| TRAINS & TRAVEL P.O. BOX 10625 RENO, NEVADA 89510-0625 Chris@traintrips.biz Jane@traintrips.biz Deborah@traintrips.biz | 1-800 359-4870 USA 1-800 752-1836 CANADA 1-800 266-8751 FAX (775) 453-1004 | |
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Private railroad cars now allow travelers the option to step back in time and recapture that romantic era of train travel that Amtrak cannot provide. Once upon a time rail barons and wealthy socialites traveled the country on luxurious private railroad cars, dining on fine china and crystal and being pampered by the onboard staff. Now this form of luxury rail travel is being offering to everyone at a very reasonable price.
A small number of railfans have purchased and refurbished private rail cars familiar to the first half of the 20th century. This was the golden age of passenger rail travel. These railfans have spent around a million dollars on each private rail car to bring back this golden age of travel. Passengers can sip on cocktails and nibble on hors d' oeuvres while sinking into deep leather sofas in lounges paneled in rich mahogany and be lulled to sleep at night in their private Pullman rooms by the rhythm of the train wheels rolling down the track. All meals are prepared fresh onboard and made to order by the onboard gourmet chefs. These private luxury rail cars are coupled onto the rear of scheduled Amtrak passenger trains all over the country. Our first class passengers are separated from the Amtrak passengers by locked doors. We provide our own onboard staff including our chef and make up our own gourmet menus for all meals. All drinks and food is included in the ticket price from the time you step onboard until you detrain. Everything is first class with every detail included no matter if you are on a two or one day train journey. This is passenger train travel at it's finest.
Join us on a unique 7-day luxury adventure tour to historic San Antonio, Texas. You'll travel on the historic Coast Route along the California Coast and the Sunset Route aboard three restored cars from the golden age of rail travel.
DAY 1 SATURDAY MAY 15: (L-D) We depart from Oakland for the journey to Los Angeles with our private rail cars attached to Amtrak at 8:50am with an arrival in LA at 9:00pm. You are welcome to board or detrain at any Amtrak station where the Coast Starlight makes a regular passenger stop. Upon departure from Oakland our bar will be open for the entire journey to Los Angeles for unlimited drinks of all kinds. Once you are settled into your private bedroom or roomette we invite you up to the Vista Dome to view the scenery. We will serve a gourmet lunch and dinner on our southbound run today. Upon arrival in Los Angeles you will be transferred to the Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach for lodging.
DAY 2 SUNDAY MAY 16: (D) You will have the morning hours to explore the Queen Mary and the points of interest at the Long Beach wharf. Early afternoon we will transfer you back to Las Angeles Union Station to reboard the private rail cars. We depart Los Angeles at 2:30 PM with our cars attached to the rear of Amtrak's Sunset Limited. Settle in to this hotel on wheels and enjoy afternoon hors d'Oeuvre and cocktails on our ride eastward into the vast desert. Dinner will be served as we enjoy a spectacular sunset in the Coachella Valley. Guests wishing to retire after dinner will find that their rooms have been turned down for the night. Be sure to set your watch ahead one hour before you retire, as we will be entering Mountain Daylight time during the night.
we travel through the Coachella Valley.
DAY 3 MONDAY MAY 17: (B-L-D) Morning finds us approaching El Paso, and a waiting breakfast buffet, offered between 7 and 9 AM local time. We'll cross the Continental Divide at Alpine, and be sure to set your watch ahead again one hour as we enter the Central Time Zone. Near Del Rio the train passes by Langtry, home of Judge Roy Bean's Saloon and courthouse, where he dispensed 'Law West of the Pecos'. We then cross the Pecos River on a high bridge shortly before arriving at Del Rio. After leaving Del Rio we leave the West and enter the South through the Texas Hill Country. We arrive in San Antonio around 10:30 PM where our private rail cars will be taken off of the train and parked at the station. Our cars will serve as our hotel in San Antonio for the next three nights.
