All Aboard: The Complete North American Train Travel Guide

Having traveled almost every North American rail route at least once, Jim Loomis has the track record to write this information-packed guide to rail travel. This book "is written for the person who is naturally inquisitive, who notices and finds delight in little things, who knows that those who hurry miss a lot." After helping you decide whether train travel is right for you (and why car and plane travel might not be), Loomis gets into the finer points of traveling by train. His detailed research reveals how to plan your trip; packing suggestions; booking procedures; schedules; onboard etiquette; good places to stay for overnight stopovers; descriptions of scenic rail excursions; route maps of passenger trains in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; floor plans for typical coach and sleeping cars; folklore and history of railroading; safety information; and a professional railroading glossary. His creative, tried-and-true itineraries include fall-color routes, big city tours, grand and semi-grand tours, the Santa Fe trail, and "southern comfort." Loomis even explains how many modern phrases have their roots in train travel. He'll help you get "over the hump," while avoiding "hell on wheels," know when you're on a "doubleheader," and see the "light at the end of the tunnel." --Kathryn True