tunnels, past soaring cliff sides, and cascading waterfalls. Breathe in the fresh Alaskan air as you photograph panoramic vistas of snowcapped mountains, lush gorges, and glaciers.

The summit excursion takes two-and-a-half hours, briefly passing through Canada's Yukon Territory, and makes stops at landmarks such as Bridal Veil Falls, Tormented Valley, and the Skagway scenic overlook.

Railway tracks through the Adirondacks

Experience spectacular fall foliage in New York's Hudson River Valley on the Amtrak Adirondack . This high-speed train takes you through Upstate New York on a 10- to 12-hour journey along the Hudson River and Lake Champlain, past mansions, forests, and fields, to Gare Centrale Station in Montreal, Canada . Stops along the way include the towns of Poughkeepsie, Saratoga Springs, Whitehall, and Ticonderoga.

The Amtrak Adirondack departs from New York's Penn Station in the morning and arrives in Montreal in time for dinner. Immigration could take between one to two hours – have your passport and immigration form ready for the officer.

Amenities onboard include a Cafe Car and Wi-Fi (albeit not the best). Keep in mind that there is no reserved seating, so give yourself extra time to get a desirable spot. Seats recline and come with tray tables, extra legroom, and a footrest.

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Travel back in time in a vintage coach car on the coal-fired and steam-powered Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad ride from Durango to Silverton, Colorado. This train journey is one of the top things to do in Colorado .

Built during the silver mining boom, the tracks have been in continuous use since 1882. When the boom subsided, the train became an opportunity for eager travelers to experience the route of the miners and frontiersmen. Today, it remains among the few narrow-gauge steam railroads in the country .

This three-and-a-half-hour excursion from Durango to Silverton makes its way along the beautiful Animas River on rail lines specifically designed to navigate curves along steep mountainsides. The rock walls seem just inches away from the windows at some point, and the deep gorges provide picture-perfect spectacles, with the steam whistle echoing through the region.

Passengers can also book a hybrid package that includes the train ride in one direction and a deluxe motor coach tour back, allowing tourists to see the landscape from different perspectives. The coach is only a 1.5-hour drive.

The railroad offers several seasonal packages, including a shorter journey through the winter wonderland of the San Juan National Forest in the comfort of heated cars on the Cascade Canyon excursion. Passengers can spot elk and bighorn sheep that call the region home.

If you are looking to explore more of Colorado, consider Colorado Rail Adventure by Vacations By Rail , which brings you across the Colorado Rockies on five standard and narrow gauge railroads, including the Durango & Silverton railroad.

  • Read More: Top-Rated Things to Do in Durango, Colorado

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Families and train enthusiasts adore the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad , which offers excursions to experience the remote countryside of Western North Carolina and segments of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . The train ride, spanning 53 miles with 25 bridges and two tunnels, traverses valleys, through tunnels and carved out mountains overlooking scenic meadows and river gorges. The train departs from Bryson City, and trips last anywhere from three-and-a-half hours to a full day.

Book the 44-mile Nantahala Gorge Excursions for a round trip to the Nantahala Gorge, passing the Little Tennessee and Nantahala Rivers. The 32-mile Tuckasegee River Excursion winds along the eponymous river, and passes through lush valleys and old towns.

Passengers can choose from First Class cars with private attendants or the Open Air Gondola, and they can opt to pre-purchase boxed lunches to be enjoyed on the ride. Premium ticket-holders are served from a separate menu of fresh dishes prepared onboard. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad also offers special event trains during spring (The Bunny Hopper Express) and winter (The Polar Express Train Ride).

Alaska Denali Star outside Denali National Park

As the name suggests, the Alaska Denali Star brings you to North America's Highest Peak in one of the most scenic national parks: the mighty Denali. Ride in a car with glass-dome ceilings to take in the sublime views. The train leaves from Downtown Anchorage, with stops in Wasilla and Talkeetna, before going through Denali National Park and ending in Fairbanks.

Passengers can pair the rail journey with a day trip in Talkeetna, an excursion in Denali National Park, or spend multiple days exploring the Southcentral and Interior regions of Alaska on overnight stays. It's best to stay overnight due to the distance and time involved.

Amenities onboard the 12-hour train include two classes (GoldStar Service with meals, drinks, and basic Adventure Class), a dining car, dome cars, non-smoking cars, and baggage service. Guests may also travel on the privately run Wilderness Express dome cars at the end of the train with guides, separate dining, and open-air platforms.

  • Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Alaska

Railroad tracks along the Mississippi River

Travel from the Midwest to the South on an overnight train from the musical cities of Chicago to New Orleans , with a stop in Memphis , on the Amtrak City of New Orleans . Say goodbye to shining skyscrapers as you make your way from the Windy City's stunning Union Station towards the Mississippi Delta. Roll past historic towns and the bayous of the Deep South on your way to the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal.

During the 19 hours aboard, travelers in private rooms can enjoy spacious Superliner accommodations that come with meals and beverages, or purchase meals if you're in Coach class. Amenities include showers; sightseer lounges on the upper level; and a café car, which serves dinner and breakfast northbound and all three meals when traveling southbound.

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Can You Still Ride The Transcontinental Railroad?

In 1869, the Golden spike occurred, there was the need for better transportation across the United States. Thus the Transcontinental Railroad was born. But with over 150 years passed, is this railroad still operational, and can you get a ticket for it?

Yes, you can still ride the transcontinental railroad. Many people today purchase tickets to experience the historic railroad line. You can also experience the historical line and see what people in the 1800s had experienced.

Not all of the Transcontinental Railroad is intact today. There are many things to consider if you, too, want to experience part of the railroad or the entirety of it.

transcontinental railroad

The Transcontinental Railroad was made in the 1800s, so it is to no surprise that some people think it wouldn’t be operational, but in fact, it is! You can purchase a ticket to ride parts or most of it today.

But not all of the Transcontinental Railroad is still intact. If you were hoping to ride this rail line across the United States, you might need to take other railroads in areas where the Transcontinental no longer runs.

Where Is The Railroad Not Operational?

Many lines are not available or not in working conditions. These places were abandoned throughout the years, whether due to weather, damage, or just loss of popularity. Here are some of those places:

  • Original Union Pacific mainline near Lincoln, NE.
  • Many Original Union Pacific mainlines in Central Southern Wyoming.
  • Connection of the Union Pacific mainline and Central Pacific mainline in north Utah.
  • Donner Pass: Tunnel 12 between California and Nevada.
  • Tunnel Zero in California.
  • The western end of the First Transcontinental Railroad in Sacramento, CA.

Many other locations have been shut down. Many railroads have been abandoned near the California and Nevada border. Don’t worry, though, and there are many alternative routes if you need to get through these areas.

transcontinental railroad trip across usa

How Long Is The Transcontinental Railroad?

The Transcontinental Railroad stretches from Iowa to Nebraska to Wyoming and California. It crosses six states and even comes close to a seventh. So how long is it?

The Transcontinental Railroad is said to be over 2,000 miles long. This may include the inoperational rail lines as well. There is a lot of ground you can cover when you take a ride across the country this method.

How Long Does The Trip Take?

When the railroad was first created, it took travelers about six months to get from the beginning of the tracks to the end by horse and buggy. With the railroad in place, it cut that travel time down to just 25 days, and then as there were improvements, down to 4 days.

This saved on money and time for travelers. It also made it easier for transient workers to travel from job to job.

How Much Are Tickets?

When the railroad was first created, tickets cost $65 to $135. This took you from Iowa to California. Nowadays, you can make this trip, but it will cost a penny. It could cost $3,000. 

The great thing about this railroad is that you don’t have to ride the entire length of it. You can buy tickets for different stops and reduce the price to fit your budget. This also allows you to stop at amazing places and towns along the railroad. 

transcontinental railroad trip across usa

Tips When Riding On The Transcontinental Railroad

Riding the Transcontinental Railroad is similar to taking a ride on a newer rail system. It is just one of the first rail systems ever created in the United States. If you decide to take a ride on it, whether it is a short trip or a longer one, here are some tips to help you better your ride:

  • Travel lightly.
  • Arrive early.
  • Dress comfortably.
  • Don’t be afraid to move around.
  • Always have your camera ready.
  • Bring snacks.
  • Don’t forget to have chargers or backup batteries.
  • Have movies and shows downloaded onto your devices.
  • Relax and enjoy the ride.

Travel Lightly

Riding on a train is a little different than taking an airplane or a vehicle. You may have a little more freedom. Yes, you can pack more, but you will have to check it in, and you won’t access it as easily.

The best option is to pack lightly with all the necessities you can access while at your seat. There may be some specific regulations you have to follow, but it won’t be the same as if you were to get on a plane.

Arrive Early

You will want to arrive early for the departure, especially if this is your first time riding on a train. This allows you to learn the station’s layout, get any information you need, check baggage, and just get comfortable.

