Taking a series of trains and fun facts about them
1. Civic Center, San Francisco to MacArthur, Oakland
Fun fact: BART uses the broad gauge, same as Indian Railways (another train system I know super well)
Taking a series of trains and fun facts about them
1. Civic Center, San Francisco to MacArthur, Oakland
Fun fact: BART uses the broad gauge, same as Indian Railways (another train system I know super well)
2. MacArthur BART station has a bunch of free shuttle buses. The one I use most is the EmeryGoRound, primarily to the Amtrak station in Emeryville.
Fun fact: the Hollis route runs from 5:45am to 9:20pm on weekdays, every 15 min
@jt_rebelo like with everything about the U.S., we have good stuff, it’s very unevenly distributed. I feel I have better healthcare in San Francisco vs where I’ve lived in Singapore and W Europe, but overall everything is put into a different bucket because it’s so poorly distributed
The transit in this particular area could be improved (this bus is privately funded), but for a major U.S. metro, the multiple types of trains and ferries and buses (most of which you can put a bicycle on, and travel far without a car) is pretty nice.
@skinnylatte and they speak ill of US buses. Here in (southwestern) Europe I'd love for free buses every 15 minutes between a train station and somewhere else.
Not everyone knows this but you can ride your bike with your luggage to most of the long distance trains. They check in the bicycle on bike racks at the front of the train.
Not every train or stop has this, but the major ones along the west coast do (California Zephyr, Coast Starlight). When I was going to Reno a lot (long story) I used to take my bike on BART, cycle from West Oakland to Emeryville, check it in on the train, get out in Reno and cycle away.
Of course you’ve got to figure out an easy luggage situation (something easily detached) but I only ever had a small bag with me so it was fine.
I just saw a bunch of people checking their bikes. They’re taking the train to Santa Barbara with their bikes. It’s a $20 one way add-on
3. Coast Starlight to Los Angeles
Fun fact: This train will travel through some of the most beautiful areas of the pacific coast, including at least one rocket launch base
Announcement: please wear shoes on the train. If you come to the cafe with no shoes, we will not serve you
@Moss @leguinian_utopia it’s kind of both subway and commuter rail
@leguinian_utopia @skinnylatte BART is a commuter train that runs both underground and above ground.
@skinnylatte This is so interesting because like is this a train? A metro (also known as subway/underground)?
There’s someone on the train with laptop and multi screen setup. You def can’t do that in a plane. In economy class.
Somewhere in central California
I brought my own kettle and tea bags (am out of my good tea leaves or I’d have brought that too!)
@skinnylatte I did not know one could get a portable kettle like that — I may have to get one!
The other indispensable travel accessory for me: a portable bidet. With pressure control. (Way better than using a water bottle)
I just can’t with toilet paper
Where am I going? That’s a good question.
London, actually. But I’m taking a series of trains (and later planes. Eventually)
Planes, trains, any automobiles?
@Nagaram very few (I don’t drive)
Golden hour somewhere around Lompoc.
4. Union station to Downtown LA on the LA Metro D line
Fun fact: LA metro was just selling T-shirts with the slogan ‘Ride the D’. It was sold out very quickly
@SVChucko surprisingly the last two times I took it, it was on time.
The time before that (during the winter with lots of issues), delayed by 8h
@skinnylatte Was the Coast Starlight on time? Thinking about a trip to L.A. by train at some point.
@skinnylatte huh, I’ve done Amtrak Thruway bus to Emeryville; transfer at Richmond; and bike/walk from Lake Merritt BART to Jack London station; but never this. What do you like about this option?
@scott I don’t like going to soma / fidi in the early morning, I much prefer BART straight from civic center
5. Bus no 4 from downtown LA to the fashion district
This was $1.75
Fun fact: if you take another bus or train within 2 hours on LA metro, the transfer is free. So going there and coming back can cost just $1.75
Union Station, Los Angeles. Guess where I’m going next?
I haven’t been in a single automobile this week.
I might break that spell when I get to Atlanta in a few days, although I do plan to ride a lot of MARTA
Riding the Southwest Chief to New Mexico (what a name)
It’s sunset soon but I’m pretty sure I’ll wake up to some incredible desert views. I’ve never been south or southwest
#Transit #Trains #Atlanta
@skinnylatte definitely deserving of a medal if you can spend much time in Atlanta without getting in a car.
(But it’s also probably our city with the greatest contrast between “in town” and the suburbs, so might be awesome.)
@skinnylatte I am so excited to hear what you think of the food.
Multiple announcements about the importance of wearing shoes on the train..
Conductor was explaining communal seating in the dining car. Apparently this really shocks people who’ve never ridden the train before.
I recently found a spreadsheet of my train rides around India in 2005
With prices and dates. I used to go on 40-60 day trips! (Stopping several days in each place..)
Will be fun to take screenshots and share that part of my train life
MARTA is fine and gets you to Decatur - which is fantastic for dining and a bit of nightlife. Also, highly recommend heading to Lindbergh MARTA station and then a bus or Uber to Fat Matts Rib Shack for BBQ ribs/chicken, beer and live blues.
@SpaceWrangler thank you!
I’m in Arizona!
Looked at ‘notable people’ for Kingman, AZ:
- a serial killer
- Timothy McVeigh & friends
(Closes tab..)
Somewhere near Flagstaff
#Amtrak #SouthwestChief #Trains #Transit #Arizona #Flagstaff
I’ve got my Aeropress, but frankly on a train I don’t always want to deal with the whole process.
I have emergency drip coffee bags of good coffee. They seem much more popular in Asia (most Asian specialty coffee places in Taiwan, Singapore, Seoul will carry a variety of these. And in fact I got these from a Korean coffee shop in LA)
#Amtrak #SouthwestChief #Trains #Transit #Arizona #Flagstaff
@skinnylatte This whole thread is making me very happy :D
Hope you and your wife have a great trip!
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