Riding the rails in the US and Canada

[Wayne]

You can also get a North America rail pass, go almost anywhere anytime for 30 days for about $1000

[Andrew O'Neill]

You've got to ride through the Canadian Rockies from Calgary to Vancouver (or vise versa). When I was a kid I lived in Saskatoon, a small city in Saskatchewan. My dad worked for the telegraph office for Canadian National Railroad. We always hopped on the train from Saskatoon to Kamloops and sometimes Vancouver, BC. The scenery is something else! One of my photograher friends chases old steam trains. There is an old CPR train that occasionally runs across Canada (or just from Vancouver to Calgary). It is very expensive but you are treated like royalty.
If I had the time and money, seeing Canada by train would be the way to go.
Like Henry C. said...look me up if you are in Vancouver...the Vancouver LFers (all 6 of us) could show you around!

[tim atherton]

If you got your own carriage and railcar you could take your own camera, as in:

http://robroy.dyndns.info/lawrence/mammoth.html

[Capocheny]

Hi Robert,

Close but no cigar!

Sounds like it's time you went back for a visit... and don't forget your camera and supply of film!

.

Andrew,

It'd be fun to meet up with John...

We could get the group together again!

.

John K,

That's a standing invite from the "(LF) Group of 6," ok?

Cheers

[Pete Caluori]

Hi John,

I really doubt you'll save that much money, but I've ridden the Zephyr a few times from Denver to Glenwood Springs and back and it's a spectacular ride. Bring a bottle of wine (or your favorite beverage) sit back and relax. Amtrak shares the track with the Union Pacific and since UP own the track they have the right of way. What should be a 4-5 hour ride is usually a 6-8 hour ride, but that's the nice thing about bringing a bottle of wine.

If time is not an object and you are the type that can sit back and relax, then go for it - I highly recommend it. If you're the antsy type, you may want to rethink this plan. Lastly, if you're going to go from Sacramento to Glenwood, then spend a few extra hours and go all the way to Denver! The stretch fron Glenwood to Denver is spectacular and goes through parts of the Gore canyon that are inaccessible to most folks. Have fun!!

Regards, Pete

[John Kasaian]

Thanks for all the tips and thanks especially for the invite from the "Group of 6"
After looking into trains it indeed seems as though prices aren't much different than by air, of course railroads change the whole dynamic of travel since you're going through scenery rather than over it. My initial thoughts were to just get off the train when the muse calls and spend a day of two photographing before moving on, but the idea of shooting a speed graphic out the window is very attractive too.

I guess all I need is time and money!