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Am I the only person without a personal train car? Am I surrounded by people in top hats and just don't know?
I started a conversation the other day with some friends about if I ever ran for President and needed to travel the country, what impact would there be if I decided to go super old-school and get a Presidential train car.
Side conversation; Airforce 1 is the Airliner the Pres flies on. Marine 1 is the helicoper. What would be the train designation?
Choochoo McTrainFace 1
Amtrak 1?
Depends on which branch manages the railcar:
http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/other_cars/1private/us_military/us_military.htm
with hookers and blackjack?
Mumford and Sons is currently running a tour by rail using Amtrak's services!
But I've also heard of private groups pooling together to buy an old passenger car and keeping it maintained and up to whatever the current Amtrak requirements are so that they can do this regularly. Alternatively there's several private companies who you can rent and charter a car or several with if you don't want to commit long term to owning a railcar. I've specifically seen this one on private charter before for some model railroad events: https://261.com/cedar-rapids/
For like 30 seconds I was thinking 'car' meant automobile and I was picturing like someone's SUV hitched to the back of a train.
I should get some coffee.
Amtrak does have the "auto train" which runs from just outside DC to just outside Orlando. You load your car on the train and ride the train rather than driving that distance. It's apparently really popular with both snowbirds as well as vacationers
Neat!
If anyone else is curious, there's a lengthy blog post with some photos here: https://www.aboomerslifeafter50.com/travel/is-the-amtrak-auto-train-worth-the-ride-heres-my-take-going-to-florida/
Two adult rail fares $286 + one roomette for two $565 + automobile $269 = Grand total $1120
And a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Train
There's also rumblings of potentially setting up a new Auto train route from NYC to LA. I have wonder if they'll do the obvious thing of making a stop in Chicago as well given most long distance Amtrak services stop in Chicago
That would be incredible.
i hope america, and by extension, amtrak is still around when i retire, because this is cool as hell.
This is so much more baller than a private jet
"I am rich but I don't need to rush around the country to keep being rich"
I'm gonna take my time and enjoy the ride. If you need me, come meet me on my train. I'm pulling into Kansas City tomorrow. See you there. Meanwhile I'm gonna have a cocktail and play some video games.
So is it possible to have a tiny home on rails?!?!?
Interesting. Anyone know that the cost is?
I worked with someone that had some Great Aunt or whatever that did this. The lady just didn't like planes, so she would travel like this. Basically, you get all the amenities of an RV, water tank fill up, power hook up, plus you can walk up to the admittedly gross food car. She said it looked like an RV apartment combo, and that the Aunt was old money, so the Mr. Monopoly vibe is accurate.
I'm with Great Aunt whomever. Flying sucks.
Plus, you could make it an event or party car. Imagine a traveling bachelorette party with a murder mystery dinner, karaoke, no flying, no driving, and you end up somewhere cool and can nap on the way back.
(100% of the pre-wedding parties I've been to have had karaoke and a murder mystery dinner. Sample set of one.)
Coworker said that time is the luxury item. Unless your car is following exactly a regular Amtrak route, at some point you get decoupled in a yard and passed off to another train, which can take hours. Basically a layover. So it sounds like it can easily become a multi-day thing to get somewhere you can get in like 5 hours by air.
But yeah, if you have the time and inclination, it seems like a pleasant way to go.
There were articles about people who make a lifestyle of this. Though the practice is apparently under pressure, as allowing random people to attach private carriages to your trains does complicate operating a railway.
This feels like a holdover from the Teddy Roosevelt/robber baron era!
But how much is it?
- Short hop (300 miles, 1 car): Mileage = 300×$4.72 = $1,416, but you’ll pay the $2,296 minimum (plus any parking/switching).
- Regional trip (500 miles, 1 car): 500×$4.72 = $2,360 (above the minimum). With one night of standard parking, ~$2,583 before any special switching.
- Overnight long-distance (1,000 miles): ~$4,720 for one car. Two cars on the same request price ~$8,340 (first car $4,720 + second car $3,620) before parking/switching.
Even assuming some passenger limit (otherwise you could sell your own tickets and make a tidy profit) for groups large enough to require a charter bus, this sounds like a reasonable alternative. In fact that might be their target market.
Pretty sure you can do this with freight trains as well, and it should be cheaper. Though there would be no water, and likely no power hookups this way.
not private automobile, private rail/train Car….
so if you happen to be a millionaire and own your own entire rail car, then you can hook it up to an amtrak
Ok. Mr Burns
Who wouldn't want to take a private cartage? Id get one for baboo too.
should be called Amtrak Barnacles
At the rate Amtrak derails or rail bridges go out? I think I’ll just fly Boeing.
How often do you think they derail, or bridges go out?
I think over the last decade, I've heard of one incident.
And what about bicycles?
I think we shouldn't let cars be attached, but bicycles be able to.
I think you misunderstand, this is not talking about road cars, but railcars, like a train wagon.
So what if I rig my bicycle to be a rail cycle?
Aah, gotcha, that makes more sense. I got confused then, I guess.
Thank you for asking though. I got a smile out of imagining someone with a bicycle firmly attached to an Amtrak train and stuck sitting on it for 200 miles.
I mean, in my area we do have the ability to put bicycles on trains and buses alike. Though you don't attach them at the back, you just enter the vehicle with your bike.
If it's a foldable, you can always enter for free (so no added fee on top of the fare). For non-foldable bikes the same applies, though if you do that during rush hour you will have to pay a small fee.
Super convenient, really. Way cheaper also than having a car (as in, the vroom vehicle). You bike from home, enter bus/train, maybe switch from bus to train, and then exit and bike the last few kilometres.
Don't need to look long for a parking spot, don't need to pay much in petrol, no need to focus on traffic, can enjoy the view or do work/hobbies/listen to music while travelling, and so on.
Only downside is that here the fares are pretty high, but the Green & Labour Party is proposing to enable unlimited travelling across the entire country for less than €60 per month outside of rush hours.
For comparison, travelling from one end to another of the country right now would cost €30 per trip. A typical 4-day commute of 40 km per trip would cost around €320 per month now (accounting for travelling both ways).
So, the Green & Labour Party's proposal qould result in fares becoming more than 80% cheaper(!).
Some of the larger cities in the US have light rail. I live near Cincinnati, which had their light rail projects killed in favor of personal vehicles. I believe a proper rail system here would be a huge boon, but it is not well visualized by the half million residents here between three states and 8-9 counties.
Amtrak here is mainly used for service between cities. People generally forget it exists until it is brought up. I only ever hear about people traveling by car or plane.
So, to address my giggles and before I answer your real question, this is what I thought your bike was going to be hitched to. I believe it would have been a terrible ride.
The information here may address your questions. As loud as I have been, I am actually terribly unfamiliar with rail travel. https://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard
Aah, I was thinking moreso like this vibe
Yeah, I'm catching your message and am sad that I cannot realize it here and now. Our bus system is not robust and complicates anything more than a simple trip along the line.
Iirc, Amtrak does give the option to take your automobile on the train with you
only if it fits in the luggage rack
If only that were true https://www.amtrak.com/auto-train
“from the Washington, DC area to Florida, just outside of Orlando.”
they have 1 auto train that goes to 2 cities only….
not that useful
this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2025
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