DAY 4 TUESDAY MAY 18: (B-L) This morning we offer a leisure breakfast onboard our private rail cars parked at the San Antonio Station. Mid-morning we will take you on a sightseeing tour of the points of interest in colorful and historic San Antonio including the famous Riverwalk, The Alamo and other local missions. Rest of the afternoon to explore San Antonio on your own.
DAY 5 WEDNESDAY MAY 19: (B-L) Today we enjoy a visit to Natural Bridge Caverns followed by lunch in New Braunfels, a charming community that continues to celebrate its German heritage here in the Hill Country. Upon return to San Antonio rest of the afternoon and evening to explore this city.
DAY 6 THURSDAY MAY 20: (B-L-D) Amtrak's Sunset Limited arrives in San Antonio from New Orleans at 3:00am. Our private cars will be attached to this train and depart westbound at 5:40am. As we approach Del Rio, breakfast will be served as West Texas passes by. By lunch we will be between Sanderson and Alpine. The wild west town of Alpine is the gateway to Big Bend National Park. This is where we enter Mountain Time Zone. For an hour east of El Paso we follow the Rio Grande River with Mexico on the other side. Departing El Paso we soon enter New Mexico and sit down to dinner as the sun sets in the west. Before turning in tonight set you watches ahead another hour to Pacific Time. When you get up in the morning we will be west of the Colorado River approaching Palm Springs, California.
DAY 7 FRIDAY MAY 21: (B) The Early birds will enjoy the ride out of the Coachella Valley past wind farms and over Beaumont Pass and into the Los Angeles Basin. Our arrival in LA is scheduled for 8:40am. Transfer to the historic Biltmore Hotel just a few blocks from the train station for check-in. Rest of the day is yours to explore the many points of interest in Los Angeles, including China Town, El Pubelo de Los Angeles and perhaps Universal Studios. The options are endless.
DAY 8 SATURDAY MAY 22: (L-D) Our private cars will be attached to the rear of Amtrak's northbound "Coast Starlight" from Los Angeles to Oakland. Departure is scheduled for 10:15am with an arrival in Oakland at 9:32pm. Upon departure from Los Angeles our bar will be open for the entire journey for unlimited drinks of all kinds. We will serve a gourmet lunch and dinner on our northbound run today.
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PRICES ALL PRICES ARE PERSON Roomette (1 person) sink in room........................$4,998 Bedroom sink and toilet.................................$4,998 Silver Solarium Drawing Room sink, toilet & shower......$6,398 Final Payment Due by March 15, 2010 Accessibility Guests must be able to walk and negotiate steps, either on their own, or with assistance, as our historic private railcars do not accommodate wheelchairs. Redcap assistance is available at major stations. |
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TOUR PRICE: All tour prices are subject to change without notice at any time.
CHANGE OF ITINERARY: We reserve the right to substitute, change train routing, alter or modify the tour if any unexpected and unforeseen conditions beyond our control occur. As almost everyone knows, in the railroad industry last minute changes do occur.
DEPOSITS AND FINAL PAYMENTS: The required deposit is due in our office within 14 days of making a booking. For most tours the final payment is due in our office 90 days before the start of the tour. Due dates are posted for each tour and will also be on your invoice and in some cases we will vary the due Date depending upon the tour in question.
MILEAGE COLLECTORS: Mileage collectors please take note before you book! Trains and Travel does not cater just to mileage collectors. We cater to all people that enjoy the railroad hobby. We give strong warning that itinerary and route changes do happen and this is totally beyond our control when it does. If the only reason that you would want to book a tour with us is to collect the rare mileage, may we suggest that you be prepared for possible route changes.
RESPONSIBILITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: We assume no responsibility for injury, sickness, damage, loss, additional expenses, accidental delay or irregularities which may be caused through willful or negligent acts or omissions on the part of the companies providing or engaging in transportation, accommodations or services related to the accomplishment of the tour including Trains and Travel. We have no control on the timings of our charter trains and indeed passenger trains and charters can and do run late most of the time. Nor do we assume responsibility for natural disaster, social or political upheaval, acts of terrorism or acts of nature. The right is reserved to substitute hotels, tour leaders, equipment, motive power, trains, routes and to alter the itinerary when deemed necessary without notice. We are not responsible for expenses incurred by tour members in preparing for the tour.
