Prime Time Living 9.24.25 - Flipbook - Page 14
14 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, September 24, 2025
TRAVEL
Riding the Rails
Across the USA by train
By E. Rose Scarff, Contributing Writer
F
rom coast to coast, I have crossed the USA many times. Countless times by
plane, half a dozen times by bus when young, and an equal number of times
by car in more recent years. But I had never crossed the country by train until
this past spring.
Traveling by train takes more time than
flying although it is faster than driving. It
can be more expensive than any of the
other options, but it is certainly the most
relaxing way to travel.
My journey
My trip began at BWI airport, from the
Amtrak station there. I was going north
first before heading west.
The first leg of my trip was to the
Metropark stop in New Jersey. I spent
the weekend visiting friends in Highland
Park. On Monday, they dropped me off
at the station in Edison, and I took the
commuter train to New York City. It was a
short ride to arrive at Penn Station.
Since I was last there that grand old
station under Madison Square Garden
had been thoroughly renovated to include
space under and in the old main Post
Office building across the street. I chose
a hotel within walking distance for the
week I was in New York.
The trip from NYC to Boston is very
scenic once out of the city. It follows
the coastline most of the time going
through Connecticut, Rhode Island and
Massachusetts before arriving in South
Station in Boston.
After a few days visiting a friend and
seeing Boston, I was back in South
Station to take the Lakeshore Limited
overnight to Chicago. Since this was just
one night, I opted to sit up in coach. The
scenery was very beautiful heading west
towards Albany, New York through the
Berkshires of western Massachusetts.
In Albany, we had an hour break while
the Lakeshore Limited from New York
was combined with our train. We then
headed west through the night. I awoke
in the morning as we pulled into Toledo,
Ohio. The train followed the shore of Lake
Erie a bit before turning inland through
farmland toward Chicago.
Union Station in Chicago is incredibly
beautiful inside the main room. It is the
hub for all the different long distance
Amtrak trains. Staff there are very helpful
to passengers trying to navigate the huge
space.
Since it is a two-night train trip from
Chicago to Emeryville, California (the
closest stop to San Francisco), I booked
a roomette on the California Zephyr.
This is a compartment with two seats
that transform into two bunks at night.
The bathroom and shower are down the
corridor.
Having a berth on the train is considered “First Class,” and at Union Station
they have a special waiting room for
ticket holders. Free food and drink were
available as well as comfortable tables,
chairs and sofas.
When the time came to board the train,
we were escorted to the gate and helped
to find our car and berth. Once under
way the cabin attendant came around
to introduce himself. He was the person
who turned my seat into a berth when I
was ready for bed and helped me get my
luggage up and down the steep, narrow
stairs.
I was rather surprised to find that the
car with the berths was double decker. I
was on the top deck which gave a better
view and was closer to the dining car and
the observation deck, which were both
on the upper level.
All meals were included for those of us
with berths. Dinner was served in three
seatings. An attendant came around to
take your reservation for seating time
and entree. Breakfast and lunch were
served in the same car, but you could
