Hideaki

At a Window of Transcontinental Railway

I enjoyed a train trip to Lake Tahoe.

You may find that it is good for me to experience a railway trip once in my stay, if you consider what company I am from. The company, Fujitsu, is indeed famous for a popular TV program, “The View from Railways Windows in the World”.

This time, the view was from Amtrak’s Transcontinental Railway. The train travels from San Francisco to Chicago, going over Rocky Mountains. A complete trip takes three days. What I enjoyed today was the first six hours of this trip. My destination was Lake Tahoe, a quiet lake surrounded by High Sierras Mountains.

The Train

The train left San Francisco one hour behind the schedule. It went slowly. It went so slowly that even BART went ahead of us. But it was no problem. The aim was to enjoy the view from a window, not to get to the destination quickly.

I reserved a compartment for this trip. However, I spent most of the time in a Lounge Car. It had big windows and san-roof to enjoy the view.

The view started from that of a bay, then changed to a big plain. AIDA soundtrack, which I brought with my PC, added my fun. When three hours has passed, the train began to climb up Sierra Mountains. The view changed to clear creeks, deep valleys, and big lakes. Trees were so close to the train that I felt like hiking. Thanks to the slow speed, I enjoyed the close view of trees without becoming dizzy.

Lunch time came. Lunch was served at the Dining Car. All meals were free for compartment guests. But the system was a bit confusing because price was displayed on the menu. Everything was actually free. I should have learned this earlier to order more than a hamburger, a Pepsi, and a chocolate cake.

After a while, a train attendant came to me with an orange juice. He let me know the new schedule. The train was one hour and thirty minutes delayed. I allowed one hour and forty five minutes for Amtrak delay. So the delay was barely within the range. The train finally arrived at the station. I had just enough time to stretch myself and get into a bus to Tahoe City, where my inn was located.

The Lake

The Tahoe City was a tiny and peaceful town by Lake Tahoe. I could find my inn easily. After checking in, I walked to the lake. It was beautiful. I was so impressed that I stayed there until the sun set completely. The full moon came from the mountain ridge after the last sun light went out.

By the way, this trip with Transcontinental Railway cost only $133. It included transportation fee, complete lunch at the Dining Car, the use of Lounge Car, and first class service such as drink delivery to the room, notifying the arrival time, and carrying the baggage down. However, as far as I know, Amtrak seems not to be appealing this to people.

Posted by hfuruichi at August 28, 2004 11:59 PM