CANCELLATIONS: Trains and Travel does not accept cancellations on the phone. Cancellations must be received by postal mail, e mail or fax before any refunds will be processed. Be sure and allow enough time if sending your written notice by the very slow US mail postal system. When a written cancellation is received in the Trains and Travel office this will be the effective date of the cancellation. Please take note that it can take up to 60 days to process some refunds in but most cases refunds will be issued in half that time. Cancellation refund rules: 100 days prior to the start of any tour you will receive a full refund less a $200 per person administration fee. 99 to 75 days before the departure of any tour there will be a 80% cancellation penalty based on the full cost of the tour. Any cancellations received 74 or less days before the start of any tour will not receive any refund. These cancellations rules apply to everyone and will be enforced.
RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE: Trains and Travel reserves the right to refuse service to anyone we deem necessary, to insure that all of our clients will have the best possible tour.
PRE-DEPARTURE TOUR BULLETINS: Tour bulletins will be sent to clients that have booked on our tours. Bulletins include weather, packing tips, food, health, updates and much more. Tickets and a detailed itinerary booklet will be sent out about three weeks before the tour begins.
PAYMENTS: Payments can be made with personal check drawn on a U.S. Dollar account, money order for U.S. Dollars, bank wire transfer, or credit card. We accept Visa, Master Card, Discover or American Express. Final payment for all tours is due 90 days prior to departure. If final payment has not been received 7 days after the due date, a late fee of $50 may apply.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: All prices are based on double room occupancy. We will try and match you with a roommate. if one is available. If not, you may be charged the single room supplement listed for the tour you are booked on. Single rooms may not be available in some remote locations and on some trains.
TOUR REFUNDS: If for any reason tour members amend or delete any arrangements during travel, and leave the tour on their own, we cannot give any refunds on unused portions of the tour. If buses and trains are cancelled by the carrier or there is a labor strike or they go out of business, we cannot be held responsible and we cannot give refunds. Travel insurance will protect you for any of these reasons. If TU needs to cancel any tour everyone will receive a full refund. Please take note that refunds can take up to 60 days to process.
PARTIAL TOURS: We will allow passengers to join or leave a tour at certain points. It will all depend on the tour and the conditions. Give us a call and we will try and work up a custom option for you.
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Colonial Crafts, a 1949 Pullman sleeper-lounge built for the Pennsylvania Railroad. In addition to an inviting and spacious lounge Colonial Crafts features 3 double bedrooms sleeping two, each room with an annex containing toilet and sink, and a drawing room accommodating up to 3 guests, again with annex containing toilet and sink. Guest amenities include a large shower, and beverage service in the lounge.
Silver Rapids, a 1948 Budd roomette-bedroom sleeper, also built for the Pennsylvania Railroad as its contribution to the California Zephyr equipment pool for transcontinental service. Silver Rapids features eight roomettes accommodating one person each, and six double bedrooms, each accommodating 2 persons. Bedrooms each have an annex containing a toilet and sink; roomettes have a sink in the room. If two couples or a family are traveling together two rooms may be opened ensuite. A shower room has been added. Limited hot and cold beverage service is available.
Silver Lariat, a 1948 Budd Vista-Dome coach built for the California Zephyr, converted to a diner-lounge. 24 deeply cushioned seats in the dome and 42 reclining chairs on the lower level provide a comfortable setting for meals aboard the train as well as for sightseeing.
Silver Solarium, a 1948 Budd Vista-Dome sleeper-lounge-observation car built for the California Zephyr. The observation lounge in the boat-tail of the car is a pleasant place to enjoy the passing scenery as we hurry on our way through the west. Silver Solarium accommodates 24 guests in its Vista-Dome. Sleeping accommodations include 3 double bedrooms, each accommodating 2 guests, and 1 drawing room, accommodating up to 3 guests. The drawing room and bedrooms each have an annex that includes toilet, sink and shower. Under the dome is a bar, which is an excellent spot to gather for a late-night libation.