It also allows you ample time, just in case something happens that delays you from arriving at the station. You may get lost, or maybe you hit traffic on your way to the station. Either way, it never hurts to arrive a little early.

transcontinental railroad

Dress Comfortably

Try not to wear any restrictive clothing. You may be sitting for a while, and you want to be comfortable. Try to dress comfortably.

Move Around

Don’t be afraid to move around. Once you have settled in, you can walk up and down the train. You don’t have to sit in your chair the entire time. It is safe for you to move about.

Have Your Camera Ready

Today, your cell phone is usually accessible at all times but if you have a nice camera, have it ready. You will see so many natural landmarks and cool things that make for some great vacation photos. 

Bring Snacks

If you are going to take a longer ride, bring some snacks. You can bring them on there, and you don’t have to worry about restrictions like going through TSA for a flight. There will be food available on the trains, but bring snacks to save money.

Bring Backup Batteries And Chargers

You should always bring back up batteries or chargers when you travel. It may happen that you left your charger somewhere, and it’s just useful to have backups. You can also get a portable battery that will recharge your phone or other devices while you travel.

Download Entertainment

The railway goes through some beautiful scenery in the mountains, through desserts, and so much more. This means that sometimes you won’t have a signal. Yes, many means of transportation have Wi-Fi, but you have to pay for it.

Download your movies or favorite shows onto your devices before your trip. You never know when the Wi-Fi will go out, or maybe you just don’t want to pay for it. You also don’t know when your device will lose signal.

Relax And Enjoy The Ride

Remember to relax and enjoy the ride. Planning a trip on the Transcontinental Railroad is supposed to be a fun experience. Sit back and enjoy the beautiful view and soak the landmarks and the lovely moments.

transcontinental railroad

Best Spots To See Along The Transcontinental Railroad

It is hard to dwindle a small list of visiting places when exploring the Transcontinental Railroad. This railroad has many historical places and national parks along with it that there are endless places to sightsee.

Even if you choose only to complete a short trek of the railroad, you will get to see an ample amount of history and nature that is astounding. But some of the more well-known places that have gone down in history are these spots :

Truckee River

Carlin canyon and the humboldt river basin, reno, nevada, the great train robbery in verdi, nevada, big four house in sacramento, california, city of auburn, golden spike national park.

Truckee River runs from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake, reaching 121 miles. It is a wonderful, natural landmark to visit. You can hike around it, or you can go camping. There are so many outdoor activities you can do if you want to stay for a while.

There are many historical locations along this river that tourists love to see. You can see small towns and people used to travel by wagon along with it. It is a beautiful sight to see and gives you various things to do.

If you have already seen the Grand Canyon and want to visit something a little lesser-known, the Carlin Canyon is a great natural tourist location to visit. The railroad runs by it to see it from the tracks.

The Humboldt River Basin houses the Carlin Canyon and many other landmarks and places that provide a variety of entertainment. Here are some of those places:

  • Humboldt Wells

These places are the perfect spot for history buffs. If you want to know more about the history of those who travel those trails and the railroad, these cities and locations have wonderful museums and attractions.

up bigboy

There are many wonderful cities you can visit along the Transcontinental Railroad, but one of the most notable would be the city of Reno, Nevada. Not only does it have many historic locations and monuments you can view, but you can also go there for many other entertainment purposes.

You can visit many casinos or shows and other attractions. If you are traveling with your family, there are many things you can do with them like parks, zoos, and more. You won’t be disappointed visiting this city.

One of the first train robberies happened near Verdi, Nevada. It happened in 1870, and these robbers obtained about $41,000 worth of gold. You can go to Verdi, Nevada, and learn more about the robbery as well as see the location of the robbery.

The Big Four House in Sacramento was named “Big Four” because it was named after the four men who planned, financed, and built the Western end of the Transcontinental railway. You can visit here to learn more about these men and see some more in-depth railway history.

Near the city of Auburn, there was the discovery of gold, so many workers and companies flocked here. You can visit settlements that were born here because of the discovery. It also became an important mining town, trading post, and stage terminal.

You can visit the old buildings and museums to learn more about the Gold Rush and the Transcontinental Railway when you stop here. It also has a beautiful lake: Lake Clementine. You won’t get bored when you visit this city.

This park located in Utah is a wonderful natural landmark that you can visit. You can learn about Golden Spike’s ecosystem and how it came about.

The National Park also provides one of the best places to experience the trains from 150 years ago. You can visit old trains and explore the area that hosts Transcontinental Railway history. It is a great experience not only for adults but also for your kids.

transcontinental railroad

Popular Stations Along The Railroad

With the Transcontinental Railroad being so old, you know that there are many historic stations along the way that you could visit. Here is a list of those stations that you should at least visit or see on our route:

  • Lampo aka Blue Creek
  • Umbria Junction

These places have a little piece of United States history. If you can’t make it to all of them, at least try to visit one or two. You can visit the places and experience what others saw hundreds of years ago. It is like walking through time.

The Transcontinental Railroad: A National Landmark

The Transcontinental Railroad is one of the United States landmarks that you can actively experience today. You can take a long trip or do a short one. It is amazing, and there is much you can learn across the country just by taking a ride. So go out there and experience the history!

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The 5 Best Luxury Trains in the U.S.

See the country in style from the Grand Canyon Railway to the Rocky Mountaineer.

transcontinental railroad trip across usa

For nearly 200 years, railroads have ferried passengers and freight all across the United States, transforming them from just a practical form of transportation to the pinnacle of luxury for wealthy Americans by the turn of the 20th century. But when jetliners hit the scene , rail travel languished.

These days, slow travel is making a comeback, with travelers delighting in the romantic nostalgia of elegantly furnished train cars complemented by fine dining. And while the U.S. has been, admittedly, rather slow to reclaim luxury train travel — particularly compared to the rest of the world — there are a growing number of elegant rail experiences to be found across the country. Here are five of the best experiences for luxury train travel in the U.S.

Rocky Mountaineer

In August 2021, Canadian railway company Rocky Mountaineer debuted its first-ever U.S. route, Rockies to Red Rocks . It's a long-in-the-making two-day journey between Denver and Moab, Utah, which includes an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs, Colorado . The glass-domed cars offer passengers exceptional views of the mountains, canyons, rivers, and hoodoos along the journey. Passengers enjoy multi-course meals, either in their seats or in a designated dining room, depending on ticket class. For those who book the higher class of service, SilverLeaf Plus , there's a lounge car with a bar and an exclusive outdoor observation deck.

The Grand Canyon Railway

The Grand Canyon is a must-visit destination, so why not arrive in style? Instead of sitting in traffic to enter the national park, take the Grand Canyon Railway for a leisurely adventure. The train departs from the depot in Williams, Arizona, some 60 miles south of the canyon itself, then travels for two-and-a-half hours through the desert to reach Grand Canyon Village, right next to the South Rim. For the most luxurious experience, be sure to book the Luxury Parlor or Luxury Dome class of service — the adults-only cars have private bars and open-air platforms.

Napa Valley Wine Train

Since 1864, the Napa Valley Wine Train has been carrying oenophiles through the eponymous California wine region . Though it originally traveled between Vallejo and Calistoga, the train now makes a three-hour, round-trip journey between downtown Napa and St. Helena. There are a few different itineraries ; most include a multi-course gourmet meal served in sophisticated historic railway cars, and some rides include stops and tastings at various wineries. The most popular car on the train is the Vista Dome , a Pullman from 1952, where you'll dine in a glass-domed car with nearly uninterrupted vineyard views.

Alaska Railroad

Connecting Seward and Fairbanks via 470 miles of track, the Alaska Railroad provides scenic excursions through the state . Book the GoldStar Service for a more upscale experience — it's offered onboard the Denali Star train, a 12-hour itinerary connecting Anchorage and Fairbanks, and the Coastal Classic Train, which connects Anchorage and Seward. The service provides guests with spacious seats in a domed car, access to an outdoor viewing platform, meals in the dining car, and access to a private bar.

Strasburg Railroad

A ride on Pennsylvania's Strasburg Railroad might not be long — each journey lasts only 45 minutes. The railroad itself, however, has a long history. In fact, it's the oldest continuously operating railroad in the country, founded in 1832. For a luxurious little joy ride, book one of the historic first-class cars , which includes Marian (the private-hire President's Car); the Parlor Car, which has tables and sofas; or one of the two Lounge Cars, which are outfitted with velvet-upholstered captain's chairs. Snacks and beverages are available during each ride, but there's also a special wine-and-cheese experience for adults on select Friday and Saturday evenings.

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 Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Scenic Train, located near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a freight and heritage railroad

The best train rides in the USA for seriously gorgeous views

It’s all about the journey on the best train rides in the USA, featuring mind-blowingly scenic routes

Scott Snowden

Of course, a road trip through America is one of the best ways to see the magnificent views on offer across the country, but from time to time it's just nice to take a break from being behind the wheel. Instead, how about taking one of the best train rides in the USA? Gently saunter across the country, leaving you free to contemplate life, ponder the meaning of existence or just spend a few hours thinking about nothing and staring out of the window.

