All Aboard!
The Challenges of Meeting Your NANOWRIMO Writing Goals While onboard Amtrak
There’s something utterly romantic about boarding Amtrak with a portable typewriter and spending your entire trip typing away on a special project, a letter or even just plain journaling. I’ve taken my typewriters on board on numerous occasions, although not lately. Even so, there’s something absolutely seductive about typing, recording your impressions on pieces of paper about the changing scenery outside.
You should absolutely try to type on a typewriter at least once during an Amtrak journey. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:
Your typewriter may or not fit the flip-out tray in front of you. The tray has a lipped edge that makes it challenging for a larger typewriter to rest properly on it. If your machine is not flat on the surface, odds are high your machine will rattle and perhaps fall off the tray. You might be better off typing with your machine sitting in your lap. Which brings me to…
Type in the observation car (if available). This a great place to type. The observation car is on the second level of the railcar with a glassed dome overhead. You’ll feel creative and alive watching the scenery pass by. I find it especially enjoyable during the fall with passing scenery including yellow oaks and maple trees common in the midwest. Since all the seating is in the middle of the railcar with no individual seats, you’ll definitely need to type with your machine in your lap, unless you’ve got a portable, sturdy small desk that you can set in front of you that won’t impede passenger traffic. You’ll want to record what you see on your typewriter or by pen on a piece of paper. You can talk to the knitters who love to work (and chat) while they’re working on their special projects.
Plug if in you can. This has become an option as the flip-out trays are being phased out on some the newer Amtrak railcars. Some of the newer seats have a shared, narrow table with a wall electrical outlet. This means you could absolutely bring and use your electric typewriter. But it’s not guaranteed that you’ll have this kind of seating available during your ride, so don’t count on a table that accommodates your Canon Typestar 220.
Type in the ‘public’ cars. Make sure you’re not in the ‘quiet car’ which only allows quiet conversation. I once made the mistake of starting to type in the quiet car, when a fellow passenger complained about the noise, I moved to another car. But if you had a truly ‘quiet’ or nearly noiseless keyboard, you might be able to get away with typing in the quiet car.
Buy a snack or a meal to type in the dining/cafe car. The snack or the meal is key. Dining staff, in my experience, will not allow you to sit in the dining car even if you buy one pricey cocktail. You need to buy food to sit and eat in the cafe car. But I typed while on board in the cafe car for an Amtrak train destined to St. Louis. The five-hour trip was delightful, namely because I spent most of it in the cafe car, snacking and typing. I highly recommend it. The burgers are not bad from what I understand. They’re generally cheaper than what’s in the train station restaurants, and they’re discounted if you purchase them with a credit card that earns you Amtrak points. I’ve done that with drinks and snacks.
Expect typos. You’re on a train, after all that can and will stop unexpectedly. But you’re working on a first draft for NANOWRIMO, so it’s all good.
Your trip might take longer than you think. The longer the train ride, the more likely you’ll run into a delay, aka a freight train that has right-of-way priority on the track. So your Amtrak train might be sitting on a side rail until it passes. Use the time to type, nap, snack, daydream or all of the above.
Bring extra ribbon and white-out. Just this morning, the blue ink ribbon on my Selectric cartridge slipped loose. If I were on a deadline or traveling, this would be very aggravating because nothing ruins the writing mood when an ink ribbon breaks, twists, or becomes loose. I’d bring an extra ribbon for that kind of emergency.
Secure your typewriter when not in use. Don’t leave it unattended on a tray table even for a few minutes. If the train starts moving, your machine could end up on the floor, broken. Set your machine on the floor, inside the travel case while you go to the bathroom, cafe car or take a walk. It will be worth the extra effort.
Lock the carriage return when not in use. This is just as important as setting your machine on the floor or in the carrying case when you’re not using it. The carriage return can fly out with the slightest touch, hurting you or another passenger. That’s the worst case scenario, but you could also damage your machine and curtail any future NANOWRIMO typing on your journey.
Hope these tips are helpful. Typing while on trains is so much fun even you’re not doing NANOWRIMO. I’ve often typed on Amtrak since I’ve been on board often in the past six years I’ve lived in Milwaukee and traveled to Illinois on the Hiawatha line. People love to see passengers typing and will take your picture. Conductors enjoy seeing it too (as long as it’s not disturbing passengers). I’m all about daydreaming and what’s a better way to daydream about life (and your book’s characters) at a window seat on a train?
Tell me about your writing adventures onboard a train. Anyone type in a train station while waiting for a connection?
