I like the way you narrate the trip. I have seen too many of these train videos on KZfaq that are silent, save for the train noise. I'd much rather hear your comments. Thank you!

Wonderful adventure. My Father-in-law has dementia, but he seems to focus and understand when he watches these programs. Thank you!

Your are very fortunate to live in the greater Chicago area as Chicago seems to be a "superhub" for Amtrak for the entire country. This advantage makes it much easier to use the entire Amtrak system. Again, thank you so much for your great videos on Amtrak travel.

LOL!!! At 1hr 31min in your video. Continental breakfast! All I can say is good job CEO Richard Anderson, good job!!! Brand new single level dining cars to serve your airline food. Some people just need to stick with airlines for their leadership or just retire and Richard Anderson is exactly one of those.

glad u r letting me tagalong again, These Odysseys really are fun during these troubling times. Thanks for all your great rides, they mean a lot to me.

Your train adventures are so much fun! I really enjoy your perspective on things. Thank you kindly for making it possible for us to come along.

We love seeing your meals, because it is something different, than we are experiencing. It really is good stuff!! Great video.

THANK you for showing me the bedroom. I had thought about maybe buying one of those for strip, but now I realize the rommette is better!!

Your films are both immensely educational and entertaining - a very difficult feat for even the best. Look forward to your future filming as I dig back and watch your previous work with enjoyment.

I love how in depth these videos are, props to you Sir. (:

Chicago must be a great place to live if you like traveling on trains.😊😊😊

I would take the lake shore limited home from college (Marquette) in mid 90s. Thanks for taking me back in time on your trip. Surprisingly most everything looks the same in union station. Cheers!

That scanner is fun--- also, nice road map, atlas.

Thank You for the video! I have watched your train videos over and over, so entertaining!

1:18:50 The bathroom setup is exactly the same for the majority of RV's and smaller boats. You have to turn sideways in the compartment wash one side, turn 180 degrees wash the other side, sit on the toilet lid to wash your legs and feet. Cramped, but at least you do not have to wait for it. The Mississippi River is the divide for U.S. trains. There is 5 Class I railroads operating today, over 14 when I started my railroad career, mergers are both a blessing and a curse. In the east, there are CSX 21,000 miles of track, which was formed in 1980 by the merger of the Chessie System and Seaboard lines, the "X" was just added to imply Xtra. The other is Norfolk Southern(NS) 21,500 miles of track which was the merger between Norfolk & Western Railway and Southern Railway in 1982. Some of the railroad lines on CSX and NS have been in continuous operations since the 1840's, namely CSX's Baltimore & Ohio railroad, the nations oldest. West of the Missippi River you have Union Pacific 32,100 miles of track, which is the nations largest railroad for tonnage hauled since they acquired Southern Pacific Lines in 1998. Then you have Burlington Northern Santa Fe(BNSF) 32,500 miles of track and my employer, that was formed when the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway when they merged in 1996. Last but not least is the Kansas City Southern Railway with 6,000 miles of tracks. Some shippers consider Canadian Pacific and Canadian National as Class I's, yes they do own operations in the U.S, such as The Soo Line and Illinois Central, which before restructuring was known as, and still to me, Illinois Central Gulf, more commonly known as the railroad Casey Jones worked for. And there are hundreds maybe thousands of Class II & III railroads Alaska Railroad (ARR), Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS), Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) and many more are considered Class II lines. Class III lines are mostly the port, switching and chemical plant lines. Railroad Class system is based on the money made in operations during the year. Class I operating revenue exceeding $457.9 million Class II operating revenues between $36.6 million and $457.9 million Class III operating revenues of $36.6 million or less There is not one single Class I that has operating revenues under $30 billion a year. Mergers, a blessing and a curse for the workforce. Due to the Class system applying to freight railroad operations, AMTRAK is not included in it, but many regional passenger trains are listed as Class II's. 1:57:32 The most common problem with short trains like AMTRAK is loosing the shunt with the rails and disappearing off of the dispatcher monitors. For the signal system to work the axles of the train create a very low resistance connection across the tracks, a shunt. This shunt trips relay's, located in the shiny silver boxes you see beside the track among other things, that signal the computer exactly where the train is at. The dispatcher's urgency to stop was due to today's computer dispatching systems when AMTRAK disappeared, the system does not look for it and the possibility of giving a clear signal to a waiting opposing, or lining track switches against the train is very real. These systems were designed and built for trains exceeding 5,000 feet in length. 2:03:11 Respotting, means they must pull the train forward two cars to"spot" the end two cars were they can be serviced on, boarded or detrained. 2:05:10 That "extra rail" is either new rail waiting to be installed or old rail ready to be removed. Most rails on lines with continuous welded rail is moved in lengths from 2,300 feet and up. I have seen it being laid down in 7,500 feet for one track! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jLWent1-1N6caX0.html 2:20:13 The Catskill Mountains of NY is the only senery in the state. Good video.