Riding on a train can be a romantic, nostalgic, and best of all leisurely way to see the country. Even a commuter train between major cities can be a step up from a drive, but these scenic train rides are more than that. Geared towards long-haul trips from coast to coast, or specifically designed for enjoying the scenery, these train routes will let you take in all the glorious views.

Looking for a west coast adventure? Take the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle . Heading to Alaska ? Catch all the highlights on the Denali Star’s 350-mile trek from Fairbanks to Anchorage. The Grand Canyon Railway and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad will take you from quaint towns to national parks . There are even some shorter jaunts, like the Mt. Washington Cog Railway or the Hawaiian Railway that will give you a small taste of scenic train travel.

So hop aboard, enjoy the views, and take as many pics as you want without having to keep your hands on the wheel.

RECOMMENDED: The best camping in the USA

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Best train rides in the USA

Rockies to the Red Rocks

1.  Rockies to the Red Rocks

Denver, co to moab, ut.

The first US offering from luxury Canadian company Rocky Mountaineer, the new 'Rockies to the Red Rocks' trip takes passengers on a two-day ride from Denver to Moab—passing through stunning Rocky Mountains and southwest scenery along the way. Best of all? Passengers will witness all that gorgeous nature from the train's glass-dome top! That's right, we're talking about unobstructed views of some of the most gorgeous scenery in the USA. The 2023 season will kick off in August and will run through October.

Discover the  best things to do in Denver

Coast Starlight

2.  Coast Starlight

Los angeles, ca to seattle, wa.

Put a spin on the classic left-coast road trip by traveling by train instead. The advantages? Zero wrong-turn fights and way more photo-ops. The 1,377-mile Coast Starlight route hits the best of the West: Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland and more. On the 36-hour trip, bounce from your seat to the dining car and the 'sightseer lounge car' where all the seats face the panoramic, floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Discover the best things to do in Seattle  

The Grand Canyon Railway

3.  The Grand Canyon Railway

Williams, az to the grand canyon, az.

Sure you may have been to the Grand Canyon already, but have you ever admired Grand Canyon country by train? On The Grand Canyon Railway, you’ll depart from Williams, Arizona, and roll through pine forests and prairies, spotting pronghorn and bald eagles, before arriving two hours and 15 minutes later at the epic South Rim. All of the historic cars of the Grand Canyon Railway have fascinating former lives, and some have glass-dome ceilings for unstoppable panoramas. 

Discover the best things to do in Arizona

The Empire Builder

4.  The Empire Builder

Chicago, il to portland, or.

There is only one word to describe this journey: epic. The Empire Builder runs daily between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, mirroring much of Lewis and Clark’s original expedition. It passes through a greatest-hits list of must-see sites, from the urban (St. Cloud and Minneapolis) to the great outdoors (big-sky country and Glacier National Park ). The trip totals 46 hours, which warrants booking at least a roomette with seats that convert to beds, so you can fully stretch out once you’ve gotten your fill of landscapes under the moonlight. 

Discover the best things to do in Portland 

The Alaska Denali Star

5.  The Alaska Denali Star

Anchorage, ak to fairbanks, ak.

This 350-mile stretch through the heart of Alaska highlights the state's beautiful, rugged wilderness. Between the birch forests, rushing rivers, caribou- and bear-spotting, views of Mt. McKinley and a stint through Denali National Park, there’s a reason this is the Alaska Railroad’s flagship sojourn. If you can swing it, splurge on a GoldStar upgrade and take in the spectacular scenery from an open-air viewing car, with absolutely nothing between you and the wild. 

Discover the best things to do in Alaska 

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

6.  The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Bryson city, nc.

It may be pint-size, but Bryson City, the departure point for this rail-riding adventure, is rich with local gems like barbecue joints, a soda fountain and a brewery. Various routes originate here, but the four-and-a-half-hour Nantahala Gorge excursion is a scenery-serving star, snaking along the forested Nantahala River and crossing the Fontana Lake by bridge. Foliage lovers take note: The leaves here are breathtaking during the fall.

Discover the best things to do in North Carolina 

The Mount Washington Cog Railway

7.  The Mount Washington Cog Railway

Bretton woods, nh.

Like the Little Engine That Could, this antique train chugs daily up Mount Washington , depositing its passengers at the 6,288ft peak, the highest in the Northeast. A working museum of sorts (the track dates to 1852), the Cog has the elevated feel of a gondola, only you’re in a sturdy little train. At the top, take in the sweeping views—of Canada and the Atlantic on a clear day. 

Discover the best thing to do in New Hampshire

The Napa Valley Wine Train

8.  The Napa Valley Wine Train

Napa valley, ca.

On this California Wine Country track, you can get intoxicated by the scenery alone: picture-perfect wineries and hills carpeted in lush rows of vines. But you’ll have a little help, what with all the vino you’ll be sipping alongside your onboard multicourse meal—both lunch and dinner are options. The roving restaurant is made up of a collection of vintage Pullman railcars complete with mahogany panels and brass hardware. So go ahead and soak it all up—you’re not behind the wheel, after all.

Discover the best  things to do in Napa

The Hawaiian Railway Society

9.  The Hawaiian Railway Society

Train travel takes a turn for the tropical on this 90-minute jaunt across Oahu in an old sugar-cane hauler traveling at the lickety-split speed of 15 miles an hour. The ride shows you a rarely-seen version of Hawaii, filled with old sisal plantations and ghost towns. Time your trip for the second Sunday of the month and you can book a seat in the elegant 1900 parlor car that was the personal ride of Oahu Railway & Land Co. founder Mr. Dillingham. It's worth noting, however, that reservations are now required to ride the train. 

Discover the best things to do in Oahu

Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad

10.  Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad

Durango, co to silverton, co.

One of the most scenic ways to experience one of the most scenic states; a ride on the Narrow Gauge Railroad isn’t merely photo fodder, but a full immersion into the wild, wild west. The train has been rolling between Durango and Silverton since 1882, when it was tasked with transporting silver and gold out of the San Juan Mountains. The 45.4-mile route runs in both directions along the Animas River, crisscrossing it five times, and passing by old stagecoach trails and long-deserted mining camps as it winds between 14,000ft high peaks.

Discover the best things to do in Colorado

The Ethan Allen Express

11.  The Ethan Allen Express

New york city, ny to burlington, vt.

While the destination is a major draw, getting there is half the fun on this five-and-a-half-hour journey from New York City to Vermont. You’ll cruise through the postcard-perfect towns of New York’s Hudson Valley; hit Saratoga Springs, as famous for its horse races as its hot springs and snake around Vermont’s fittingly named Green Mountains before landing in charming little-big city Rutland, with its historic downtown and one helluva farmers' market.

Discover the best things to do in Vermont

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The First Transcontinental Railroad

  • Mapping the First Transcontinental Railroad
  • Alfred A. Hart Photos
  • Oral Histories of Chinese Railroad Worker Families
  • Native Americans and the Railroad
  • Pacific Railroad Surveys

Maps of the Railroads

  • Maps of Theodore Judah

Overview maps from the Pacific Railroad Survey Reports

These maps are some of the most important maps of the West in the 1850's and 1860's as they show the current state of topographical knowledge. Many editions of the maps were printed to accompany the different editions of the Pacific Railroad Survey Reports. These states show the rapid growth in topographical information from government exploration and mapping. The dates of the maps shown are 1855, 1857, 1858, 1861, and 1867. The notes field in the metadata for each map details the new geographic information contained within.

Map Of The Territory Of The United States From The Mississippi To The Pacific Ocean Ordered by the Hon. Jeff'n Davis, Secretary Of War To accompany the Reports of the Explorations For A Railroad Route ... Compiled from authorized explorations and other reliable data by Lieut. G.K. Warren, Topl. Engrs. In the Office of Pacific R.R. Surveys, War Dep. under the direction of Bvt. Maj. W.H. Emory and Capt. A.A. Humphreys, Topl. Engrs. 1855. Engr. by Selmar Siebert

  • Map Of The Territory Of The United States From The Mississippi To The Pacific Ocean Ordered ...
  • Map of the Territory of the United States from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean . . . 18...
  • Map Of The Territory Of The United States From The Mississippi To The Pacific Ocean; Ordered...
  • Map Of The Territory Of The United States From The Mississippi To The Pacific Ocean Order...
  • Engineer Bureau, War Department. Map Of The Territory Of The United States From The Mississi...

Proposed Railways

Numerous maps showed proposed railway routes to connect the East and the West displaying what appear to be cohesive transportation networks long before they existed on the ground. These maps extend over the entire United States allowing one to compare the dense network of rail lines in the East with the openness and inaccessibility of the West.

