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Photo by Gregg Weed
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Railroads act as
travel compromise
Lots of people taking long-distance jaunts can’t afford airfares
but also cringe at the thought of sitting bolt upright for 30
hours in a disinfectant-smelling bus.
That’s where trains oome in.
Trains are somewhere in the middle between expensive air
lines and leg-cramped bus rides. Amtrak, the only passenger
train service in the United States, operates a Eugene depot and
can be a welcome middle-of-the-road alternative.
In price, Amtrak fluctuates widely between air and bus travel.
Short runs can prove costly and not worth the extra as opposed
to busing it, and long runs can sometimes be so long it’s worth
the splurge on an airfare. _
From Eugene to Portland, for example, a one-way Amtrak
coach ticket costs $10 and travel time is about three hours,
compared to a Greyhound or Continental Trallweys ride fo $6.96
and lasting slightly more than two hours.
At the other end of the scale, a one-way Amtrak coach journey
from Eugene to Los Angeles equals $59 and 25 hours, compared
to air travel costing $84 and three hours.
Amtrak rates will increase from two to five per cent Nov. 1,
however, so that a one-way run between Eugene and Los
Angeles will increase to $61.
For the most economical ride, many Amtrak riders skip eating
in the diner and tote their own food along. Train food prices, as
with all prices when traveling mass transit, are a few rungs
higher than grocery store prices.
A common complaint of Amtrak travelers is the trains
frequent tardiness. Regulars have learned that calling the depot
ahead of any propoeed arrival or departure time is a vital move in
the whole train travel game.
On a recent Skylight run from Seattle, Wash., to Los Angeles,
Calif., the train chugged into Eugene one hour late, into Oakland
three hours late, San Luis Obispo, four hours late and Los
Angeles, four and a half hours late.
Art Uoyd, Amtrak spokesman for the western region,
however, says Amtrak trains in the western region kept to their
schedules 94 per cent of the time during the month of Sep
tember. He says mechanical foulups account for up to one half
of the trains’ lateness.
Beginning Oct. X, Amtrak will add Albany to Its stopping
schedule. Southbound trains stopping there will depart at 5:06
p.m. daily and northbound trains will pass through at 11:30 am.
dally. A one-way coach ticket from Eugene to Albany will be
$4.10.
V____
The Alternative Transportation supplement was coor
dinated and, in large part, written by Martha Bliss. The
Emerald hopes to publish similar supplements each
month during the school year. _
Train hoppers saddle up
for ride on Iron Horse
All aboard! It isn’t quite what
Art Couture heard when he began
his 2,500 mile train trek last year
from Bakersfield, Calif., to New
Orleans, La.
Nor did he have the usual
reclining chair to relax in or the
complimentary pillow for
nighttime travel. That’s because
Couture and his traveling buddy,
Richard Church, didn’t ride the
trains in the usual sense.
They hopped them.
For five days and five nights,
Couture and Church joined the
hobo ranks and “hitchhiked the
rails,” as the sport is called
among the regulars.
The two hadn’t planned it that
way, however. The original plan
was to hitchhike from Eugene to
Florida, and they in fact started
out that way.
But along about Bakersfield,
Couture and Church were told
train hopping was the only vey to
travel such a distance, so they
headed toward the Bakersfield
train yard, found a train heeded
for Los Angeles, and climbed
aboard.
Five days later, they found
themselves in the New Orleans
train yard.
The trip was a first for both
Couture and Church, but Couture
said they soon got the hang of
train hopping and had a blast the
whole 2,500 miles.
Technically train hopping is
considered an illegal act of
trespassing, according to the
Lane County sheriffs office.
According to Couture, hovever,
most railroad workers are fairly
friendly to hobos.
“The regular workers will
usually tell you which train to
take and when they're leaving,"
Couture says. “But stay away
from any train officials or
detectives. The main thing to do
is play it low key and stay out of
the way in the train yards.”
Couture warns, however, that
sometimes a railroad worker will
offer a bum steer.
“Keep your eyes open when
you leave a city to make sure
you’re headed the right way.
When we were in Los Angeles we
were told a certain train would
take us south. In fact, however it
was headed north back to
Bakersfield."
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Couture also warns train
hoppers to stay away from cars
carrying beer and to avoid
breaking into any cargo. “That’s
when you can get in trouble," he
says.
Other no-no’s, according to
Gary Fentiman, a former
Southern Pacific railroad worker,
are riding between cars and riding
in cars carrying automobiles. Any
“passenger” sighted in either of
these locations, Fentiman says,
are sure to be reported to
security.
Changing trains is usually
easy, Couture says, although
express trains make quick stops.
He recalls how he and Church
missed one express train heading
out of Houston, Texas, by five
minutes and had to wait 24 hours
for the next one.
If there’s time, however, train
hoppers should scout the train
out to find the best car to ride in.
A car with lots of cardboard is
best, Couture says, because the
cardboard comes in great for
making pillows.
Food is another essential item
for the ride. Couture recalls their
ride out of Los Angeles when
they forgot to stock up on food
and went hungry until the train
chugged into Tucson, Arlz., 36
hours later.
The main thing to remember,
however, is to travel with a sense
of adventure. Train hopping may
not be the fastest way to travel,
Couture says, but if time’s no
problem, it can be the most
economical and carefree way to
go.
1
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AND SPECIALS FOR THE SKIER...
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ROSSIGNOL CROSS-COUNTRY SKIS
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All of these salt Items are featured at Berg’s East—
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Shop Friday Night 'til 9:00 p.m. at our 11th and Mill St. Store
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