I have never taken a train in the U.S. (Amtrak), but I don't want to fly

[SALSA]

anymore. My friends think I am crazy telling me that it will take "forever" to get anywhere. Anyone out there take trains long distances? Why do you choose it over other forms of transportation and how do you like it? If you make a reservation, do they assign you a particular seat or is it first come, first served? I want to get a good seat, so should I get to the train station early? What do I need to know to make my first train experience a positive one? And hidden things that you wish you knew?

[chickem]

Been awhile since I took one but I dont think we had assigned seats. One train I took was a double decker & it was a nice smooth ride. Another one I took was sorta loud & threw you around alot. The layovers are long but if you get a big trainstation like Grand Central in Chicago, its like an underground Mall. One thing I didnt know when I boarded with 2 kids, lotsa luggage and a 4 foot box of X-mas toys, was that when you change trains, you are responsible for all your luggage. They will take it off the train for you then you got to pack it around with you til you get on another train. So you need to have extra money to tip the Porter to help you. Also the layovers can be like 8 hours long. All in all though, I was more comfortable on the train than flying. I have also flown before & I never want to fly again. I dont care about the stats...its just my decision. Also be wary of the days they pick up places. Sometimes its just every other day & the stop is no more than a rain shelter. The thing I think I liked the most about it was that you are traveling in someones back yard and it sure is a different view than what you would normally see. Good luck sweetie. Hope this helps.