Chugga Chugga Choo Choo
Added 2015-01-21 18:15:21 +0000 UTCThus begins my long train ride to DC for Magfest. Lets see, it's 4 hours to Chicago, where Rob and I are going to grab some lunch during my 4 hour layover. Hanging out at Chicago Union station when you're waiting to board a superliner with a sleeper isn't so bad, because they give you access to this giant lounge that's kinda cool. Unfortunately on the way back I won't have access to that, since I'll be going from sleeper car (DC to Chicago) to coach (Chicago to Springfield) The trip from Chicago to Dc is a good 17 hours, but I don't mind that at all. Like I said, I got a sleeper car, so it's like having your own tiny room for a day. They're not nearly as big as the once in Silver Streak, but I'm not trying to fit an entire camera crew into mine. Sorry, I haven't filmed a porn since 2004. I like taking a big train trip once a year. Plus, the train goes through the night, so I'll be asleep during most of it anyway. I did take a long ass train ride without a sleeper car once, and it blew ass. This was in 2004 when I was going to Springfield to LA, and it was about a 46 hour train ride. Keep in mind, I did not have a laptop at the time, and even if I did, trains most certainly did not have wifi. Even now, not every train has wiki. Hell, the train I'm on right now doesn't have wifi, I'm using one of those mifi devices. So basically I was in a seat for 46 hours, doing nothing, forcing myself to sleep, and with my legs cramped as shit. Holy fuck, I'd rather fly than do that again. Some of you may know that despite my severe fear of flying, I did get on a plane in 2014 to visit my New York buddies. I love long train rides, but once a year is good enough for me. I'll take some valium and down some booze to get on a plane if I absolutely have to. But, being on cross country train trips, you get to hear from a lot of other people with severe flying issues like me. For instance I overheard I guy earlier say "they tell me planes are the safest way to travel, but all I think about is, 'yeah but you're less likely to survive one of those crashes; I'm not Brad Pitt, I can't survive that shit." Damn right, preach it brother.
Comments
Well, I haven't flown because I'm scared, I just never had an opportunity. I would take the opportunity if I finally can travel to a country that pretty much demends a flight.
Tabascofanatikerin
2015-01-22 18:18:41 +0000 UTC46 hours? That's crazy. From my hometown it's possible to be in Paris, Berlin or London within 5 to 7 hours. Good luck with the long travel though. It must suck not being able to fly that much. It seems like it would stop you from going to a lot of countries.
Jordy Licht
2015-01-22 08:56:33 +0000 UTCI've flown quite a number of times so I've gotten used to it but I've always wanted to ride a train for some reason. The 46 hour ride sounds painful though.
Craig Martin
2015-01-22 02:18:19 +0000 UTCI've been on flights... three times? At least twice in my life. Once from St Louis to California, and at least once from northwest Indiana to DC. Planes don't bother me too much, at least not moreso than a bus does. The trade-off of being even less able to get up and stretch your legs is worth the view from the skies and the fact that you're traveling for drastically less time. I'd love a sleeper car because it would mean I could get up and move around a little whenever I felt like, but I've actually had worse experiences with rail systems than anything else. On our class trip to DC, the onrush of assholes at the first stop got me stuck being sent down to the next stop minus the rest of the class (that was mildly terrifying since I didn't have a cell phone because this was the early 00's) and while living in St Louis spending 4 hours in this hellish sea of people after attending a 4th of July celebration, desperately clinging to my family members.
Wesley Foxx
2015-01-22 00:56:28 +0000 UTCI am kind of a globetrotter my self. 2hours of train every year for the Madeinasia con in belgium. 10hours on a boat to go enjoy a nice ale in a good ol'irish pub, i love smithwick. Or the 17hours on a plain I need to take to got in japan. I really just love traveling, but to be fair I never had the ''chance'' to be in any kind of véhicul for 40+hours, that would just be painfull. My worst memorie probably ever, was 7years ago in cebu philippines, I was on for a small trip from a small isle to another and i had to take some kind of a outrigger canoe for an hour or so, and OH MY GOD, i thought i was going to fcking die that day, because what started as a one hours boat trip on a shiny day ended up as a 4hour barffest with big waves and toxic jellyfish.... Anyways, i hope you enjoy your trip to magfest sir, and keep us updated.
C.Nyx
2015-01-21 22:10:22 +0000 UTCI rode a train from LA to Albuquerque which was about a 17 hour trip (it's only 12 hours in a car). It was really nice to have that time to work on my laptop but I was not in a sleeper car. So I ended up crunched in the seat for the night with my feet in my dufflebag because I had forgotten socks and it was freezing on the train. I cannot imagine having to deal with that for 46 hours. Happy travels!
Riley
2015-01-21 21:50:25 +0000 UTCI've only been on a train to go into downtown Chicago and back. About an hour ride for each on Metra, but it was really nice. Too bad I've not had the occasion to take a train since then. That was almost six years ago. Sadly, the trip ended up being for nothing. The prospective film crew member I was meeting with ended up dropping out since she had no transportation outside of the city. Sometimes, I hate city people. Those that do have transportation are usually late even if it's a 20 minute drive. It's been over 22 years since I've been on a plane, though. One round trip to Orlando, Florida, and that was it. I'm sure you're envious of that fact.
Nick Michalak
2015-01-21 20:41:06 +0000 UTCStatistically it's just as safe. Just because plain crashes get tons of publication doesn't mean that there aren't at least thousands of flights every day that go off without incident. While I can't empathize with the fear of flight, I can sympathize because I have the same condition for boats and the water. I sink like a stone and can barely tread water. I plan on taking a luxury train from Chicago to New Orleans next year for Mardi Gras, and I'm looking forward to that.
Inquisitor
2015-01-21 19:58:12 +0000 UTCPersonally I never did a 40-hour train ride but pretty much use the train every day for about two hours. I only used a sleeper car once in my life and it was 2013 when I went to Berlin. Too awful that I could hear the screeching wheels and tracks directly under my pillow and I didn't have earplugs. So this wasn't very pleasant, but I agree: Having a tiny room for yourself in a train is great! Although the 46-hour-ride story sounds awful, I'm kinda pleased to read that you usually enjoy train rides (maybe because I do, too). Is flying safer/better? Don't know since I can't tell because of lack of experience here ;)
Tabascofanatikerin
2015-01-21 18:32:36 +0000 UTC
