I spent the summer of 1954 in Germany on an American Field Service program, living with the Handschuh family in Schweinfurt. Every couple of days after breakfast, Frau Handschuh would...

As far as I know, these classic stainless steel beauties bring up the rear of the Hudson Bay (Winnipeg-Churchill), the Skeena (Jasper-Prince George-Prince Rupert), the Ocean (Halifax-Montreal) and, of course,...

If you have never  been on a long-distance train, I’ll acknowledge you might have a hard time understanding how anyone could justify taking three days to cross the country when...

Every April—well, not this past year, of course—but every April in previous years, the Rail Passengers Association has met in Washington for its annual three-day Spring meeting. There are workshops,...

I’m starting to plan my next trip and—no surprise—there’s a fair amount of train travel involved onceI I get to the Mainland. Of course any traveling we do that takes...

Sometimes I wonder if the powers-that-be at Amtrak understand the real difference between coach passengers and sleeping car passengers. The difference is in our expectations. Let’s say I’m in Chicago...

I got an email the other day from someone—a woman— who was aware that Amtrak management has been giving their conductors a hard time. Of course it was a woman...

How many times have I gazed out of the window of my roomette and noticed something interesting in a small town—in Oregon or Montana or maybe in Upper New York...

Someone—I forget who—once said if he had to choose between luck and skill, he would pick luck every time.   That same idea was shared by a good friend of...

I carry a notebook when I travel. It’s 4×8-inches, but it opens the long way so it slips easily into my back pocket. I take it with me everywhere when...