Trains are my favorite way to travel if I have the time, and since retirement, my wife and I have taken a number of trips on the rails. I have converted her. She had never travelled long distance by train, but she was hooked on it once she tried it. I first travelled by long distance train in 1974 after returning from Vietnam. I boarded in Oakland, California and got off in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where my brother picked me up. I had done the commuter thing into New York, but long distance train travel, especially west of Chicago, is a totally different experience. When we travel, we rent either a bedroom or a sleeper, both of which are considered first class. Our meals are included in the fare, but if your meals are delivered to your room, it is extra...but why do that? Part of the joy fo train travel is meeting wonderful people from all over the world, and you get to have dinner wiht them and share their stories. If you haven't tried it, I would certainly recommend it.
We have, and do whenever we can. When we do, we get a sleeper compartment because coach class is a little like a bus, but with better scenery, and the ability to hang out in the dining car.
I never have, but your story of meeting people reminds me of a Club Med I did. Meals were buffet-style and "captain's table." You got seated with a random group of 10-12 people from all over the world. It was my favorite part of the trip. I wonder if any such trips are offered out of Charlottesville. I know there's an AMTRAK station. It may just be a commuter hub.
After too many years spending too many hours on commercial airliners, car or train is the only way I'll go long distances. I haven't, though, traveled any distance by train for some time now, given Amtrak's service deterioration.
. The tables on the trains are smaller than on today's ships, so the conversations are more intimate and friendly I think. There is a long-haul that goes down the east coast from New England to Florida. It looks like Charlottesville is a major hub where the trains going west intersect with those going north-south. You should definitely try it. The Autotrain would allow you to zip to Florida and take your vehicle with you. Link
Train travel, completely forgot this existed. Thank you Don. This brings back memories of the good old days when mother would put together a plan, round up our siblings, friends and cousins and every summer holiday we would be off to some place. Although i am a big ship cruiser, which i enjoy, one can stretch your legs on deck dine and wine in the nice on board restaurants and watch the dolphins during the day and the fire flies at night, it still involves air travel, which i am not so keen on these days. Will look into options for train travel, hopefully this year.
We used to do bus tours because neither of us could stand each others driving. But often they included shorter train tours. One to Silverton, one into wine country, the snow train in the UP,... A long distance trip has been on my bucket list.