Advice wanted for traveling by train in the west

Considering traveling from Portland, OR to Mesa, AZ by train. Don't really want to drive and don't really want to fly. Does anyone here have advice for train travel. I've only done Seattle to Portland a few times in the early 2000s.
I know I can't get all the way to Mesa via train. but can get to Maricopa or Flagstaff and be met in either place.
Fun thinking about this. I'd be doing this fairly soon.

I have done quite a bit of Amtrak travel – cross country and back several times as well as up-and-down the West Coast corridor. If you are traveling with another person, it is worth getting a roomette where two comfortable seats face each other and merge at night to form one sleeping bed while a bunk pops down above. For just one person, the coach travel is actually pretty comfortable as the seats are large, recline, and have foot rests – just inquire at the station if you can be put in the "old folks" coach away from families, it is usually at the end of the train. Bring a pillow and a light blanket. Dining car food is good, snack car and bar food is pretty mediocre. It pays to pack a nice picnic for at least the 1st day. Email me for more information if you would like.

Check the Amtrak site. They show the different routes and where you have to change trains. We're going to do this sometime when we have no time constraints.

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!

Click to expand...

Why take a freeway? There are so many scenic roads, that is why books are written about getting off the main drag (I say this as it is all I say all the time to remind people to stay with us) haha!
You didn't mention time of year, that makes a huge difference. Fairly soon would mean winter?

JBloggs said:

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!

Click to expand...

Why take a freeway? There are so many scenic roads, that is why books are written about getting off the main drag (I say this as it is all I say all the time to remind people to stay with us) haha!
You didn't mention time of year, that makes a huge difference. Fairly soon would mean winter?
.

Click to expand...

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.

Anon Inn said:

JBloggs said:

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!

Click to expand...

Why take a freeway? There are so many scenic roads, that is why books are written about getting off the main drag (I say this as it is all I say all the time to remind people to stay with us) haha!
You didn't mention time of year, that makes a huge difference. Fairly soon would mean winter?
.

Click to expand...

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.
.

Click to expand...

I was on Olvera Street in 1963 - bought a beautiful wood bowl I had until probably just before we moved here.

gillumhouse said:

Anon Inn said:

JBloggs said:

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!

Click to expand...

Why take a freeway? There are so many scenic roads, that is why books are written about getting off the main drag (I say this as it is all I say all the time to remind people to stay with us) haha!
You didn't mention time of year, that makes a huge difference. Fairly soon would mean winter?
.

Click to expand...

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.
.

Click to expand...

I was on Olvera Street in 1963 - bought a beautiful wood bowl I had until probably just before we moved here.
.

Click to expand...

1994? Got a Mexican blanket and I still got it.

Anon Inn said:

JBloggs said:

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!

Click to expand...

Why take a freeway? There are so many scenic roads, that is why books are written about getting off the main drag (I say this as it is all I say all the time to remind people to stay with us) haha!
You didn't mention time of year, that makes a huge difference. Fairly soon would mean winter?
.

Click to expand...

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.
.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.

Click to expand...

If you walk to China Town you have to have the slippery shrimp at Yang Chow (on Broadway). It's been 15 years for me and I'm still fantasizing about eating it.
You can also take the 'subway' which goes from Union Station to Hollywood.

Breakfast Diva said:

Anon Inn said:

JBloggs said:

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!

Click to expand...

Why take a freeway? There are so many scenic roads, that is why books are written about getting off the main drag (I say this as it is all I say all the time to remind people to stay with us) haha!
You didn't mention time of year, that makes a huge difference. Fairly soon would mean winter?
.

Click to expand...

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.
.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.

Click to expand...

If you walk to China Town you have to have the slippery shrimp at Yang Chow (on Broadway). It's been 15 years for me and I'm still fantasizing about eating it.
You can also take the 'subway' which goes from Union Station to Hollywood.
.

Click to expand...

Sounds yummy. Looks like the layover hours are 5:30am to 10am, so more like breakfast......