Those of us who have taken the Lake Shore Express call it the LATE Shore Express!! The time you lost was spent on the siding while a CSX freight train had the right of way. Been there, done that! Grandson came from WI to visit in NY and train was 7 hours late arriving in Buffalo.

What great fun to ride along on these trips -- That's a swell road map. Nice to know ones where abouts.

Hello! I really enjoy your rail adventure videos! I am an engineer for Amtrak currently working on the Auto Train out of Sanford. Per CSX operating rules, operating crew must get permission from the section foreman to restart the train, each time the train stops inside the section foreman's working authority. They also must get the authority to enter the section of track, that is controlled by the section foreman Thank you for sharing your videos!

I've been watching your channel for quite some time now and love how detailed and informative your videos are.

Love! Love! This video he do a really wonderful job never knew i could travel across the country without ever leaving my recliner!

I love all the tree tunnels along the Eastern Seaboard. Little different than the SW Chief.

love watching

Love it, when you are less than happy, and you don't want to portray irritated, in your videos. My Grandfather used exact tone, and demeanor!!😃

If I had to pick just one thing I like about your Amtrak videos (compared to other creators), it's your narration. Like the porridge in Goldie Locks and the 3 bears, it's just right.

I loved hearing you were coming thru Phila….my hometown.....I am still planning my trip on the empire builder....not sure of the best time to travel up north

Love the route you've taken this time.

loved that route. did from boston to chicago as part 1 of 5 on a 3 week trip around perimeter of the country

Thanks for posting this video. You do a really amazing job. I am scheduled to take this train in a few months. I have been struggling with whether or not to upgrade my roomette to a bedroom. You have definitely convinced me to stick with the roomette.

Thanks. Used to enjoy train travel, and always wondered about the sleeping quarters. Then I checked the price. Thanks for the ride along and info.

I'm from Syracuse originally and when you went by Onondaga lake all I could think of was the fact that it is the most polluted inland body of water in the US-and is on the Superfund clean up list-the bottom is full of mercury from Allied-Chemical when it was running its plant long ago....Thanks for the video!

I traveled on the California Zephyr and took the Lake Shore Limited as my connecting train. I loved the Lake Shore Limited and was surprised that the roomettes had toilets with sinks that fold down. I just felt the Lake Shore Limited had more room overall. The dining car was really nice and I liked the free drink. I also used the radio scanner with built in railroad frequencies. It came in handy when there was a broken rail and I could listen to them talk.

Thanks for the video of a bedroom I was considering getting a bedroom on my next overnight trip but after seeing the actual size of it I will stick with the roomette. It should be big enough for the hubby and me. Your video was very helpful making this decision keep it up.

I like that these trips start out from Chicago.

The long pieces of rail running along side are pieces of continuous welded rail awaiting installation or had been changed out with new rail. If you aren't hearing the clickity clack of the wheels on the rail you are on welded rail. Also the rail through Northern Indiana for the most part is maintained by the N.S. rail road.

Count me among those who thoroughly enjoy your videos and appreciate the effort that goes into them. Note, though: if the town in Central New York is the one that gave its name to a US Navy aircraft carrier, then it's pronounced oh-RIS-kuh-nee.

In 1918 the NY State Barge Canal opened as the third version of the original Erie system. Much of the old canal was abandoned and lakes and rivers were used with locks to deepen and widen the canal. Now there’s almost no commercial traffic on it.

Oh man dinner watching for next week!

Again extremely informative and educational. Whenever travelling solo by AMTRAK, my preference is booking a roomette which provides enough room for me. Whenever I travel with my wife, I must purchase 2 adjoining Deluxe Bedrooms or suite. On Superliner Sleepers, the only rooms which can be ensuite are rooms B&C or D&E. When on a Viewliner Sleepers, there are only rooms A&B which could provide this feature since there are only 3 rooms of this type in this car, the 3rd being an accessible bedroom. I need to book 11 months before the trip to ensure this accommodation. Although the video is great, it's challenging for some individuals with claustrophobia, particularly when the beds are down. My wife cannot have the upper berth let down and there isn't enough room on the lower berth for the 2 of us. We also carry cleaning materials with us and wipe surfaces down with gloves since we don't know who we're coming behind. There's little evidence of rooms being cleaned whenever we travel AMTRAK. Too bad they don't provide cooked meals anymore on this route. At least meals are still complimentary. Watching these videos spares me the extra expense and planning. Thank you.

