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[–] 128 points 11 months ago (3 children)

I worked with someone that had some Great Aunt or whatever that did this. The lady just didn't like planes, so she would travel like this. Basically, you get all the amenities of an RV, water tank fill up, power hook up, plus you can walk up to the admittedly gross food car. She said it looked like an RV apartment combo, and that the Aunt was old money, so the Mr. Monopoly vibe is accurate.

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  • [–] 49 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    I'm with Great Aunt whomever. Flying sucks.

    Plus, you could make it an event or party car. Imagine a traveling bachelorette party with a murder mystery dinner, karaoke, no flying, no driving, and you end up somewhere cool and can nap on the way back.

    (100% of the pre-wedding parties I've been to have had karaoke and a murder mystery dinner. Sample set of one.)

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  • [–] 24 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    Coworker said that time is the luxury item. Unless your car is following exactly a regular Amtrak route, at some point you get decoupled in a yard and passed off to another train, which can take hours. Basically a layover. So it sounds like it can easily become a multi-day thing to get somewhere you can get in like 5 hours by air.

    But yeah, if you have the time and inclination, it seems like a pleasant way to go.

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    [–] 107 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    This is so much more baller than a private jet

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  • [–] 60 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    For like 30 seconds I was thinking 'car' meant automobile and I was picturing like someone's SUV hitched to the back of a train.

    I should get some coffee.

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  • [–] 44 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (6 children)

    Amtrak does have the "auto train" which runs from just outside DC to just outside Orlando. You load your car on the train and ride the train rather than driving that distance. It's apparently really popular with both snowbirds as well as vacationers

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  • [–] 19 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    Neat!

    If anyone else is curious, there's a lengthy blog post with some photos here: https://www.aboomerslifeafter50.com/travel/is-the-amtrak-auto-train-worth-the-ride-heres-my-take-going-to-florida/

    Two adult rail fares $286 + one roomette for two $565 + automobile $269 = Grand total $1120

    And a Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Train

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  • [–] 13 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    There's also rumblings of potentially setting up a new Auto train route from NYC to LA. I have wonder if they'll do the obvious thing of making a stop in Chicago as well given most long distance Amtrak services stop in Chicago

    https://www.trains.com/pro/passenger/intercity/private-company-ameristarrail-proposes-cross-country-auto-train-service-with-amtrak/

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  • [–] 57 points 11 months ago

    This feels like a holdover from the Teddy Roosevelt/robber baron era!

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  • [–] 50 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    Buy cheap carriage.

    Paint with radiation symbols and rainbow flags.

    Write "GAY-diation distribution system" on the side.

    Send it on a tour of red states and enjoy the freak-outs.

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    [–] 47 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    Am I the only person without a personal train car? Am I surrounded by people in top hats and just don't know?

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  • [–] 13 points 11 months ago (15 children)

    I started a conversation the other day with some friends about if I ever ran for President and needed to travel the country, what impact would there be if I decided to go super old-school and get a Presidential train car.

    Side conversation; Airforce 1 is the Airliner the Pres flies on. Marine 1 is the helicoper. What would be the train designation?

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    [–] 46 points 11 months ago

    Mumford and Sons is currently running a tour by rail using Amtrak's services!

    https://railroadrevival.com/

    But I've also heard of private groups pooling together to buy an old passenger car and keeping it maintained and up to whatever the current Amtrak requirements are so that they can do this regularly. Alternatively there's several private companies who you can rent and charter a car or several with if you don't want to commit long term to owning a railcar. I've specifically seen this one on private charter before for some model railroad events: https://261.com/cedar-rapids/

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  • [–] 36 points 11 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] 56 points 11 months ago (2 children)
    • Short hop (300 miles, 1 car): Mileage = 300×$4.72 = $1,416, but you’ll pay the $2,296 minimum (plus any parking/switching).  
    • Regional trip (500 miles, 1 car): 500×$4.72 = $2,360 (above the minimum). With one night of standard parking, ~$2,583 before any special switching.  
    • Overnight long-distance (1,000 miles): ~$4,720 for one car. Two cars on the same request price ~$8,340 (first car $4,720 + second car $3,620) before parking/switching.

    https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/privatecars/Amtrak-Private-Car-Rate-Addendum-7-111824.pdf

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  • [–] 16 points 11 months ago

    Even assuming some passenger limit (otherwise you could sell your own tickets and make a tidy profit) for groups large enough to require a charter bus, this sounds like a reasonable alternative. In fact that might be their target market.

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  • [+] 18 points 11 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)
  • [–] 15 points 11 months ago

    You are basically in a moving apartment, with bed, shower, bathroom, fridge, ability to cook...

    It's out of my price range, but I certainly could see the appeal.

    The car will be way faster and more open ended in terms of where you start and finish, so it's far more practical if you just want to get to where you are going.

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  • [–] 27 points 11 months ago

    There were articles about people who make a lifestyle of this. Though the practice is apparently under pressure, as allowing random people to attach private carriages to your trains does complicate operating a railway.

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  • [–] 24 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    This one of those hobbies that sounds so cool but so impractical to get into. Like it makes getting a boat sound like a cheap and easy hobby.

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    [–] 21 points 11 months ago
    [–] 16 points 11 months ago

    Ok. Mr Burns

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  • [–] 15 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    How much does a rail car cost, and what is maintenance, inspection, etc like? This is still something of the very wealthy.

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  • [–] 10 points 11 months ago (5 children)

    Yet slower, and far less convenient than air travel. Sight-seeing aside, I honestly don't know who this is for.

    Maybe there's a train-enthusiast club out there that has a small fleet of rail-ready cars?

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  • [–] 15 points 11 months ago

    My guess is that this is a holdover from when rich people did have train cars (and sometimes even full trains!).

    I would bet there are still a couple of rich people living out their train fantasies.

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    [–] 15 points 11 months ago

    So is it possible to have a tiny home on rails?!?!?

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  • [–] 13 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    i hope america, and by extension, amtrak is still around when i retire, because this is cool as hell.

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  • [–] 9 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    after the civil war of 2028 the railways were damaged beyond repair to destroy supply routes to the Federalists in DC. making it impossible for trains to travel more than 10 miles, if you were even lucky enough to find a working engine.

    don't worry though, there are plenty of trains in Europe, but in order to get on one of those you'd have to be a pow, and you likely won't survive the destination.

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  • [–] 12 points 11 months ago

    Who wouldn't want to take a private cartage? Id get one for baboo too.

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  • [–] 11 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    Yeah iirc thats an old holdover from when that was how rich people got around

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    [–] 11 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    The thing I haven't read in this thread: how do you get your personal trail car to the station, and how do you move it about on your destination?

    It sounds cool but very inflexible.

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  • [–] 17 points 11 months ago

    You pay for someone (another rail company operating at that railyard) to move it for you into storage, where you pay the storage costs. If you need that railcar somewhere else, you pay someone to transport it somewhere else, same as how cargo rail would work.

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    [–] 10 points 11 months ago (3 children)

    Why isn’t this sometime of trend or hobby?

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    [–] 9 points 11 months ago

    No joke, at least back in the 80s some wall-streeters did thIs from my home town in Nj to NYC every day. Complete with full bar.

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