1864: The American Continent

R. Rosa and Charles Lubrecht's map of the United States in 1864 shows numerous proposed railway lines. Colored in bright blue, a circular rail system includes the "Proposed Central Pacific Rail Road" starting in St. Joseph, Missouri that follows the Platte River, connects to the "Proposed Central Pacific R.R." near Great Salt Lake City, crosses the Sierras at Truckee Pass, connects to a railroad line heading south from Sacramento traversing California south to Ft. Yuma before it connects to the "Proposed Southern Pacific R.R.", which skirts the border with Mexico before turning north in Texas to end at Fort Smith in Arkansas. Also shown is a proposed railroad from St. Joseph, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. While most of the states are in their recognizable configurations, Dakota is still one large region and Wyoming is 36 years away from being a state.

1867: Colton's Map of the States and Territories

The Colton map of 1867 details the growth of the railroad network by 1867 noting in the title the overland routes and projected railroad lines. It is interesting to note that the routes of the explorers and surveyors are clearly delineated belying the appearance that the nation has been settled from coast to coast. The Central Pacific Railroad has been completed to Truckee Pass. The north/south California railroad has been completed from San Francisco to around present day Salinas. The Union Pacific line has been completed nearly to Cheyenne Pass in present day Wyoming. Information from the Pacific Railroad Surveys has clearly been added to the map including the notes on topography, land cover, and even the spot where Captain Gunnison was killed in Utah.

1869: Map of the Union Pacific Railroad Surveys

This highly detailed map shows the proposed line of the railroad from the Missouri River to Humboldt Wells from surveys done from 1864 to 1868. The spot at which the tracks would connect, at Promontory Summit, had yet to be decided. The map includes a "Profile of Grades" over which the track would be laid. The highest point was at Sherman with an elevation of 8,235 feet to the east of Laramie. Promontory Mountain is shown with a height of 4,901 feet. The line covers 1,259 miles from beginning to end.

The Completed Railroad

On May 10, 1869 the transcontinental railroad was complete. It took mapmakers no time to publish maps showing the completed route. The next decade showed rapid growth in the number of stations and towns along the railroad as well as the completion of other lines to the north and the south of the main route.

1869: Cabinet Map of the Western States

Rufus Blanchard's map was heavily derived from the U.S. General Land Office Map of the United States, 1868 (see below). The railroad is complete and the lines shows the stops along the way. There are numerous rail lines under development and proposed including lines from Cheyenne to Denver turning to the east to cross Kansas, a line from Gravelly Ford, Nevada south to Colville, Nevada, and numerous routes in California connecting Stockton, San Jose, and Fort Yuma bypassing the coast including Los Angeles and San Diego.

An inset world map in the bottom left hand corner showing the United States in the center with the railroad prominently featured connecting the east coast to San Francisco. Lines across the oceans connection the United States to the world from San Francisco to Shanghai and Hong Kong and from New York and Boston to Hamburg, Germany.

1871: The American Union Railroad Map of the United States

Haasis and Lubrect's railroad map of the American Union celebrates the completion of the transcontinental railroad in spectacular fashion. Across the top is a view "From the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean" showing the sights along the way from the ships in San Francisco harbor to high mountain peaks, from farmland to bustling Manhattan and New York City. The cartouche illustrates the excitement inherent with this mode of travel with passengers eagerly boarding the train, boys hailing the arrival of the locomotive, and a worker readying goods for transport. All of this is in contrast to old mode of conveyance, the horse and buggy, seen in the background as if receding into the past.

1877: New Transcontinental Map of the Pacific Railroad

Henry T. Williams' map was printed 8 years after the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The original railroad names hundreds of stops along the tracks noting major and minor stations by font size. Branches off the main trunk line are shown from Cheyenne to Denver, from Palisade to Eureka (Nevada), and throughout California north to Redding, Oroville, Calistoga, and Clovendale, and south to Soledad, Fremonts Pass, and finally to Los Angeles, San Pedro, and Anaheim. Other railroads in use include the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Denver and Rio Grande, and the Kansas Pacific. The Northern Pacific has yet to be built although a proposed route is shown. It was completed in 1883. Stage routes connect to the railroad across the west allowing for movement of goods and people throughout the entire region.

Accompanying the map was the booklet, The Pacific Tourist: Williams' illustrated trans-continental guide of travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean...a complete traveler's guide of the Union and Central Pacific railroads . The booklet has been scanned and is available here .

1879: New Map of the American Overland Route

A mere 10 years after the completion of the transcontinental railroad promotional materials were being published to increase ridership and encourage tourism. The map shows the railroad and branches in black with the stops as points. The map extols the wonders and safety of travel around its borders. One may "Avoid the Sickness, Dangers and Delays of the Panama Route!" Round trip excursion tickets for $38 from Omaha to Denver, Colorado Springs, or Pueblo guarantee to "afford the finest view to be had of the Great Snowy Range." Excursion tickets from Omaha also take passengers to one of the great sights of the west, Yosemite Valley by way of Merced, Mariposa, Clark's and Big Tree Grove - no saddle riding necessary.

The Public Surveys and the Railroads

The Land Ordinance of 1785 first defined how the west would be subdivided starting in Ohio. The system subdivided the land into thirty six square mile blocks, which would be subdivided into smaller units. A section was a one-mile square enclosing 640 acres. This system was used to subdivide the west. It was combined with numerous Acts that allowed settlers free access to the land wit the condition that the land be settled and worked for a specific number of years. Millions of people moved and set up homesteads from the 1850's until 1988. The railroads made it easier to move west. The railroads themselves were granted public lands to allow them right of way and a way to raise money by selling off part of these lands.

The maps included below show the extent of the Public Land Surveys from 1866 to 1875. Each one details the rapid growth of the grid that defined the Survey as well as plotting the progress of the railroad. The final map in the set shows the land west of Ohio laid out in neat squares with the grid laid out along either side of the completed transcontinental railroad.

transcontinental railroad trip across usa

  • Map of the United States and Territories. Shewing the extent of the Public Surveys and ot...
  • Map of the United States and Territories, Showing the extent of Public Surveys and other Det...
  • Map of the United States and Territories, Showing the extent of Public Surveys and other det...
  • Map of the United States and Territories. Showing The Extent of Public Surveys, Indian and M...

A Mapped History of Taking a Train Across the United States

The first steam engine railway travel took place 209 years ago today. Here, the story of how the Civil War impeded, and then accelerated, the progress of America's trains.

rail.str.0241.01.jpeg

That progress you see in the above three maps was because of the steam engine. 1830 gave us Tom Thumb , the first U.S. steam locomotive, in Baltimore. And from there these machines took off.

But before we could build the transcontinental railroad, the Civil War broke out, which temporarily stalled things. Ultimately, however, the war accelerated the ubiquity of trains. Railway and bridges were destroyed, and Americans learned to rebuild them better and faster.

rail.iw.004.jpeg

According to William Thomas, in The Iron Way , "The South possessed some of the most beautiful depots and railroad facilities in the nation in 1861. Sherman's campaigns sought to dismantle the Confederate railroad system and in so doing deny any claim to modernity and progress."

zoom.jpeg

Meanwhile, guerrilla Confederates would attack trains, so the Union soldiers braced their bridges for attack and put up these block houses for bridge defenders. Sherman, knowing that his supply lines would be under attack, is said to have trained 10,000 troops in railroad repair before he marched on Atlanta. That his men were so adept at repairing their lines contributed to his success during the March to the Sea.

military bridge blackwhite.jpg

This bridge was destroyed and rebuilt several times. In May 1862 it was rebuilt in nine days. By 1864, they could rebuild it in 40 hours. Thomas notes that bridges like this contributed to the sense that railroad were "thought to defy nature."

After the war, many of these men put their railroad-construction skills and experience to use for non-military lines, and by 1930 the travel time from Manhattan to LA was down to three days.

rail.str.0241.04.jpeg

By 1930, three days brought us 2,500 miles. In 1800, three days would have taken us just 250 miles. Three weeks in 1857 was three days by 1930.

But comparing that 1930 map with Amtrak options today , despite the lack of any civil war to impede our growth since then, we're still at about the same travel times.

twenty thriteen across teh country.jpg.jpg

transcontinental railroad trip across usa

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This Day In History : May 10

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transcontinental railroad trip across usa

Transcontinental railroad completed, unifying United States

On May 10, 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah, and drive a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connects their railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history. No longer would western-bound travelers need to take the long and dangerous journey by wagon train.

Since at least 1832, both Eastern and frontier statesmen realized a need to connect the two coasts. It was not until 1853, though, that Congress appropriated funds to survey several routes for the transcontinental railroad. The actual building of the railroad would have to wait even longer, as North-South tensions prevented Congress from reaching an agreement on where the line would begin.

One year into the Civil War , a Republican-controlled Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Act (1862), guaranteeing public land grants and loans to the two railroads it chose to build the transcontinental line, the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific. With these in hand, the railroads began work in 1866 from Omaha and Sacramento, forging a northern route across the country. In their eagerness for land, the two lines built right past each other, and the final meeting place had to be renegotiated.