You were actually on the Boston bound portion of the train. Between Boston and Albany (pronounced All Bany) the train consists of the engine, baggage car, Sleeper and two coach cars. It arrives in Albany late in the afternoon and waits for the section coming from New York City. There the two portions are combined and continue on their way. Of course you were heading eastbound. I actually see the train every once and a while in Springfield, MA and have taken it to Chicago. It was sad to see that they've taken away the full service dinner car. When I travelled on it a couple of years ago we had some nice meals in there while the country rolled by. I hope they bring that back!

You have to remember that you're not dealing with a stateroom on the Pacific Princess. So, the idea of comfort is subjective. For me I might consider that full relatively comfortable - I'm used to having to do coach most of the time that I've traveled on Amtrak. So, for that long of a trip I might pay the extra money - if I could. The Lakeshore Limited splits at Albany with 1/2 continuing EB to Springfield/Boston and the other 1/2 turning south to New York. Your narration is pretty good

Thank you for yet another great travelogue. Just like everyone here I enjoy your train videos and look forward to each new installment. Every time I see one it wants to make me board an Amtrak train and go some place. I haven't been on one in years. If I do, it'll be on the Southwest Chief to Los Angeles, CA. I like your narrations, GPS, road atlas, and scanner all necessary tools for a trip like this. Sometime I'd like to see Horseshoe Curve in Pennsylvania, that's a good train watching spot.

Thanks for yet another excellent rail travelogue. Yeah, the scenery sucks, but this gives me an opportunity to compliment you on how you do your videos. After watching a couple of yours, I started watching others -- no narration, no GPS, no road atlas, usually in coach with all the attendant background noise. Fortunately I've traveled all my life and could usually figure out where we were, but there was no help from the video. Anyway, I enjoy your train stuff and look forward very much to each new installment.

Amazing video! Keep the train odysseys coming, I love everyone of them. I'm riding this going back from Chicago to visit my Aunt and Cousins for thanksgiving (they live in the Western Suburbs). I'm not a huge fan of this train because the prices are high and there's been no dining as of recently (thanks Anderson), but It's either this or the Capital Limited, on which both they took the dining service off of. I'm petitioning for Amtrak to bring it back, but so far no success. I watched your video on the Cardinal and that looks great. It just so happens that that was the same price as the Lake Shore and it ran on that day, but it got into New York too late since I have school the next day.

I agree with the bedroom vs roomette,I’ll take the roomette any day,much cosier and better for sleep.

Youtuba: Just for the record, they HAD to raise the level of streets because they were sinking in the clay. THAT is why all buildings in the Loop are built on piles sunk to hid bedrock

I thought the scenery was beautiful. Great trip. Reminded me of Indians coming down the Mohawk River in canoes. In parts of PA and OH it is really overgrown with trees and forest.

The trees are one reason that’s a detriment for Rocky Mountaineer trip from Vancouver to Jasper. It’s very expensive for a lot of trees (with the occasional spectacular view).

Awesome.

I just watched the segment from Syracuse to Albany with the shots of the Erie Canal. The original 1817-25 canal ran in a narrow “ditch” because of the limitations of horse-drawn barges. Since the 1918 enlargement, it has run in the Mohawk River and other local rivers where possible because powered barges can overcome the current. There are still locks where the Mohawk is shallow or has falls.

finally... your food looks great sir. Pulled pork... my favorite.

I used to Metra in from the Grayslake station as well. Now I settled myself down in the Dells area of Wisconsin, so I can just jump on the Empire Builder there.

Great video - as usual. I suspect that quarry with a bridge over it coming into the Rochester station was the gorge of the Genesee River. The tracks go right over High Falls, the first of three waterfalls on the way to Lake Ontario. And just to prove we are unique, Chili is locally pronounced “Chi lie” with both the “i”’s being long. Keep filming, I’m loving them.

