Understanding he is doing this for fun, he really needs to update the pictures for amtrak. They are over 10 years old, and everything except the viewliners (which were new then) have gotten a big overhaul.

I always hope that the US government will get it into head that trains are a viable, and ecological, method of transportation.

I have used this site for a couple of years and it is a very good resource for train travel in Europe. It is very useful to plan trips around the UK and Europe.

Unfortunately, Amtrak in America isn't all it's cut out to be. Many times I've book Amtrak expecting a train and I was put on a bus. In addition, the busses sometimes aren't as nice as Greyhound. If you haven't been on a Greyhound, then go Greyhound instead of Amtrak.

Shame, as Amtrak could be a viable alternative mode of transportation in the U.S.

I rode Greyhound for the first time last week, just to try it out. First off, the pre-ordered discount roundtrip ticket cost just as much as fuel for the trip would have, so no advantage there. Second off, the trip would take twice as long as the car trip, but my schedule would allow it, so disadvantage there, but not prohibitive. Then, when I actually rode the train is when the problems started. I was explicitly told by an employee at the "Information" desk that a bus departing from my assigned terminal at my assigned time was NOT my bus, only to find out after it had departed that it in fact was. Okay, that was a mistake on their part, but only two buses toward my destination departed each day. Greyhound refused 1) to recall the bus they'd made me miss 2) to provide me with a taxi service to catch up to the bus at the next stop 3) to rent me a hotel room for the 13-hour layover they'd caused. After this things just got worse, when I approached desk to ask if I could nap in a break room (as it was THEIR fault I missed the bus, I didn't think this special consideration was asking too much) not only was I flatly denied but I was treated like a child and the employee informed me that I'd better "sit my butt down" and that I was "lucky he didn't whop me upside the head." I of course called the customer complaint line (when it opened 5 hours later) only to find out there was nothing they could do for me and that I'd have to speak to the terminal manager (who didn't arrive for another 3 hours). In the meantime, the employee who'd threatened (he was apparently a supervisor) had security turn me out of the corner of the cafeteria I'd curled up in (it was quiter than the lobby and the food service people told me it'd be okay) because "this is a restaurant! You can't sleep here!" By the time the manager DID arrive, the same employee had barred me from making any further requests at the information desk and I had to rely on the security guard to direct me to the manager. After spending about fifteen minutes trying to convince me the station wasn't responsible, the manager FINALLY conceded to give me a half-ticket refund (I gave in easily, I was sleep-deprived). That's it, no apology from the employee or anything. Suffice it to say I won't be going Greyhound anytime soon. I don't recommend supporting THAT company, even at the cost of an increased carbon footprint.