Harsh winters, staggering summer heat and the lawless, rough-and-tumble conditions of newly settled western towns made conditions for the Union Pacific laborers—mainly Civil War veterans of Irish descent—miserable. The overwhelmingly immigrant Chinese work force of the Central Pacific also had its fair share of problems, including brutal 12-hour work days laying tracks over the Sierra Nevada Mountains (they also received lower wages than their white counterparts). On more than one occasion, whole crews would be lost to avalanches, or mishaps with explosives would leave several dead.

For all the adversity they suffered, the Union Pacific and Central Pacific workers were able to finish the railroad–laying nearly 2,000 miles of track–by 1869, ahead of schedule and under budget. Journeys that had taken months by wagon train or weeks by boat now took only days. Their work had an immediate impact: The years following the construction of the railway were years of rapid growth and expansion for the United States, due in large part to the speed and ease of travel that the railroad provided.

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The Transcontinental Railroad

What it was like for the first travelers

February 1977

On May 15, 1869, regular train service began on America’s first transcontinental railroad. Thousands of Americans who had become accustomed to train travel in the Eastern states could now journey behind an iron horse all the way to Walt Whitman’s Western sea. Although it was not possible—except in cases of special excursions—to board a car in an Eastern city and journey uninterrupted to California, most of these pioneer travelers seemed to look upon the necessary transfers in Chicago and Omaha, and Promontory or Ogden, as welcome breaks in an eight to ten days adventure.

“Every man who could command the time and money was eager to make the trip,” declared that energetic traveling reporter John Beadle, “and everybody who could sling ink became correspondents.” From the very beginning, many travelers did indeed seem compelled to make a written record of their experiences. Their accounts were usually very sketchy until they passed Chicago or Omaha. During the first year of transcontinental service, passengers from the East arrived in Chicago on the Michigan Central Railroad, but by the mid-i87o’s they had their choice of connections from the Pennsylvania, Erie, or New York Central.

“Seventy-five minutes are allowed for getting from the station of arrival to the station of departure,” said William F. Rae, an Englishman who made the journey late in 1869. “In my own case the times of the trains did not correspond; the one train had started an hour before the other arrived.” Because he had planned to stop over briefly in Chicago, Rae was not disappointed by the enforced delay of twenty-four hours, but many of his fellow passengers were, and for another century travelers through Chicago would continue to suffer the inconvenience of changing trains and failure to make connections. During the heyday of American railroad passenger travel, one of the common sayings was that a hog could travel across country through Chicago without changing cars, but a human being could not.

To reach the Union Pacific from Chicago, travelers had their choice of two direct routes, the Rock Island or the Northwestern, and an indirect route, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. Knowledgeable people taking the direct routes soon learned to avoid the evening express trains which left them stranded in Council Bluffs or Omaha for almost twenty-four hours while they awaited the departure of the U.P.’s daily train for the Pacific Coast.

Until a bridge was completed across the Missouri River in 1872, westbound travelers also had to endure a crossing in a ferryboat from Council Bluffs to Omaha. And even after the bridge was built, the railroads refused to be cooperative enough to take the cars of the Eastern roads across the river to the Union Pacific station. Arriving in Council Bluffs, passengers had to remove themselves and their baggage to the cars of the Transfer Company. John Erastus Lester of Providence, Rhode Island, who traveled west in 1872 in hopes of improving his health, said that passage by the Transfer Company “caused more hard words to be spoken than can be erased from the big book for many a day.” He was not only disenchanted by the company’s treatment of passengers but by its requirement that all freight be unloaded from Eastern cars and then repacked for shipment across the river.

Early travelers on the transcontinental railroad saw little to admire about Omaha. One found it to be “the muddiest place I ever saw,” but added that “the roads are generally deep with dust.” Another also described the town as being layered with mud through which “the omnibus labored slowly, the outside passengers being advised by the driver to move about from one side of the roof to another, in order to guard against upsetting the overloaded vehicle. A general feeling of relief was manifested when the station of the Union Pacific Railway was reached.”

Almost all agreed they had seldom seen such bustling confusion as developed at the Omaha station at the times for train departures. During the early years when the journey west was considered a daring enterprise, rumors were deliberately spread among the greenhorn ticket buyers of danger from wild Indians wrecking or attacking trains; this of course aided the Omaha railroad agents in the sale of insurance policies for the journey.

Except for a quick whistle from the engine and the conductor’s cry of “All aboard!” there was no warning of the train’s departure. This usually resulted in a rush of passengers who had to hop on board the moving cars. “For three or four miles we pass along the bluffs on which Omaha is built,” John Lester recorded, “and then push out upon the open prairie, the fertile lands of Nebraska. A vast plain, dotted here and there with trees, stretches away upon every side.”

In springtime the rolling land was covered with wildflowers whose fragrance drifted into the open windows of cars moving along at twenty miles an hour; in summer tumbleweeds by the thousands wheeled across the drying grass; and by autumn prairie fires blazed against the horizon. “The spectacle of a prairie on fire is one of infinite grandeur,” said William Rae. “For miles on every side the air is heavy with volumes of stifling smoke, and the ground reddened with hissing and rushing fire.”

Travelers from abroad found the Great Plains grass to be shorter than they had expected, and they compared the wind-driven sweep of grayish green to ocean waves, “undulating like the Atlantic with a heavy groundswell.” They also complained of their eyes wearying at the sameness of landscape, of the train seeming to be standing still in an immense void. All welcomed the first break in the monotony of the plains—the Platte River, which the railroad followed westward as had the wagon trains of earlier years.

When the transcontinental railroad opened for service, George Mortimer Pullman had been manufacturing experimental models of his sleeping cars for four years, and the Union Pacific accepted several of them in 1869. They were called Pullman Palace Cars and their exteriors were painted in rich brown colors to distinguish them from the drab coaches. Everyone who could afford the additional $25 for first-class fare and $4 per day for a Pullman Palace Car was eager to obtain a berth. First-class travelers paid f 100 for the journey from Omaha to Sacramento; secondclass or coach $75. There was also a special rate of $40 for immigrants, who rode on cramped board seats. Four to five days were usually required to complete the journey by express, six to seven days by mixed train. The speed of trains varied according to the conditions of tracks and bridges, dropping to nine miles per hour over hastily built sections and increasing to thirty-five miles per hour over smoother tracks. Most travelers of the early 1870*5 mentioned eighteen to twenty-two miles per hour as the average. Although speeds were doubled within a decade, time-consuming stops and starts at more than two hundred stations and water tanks prevented any considerable reduction in total hours spent on the long journey.

Even in an era when the most highly skilled Americans earned less than $100 a month, demand for hundreddollar Pullman space on the transcontinental railroad was so great that the Union Pacific began running three sleeping cars on some trains early in 1870 and was still turning away would-be ticket buyers. Because of George Pullman’s interest in the Union Pacific, he supplied that railroad with de luxe innovations long before they reached the Eastern roads. Travelers heard or read about the Palace Cars and were eager to ride on them no matter what the cost. “I had a sofa to myself, with a table and a lamp,” wrote one satisfied rider. “The sofas are widened and made into beds at night. My berth was three feet three inches wide, and six feet three inches long. It had two windows looking out of the train, a handsome mirror, and was well furnished with bedding and curtains.”

British travelers were especially impressed, and sent off earnest letters to railway directors in London urging them “to take a leaf out of the Americans’ book, and provide sleeping carriages for long night journeys.” They also delighted in the freedom of movement from one car to another, although the traveler who signed himself “A London Parson” admitted that trying to dress one’s self in a box two feet high was a bit inconvenient. “It was an odd experience, that going to bed of some thirty ladies, gentlemen, and children, in, practically, one room. For two nights I had a young married couple sleeping in the berth above mine. The lady turned in first, and presently her gown was hung out over the rail to which her bed curtains were fastened. But further processes of unrobing were indicated by the agitation of the drapery which concealed her nest. As the same curtain served for both berths—hers and mine—the gentleman held her portion together over my head when it was necessary for me to retire. At last all were housed, and some snores rose above the rattle of the train. I did not sleep much the first night, but looked over the moonlit prairie from my pillow.”

Although Pullman introduced a “hotel car” in 1870 with a kitchen at one end from which meals were served on removable tables set between the drawing-room seats, the Union Pacific scheduled the car for only one trip each week. Until well into the i88o’s the transcontinental railroad fed its passengers at dining stations along the way, allowing them thirty minutes to obtain their food and bolt it down before resuming the journey.

