Bike + rider transportation by train - anyone with inside info?

[stopintime]

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?

[Slide Panda]

Well, there's the 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.

[stopintime]

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...

[Dirty Duc]

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.

[Slide Panda]

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...

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.

[stopintime]

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    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... 

[Dirty Duc]

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    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. 

[stopintime]

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

Thanks  , but only if you can arrange a train ride 

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

[Raux]

and why would you not ride it cross country

[Raux]

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

[Dirty Duc]

Charter a car?

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

[Dirty Duc]

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

[stopintime]

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 

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...

[lazylightnin717]

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.

[BastrdHK]

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?