Train travel in furs

[paul2809]

Has anyone traveled amtrack in furs??

 

[Joe]

Yes -- where are you going? 

I'm a frequent traveler and try my best to bring my luxurious accessories wherever and whenever possible.  I've become accustomed to packing scarves, collars, hats, etc., into a tasteful little duffel bag instead of wearing a statement coat onto the train -- which I recommend bringing in a hanging bag, carried over your arm or shoulder strap -- since some of the stations' boarding platforms (Chicago, Philadelphia, New York to name a few) are in dingy basements that might have condensation (or worse) dripping from the ceiling, and little fresh air.    My advice is to get a private Roomette or Bedroom compartment, wherein you will be able to shut the curtains and have privacy.  Otherwise the coach seating is random and there's a high probability that you will be exposed to anti-fur travelers.  Or people who could spill drinks or food on you.   Unless you travel snuggled up in a group of two or four fur-lovers.  The more the merrier.   And the probability is lower that a militant vegan will film themselves shouting at you if they're outnumbered.  But it's 2020 and it happens.  The glamorous era of American passenger rail travel, unless you have a private car, is over.   And Pullman Rail Journeys, the high-end experience between Chicago and New Orleans, went out of business again.    Book in advance for the best fares on the sleeper compartments -- food is usually included, and you can book them for one stop, or several nights cross country.  One caveat of these little compartments is that if you travel in the winter, you can't turn off the heat or open a window.  So your fur will be in danger of drying out or getting damaged.  Until they replace the Amtrak equipment with 21st century trains, the current long-haul Amtrak fleet cars are quite old -- dating from between 1979 and 1998 -- with only minor improvements.    

Italian trains are generally much more fur-friendly.  This next few months you will probably still be able to book first class for the price of American coach tickets.   



 

 

[Joe]

Yes -- where are you going? 

I'm a frequent traveler and try my best to bring my luxurious accessories wherever and whenever possible.  But I've learned from my mistakes.  I've become accustomed to packing scarves, collars, hats, perhaps a jacket with a fur-lined hood, into a tasteful little duffel bag instead of wearing a statement coat onto the train -- which I recommend bringing in a hanging bag, carried over your arm or shoulder strap -- since some of the stations' boarding platforms (Chicago, Philadelphia, New York to name a few) are in dingy basements that might have condensation (or worse) dripping from the ceiling, and little fresh air.   

My advice is to get a private Roomette or Bedroom compartment, wherein you will be able to shut the curtains and have privacy.  Otherwise the coach seating is random and there's a high probability that you will be exposed to anti-fur travelers.  Or people who could spill drinks or food on you.   Unless you travel snuggled up in a group of two or four fur-lovers.  The more the merrier.   And the probability is lower that a militant vegan will film themselves shouting at you if they're outnumbered.  But it's 2020 and it happens.  The glamorous era of American passenger rail travel, unless you have a private car, is over.   And Pullman Rail Journeys, the high-end experience between Chicago and New Orleans, went out of business again.   

Book in advance for the best fares on the sleeper compartments -- food is usually included, and you can book them for one stop, or several nights cross country.  One caveat of these little compartments is that if you travel in the winter, you can't turn off the heat or open a window.  One of my 7/8 coats unfortunately dried out and tore from being placed next to the heat on a train once.  I've also experienced the opposite -- one winter on a trip between New York and Chicago, sans fur, I sat in coach near the poorly insulated link between two cars and my feet fell asleep from the cold.  On my last trip I packed a double sided faux fur blanket that I was less concerned about getting damaged.    

Until they replace the Amtrak equipment with 21st century trains, the current long-haul Amtrak fleet cars are quite old -- dating from between 1979 and 1998 -- with only minor improvements.    

Italian trains are generally much more fur-friendly.  This next few months you will probably still be able to book first class for the price of American coach tickets.   

 

Safe travels!

NOTE: I attempted to edit this comment but for the first time in almost fifteen years I was not allowed to.   I received an error message that read something like "too much time has elapsed since you first posted it..." several seconds later. 
I'm a former moderator from roughly 2006-2012, and this is a surprise. 

Edited January 13, 2020 by Joe
I wanted to edit my post.

[Joe]

Dear moderators, please look into why the site is displaying these annoying error messages.   I cannot delete my first iteration of my comment.  Thank you.  

[lynxette]

I never leave home without furs, whether travelling by train, plane, or automobile.  Even in the summertime, I will have at least a fur blanket or two, as I cannot sleep without furs.  Very easy to have a sleeping car room and use my own fur blankie to cuddle up in and stay warm.  BTW, so very happy yo see the den back up and running again.  As a longtime member I for one really appreciate the work taken to make this happen, especially keeping all the old files, etc.

[Fox]

lynxette - now THERE'S a name I haven't seen in forever!

[lynxette]

I just found out that the den is back...so very happy to see all of you guys again!

[LeComte]

Indeed good to see you again, Lynxette.

In Europe train travel is more common and as such you just go as you are - if you were a fur coat, you were a fur coat on a train.

[lynxette]

Thank you so much!