Judging from comments of travelers, the food varied from wretched to middling fair. The first dining stop out of Omaha was Grand Island. “Ill cooked and poorly served,” was one passenger’s blunt comment. “We found the quality on the whole bad,” said William Robertson of Scotland, “and all three meals, breakfast, dinner and supper, were almost identical, viz., tea, buffalo steaks, antelope chops, sweet potatoes, and boiled Indian corn, with hoe cakes and syrup ad nauseam .” New Yorker Susan Coolidge also complained about the sameness of diet. “It was necessary to look at one’s watch to tell whether it was breakfast, dinner or supper that we were eating, these meals presenting invariably the same salient features of beefsteak, fried eggs, fried potato.” She was generous enough to compliment the chef at Sidney, Nebraska, for serving “cubes of fried mush which diversified a breakfast of unusual excellence.” Harvey Rice of Cleveland, Ohio, described the Sidney breakfast station as a crude structure of boards and canvas. “Here the passengers were replenished with an excellent breakfast—a chicken stew, as they supposed, but which, as they were afterward informed, consisted of prairie-dogs—a new variety of chickens, without feathers. This information created an unpleasant sensation in sundry delicate stomachs.”

According to William L. Humason of Hartford, Connecticut, the farther one traveled across the plains the worse the dining stations became, “consisting of miserable shanties, with tables dirty, and waiters not only dirty, but saucy. The tea tasted as though it were made from the leaves of the sage-brush—literally sage tea . The biscuit was made without soda, but with plenty of alkali, harmonizing with the great quantity of alkali dust we had already swallowed.” The only dining station Humason had a good word for was at Cisco, California, where the water on the table was as clear as crystal, but he thought a dollar and a quarter was “a pretty steep price to pay for fried ham and potatoes.”

At most dining stops, meal prices were one dollar, and on the California section of the Central Pacific the prices were reduced to seventy-five cents if the diner paid in silver rather than in paper money. Neither the Union Pacific nor the Central Pacific operated their eating houses, preferring to contract them to private individuals, with no required standard of service. Most of them were in rough frame buildings filled with long tables upon which large platters of food were waiting when passengers descended from the trains. Gradually the individual stations achieved reputations for certain specialties such as beefsteak at Laramie, hot biscuits at Green River, antelope at Sidney, fish at Colfax. The most frequently praised dining stop was Evanston, Wyoming, where mountain trout was the specialty. “It was kept by a colored man named Howard W. Crossley whose evident desire was to please all,” wrote John Lester. He added that most “proprietors of the eatingstations ought to be promoted to higher callings; for they are evidently above running a hotel.”

Because Cheyenne was listed in the guidebooks as the largest city between Omaha and Sacramento, many passengers expected a superior quality of food service there. They were disappointed to find a small town of board and canvas buildings occupied (as one wrote) by about three thousand “dangerous-looking miners in big boots, broadbrimmed hats, and revolvers.” The only added feature in the dining station was a formidable row of heads of biggame animals which glared down from the walls upon the famished passengers. “The chops were generally as tough as hanks of whipcord, and the knives as blunt as bricklayers’ trowels,” one traveler reported.

Between stops for meals the passengers were diverted by a procession of unfamiliar wildlife along each side of the track, antelope and prairie dogs being the most commonly seen. Far more antelope than buffalo ranged along the Union Pacific tracks, and long files of these fleet-footed animals often approached very close to passing trains, apparently racing with the cars, and usually winning. Although the Union Pacific frowned upon the practice, eager hunters sometimes fired upon these animals with rifles and pistols from the open windows of the cars. Few hits were recorded.

Prairie-dog villages also were close enough so that passengers could observe these gregarious rodents sitting at the entrances to their burrows. “They fling themselves in the air with a gay nimbleness beautiful to see, flip a somersault, and present to the admiring gaze of the traveler two furry heels and a short furry tail as they make their exit from the stage of action,” wrote one passenger.

Elk, wolves, and bears were often seen as the iron horse thundered across the West, and one traveler was sure that he saw a pack of wild dogs trotting along parallel with the railroad, until he learned that they were coyotes. Swarms of grasshoppers and crickets were another unfamiliar sight; they sometimes descended upon the tracks and caused the locomotive wheels to spin into a temporary stall.

Although only thinning herds of buffalo remained near the Union Pacific right-of-way after train travel began, the iron horses of the Kansas Pacific (which ran less than two hundred miles to the south and connected with the Union Pacific at Cheyenne) occasionally were surrounded by buffalo and had to slow down or wait until the herd passed. One traveler on the Kansas Pacific told of seeing a herd that extended as far as the eye could reach. “With heads down and tails up they galloped towards the track making extraordinary exertions to get across ahead of the locomotive. In trying this strategic feat one specimen found himself forcibly lifted into the air and thrown into the ditch, where he lay upon his back, his cloven feet nourishing madly.”

In its early days, before connections were scheduled with other railroads, the Kansas Pacific engineers willingly stopped trains to permit the passengers to leave the cars and shoot at passing buffalo. “Everybody runs out and commences shooting,” lawyer John Putnam of Topeka wrote a friend in 1868. “We failed to bag a buffalo. I did not shoot, having ill defined ideas as to hunting rifles, which end you put the load in and which end you let it out at … But I rushed out with the rest—yelled promiscuously—‘Buffalo!—Stop the train’—‘let me out’’‘there they are!—Whoop-pey’—‘Give ‘em thunder’—‘no go’—‘Come back’—‘drive on’— So you see I helped a good deal.”

The buffalo and other animals entertained the travelers against a constantly changing background of scenery which grew more and more fascinating as they left the plains behind. The first glimpse of the snowy range of the Rocky Mountains always sent a wave of excitement through the passenger cars. “My boyish dreams were realized,” one man recorded. “For hours, at the school desk, have I pondered over the map and wandered, in imagination, with Lewis and Clark, the hunters and trappers and early emigrants, away off to these Rocky Mountains, about which such a mystery seemed to hang,—dreaming, wishing and hoping against hope, that my eyes might, some day, behold their snow-crowned heights. And here lay the first great range in the pureness of white; distant, to be sure, but there it lay, enshrined in beauty.”

Wyoming was filled with wonders for these journeyers from the East, but when the iron horse brought them through tunnels into Utah’s Echo and Weber canyons, they were at a loss for superlatives to describe the towering castlelike rocks. “Grand beyond description … castles in the air … fantastic shapes and profiles … the scene is as fearful as it is sublime.” Shortly after entering the Narrows of Weber Canyon, virtually everyone made note of the Thousand-mile Tree, a single green pine in a desolation of rock and sage, marking the distance from Omaha. European travelers compared Weber Canyon to gateways to the Alps. Castle Rock, Hanging Rock, Pulpit Rock, Devil’s Gate, Devil’s Slide—all entered the notebooks of scribbling passengers who seemed to disagree as to whether they were creations of God or Satan.

Along the way were occasional reminders of pioneers of a previous day—the bones of long-dead oxen and horses beside the deep-rutted trails where covered wagons had crawled, a solitary grave marker, a broken wheel, a piece of discarded furniture. “Inch by inch, the teams toiled to gain a higher foothold,” said one appreciative train traveler, “inch by inch they climbed down the rugged passes; now in luxurious coaches, with horses of iron, with a skilled engineer for a driver we are carried along in comfort.”

When there were no animals or scenery to entertain or awe, there was always the ever-changing weather of the West. The train on which Harvey Rice was journeying to California in 1869 ran through a typically violent Great Plains thunderstorm. “The heavens became, suddenly, as black as starless midnight. The lightning flashed in every direction, and electric balls of fire rolled over the plains. It seemed as if the artillery of heaven had made the valley a target and that we were doomed to instant destruction. But happily our fears were soon dissipated. The storm was succeeded by a brilliant rainbow.”

Heavy rains were likely to flood the tracks, and in the early years before roadbeds were well ballasted the ties sank into the mud. One traveler was startled to see the car behind him churning up such a foam of mud that it resembled a boat rushing along on water. It was not unusual for hailstorms to break car windows, and tornadoes could lift a train off the track. One of the legends of the Kansas Pacific concerns a tornadic waterspout that dropped out of a massive thunderstorm, washed out six thousand feet of track, and swallowed up a freight train. “Although great efforts were made to find it,” said Charles B. George, a veteran railroad man, “not a trace of it has ever been discovered.”

Winter travelers could expect magnificent snowstorms or fierce blizzards which sometimes turned a journey across the continent into an ordeal. On William Rae’s return trip east from California in the winter of 1870, the engine pulling his train fought a two-hour battle with a snowstorm across four miles of the Laramie plains. The delay played havoc with train schedules on the single-track Union Pacific, but Rae reported that the hot-air stove in his Pullman car kept it “as comfortable as the best-warmed room in an English house.”

Rae might not have been so fortunate had he been traveling on the Kansas Pacific, which suffered as severely from blizzards as it did from thunder squalls. High winds drifted both snow and sand into cuts, leveling them across the tops, and the sturdy little wood-burning locomotives would have to back up, be uncoupled from the cars, and then run at full speed into the snowbanked cuts. This was called “bucking the snow,” and usually had to be repeated several times before it was effective. Engineer Cy Warman told of bucking an eighteen-foot drift with double engines so hard that his locomotive trembled and shook as if it were about to be crushed to pieces. “Often when we came to a stop only the top of the stack of the front engine would be visible. … All this time the snow kept coming down, day and night, until the only signs of a railroad across the range were the tops of the telegraph poles.” If the passengers were lucky, the train was backed to the nearest station, but even then conditions might be harsh. A group of snowbound train travelers who crowded into a hotel in Hays City, Kansas, spent an uncomfortably cold night and at daylight found their beds covered with snow which had drifted through cracks in walls and roof.