I used to travel by train frequently - less so now since it's easier to drive with DH, unless we are going to Manhattan where we don't want a car.
I love train rides - my great-granddad and granddad worked as station agents and my grandmas got 'widow's passes' when they retired for free train travel forever. It must be genetic.
Ditto on taking food for at least the first leg of the trip, and the pillow and blanket. The one caveat is to not depend too much on the train schedule. Maybe it's only in the Northeast but it is very common for delays to be frequent and sometimes extended - hours and hours - due to track conditions and weather.

Anon Inn said:

Breakfast Diva said:

Anon Inn said:

JBloggs said:

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Thanks Tom! Probably just me. I'm enjoying the idea of not looking at freeway views for that amount of time, plus someone else doing the 'driving'

Start of list:
Pillow and light blanket!

Click to expand...

Why take a freeway? There are so many scenic roads, that is why books are written about getting off the main drag (I say this as it is all I say all the time to remind people to stay with us) haha!
You didn't mention time of year, that makes a huge difference. Fairly soon would mean winter?
.

Click to expand...

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.
.

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Yes, getting late in the year, and just too much driving on my own. The not-me-driving alternative would be a bus, so freeway views (unless Green Tortise/Grey Rabbit still exists). I'd like to try something different. After some poking around, looks like a possible 3 hour layover at LA's Union station on the way back, so a short walking tour to Chinatown and Olvera Street. Haven't been to LA in many years. Parents lived there for a few years in the early 60s. I was 7 when we left.

Click to expand...

If you walk to China Town you have to have the slippery shrimp at Yang Chow (on Broadway). It's been 15 years for me and I'm still fantasizing about eating it.
You can also take the 'subway' which goes from Union Station to Hollywood.
.

Click to expand...

Sounds yummy. Looks like the layover hours are 5:30am to 10am, so more like breakfast......
.

Click to expand...

Then it will be congee, one of my favorite Chinese breakfasts (also an answer to a post asking what the innkeeper eats for breakfast, made with leftover rice from night before)

Gee I wish we could go with! Innspiring Innkeeper Train Trip.
I used Amtrak recently this year to go to the largest city in America.

JBloggs said:

Gee I wish we could go with! Innspiring Innkeeper Train Trip.
I used Amtrak recently this year to go to the largest city in America..

Click to expand...

One of my fondest memories of a dear friend from grade school is our Amtrak trip to NYC to meet up with an innkeeper (now former) from Canada (Prince Edward County rather than PEI) - total attention to each other rather than traffic, route numbers, etc.

JBloggs said:

Gee I wish we could go with! Innspiring Innkeeper Train Trip.
I used Amtrak recently this year to go to the largest city in America..

Click to expand...

gillumhouse said:

JBloggs said:

Gee I wish we could go with! Innspiring Innkeeper Train Trip.
I used Amtrak recently this year to go to the largest city in America..

Click to expand...

One of my fondest memories of a dear friend from grade school is our Amtrak trip to NYC to meet up with an innkeeper (now former) from Canada (Prince Edward County rather than PEI) - total attention to each other rather than traffic, route numbers, etc.
.

Click to expand...

Yes, part of the attraction, letting 'someone' else do the driving, cooking and cleaning the toilet! I get to look out the window and think thoughts.
Uninterrupted.

At least in our run, its much cheaper to travel the night one than the day time train. So we leave about 9pm and arrive about 7am, etc. Also a train that doesn't stop at every station is nice! (Can't think of the word for it right now.)

Duff2014 said:

At least in our run, its much cheaper to travel the night one than the day time train. So we leave about 9pm and arrive about 7am, etc. Also a train that doesn't stop at every station is nice! (Can't think of the word for it right now.).

Click to expand...

We called them commuters. Problem with night travel is you see NOTHING. The times I took the train from Chi to Pitt, I had no choice - it left at night and returning, it was a 1 AM depart in Pitt. But I was familiar with the landscape from decades of traveling it. New territory, I want to see the landscape and the towns.