Trains

[October Knight]

Have you ever traveled long distance by train?
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Tell me your stories! I want to know what it was like, what you hated/loved about it and what to expect.

October needs answers, help a ninja out.​

 

[Parsee Mizuhashi]

I traveled from Georgia to New York on a train a few years back. Other than the uncomfortably long time spent around random strangers, there was nothing really noteworthy about the trip. I'm not sure if it was just that train, but there was someone that passed through every so often to check up on things. Also, it was kinda chilly.

 

[October Knight]

I traveled from Georgia to New York on a train a few years back. Other than the uncomfortably long time spent around random strangers, there was nothing really noteworthy about the trip. I'm not sure if it was just that train, but there was someone that passed through every so often to check up on things. Also, it was kinda chilly.

Thank you for responding : )

Did you travel coach? How close quarters was the seating?

 

[Villamvihar]

I routinely travel more than three hours by train, roughly twice a month. Sometimes less, depending on whether I have to study in the city I am attending university at and I feel like I can not sacrifice so much time. The journeys are always a bit long, but they are not boring as I have things to entertain myself with, and I think it is overall a pleasant experience. There is just some sense of wonder about trains that other forms of transportation do not have. Now only if my country's trains would have that too instead of being on the verge of falling apart at all times...

 

[Parsee Mizuhashi]

Thank you for responding : )

Did you travel coach? How close quarters was the seating?

I can't remember which part of the train it was; but the seating wasn't terribly close. I'd say there was a good four-five feet of distance between aisles, with seats like you'd see in a bus.

 

[Minibit]

I travelled viarail Canada between Prince George and Telkwa (4 hr drive) when I was 12

We weren't allowed to be noisy, leave our seats, eat snacks, etc, so I found it pretty boring

Adult me would probably enjoy it though: it wasn't bumpy at all and really comfy. Adult me would nap

 

[Lady Sabine]

Oh man, I went by train from Brussels to London one time. It was GLORIOUS. Best travel experience of my life, though somewhat by coincidence.

The layout was kinda funky. Half the seats faced one way, the other half faced the other, both pointing inwards. The four facing each other on each side had a small table between them. Room in the overhead bins or beneath the seats for luggage. My mom and I were travelling together, and the seats we'd asked for were side by side facing forwards.
We did not get the seats we asked for. As it turns out, we were one in front of the other, and neither of us got window seats. Fortunately for me, the guy who got the window seat next to me is probably one of the coolest guys I've ever met. As it turns out he'd planned on driving home but got in a wreck and was currently in that happy-to-be-alive state. Coincidentally I was on that sort of "vacation high" that you get from going new places and trying new things. Both of us were just talking, laughing, trading stories and jokes and favorites... fastest I've ever become friends with someone. I barely even noticed the scenery flashing by (and I mean flashing, those trains go at insane speeds) becaus the only time we stopped talking was to pop our ears due to the pressure in the tunnel.
We're still friends. ^^ That was almost three years ago, we're still living on different continents, ten year age difference, have never met again... fucking doesn't matter. I now have this ridiculously positive opinion of trains because of this one lucky time.

 

[Insidious Joe]

Ah, the train. I've only ridden one once back in 2010, from Effingham to Chicago. I was going into the big city to see my long-distance girlfriend in person for the first time and spend December (and Christmas) with her and her family/friends.

The trip there was uneventful, sad to say. I managed a seat by the window, where a polite older woman sat next to me. We chatted idly, but mostly kept to ourselves, our noses in our respective books. From time to time, I'd look out the window and watch the snowfall, smiling to myself and barely able to contain my excitement.

More on the story at hand; We had been dating for quite some time before, and had been talking over the internet even longer. It was not til December rolled around that I told her over the phone, "I'm coming to Chicago." and laid out the plans. Got the tickets, saved back the money.

When we got there and I stepped off onto the platform, I looked everywhere for her. I couldn't see her, but then, there was a terribly large throng of people coming into the city with similar plans to see their loved ones over the holiday.

I went further into the station but I didn't get too terribly far- I almost ran right into her before I saw her! I set my bags down and we ran into a tight embrace for several minutes. It's probably one of my most fond memories of that entire year.

I won't bore you with the whole story though, and cut to the chase.

To put it bluntly, her mother and I... Well, we clashed a lot more than anticipated, even though we'd had lengthy conversations over the phone before. It got so bad to the point where she forced my girlfriend to make a choice: Either get rid of me, or she'd kick us both out into the street. This happened about a week after Christmas.

I obviously opted to go of my own volition, but she'd taken her mother's side over me anyway. I don't like to think I was ever deliberately disrespectful, but, some people can't be reasoned with.

The train ride home was probably the worst feeling I've ever had in my life. It felt like I was leaving any semblance of happiness I'd ever experience behind in the Windy City.