The universal desire of all pioneer travelers on the transcontinental was to see a “real wild Indian.” Few of them did, because the true warriors of the plains hated the iron horse and seldom came within miles of it. After the resisting tribes finally realized they could not stop the building of the Union Pacific’s tracks, their leaders signed treaties which removed their people from the broad swaths of land taken by the railroad. As the buffalo herds also fled far to the north and south, there was no economic reason for the horse Indians to approach the tracks. The Indians that the travelers saw were mostly those who had been corrupted and weakened by contacts with the white man’s civilization—scroungers, mercenaries, or beggars by necessity.

Except for a few acculturated representatives of Mississippi Valley tribes (who still plaited their hair but wore white man’s clothing and frequented railroad stations from Chicago to Omaha) the westbound travelers’ first glimpse of Plains Indians was around the Loup Fork in Nebraska where the Pawnees lived on a reservation. Although the Pawnees had virtually abandoned their horsebuffalo culture and lived off what they could cadge from white men, the warriors still shaved their heads to a tuft, painted their faces, and wore feathers and blankets. To travelers fresh from the East the Pawnees had a very bloodthirsty appearance, and according to the guidebooks every one of them had several scalps waving from the tops of lodgepoles.

Anywhere across western Nebraska or Wyoming, a traveler might catch a quick glimpse of a passing Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, or Crow staring at the iron horse, but they were few and far between. Not until the train reached Nevada was there a plenitude of Shoshones and Paiutes hanging about every station and using their treaty rights with the Central Pacific to ride the cars back and forth. Because these desert Indians were generally covered with dust and were often unbathed (there was no water readily available), the fastidious passengers found them objectionable, and the Central Pacific gradually put restrictions on their use of trains. At first they were confined to the emigrants’ coaches, and then after the emigrants objected to their presence, the Indians had to ride in the baggage cars or outside on the boarding steps.

Despite these docile remnants of the Great Plains tribes, some travelers spent a good deal of time worrying about Indian attacks. But train wrecks, and not ambushes, were the most immediate danger. Because of the relatively slow speeds of the early years, bruises rather than fatalities were the likely results unless the accident occurred on a high bridge or mountain shoulder. Poor tracks and hot boxes (overheating of axle bearings) caused many wrecks, and a surprising number of passengers suffered injuries from falling or jumping out of open car windows. One of the pioneer passengers of 1869 recorded how it felt to be in a train wreck in Echo Canyon: “On we bounded over the ties, the car wheels breaking many of them as though they were but pipe-stems. Every instant we expected to roll down the ravine. We ordered the ladies to cling to the sides of the seats and keep their feet clear of the floor. It seemed as if that train could never be stopped! But it was brought to a standstill upon the brink of an embankment. Had the cars gone a few rods further the reader would probably never have been troubled by these hastily written pages.”

Still another westbound traveler during that first year told of being shaken out of his seat when a Central Pacific train ran into a herd of cattle between Wadsworth and Clark’s Station, Nevada. The collision threw the locomotive off the track, but a telegrapher aboard climbed the nearest pole, tapped the line, and summoned a relief engine. During the eight-hour delay the hungry passengers butchered the dead cattle, built a fire, and cooked «teaks. Such encounters with cattle were among the most common causes of train wrecks in the West, and railroad men and ranchers were in constant friction for more than half a century over the rights of cattle to trespass on railroad property.

There were, of course, less-violent diversions than wrecks. At times on the journey, said Henry Williams in The Pacific Tourist , one could “sit and read, play games, and indulge in social conversation and glee.” By “glee” the guidebook author probably was referring to the improvised musicales and recitations that were especially popular among the Pullman passengers. In the early 1870’s some Pullman cars had organs intalled on them, and in the evenings amateur musicians as well as traveling troupes of professionals willingly gave performances. As one Pullman passenger described it, “music sounds upon the prairie and dies away far over the plains; merrymaking and jokes, conversation and reading pass the time pleasantly until ten o’clock, when we retire. … If people who are traveling together will only try to make those about them happy, then a good time is assured. The second night on the road we arranged a little entertainment in the car and invited the ladies and gentlemen from the other cars into our ‘improvised Music Hall.’ The exercises consisted principally of recitations, with the delineation of the characters of Grace Greenwood. … The young ladies sang for us; and we were all happy—for the time, at least.”

It was customary on Sundays to hold religious services in one of the cars. On a train rolling through western Wyoming in 1872, John Lester read the Episcopal service, the Reverend Mr. Murray delivered a sermon entitled “To Die Is Gain,” and a choir sang “Nearer, My God, To Thee” and the American national hymn. “Here in the very midst of the Rocky Mountain wilderness,” wrote Lester, “our thanksgivings were offered up; and our music floated out upon the air, and resounded through the deep caverns, and among the towering hills.”

According to most travelers the popular pastimes were cards, conversation, and reading. “We had an abundant supply of books and newspapers. A boy frequently traversed the train with a good store of novels, mostly English, periodicals, etc. … In the evening we had our section lighted, and played a solemn game of whist, or were initiated into the mysteries of euchre, or watched the rollicking game of poker being carried on by a merry party in the opposite section.”

There may have been some “rollicking” poker games on Pullman cars, but most of them were as deadly serious as the real money-making endeavors of the players in that gilded age of the robber barons. Brakeman Harry French told of witnessing such a game one evening in the course of his duties. “The car was loaded to capacity with wealthy stockmen, and I suspect, a number of fancy women. In the cramped quarters of the men’s smoking room, a highplay poker game was in progress. Gold pieces and bills were the stakes, and they were very much in evidence. I was particularly interested in one of the players. Fine clothes, careful barbering, diamond-decked fingers marked him as a gambler.” Poker-playing professional gamblers, fresh from the declining riverboat traffic of the Mississippi River, could indeed be found on almost any transcontinental train in the 1870*5, and many a greenhorn bound west to seek his fortune lost his nest egg before reaching the end of his journey.

By the time the passengers arrived at Sherman Summit on their second day out of Omaha, they had formed into the usual little groups and cliques, and knew each other by sight if not by name. Sherman Summit, the most elevated station on the Pacific railroad (the highest in the world, according to the guidebooks), was also the halfway point between Omaha and the Union Pacific’s end of track at Ogden. If the westbound express was on schedule, the engineer would stop his panting iron horse longer than usual at the Sherman water tank in order to give the passengers a chance to stretch their legs, inhale the rarefied air, and enjoy the view before crossing Dale Creek bridge and plunging down the mountains into Laramie for a noon meal stop.

At Sherman some passengers were afflicted with nosebleed from the height, or were badly chilled by the cold wind, and were glad to leave it behind. Others found it inspiring: “Never till this moment did I realize the truthfulness of Bierstadt’s scenery of these hills. The dark, deep shadows, the glistening sides, and the snow-capped peaks, with their granite faces, the stunted growth of pine and cedar, all render the scene such as he has painted it.” And another traveler, Dr. H. Buss, whose medical skill may have been better than his poetry, preserved the memory of his visit in verse:

After lunch at Laramie, where “the people around the station are more intelligent-looking than at any place since leaving Omaha,” the train was soon across Medicine Bow River and into Carbon Station. Coal had been discovered there and was rapidly replacing wood for fuel on the Union Pacific locomotives. Westbound travelers usually crossed Wyoming’s deserts after nightfall, but even by moonlight the endless sweep of dry sagebrush and greasewood was described by various travelers as dreary, awful, lifeless. They complained of burning eyes and sore lips caused by the clouds of alkali dust swirled up into the cars, and thought Bitter Creek and Salt Wells appropriately descriptive names for stations.

About sunrise the train arrived at Green River for a breakfast stop, and for the next hundred miles everyone looked forward to the moment of crossing into Utah Territory, the land of the Mormons and their plural wives. Wahsatch was the noon dining station, and every passenger from the East who stepped down from the train peered expectantly around for Mormons, but the What Cheer Eating House looked about the same as all the others they had seen.

At Ogden, passengers awaiting connecting trains frequently had to spend many hours in a long narrow wooden building which had been erected between the tracks of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific. In addition to ticket offices and a large dining room, sleeping rooms furnished only with curtains for doors were available upstairs. One Englishwoman considered her enforced stay there an adventure: “Except for the passing trains this is a most lonely, isolated spot, weird and still, lying in the heart of the mountains. In the evening a blinding snowstorm came on, and the wind, howling fearfully with a rushing mighty sound, shook the doors and rattled at the windows as though it wanted to come in and warm itself at our blazing wood fire.”