[minkme]

On ‎1‎/‎13‎/‎2020 at 12:33 AM, Joe said:

Yes -- where are you going? 

I'm a frequent traveler and try my best to bring my luxurious accessories wherever and whenever possible.  But I've learned from my mistakes.  I've become accustomed to packing scarves, collars, hats, perhaps a jacket with a fur-lined hood, into a tasteful little duffel bag instead of wearing a statement coat onto the train -- which I recommend bringing in a hanging bag, carried over your arm or shoulder strap -- since some of the stations' boarding platforms (Chicago, Philadelphia, New York to name a few) are in dingy basements that might have condensation (or worse) dripping from the ceiling, and little fresh air.   

My advice is to get a private Roomette or Bedroom compartment, wherein you will be able to shut the curtains and have privacy.  Otherwise the coach seating is random and there's a high probability that you will be exposed to anti-fur travelers.  Or people who could spill drinks or food on you.   Unless you travel snuggled up in a group of two or four fur-lovers.  The more the merrier.   And the probability is lower that a militant vegan will film themselves shouting at you if they're outnumbered.  But it's 2020 and it happens.  The glamorous era of American passenger rail travel, unless you have a private car, is over.   And Pullman Rail Journeys, the high-end experience between Chicago and New Orleans, went out of business again.   

Book in advance for the best fares on the sleeper compartments -- food is usually included, and you can book them for one stop, or several nights cross country.  One caveat of these little compartments is that if you travel in the winter, you can't turn off the heat or open a window.  One of my 7/8 coats unfortunately dried out and tore from being placed next to the heat on a train once.  I've also experienced the opposite -- one winter on a trip between New York and Chicago, sans fur, I sat in coach near the poorly insulated link between two cars and my feet fell asleep from the cold.  On my last trip I packed a double sided faux fur blanket that I was less concerned about getting damaged.    

Until they replace the Amtrak equipment with 21st century trains, the current long-haul Amtrak fleet cars are quite old -- dating from between 1979 and 1998 -- with only minor improvements.    

Italian trains are generally much more fur-friendly.  This next few months you will probably still be able to book first class for the price of American coach tickets.   

 

Safe travels!

NOTE: I attempted to edit this comment but for the first time in almost fifteen years I was not allowed to.   I received an error message that read something like "too much time has elapsed since you first posted it..." several seconds later. 
I'm a former moderator from roughly 2006-2012, and this is a surprise. 

Your 3/4 length coat dried out in the train car? Wow, how long was the trip and how hot did it get where drying out can happen?

 

 

[minkme]

taking a train trip across country sounds like fun. Being able to see the sights relaxing in a private room with your fur.

[Panther10]

The last time I was on the train in Alaska, I traveled with my cousin from Anchorage to Fairbanks. We had to take our furs with us at the time because it was early march and temps were still below zero. The trip itself was fine. We stashed our coats in the racks over our seats and were able to put them on in the train car when we were ready to disembark. But that was a simple 12 hour one way trip and it was just as easy on the return trip. However I want to stipulate that I have not had the opportunity to wear my fur across a longer multi-state/cross country, days long trip on an Amtrak car. Either sitting in Coach or one of their First Class accommodations. The last time I took a train trip like that was over 20 years ago and I was still in my very early teens so that was years before I started wearing fur coats.. So I have no idea what that's like. The only thing I remember on Amtrak trains that even on the Super liner cars, space can be at a premium in both first class and coach.(and honestly those accommodations may have been further scaled back since I was last aboard.) So there is really only room for the bare essentials and that's about it. Whether a passenger decides to include a fur in that category or not is entirely up to their own discretion. Just realize that you will probably have to wear it for multiple days and there will not be a place to store it until you disembark. So it could get potentially very dirty

[Joe]

On 1/19/2020 at 2:21 AM, minkme said:

taking a train trip across country sounds like fun. Being able to see the sights relaxing in a private room with your fur.

Absolutely.   I plan to do the California Zephyr between Denver and Grand Junction, Colorado -- hopping off at Glenwood Springs to go down to Vail and Aspen -- again soon.  The tunnel system used by today's Zephyr was constructed during the New Deal era, and takes a route inaccessible to automobiles.  One year, there was an avalanche that closed part of the freeway and folks were booking the train at the last minute!  Bear in mind that if you stay in your private room, you will only see the view from one side of the train.   Sitting in the center of the sightseer lounge car is much more fun because you can see out both sides -- and part of the ceiling -- which I highly recommend.   My second favorite route is the Coast Starlight on the Pacific Ocean between Ventura and San Luis Obispo, California.   Third is the Lake Shore Limited between New York and Chicago during the winter.

The one time my coat had dried out, it was hanging on the same spot for almost two days in the private room.  I didn't notice until later, and had no recourse because I placed it in the "wrong" place myself.  It probably wouldn't have happened with a brand-new coat.  All the same, be careful!   Some of the pieces in my collection are newer, others have lasted twenty years with me ...and probably over half an entire century!

Edited January 24, 2020 by Joe
I used to be a moderator (2006-13?) and there was no limit to editing posts.