Riding private railcars can be an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience. But picking the right trip can sometimes be daunting and expectations for a trip can be difficult to figure out. Hopefully, rideaprivaterailcar.com can help shed some light on the subject. When looking to ride a private car (Private Varnish or PV for short) some important decisions need to be made. Where do you want to go?, What type of trip are you looking to ride? Are there any special things you might want out of the trip?
Where can a private car take you? This is one of the most often asked questions when people are looking to ride in a private car. Within the United States, we are fortunate to have a national rail operator (Amtrak) who allows private entities to attach railcar(s) behind regularly scheduled trains. Private cars can travel to certain points on the Amtrak System with some restrictions. The best places to take a private car are endpoints or terminals on the Amtrak System. Below are a few places that a private car can take you.
- Chicago, Illinois
- Denver, Colorado
- San Francisco (Via Emeryville), California
- Los Angeles, California
- Miami, Florida
- San Antonio, Texas
- Savanaha, Georiga
- New York, New York
- New Orleans, Louisiana
There are many other locations available but these are some of the most frequented locations, a number of these offer overnighting on passenger cars while in the station. For a full technical list of locations see this document provided by Amtrak
The next major part in planning your private car trip out is what type of trip are you looking to go on? There are many ways to ride a private car and each has its own cost that varies. You may find a single-day trip attractive, otherwise, overnight trips, or even chartering the entire car or cars is an option. If you are looking for low-cost trips a deadhead type of trip is also an option depending on the car and owner.
Riding a deadhead or car positioning trips is sometimes an option, these trips are usually low budget and offer the absolute minimum, and they can vary from riding from mid-city point to mid-city point without a bed or food provided to an overnight trip sleeping at a table. They are a great way to ride a private car for a low price but often come up on short notice with limited amenities.
Taking a day trip is also a great way to get into private railcar riding. Day trips are just that, trips that cover a single day. Some great examples are Roanoke, VA to Washington, DC, Chicago, IL to Saint Louis, MO, or a scenic trip along the California Coast. These trips are fully staffed and offer food and service from the onboard staff at varying levels. When riding on a day trip expect a few meals to be cooked on the train and to have a great time enjoying the ride.
If a day trip sounds thrilling to you, imagine what multiple days riding across our wonderful nation is like. Consider multi-day trips such as Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA, or Chicago, IL to Seattle, WA. These multi-day trips can be breathtaking as you cross open country or mountains, travel through cities and towns that you would never see from a plane, or stumble upon while driving. Overnight trips usually are sold by room type and occupant. For room types, they are usually standardized as single rooms (roomettes) or double rooms (Compartments and Double Bedrooms). Roomettes sleep a single person (Amtrak Roomettes sleep two don’t get confused), Compartments and Double Bedrooms sleep two people however when sold it is a price per person, usually, there is a surcharge for a single person to sleep in a room meant for two people. The advantage to a Double Bedroom and Compartment is the inclusion of an annex (restroom) that can sometimes contain a shower depending on the car. When riding on multi-day trips expect to have turn up and down service every morning and night. Staff will make your bed, and take care of every need. Food and Alcohol are usually included in these trips so make sure to factor in that you are provided sleeping space, food, alcohol, and entertainment (looking out at America) when riding and that it is not just a 3-day train ride.
If you have made it this far then you might be interested in riding a train. One of the ultimate trips you can take is chartering a private car for yourself and your family. Chartering a private car while expensive can be broken down as affordable if you want to take a large group of people or family and friends on a trip. While the initial price of a whole car appears costly remember you have exclusive use of that car, the staff, and the services it provides. When looking to charter a private car you should determine the when & where first, and the number of people second, and follow up by reaching out to a private car owner or trip operator third. Owners and Operators are the best resources when chartering a car as they can handle setting up the moves with Amtrak, hiring staff, planning menus and schedules, and providing cars.
So what sort of special opportunities do trips provide? Private car operators sometimes plan their trips around special events or take advantage of special cars. Take for example the Albuquerque, New Mexico Balloon Festival (https://balloonfiesta.com/) or Mardi Gras (https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Both are accessible via private cars and offer opportunities to experience events off the train at a mid-point or destination.
Another special opportunity is to ride in a dome car. These fantastic cars offer a panoramic view while you speed along be it through the Feather River Canyon to the Coast near Del Mar, California. Dome Cars offer excellent views and sights you might not see on a normal trip.