I'm thinking about taking my first actual solo vacation ever, sometime later this year. I never could before, b/c of medical reasons, but anyway, I have already thrown out the airlines, and have seen most of the country's highways, so I'm thinking about a full-fledged rail journey. My question is, what would be the most scenic routes to take? I have checked on amtraks website, and heard that the coast starlight, california zephyr, and empire builder are some of the most scenic, but what other routes are? I would really love to go back to Alaska, not sure I could stand being gone that long tho.
Make friends with the car attendant; pack easy-to-prepare foods and water from home. Stock an essentials bag with binoculars, books,cards, maps with rail lines, earplugs, eyeshade, pocket flashlight, sunglasses, a pillow, blanket and a cheap digital watch with an alarm.