All aboard for adventure
Jeff and Joanne
Boston, MA to Oceanside, CA
Long on my bucket list was to take a train across the country. Time was always an issue when I was working full time. Only so many days a year of vacation was available, and spending several days of it riding a train was not practical.
I also wanted to visit friends in southern California, so I was able to convince Joanne to join me on this trek. This whole idea was complicated by the fact that my mobility is quite poor and would require a good deal of assistance from her, red caps and sleeping car attendants.
I called Amtrak reservations in April and booked for September. The reservation agent was extremely polite, helpful and efficient. We decided that Sept. 12 would be a good day to depart. Kids would be back in school and the train would be less crowded.
The journey would require 3 different trains and would end on September 15. Leaving Boston South Station at 12:50 pm on Tuesday aboard the Lake Shore Limited and arriving Wednesday morning at Chicago's Union Station. Then boarding the Southwest Chief, departing at 3 pm, arriving in Los Angeles' Union Station on Friday morning, then taking the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner toward San Diego. We were met at Oceanside Amtrak terminal by our friends.
