# Plan and Take a Rail Trip

Part of the Railroading Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/railroading/guide/index.md)

*7. Railfanning Option*

> **7b4.** Plan a trip by rail between two points. Obtain a schedule and explain when the train should arrive at two intermediate points. Purchase the tickets and make the trip. Explain to your counselor what you saw.

This requirement puts you in the planner's seat. You research a real route, read an actual schedule to identify intermediate stops and arrival times, buy the tickets, ride the train, and report back. It is both a practical exercise in using modern rail services and a genuine travel experience.

## Choosing Your Route

The trip needs to have at least **two intermediate points** (stops between your origin and final destination) so that you can identify scheduled arrival times at each. A single non-stop run between two cities does not satisfy the requirement.

**Amtrak** is the most accessible option for most Scouts. Amtrak operates long-distance trains and regional corridors across the country, nearly all with multiple intermediate stops. Even a modest regional route — say, a three-stop corridor connecting cities in your state — qualifies.

**Commuter rail** systems (MARC, Metra, NJ Transit, Caltrain, etc.) also qualify. A commuter line from a suburb into a city, stopping at several stations along the way, meets the requirement.

> **Tip**
>
> Some of the most scenic Amtrak routes with multiple stops include the California Zephyr (Denver to San Francisco via the Rockies and Sierra Nevada), the Coast Starlight (Los Angeles to Seattle), the Empire Builder (Chicago to Seattle/Portland), and the Vermonter (Washington DC to St. Albans, VT). Even a short regional route on the Northeast Corridor has plenty of intermediate stops and is easy to plan.

## Reading the Schedule

Go to Amtrak.com (or your commuter rail provider's site) and search for your route. Find the **timetable** — a table showing each station and the scheduled arrival and departure times.

**What to identify:**
- Your **origin station** and departure time
- **Intermediate stop 1** — its name and scheduled arrival time
- **Intermediate stop 2** — its name and scheduled arrival time
- Your **destination station** and scheduled arrival time

Write these down. You will explain these times to your counselor before you take the trip and confirm whether the train ran on schedule after.


## Purchasing the Tickets

Purchase the tickets yourself — this is part of the requirement. Options:
- **Online:** Amtrak.com or your commuter rail's website
- **App:** The Amtrak app offers the same fares and a mobile ticket you can show on a phone
- **At the station:** Ticket window or self-service kiosk

**Fare classes on Amtrak:**
- **Coach** — standard seats, the lowest fare class, sufficient for any length trip
- **Business** — wider seats, extra legroom, some amenities; available on select corridor trains
- **Sleeping car accommodations** — Roomettes and bedrooms on long-distance overnight trains; not required for this requirement

Check whether there is a youth discount or a Scout group discount before purchasing.

## On the Trip: What to Observe

The requirement ends with "explain to your counselor what you saw." This is open-ended — you are not expected to file a formal report, just to have genuinely paid attention. Some things to notice:

- **The station:** Architecture, age, signage, what types of passengers are using it
- **The right-of-way:** Are you on a freight mainline? Dedicated passenger corridor? Can you see signals, bridges, crossings?
- **Other trains:** Did you pass or meet any freight trains or other passenger trains?
- **On-time performance:** Did the train arrive at intermediate stops on schedule? If not, did the crew make up time?
- **The equipment:** What type of locomotive (electric, diesel)? How old are the coaches?

> **Did You Know?**
>
> Amtrak's long-distance trains do not own their own tracks — they run on freight railroad track owned by Class I railroads like BNSF, UP, and CSX. By federal law (the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act), freight railroads are required to give Amtrak trains preference — but delays still happen when freight volume is heavy. This is why on-time performance varies so much between Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (which Amtrak owns) and its long-distance routes (which it does not).

**Trip Planning Checklist** — Complete this before your counselor meeting

- [ ] Route chosen (origin and destination with at least two intermediate stops)
- [ ] Timetable pulled — write down arrival times at intermediate stops 1 and 2
- [ ] Tickets purchased (save the receipt or confirmation email)
- [ ] Trip taken
- [ ] Notes made on what you observed (on-time status, equipment, surroundings)

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- Next: [Extended Learning](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/railroading/guide/extended-learning/index.md)