MediaWest*Con transportation musings

[amedia]

I am *seriously* considering taking a train to get to MW*C.

Comments

[amedia]

This is all very helpful! And I confess to a sympathy for the romance of the rails, perhaps from watching too many episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine. :-)

The track maintenance info is something I didn't know; I've mostly taken trains on the East Coast. The freight-has-precedence is another new piece of information!

I've looked into Greyhound before and tried it again this time, but it comes out slower and more expensive (slower enough to be slower even if their estimate is correct and the train estimate is overly optimistic). Probably some quirk of East Texas.

[anonymous]

As much as I love my wife, I would contest #4. I rode Greyhound twice from Texas to Illinois in college. If you enjoy being cooped up with forty other people who've had no opportunity for hygiene for long stretches, by all means.

(Add to that the fact that I always got stuck next to a little old lady who was out to save my soul for Jesus...)

Everything else she said is spot-on. The St. Louis-Chicago route is predominantly old Illinois Central (now Canadian National) trackage that was never kept up as well as it needed to be. I would hope that by now it's bearable, but...

[bizarra]

The Train Station in East Lansing isn't in a half bad place. We take the train every year from Chicago. The hotel sends a van to pick us up. Just call and make arrangements for the transport and let them know you are going to be at the Train Station

[amedia]

The hotel sends a van to pick us up.

w00t! I did not know that!

Honestly sometimes it's the best part o the con for us. :)

I can honestly say that that has *never* been the case for any of my plane trips to MediaWest, so this is good to hear! (Although when I used to hitch a ride from Pennsylvania with the Bunnies from Hell, the Reading O' The Zines on the way back was a heckuva lot of fun.)

ETA: I would be coming in from Texas.

[bizarra]

Yup.. make arrangements like usual, but be sure to tell them you'll be at the Train Station. :)

I fly to Chicago from San Francisco the day before, and then, suzy_queue and I take the train the next day. We've done this for the last *counts* 4 years? I think. LOL

Gives us a chance to catch up and be all fannish to get into the groove of the con. Plus we can watch DVDs on laptops and iPods. :)

Ah... then say Hi to Centralia, ill as you go past. That's my hometown. I growed up there. LOL I can also explicitly say that the train station there is NOT in a bad part of town. Mostly cause it's downtown. LOL

[surranndie]

*points up* Pretty much what they said. I've done the long-distance train thing once - it was Orange County CA to central Oregon for Christmas, the estimation was 24 hours but was actually about 28 due to winter conditions. Trees on the tracks, snow, etc. This wouldn't be a problem for you, I imagine. But the freight train thing was annoying - they do have priority use of the tracks because Amtrak does not own the actually tracks, but rents them from the freight lines

[amedia]

Thanks for the helpful info and tips! Snacks sound like an especially good idea. :-D

[bizarra]

Huh.. on many of the trains I've been on.. there is an outlet strip along the window at every seat... so you aren;t fighting for the outlets. Just possibly reaching across the person sitting next to the window if you're on the aisle. generally, with me it's my friend, so I just ask her to plug it in LOL)

Might be it depends on the train cars you get. :)

[amedia]

When I took the train from New Jersey to D.C. last year they had the outlet strips, but apparently those are the "Cadillac" trains. I'll have to see what they provide in the "Yugo" trains!

[b2creative]

Trains are wonderful! Granted, I've only been on one for 12 hours at most, but it was still a very enjoyable experience. No rush, no one hour security lines and pat downs, no fuss over your luggage - just a much more civilized experience. Yes, it takes longer. But you aren't squeezed in like a sardine, and no one gives you the evil eye if you decide to get up and walk around a bit. The seats are actually quite comfortable, and do I even need to mention the BAR CAR? I read the entire time, because I couldn't do a darn thing about the dirty laundry, the crumbs on my dining room floor, or the dust on my shelves.

Don't worry about the E. Lansing train station - it's used primarily by MSU students and is in a decent area. I've never seen a scary person there.

[amedia]

No rush, no one hour security lines and pat downs, no fuss over your luggage ... you aren't squeezed in like a sardine, and no one gives you the evil eye if you decide to get up and walk around a bit.

You've pretty much nailed the reasons I hate to fly, aside from the five-hour roundtrip to the airport and back. :-)

do I even need to mention the BAR CAR?

There's a BAR CAR???!!!! Dude...

[erinm_4600]

do I even need to mention the BAR CAR?

This also got my attention. %]

[b2creative]

Oh yes, an entire train car devoted to the leisurely consumption of alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) beverages. A little pricey, but something you will never find on a Greyhound bus!

[chorale]

I have only made the short trip to LA from San Diego a couple of times, but I found taking the train to be very enjoyable. There were areas with beautiful scenery along the coast in places, and areas that were less lovely but still interesting, like inside the train yards. It is a lot more comfortable than flying, and, like b2creative says, you don't have to go through the TSA stuff.

Snacks are expensive if you buy them on the train, and like surranndie says, it would be best if you brought your own.

Train stations seem safer to me than bus stations are. Just be streetwise, keep your hand on your purse and stay near others. You'll be all right.

(Hugs to you and TODS, and pats to the cats!)

[amedia]

That sounds like a lovely train ride! I appreciate the input and advice. Hugs back to you & whswhs, and pettings to your dear beasties as well!