Having recently and finally going into full retirement, I plan on doing a lot of Amtrak travel for recreation. Took a day trip to Dallas and back on Texas Eagle so see what would work with camera and GPS. Took a fully independent tablet with me (no wi-fi needed) and used it for location with Google Maps using the satellite imagery. Works far better than an automotive GPS. You would have had a much better idea of how close to (or far from) the lake you were. With the large number of videos nicely documenting the Amtrak routes, my videos will be mostly brief and aimed towards family and friends. However, I plan to travel much the way you do with scanner and road atlas. Also, much appreciate the view outside the Chicago Union Station since I will probably have some long layovers there.

Your making me want to ride Amtrak I've rode the crescent several times from Greenville sc to Atlanta

So enjoy traveling with you... Can you tell a little about your video gear. I've not had the best experience with my gear. Thank You sir.

your sitting on the wrong side of the train Roomette on the right side of the train is better the scenery is better. The views on the right side from Albany to NYC are priceless.

At this point,we are only 1 hr into your trip.I have viewed most,if not all of your previous trips.I am surprised that you did not know that your train would be split in Albany(Awlbany) NY.Half going to NYC and half going to Boston.Superliners are not used in the east because the bridges and tunnels ate not high enough.We will never get them in the east.Our problem,for being too old.Please continue with your trip narrations and filming.You excel in both.I am not trying to ne a wise ass.I do enjoy your Odysseys.Thank you.

My map shows the Amtrak route and in Utica for a while the Mohawk River is on the right as you head east and the Erie Canal on the left, but the canal is far wider than the river. The rail line then veers away from the river and crosses the canal. From there the canal is on the right and Highway 5 on the left.

Capital limited text the same route until Cleveland when it branches off and head to Pittsburgh. If you haven’t taken that route, it says really sweet route through Pennsylvania along the Potomac river.

I’m looking forward to taking the cardinal one of these days, but you really need to jump on the capital limited. Once you get to Pittsburgh and it’s like night time when you go through that pretty lit up burg, Pennsylvania , New York, and the rest of the way through the mountains and along the Potomac river and through the tunnels and such it’s really a pretty route and apparently you haven’t taken that yet, so I recommend it

Just started watching your videos have stayed up half the nite looking at them I'm from n.w. Ohio we r taking a month long trip starting with being driven to Windsor On. Train to Toronto a dew days there then the canadian to Winnipeg with deluxe sleeper a,week there then on to Vancouver a few days there then bus to Seattle a few days there then sleeper to L.A. change trains to San Diego 5 days there then back to L.A. then eagle from L.A. to Chicago via San Antonio then backa q to toledo

Well, at least you helped me make up my mind about whether or not I would ever get one of those foul bedrooms. I have occasionally done the smaller roomette, but for my running back-and-forth between Chicago to Minneapolis I just do coach. The seat are comfy and the dining not worth it any more.

I think I've heard it suggested elsewhere that one sit (on the toilet seat) while showering in the private showers in Amtrak sleeper cars (and use the shower head as a telephone shower), mainly to increase one's stability while showering on a moving train. (But if the shower/toilet is that narrow, it sounds like you could probably just brace yourself against the sides of the shower/toilet while standing, instead.)

The current CEO of Amtrak is from the Airline industry so he's trying to turn Amtrak into an airline on the ground with packaged meals.

22:27 I went in there and got my snacks for my trips as well

Did a little research on the locomotive change at Albany. Amtrak has some locomotives that are combo units. They run diesel until they get to the Northeast Corridor than they take power using the "3rd rail" system. This research was done because I was wondering why the locomotives leaving for New York did not have pantographs on top.

Last time I road metra was long while ago still remember it

As of November 2018 the Sears Tower (no one in Chicago calls it by that other name) is still the tallest building in North America when measured from street level to it’s rooftop. It stands 1,450 ft and has 108 floors. Some say it has 110 floors but the top two are for mechanical purposes. The building will be overtaken by New York’s Nordstrom Tower which will rise over 1,500 ft to it’s roof when completed. The new World Trade Center in NY is only taller than the Sears Tower because of the spire/mast/antenna they stuck on top of it. And Toronto’s CN Tower is not considered to be a true building at all. Sears is a skyscraper and CN is a Tower.

The extra rail you mentioned at Buffalo ( 2 hours 5 min into the video) is actually one of two things; New rail waiting for track crews to replace older rail on a track for a certain stretch or recently removed older rail recently replaced awaiting a rail train to pick up. Older rail can still have lots of life left and placed on lighter density lines.

