42 hours in train seats with no sleeper cars sounds like grounds for divorce in my book. I'd rather rent a car and drive, strap the kids into their seats and set up a portable DVD player on the arm rest facing them.

Other ideas: look into plane flights somewhere close-ish, then train the rest of the way. Also look into possible connections and buy only 1 way tickets (if you can travel without checking luggage - you could always ship some clothes.)

But yes, 42 hrs with kids that age and no sleeper sounds like hell on earth. Mine that age are 2 girls and even just hte train up to CT stresses me out, I can't imagine multiplying that by 8.

I've done the overnight to Chicago, with a sleeping car. A lot of fun and very pleasant. But not with kids this age, that will need to be entertained during a 6.5 hour layover then get put back on for another go 'round. You know these particular kids, wouldn't do it with mine.

.. would fly!

That's two days in a train ONE WAY. How long are you going for? I

Yes you are crazy for considering this. Sleeper cars aren't going to matter when your 2.5 yr old wants to run around. The cars are tiny.

The problem without the sleep car is that while the kids may still sleep stretched out on you or your seats, you won't. You will be exhausted and frazzled.

Yes

Anonymous wrote:Don't even think about it if you can't do a sleeper.

+1. For that age, I think it's iffy even with sleepers (just to Chicago would be plenty). Without sleepers would be a nightmare and with sleepers isn't much of a savings.

That said, you can only spend money you have. So if this is how you can afford to get there, you'll make it work somehow. There is a nice camaraderie that develops among long-range train passengers. The kids and you will probably make new friends and have someone to play with. I think it's gotta be way better than the bus, as you can get up and walk around so much more.

Don't even think about it if you can't do a sleeper.

....I figured out how to add the sleeper car, and that brings it up to $1100, not that big of a discount.

If it is that big of a discount, then I would definitely go for it. I once rode from D.C. to Kansas via Chicago. The part to Chicago was great, and we had time to sight-see a little in Chicago before the next leg. The leg to Kansas was torturous though... I was just so done with the train. If you go on the train, I would have special toys/games/books hidden so that you can get out something new and exciting for the kids to do every 2 hours or whenever they get bored. Just come up with a list of diversions. Especially save the best toys/games for the second leg of the trip!!

Thanks! I was thinking that they also might like to be able to play legos or whatever on the bed of the sleeper car, so they could have some stretch-out time. I didn't see sleeper cars as an option when I looked into tickets, though... hm...

As long as you have a sleeper cabin and your kids generally sleep in non home locations - go for it. You get to the see the country and that would be interesting to the 5 yr old. You will have two full nights so that takes 24 hours sleep out of your total time + six hours off the train. The rest of it is broken up between an evening, a morning, an afternoon and a day so the last day is your only long stretch. Seeing as you can walk around on trains, go get food, etc... have a room, it is manageable. Like being on a small cruise ship!

We'd ride from 5:45 p.m. to 8:45 the next morning, then we have 6.5 hr in Chicago, then we ride from 2:45 p.m. to 5:47 the next night. We're going to MT, and I think we could take the train for 1/3 the price (about $550 total, not including meals) as plane tickets ($1500).