3 replies to this topic

[Captain Pike]

I have traveled why air a few times since my injury. While I've had fun when I finally got to my destination, being wheeled down the aisle in that narrow little wheelbarrow thing is a real drag. Then transferring, over the immovable armrest onto the "sore giving" airline seat, was very uncomfortable. I have always used my manual chair, reducing my independence, when ever I have traveled, for fear of damaging my power chair in the hold of some airplane.

I was told by a travel agent that boarding and disembarking from a train in a power chair is straightforward in addition to being able to comfortably move about the passenger car en route.

What experience do you folks have?

Feeling homebound,_P.

[HiltonP]

I travelled with AMTRAK from Seattle to Whitefish (Montana) in 1998 on a visit to Glacier NP.

I was using my manual wheelchair, but my powerchair would have managed, but only just.

The AMTRAK trains have a disabled compartment, more like a little private suite, on the lower deck. You cannot move about the train at all (not sure where your agent got that info from). You stay in your little suite all the time, and the staff bring you food, etc.

It was OK, but being cooped up in one small room for 14+ hours with only a limited view out of a small window was . . . well, pretty much like a plane trip (which would have only taken 2 hours).

[hanguk]

I've traveled on Amtrak a few times. I'm a para, use manual chair. I never tried the sleeping car because it was more expensive than flying. I could not move around the train, aisles too narrow. My seat was next to the bathroom (dirty but usable). There are the trips I made: Poughkeepsie, NY to Albany NY (that's a short trip), New YOrk to Boston (used the bathroom a few times), New York to Georgia (sat next to bathroom, transferred from wheelchair into a seat, ordered food (expensive). The worst thing about that trip was that I was cold and could not sleep. It was an overnight trip but very difficult to sleep. I would recommend bringing a blanket if you think the train might be cold. This trip was in March. They sold blankets but I didn't want to pay for one as I already spent a lot of money on this trip. On the way home I took the airplane. At most of the stations help was required to get the chair onto the train. Now there is a wheelchair accessible sleeping car where you can lie down and be more comfortable but I did not try that.

[Captain Pike]

Reality. Sometimes it's a real drag. But I'd rather know the truth than to live in denial. I had this great fantasy of whisking through the hills and dales of America. Alas.

Thanks for honest descriptions of what sounds like reality to me.