Upon boarding the Central Pacific at Ogden, the firstclass passengers found themselves in Silver Palace cars instead of Pullmans. Collis Huntington and his Big Four partners refused to accept George Pullman’s arrangement for the use of his sleeping cars and ordered their own constructed. The Silver Palaces were attractive with their white metallic interiors, but although they were outfitted with private sitting rooms and smoking rooms, they lacked the luxurious touches which travelers from the East had grown accustomed to in their Pullmans. Passengers complained that their berths were not as roomy or as comfortable, and some said the cars were often too cold. Eventually the Central Pacific had to give up the Silver Palaces because transcontinental passengers resented having to change from their Pullmans.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel of booming Elko, Nevada, was the first dining stop west of Ogden. Alkali dust swirled in streets filled with freight wagons drawn by long mule teams hauling supplies to miners in nearby Pine Valley. Chinese workers discharged by the railroad had established a colony here and were much in evidence around the hotel. Beyond Elko was the valley of the Humboldt and the crossing of Nevada’s barren deserts. In summer, passengers choked on dust if they left the windows open, or sweltered in heat if they closed them. After passing Winnemucca, the iron horse turned southward to the Humboldt Sink (where the river was literally swallowed up by the desert) and thereafter, instead of facing the sun, continued a southwesterly course to the Sierra.

By this time the passengers were beginning to show the effects of several days travel, “a drooping, withered, squeezed-lemon appearance,” as one observer put it. “There were the usual crumpled dresses, loose hanging and wayward curls, and ringlets, and possibly soiled hands and faces; which reduces the fair sex from that state of perfect immaculateness. …” Even the self-reliant Susan Coolidge admitted that after two or three days on the Pacific railroad she began to hate herself because she could not contend with the pervasive dust which no amount of brushing or shaking could completely remove from her hair and clothing. And one of the most frequent complaints of all early travelers was the discomfort caused by “the very oppressive smoke” from locomotives which constantly drifted into the cars.

The bracing air of the Sierra, however, was a perfect restorative for the weary travelers. With two locomotives pulling the cars, the train slowly climbed the winding canyon of the Truckee River, rising eighty feet to the mile. Pine and fir replaced the dreary desert sagebrush, and then came a spectacular view of Donner Lake encircled by forested mountains. The guidebooks told the travelers all about the gruesome tragedy of the Donner Party during the winter of 1846–47. And then, as one observer wrote, “after snorting and puffing, whistling and screaming, for an hour and a quarter, our pair of Iron Horses stop in the snow-sheds at the station called ‘Summit.’ Here we have a good breakfast, well cooked and fairly served; although we could not expect waiters enough to attend in a rush such as they have when the passengers, with appetites sharpened by mountain-air and a long ride, seat themselves at table, and all with one voice cry, ‘Steak! coffee! bread! trout! waiter! a napkin!’”

From the summit of the Sierra to Sacramento was 105 miles, a drop from 7,017 feet to thirty feet above sea level. According to William Humason, fifty miles of the descent was made without the aid of steam. “The conductor and brakeman ran the train with brakes on most of the way.” For some travelers the ride down the western slope of the range was terrifying, and the coasting trains made so little noise that unwary railroad workers, especially in the snowsheds, were often struck and killed. “The velocity with which the train rushed down this incline, and the suddenness with which it wheeled around the curves,” said William Rae, “produced a sensation which cannot be reproduced in words. … The axle boxes smoked with the friction, and the odour of burning wood pervaded the cars. The wheels were nearly red hot. In the darkness of the night they resembled discs of flame.”

Corresponding somewhat to the biggest drop and swing of a modern amusement park’s roller coaster was Cape Horn, nine miles below Dutch Flat. The guidebooks warned timid passengers not to look down upon the awful gorge of the American River two thousand feet below, and John Beadle said that although Cape Horn offered the finest view in the Sierra, the sight was not good for nervous people. “We’re nearing Cape Horn!” someone would always cry out, and the next moment the train would careen around a sharp curve. “We follow the track around the sides of high mountains,” said William Humason, “looking down into a canyon of awful depth, winding around for miles, until we almost meet the track we have before been over—so near that one would think we could almost throw a stone across. We have been around the head of the canyon, and have, therefore, ‘doubled Cape Horn.’”

Almost as fascinating as the scenery and the rollercoaster ride were the Sierra snowsheds built by engineer Arthur Brown. When passenger service began, these sheds—built with sharp sloping roofs against the mountainsides so that deep snowfalls and avalanches would slide right off them—covered forty miles of track between Truckee and Cape Horn. After numerous passengers complained that the walls blocked their view of the magnificent mountains, the Central Pacific responded by cutting windows at the level of those of the passenger cars. The result was a series of flickering scenes somewhat like those of an early motion picture, but even this pleasure was denied Sierra travelers during the snowy months of winter when the openings had to be closed again.

“A blarsted long depot—longest I ever saw,” was the comment of an oft-quoted anonymous Englishman as he passed through the snowsheds, and another British traveler said he had never seen “a more convenient arrangement for a long bonfire. The chimney of every engine goes fizzing through it like a squib, and the woodwork is as dry as a bone.” To prevent fires the Central Pacific kept watchmen at regular intervals inside the sheds, with water barrels and hand pumps always ready to extinguish blazes set by sparks from locomotives. There was little they could do, however, against the forest fires which sometimes swept across sections of sheds. And sturdy though the structures were, an occasional mighty avalanche would crush one of them. The train on which Lady Hardy was traveling was delayed all night by the collapse of a shed while fifty male volunteers from among the passengers went ahead to clear the tracks.

The snowsheds not only covered the main track, they also enclosed stations, switch tracks, turntables, and houses where workmen lived with their families. Children were born in this eerie, dimly lit world where without warning a huge boulder or avalanche might crash through the roof, where trains derailed with disastrous results, and at least on one occasion wild animals escaped from a wrecked circus train to terrify the inhabitants. As snowplows were improved, some sheds were removed, others were replaced with concrete, and the army of workmen declined to a handful of lookouts and track walkers.

Although passage through the Sierra was their introduction to California, most westbound travelers did not feel that they had truly reached that golden land until their iron horse brought them down into the blazing sunshine and balmy air of the Sacramento Valley and the flowers and orchards of the Queen City of the Plain. “We seem in a new world,” said one. “The transition was sudden and the transformation magical,” said another. “The sun descended in a flood of glory toward the Pacific Ocean.” In Sacramento they were still more than a hundred miles from the Pacific, and like inspired pilgrims most decided to travel on to that legendary Western sea. Until 1870 they transferred to the cars of the California Pacific, which took them to Vallejo—where again they had to change, this time to a steamboat running down the bay to San Francisco. After the Central Pacific completed its subsidiary Western Pacific to Oakland in 1870, the journey was easier, although they still made the final crossing by boat before reaching San Francisco and the Pacific shore. After a week of noise, dust, and locomotive smoke the first act of those travelers who could afford it was to register at the magnificent Palace Hotel and seek out a quiet room and a warm bath.

And what were the feelings of travelers after they had completed their first journey by rail across the American continent? Those from other countries were impressed by the grandeur of the Western land, and of course they made comparisons with their own nations, sometimes favorable, sometimes unfavorable. They found travel by train across the West less tedious because they could walk about in the cars and stand on the platforms to enjoy the passing landscapes, yet at the same time they complained of the lack of privacy. They praised the comforts of the Pullman cars, but deplored the necessity for constantly changing trains. They confessed that before the journey they had feared the rumored American defiance of rules and regulations and recklessness in regard to speed, but they were pleased to find that American railway men held human life in as high regard as it was held in their native lands.

American travelers on the other hand were more concerned with feelings of national pride. After crossing the vastness of the American West, the endless unclaimed fertile lands, the prairies and forests, the broad rivers and towering mountains, they felt that they had seen a new map unrolled, a new empire revealed, a new civilization in process of creation. In the first years after the Civil War, the salvation of the Union was still a glorious promise of destiny. “I felt patriotically proud,” wrote one traveler to California. He saw the transcontinental railroad as a force binding the Union together “by links of iron that can never be broken.” Although Americans were aware that private corporations had built this first railroad to the Pacific, they rejoiced in the belief that California was a rich prize of empire which had been won for them by those connecting links of iron. In their first flush of triumphant pride, they viewed the railroad as a cooperative venture shared by the builders and the people. The disillusionment would come later, as would their doubts in an everexpanding empire.

For Americans and foreigners alike, there was a deepening sense of wonder at this final link in the encirclement of the earth by steam power. From San Francisco they could now journey to China and Suez by steam-powered vessels, from Suez to Alexandria by rail, from Alexandria to France by water, from France to Liverpool by rail and water, from Liverpool to New York by water, and from New York to San Francisco by rail. In reaching the Western sea, the iron horse had shrunk the planet.

COPYRIGHT © 1977 BY DEE BROWN

  • Chicago (IL)
  • Transportation
  • Union Pacific Railroad
  • transcontinental railroad
  • Transcontinental travel

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