Ducati Monster Forum

The only vehicle carrying train, AFAIK, is along the East Coast to and from Florida.

Are there more than one railroad company in the US or is it Amtrak only?

The map shows a line going from Atlanta through the south of New Mexico - it interests me.
Do you (?) as a railroad employee or close to one know if it would in any way be possible to sneak/bribe/pay for a bike on a passenger/cargo train even if it's not an official possibility?

 [Dolph]

Well, there's the Auto Train
http://www.amtrak.com/auto-train (http://www.amtrak.com/auto-train)

Amtrak is the only passenger line in the US. Their are other rail companies, but they are freight only. I doubt you could hook a ride with one of them, with your bike.

The rail system in the US is not what you'd get in most of the EU.

It's really strange that you don't have Auto Trains going all over the continent.

Americans travel a lot and love their cars - it just sounds like a sure winner...

It does sound like a good idea, until you realize that it's cheaper to either drive or fly and rent for most places.

You have to weigh:

The convenience of having your own car
The time it takes to get there.

from slowest to fastest (for long distance travel): bus, train, motorcycle, car, plane. 

From least to most convenient (assuming freedom of travel time and luggage as measures of convenience and disregarding security measures): bus, train, motorcycle, plane, car.

Anything less than 600 miles it is almost assuredly cheaper to take a personal conveyance over public transportation.

From least to most expensive (counting tires): car, motorcycle, plane, bus, train.

We also have had absurdly cheap, by comparison, gas/petrol for the longest time so $50 in gas for a family road trip was a no brainer when faced with $400 of train tickets or $1600 in air fair for the same trip.

And some of it's the infrastructure. Much of the country is not reasonably accessible by train. We have states as big or bigger than many nations. And many of the largest have the lowest population density making a comprehensive passenger rail network economically unviable. As far as I know, Amtrak already operates in a constant state off loss if you look at their costs vs ticket revenue. The shortfall is made up by the gov.

Well, regardless of what you think about my Auto Train business plan - I'd like to get in touch with someone who can tell me how to pull off a little pilot project  ;D  One bike stowed away in cargo + one person from Atlanta to southern New Mexico. It probably won't be possible to have it booked or confirmed, but maybe the guys at the station or on the train would understand the problem and be willing to be creative... 

When you get to southern NM, let me know!  I'm not that far away. 

Thanks  [thumbsup] , but only if you can arrange a train ride  [beer]

I'm not saying that I'm going, but if I am I'll let you all know  [coffee]

and why would you not ride it cross country

actually you might do better to buy a pickup truck at the start,
truck it down, riding a few roads for entertainment, sell the truck at your destination and ship the bike back via flight.

or rent a truck one way as well

Charter a car?

http://www.aaprco.com/chartercars/index.html (http://www.aaprco.com/chartercars/index.html)

or a plane might be cheaper
http://www.chapman-freeborn.com/en/cargo_aircraft_specifications/?measurements=2 (http://www.chapman-freeborn.com/en/cargo_aircraft_specifications/?measurements=2)

If, I repeat IF, my bike and I travel the country sideways, then north and finally south - it would be nice to sit on something else than the Monster seat a couple of days and still make miles.  Since time is limited I'm probably choosing some of the states in the middle as my get-through-fast stages. Chattanooga-Albuquerque is 1,350 miles straight through. At my scheduled pace including longer back roads and nice lunch breaks it takes 5-6-7 days - time better spent in the mountains...

Chartering my very own train car would be epic, but I can't expect it to be within a reasonable budget  8)

Budget offers 10' moving vans at $700 for a minimum of a week. Not as relaxing as a train ride, but maybe...

Maybe there is a trucking company with space for a bike and co-driver...

I *used* to work for a stage-building company. Truck drivers would often show up with motorcycles to kill the time while they waited. I'm sure you could hitch a ride.

But...

I'd be wary of the truck drivers. I'm not talking shit on them. There were really incredibly nice individuals and then there were guys that I would never want to spend time in a seat beside them.

Good luck.

Check into Truck N' Roll and and Upstaging. Those were two truck companies we often used.

Look on Uship as well, that might be a good option.  You explain your situation, and people with profiles you can check on and talk to before hand bid on your shipment like Ebay.

I have used it for a few items, and have been happy with the service.  Gives you the most options, and you will be surprised how many responses you get.

When do you plan on going?

Uship bookmarked  [thumbsup]

Don't know if, don't know when (probably in sept/oct though)

do it in aug and go to salt flats

then he can appear on an episode of Shipping Wars and be bounced around with Jarrett or something...LOL

+11ty

Wait for IZ to move...then hitch a ride with him.

not that i've actually met IZ in person, but I have Stopintime. and knowing the stature of them, that would be an interesting sight.

are you saying Stopintime is potentially too large for the Shiremobile?

[laugh]

You're making this all to complicated.

http://www.thespoon.com/trainhop/train1b.html (http://www.thespoon.com/trainhop/train1b.html)

OKAY...but what about his moto?

You apparently don't watch NEARLY enough action movies.

I did and have...but I wasn't expecting him to jump the bike into the train car reenacting some scene from Street Hawk or Megaforce or anything....

I think the used pickup idea is the most economical so far..

Whatever you do, don't used Uship. It's the Craig's List of freight dispatchers. I've heard several horror stories including one where the drivers rig was repossessed in the middle of nowhere. Weeks of unanswered phone calls/emails followed by months of court appearances to reclaim bikes.

Unbonded, uninsured drivers are way too common as there's no parent company acting as watchdog.

If you're talking One origination and one destination. Try Federal Allied or Forward Air. If you're talking multiple stops/rides, then that wouldn't be economical.

+1 on the used truck. TryTruckTrader.com. Lots of "light Duty" commercial trucks that should be pretty easy to unload at the end of your trip.

Why not? I have time to practice  [Dolph]


It's not possible for a tourist to buy and insure a US vehicle (right?)

Is there a photoshop jump coming up?

If so, use this:

(http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l394/stopintime/RS12_zpsc42a03ac-1_zpsc45f936e.jpg)

I think it is... a guy over on ADVRider just registered his Canadian bike here in AZ with an Australian tourist visa...
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=844717 (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=844717)

even if it isn't.....you have somewhere in the area of 11000 friends spread out across the US. anything is possible.

I've heard the Facebook stories, but WOW  [bow_down]

Depends on what state.  We once had a guest from France who bought a used motorcycle here and one from Belgium who bought a used car.  AFAIK, your only problem in NY would be proving residence.  Not much of a problem. 

If you do use the auto train shoot me a PM if needed.  I have taken it several times to sandford fl  from lorton ,va.  [Dolph]

The official motto of the US is "In God We Trust."  The unofficial one is "Money talks, Bullshit Walks."  All you need is an address for the insurance company to send the bill, and the DMV to send the title.

Gee if only you could find someone with a truck you could borrow, maybe someone who wanted to visit Norway that you could repay the favor...

Oh, well there probably isnt someone like that

(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/643939_546407112058696_675118500_n.jpg)

[thumbsup]

Park it in East Tennessee and pick it up in New Mexico?

Regardless, you're welcome to my car anytime [thumbsup]

Where are you flying in?

If at all, probably to NYC...

and i keep thinking this. why are you just not riding all the way across?

 ;D

ok. so you need 'lifts' through boring areas.

check with truck stops  :o

I'm about 6 hours from NY by car...about 300 miles.

I'm only about 1 1/2-2 hours from Boston...Logan...about 100 miles...

I have 2 trucks...I can only drive one at a time. ;D