cross country by train
January 23, 2025
In November 2024, I thought it would be a good idea to travel the country by train while on leave. I booked the tickets a month later.
The California Zephyr was the only train I really wanted to take. The rest are a means to an end I suppose.
As of January 23, 2025, I’ve travelled 3456 miles by train this trip. This will probably 2.5x over the next few weeks.
February 21 update
This has turned into 6914 miles by train. A few thousand more than I will ever care for. The Southwest Chief made me tweak out. A few reflections on my month long trip:
- people are more generous than you could imagine
- people will reduce you to your accomplishments
- you will reduce others to their accomplishments
- in spite of the above, see beyond that
- in absence of serious burdens [an enormous privilege], you choose your life. the lack of decisiveness is also a choice
- (words of a stranger I met on the train) money is a burden. it invites jealousy and danger. just spend it or act like you don’t have it.
- (words of the same stranger) don’t be tied down to a place. have money so you can move spontaneously
- I have gotten quite good at shooting on a moving vehicle
- I begin to look homeless quickly
- your life is a product of your choices. surround yourself with good people. loneliness will drive me crazy
- I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by amazing people the past few years. And that should not be taken for granted
- eat healthily and exercise
- to be a good host, take your guest with you and welcome them into your life for a short while
- to be a good guest, say yes to your host and observe and live their life for a while with them
- be thankful and grateful for what you have
- living in many different places back to back to back is a good way to find out what is my problem and what is an environment problem
- the best places to live are made by the people there. that being said, california is gorgeous
- you get used to your surroundings. we adapt amazingly quickly. appreciate what you have. and it makes what you don’t have sweeter
- buy gifts and write notes. especially if your friends are industrious locked in machines. we are all people at the end of the day. express your gratitude
- your baseline wellbeing is extrodinarily important
- I brought some textbooks with me in hopes of studying. I did not end up studying. But maybe it’s the action that counts sometimes. And the thought matters more than the end result. but also, I sometimes convince myself of a future that will not happen. and that’s okay
- in order of coolness, go on hikes, see parks, go to museums, eat food in new cities
- your life can change so incredibly quickly. you’re never truly stuck. adapt
- if you’re miserable change your environment [again a privilege]
- when ordering from a chinese restaurant make sure you actually know what you’re ordering. sometimes keywords are not enough
- tip service workers
For those curious, here is my route:
- Lake Shore Limited from Boston (BBY) to Chicago (CHI)
- California Zephyr from Chicago (CHI) to Richmond (RIC)
- Coast Starlight from San Jose (SJC) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Southwest Chief from Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago (CHI)
- Lake Shore Limited from Chicago (CHI) to New York (NYP)
- Northeast Regional from New York (NYP) to Boston (BBY)
Do I recommend this? Not in particular. If you go overnight strongly prefer a sleeper (yes you’re right Jake). If you must take one route take the Zephyr from CHI to EMY and try to get on the right side in the direction of travel. The Starlight is also nice especially towards the LA end, also on the right side (dln owes me a trip).
Some of my Zephyr pictures:
cool tunnel
nice sunset. the window had this streak I didn’t see in time. but it’s character!
the zephyr
I like the look of this picture
truck on the road
I think this is one of my favorite pictures
cool composition right
I’m running out of captions
this picture feels fuzzy and nice
mmmmmmmm smoooth
specs: ricoh gr iii, mostly 100 iso - shot in shutter priority with variable shutter speed as you can probably tell, slow shots around 1/30, fast 1/400. straight jpeg ooc, some slightly modified negative film recipe. I’m far too lazy to edit.