NeuroTalk Support Groups - Takin the train with a wheelchair

Hi all,
Here recently I had the opportunity to make a trip to Oregon by train. I was kinda dreading the trip because I cant keep up with everyone, and usually end up benched and just watching the fun happen all around me.
The only way for me to actually enjoy myself, and keep everyone chasing me instead of me chasing them. Is to bring along a power chair. The power chair is a miracle for me. Things I used to take for granted seemed only like a dream until I was introduced to the power chair. Oh man! The power chair allows me to go places that I used to watch other people go. And, I dont pay for the activity in pain later as bad as I would have without the power chair.
I had read in some of my favorite forums that it was possible to take a power chair with Amtrak. Well I am here to tell you that YES you can take a train with a power chair, or wheelchair no problems. Amtrak was wonderful, from calling in the reservations to picking our bags up when we got home.
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To get reservations you do have to call the Amtrak reservation number. Let them know you will be traveling with a chair. The Amtrak people took care of us the entire way, and they were very friendly.
Right from the start I had no idea what to expect, but everything went smooth as silk. They used a lift to put me on the train that we would take to another train. The car that they had us in was very nice and roomy. I parked my chair and took a seat with my wife, and realized there are electric outlets in the train. I went and plugged in the chair so it would be charged and ready to go when we get to our vacation destination,and plugged in the laptop for a movie.
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There was only one other person in this section with us, but that was the exception to the rule on this trip. Once we transfered to the larger train there were between 5 to 10 people. We got to know most of the people around us, and made some new friends. We discovered that as the gas prices increased, so did the ridership. Even though the rest of the train was sold out, we were comfortable with ample room.
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The attendant will help you with eveything. They helped us by passing out pillows, bringing food and drinks, and stowing our carry on baggage. I have a hard time moving around up stairs and was relieved to find that all of the reserved coach area was on the lower deck of the train. The side to side movement isnt as bad in the lower level making walking to the rest rooms a bit easier. For those confined to the chair there is ample chair parking room, and room to go through to the restrooms. Plus there is a handicap restroom with more than enough room to manuever around. It actually surprised me that there is that much room. I guess I expected everything to be all cramped up.
The return trip went fairly well. Everything was great, but a few days before our return journey there were 8000 lightning strikes causing 800 fires, and we were going to go right through the middle of it. With the fires, and places where they were working on the track, we got behind schedule by 3 hours. We were delayed long enough to miss the transfer to a bus that was going to take us to a our homeward bound train. The Amtrak people kept us aware of what was going on at all times, even having us stay on the train taking us to the very same place the bus was going to take us.
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The buses are very nice! All the Amtrak buses had lifts in the back passenger side of the bus for wheel chair access. I didnt get to try out the bus lifts, but do have some pictures of one showing where the lift is located. It looked like there would be no problem with any bus transfers and wheelchairs. I did hear that some of the buses contracted out may not have the lift, so make sure you tell the reservationist to double check any bus transfers.
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So if your contemplating a trip somewhere, and you have fears of traveling with a power chair or wheelchair, and the gas prices mean the car is out. Take the train and enjoy a layed back trip with a no hassle wheelchair way to go, and did I say they have reasonable prices. I couldnt have bought the gas for the price of 2 tickets roundtrip.

See ya on the train!!
Toot Toot!
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