Looks like you were in the new generation of cars being constructed for Amtrak. Regarding the "restart", I have heard that before here at the Longview Railyard (where I worked for 20 years 7 months). It apparently has to do with PTC or Positive Train Control. If the PTC loses track of the train, they have to do a restart. That may have been the reason for the "safe stop" which means they don't have to "dynamite" the brakes but just do a normal stop.

I've never heard the term restart used. Since there was no mention made of a loco failure but mileposts were mentioned it might have something to do with the Positive Train Control that railroads are phasing in for safetpurposes.

When driving I90 from the Cleveland area to Buffalo and beyond there were vineyards from east of Erie to south of Buffalo with signs for Welches. I never knew if Welches owned all those vineyards or if they were only contracted for the grapes. The last time I I drove that route was 1982 so I am not sure if this still exists. Made the train trip several times but never to Boston. Loved the views from Albany thru the Hudson River Valley.

Yes, I am one of those who would have liked to have seen what you chose to eat on the Empire Buiilder trip for example.

At the end where you point out those 2 cars as though there being used for something, well out west on the Seattle to LA rough there are 2 cars that are either owned by someone or just cars as privet rentals like you renting the sleep room.

Walking back thru all those cars to get dinner I'm surprised you didn't end up back in Chicago.

When my daughter would come home on breaks from library school at Dominican University, she often would have very little time after getting off the Metra commuter train at Union Station to make her connection to Amtrak's Lincoln Service, so she'd grab a couple of sausage biscuits at the McDonald's in Union Station and munch them on the Lincoln Service train coming home.

Not sure how I missed this 6 months ago, but, I suspect that extra rail you saw outside of Buffalo was a replacement rail. Some railroads, actually, bury the spare rails to keep them from being damaged by accidents.

used to live in west chicago. ( dupage co.) we used metra to hit chicago quite often

Looks like most of the trip was 50-60 minutes late, although getting into Albany 30 minutes late. Not bad for Amtrak.

@youtuuba i think we just like to see every aspect of trips, including food. i personally like seeing the food. not sure why that seems so silly to you. overall i enjoy your videos immensely

Thank you for these videos, I truly enjoy them as I am planning to take a cross country train trip this Christmas. One thing I am intrigued by that I cannot seem to figure out is what is that aluminum structure shown on the second deck of the metra cars you ride. It seems to have some sort of a cat-walk but it does not look like a luggage rack and I routinely pause your videos to try and figure it out. Thanks again for sharing!

The rooms alternate with mirrored layouts. If you were in rooms B or D, you could sit on the sofa and face forward.

I was born in Ft. Wor th TX over 68 yeaRS ago buit lived in Schenectady from age 2 - 3 years old. But after that I p'ermanently moved back to Texas, with Dallas being the main place of residence all of these years.

They don't call it the Late For Sure Limited for nothing

Last thing, give audio sample to Disney, you have great dubb voice, really. Sure you have heard that though. Undiscovered Voiceover talent, love it!!

27:28 Amtrak still can't update the map and show that a throughway bus route has been converted to rail between Lynchburg and Roanoke VA

Hope to on it this summer.

2:56:30 Next time you blink through Aurora, mention the CB&Q Pullman shops and the still existing roundhouse thats part of the Burlington Route (BNSF) history

If anyone cares, I90 starts/finishes in Seattle (my Empire Builder trip) and I believe starts/finishes in Boston(?). An air trip and rented car. JMS

I think that by far the scenery by far is the best on the right side of the train not the left that's my opinion I think

whoopie, another Amtrak trip. I'm loving these Odessey trips. Thanks ever so much. Have a question about the Metropelitan Lounge in Chicago: Is there a fireplace in the newer lounge? I spent many hours in front of that fireplace in the older lounge.

I always lay the opposing seat in the down,makes for maximum comfort much like an ottoman.

2:25:44 Oriskany is pronounced “Or-risk-un-ee”. I’m from Utica originally but cheers from Buenos Aires! Great videos!

It sounds like your dining car had a flat spot on a wheel. (About 1 hour and 28 minutes in). It’s very noticeable as you enter and exit.

CSX is, in part, the old C&O.

2:03:05 that wind noise starts up again... it's in a lot of the videos, not just in this Odyssey. Perhaps you've commented on already and I missed it: do you know what's happening?

didn't expect to see the VRE train coach at 7:11, it is an older logo

I only watch travel shows for the food from other places and reading the menu's .

1:06:30 That sounds like a great book. 📖

I'm jealous