Ted H. Funk

No, sorry, that's incorrect about reserving a seat since Coach travel on Amtrak is by space, but
you can request a seat (window or aisle) from the Conductor or Train Attendant when you get to
the car where they will seat you according to your final destination. Shooting though Amtrak
windows is a losing proposition for good results, so carefully try the suggestion about opening
the window (easy with a small lever that has no lock) in the Vestibule area between those double-decker Superliner cars, provided you're alone with no Amtrak staff around!

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

It takes a bit of planning, an possibly telling the conductor what you're doing.
When we took a train trip some years ago (from North Vancouver to Whistler and back, with some fantastic scenery along the way), we had found our seats about 20 minutes before the train was due to leave. I had a small packet of "wipies" with me, went back to the platform and wiped down the outside of the window where we were sitting. Back in and did the same thing to the inside. Yes, I had informed the conductor what I planned to do and why. His reaction: You can do all of the windows if you like....

Ted H. Funk

I've never been on Via Rail Canada or any of their trains (I've heard they're really good) but I'm
positive your train was SINGLE level, NOT a double-decker type like Amtrak uses for the West!sdf
It's physically impossible for passengers to wipe off the windows in the Coach seating area on those Amtrak cars from the outside!

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I wonder how much experience with this is behind some of the comments here. I have been taking pictures of, and from, trains for over fifty years now. The basic rule of shooting through glass is that, if you don't use a filter, the camera sees the same light you see. It sees the same reflections you see, the same ripples in glass you see, the same loss of detail you see. You should be able to evaluate the general situation within a few minutes of taking your seat - after that, it is just like any other "photo op".

Remember, you can always reject a picture you took, but you can never retrieve a picture you didn't take.

Signal Corps Jerry Loc: Northern, Il 0-75 Mi east of Mississippi Riv.

From limited experience on long-trip rail trips the best recommendations are up there. Shoot from an open window, vestibule with open top-half Dutch Door, or special viewing car with open sides. If inside at a normal window shoot with a rubber lens hood just touching the window glass, using no filter and a fast shutter speed using your near-best possible higher than max ISO. You may want to set the lens at manual focus and preset at a best-calculated distance to avoid missing subjects. The idea of shooting bursts beginning "early" and shooting almost to "late", that I think someone above may have mentioned is a good idea with digital. If you think you will be made fun of by doing this just don't tell anyone! Some image stabilization lenses have a mode to use for shooting from a moving platform that should help. If you try this check out the results on the LCD screen by enlarging - before your trip. I shot from a train vestibule on the Mexican National Railway on the way from Texas border to Mexico City on a couple of sunny days and got some good shots on my quite new first Nikon F using a 58mm 1.4 and a 105 2.5 and Kodachrome ASA 10. So it is possible - I was at the open door. This was in 1960! Just the other day I pulled a slide taken on this trip from my files to make a digital file using the new fad of shooting slide copies with a Nikon Micro lens, and the Nikon E-1 slide copier. It works - I have tried it - now only to perfect it and take advantage of the large file (D600), and faster working than the flat bed scanner. Have a good trip and good weather to boot.

Tinkwmobile

I have shot from trains three times, twice in Alaska and once in AZ on the short Grand Canyon trip. I took pictures through the glass, but found that most of the shots looked like they were shot through glass. Some of the glass is not perfectly flat and most not clean enough for pictures.

Like others I got best pictures via the space between cars and off the rear of the train on a platform.

I would take pictures through glass, but work to find something open.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

In November 2016 I rode Amtrak's Chicago to Los Angeles train for the reason of serving as my daughter's co-driver as she moved from San Diego back to Indiana; because of the purpose of my trip, I kept my "footprint" in her car small by taking only {besides clothing, of course} my smart phone and my small Pentax Q-7 MILC - but I did take advantage of "photo ops" anyway. These pictures are provided so you can see what you can accomplish by just pointing your camera out the window - yes, I could do better with better equipment and more time, but those weren't going to happen. Several of these views are visible only from rail {unless one wants to hike in}, so I feel they were well worth it. {at some point I realized window in back door of back car was a perfectly good window}
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approach to Raton Pass - smart phone out back window of train

(Download)

tunnel at top of Raton Pass - Q-7 out back window of train

(Download)

around sharp turn near sunset - smart phone out side window of train

(Download)

California urban area about breakfast time - smart phone out side window of train

(Download)

Halkeye Loc: Sandiego, CA.

I travel Amtrak all over the USA. I use a black cloth about 2x2 foot with suction cups at the top to hold the blind to the window and drap it over me to block out the glare .I have never had A train worker complain. I use it in the observation car.Also use A rubber lens hood to hold the camera to the glass .

Halkeye Loc: Sandiego, CA.

carl hervol Loc: jacksonville florida

And pan with your subject.

JMCPHD Loc: Maine

The train is in western Canada and according to the brochure has big windows that don't open. The rubber lens hood idea sounds workable and I will get one. I will also check out the between car space to see if I can take some pictures without the train glass in the way.

I saw one reply that talked about shutter, aperture and ISO settings. Do others agree or have other suggestions for settings?

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

The Alaska railroad is different; between the cars it is open and you can stand and photograph all you want. They may have changed this policy in the last few years.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

There is nothing special about the settings. If you're taking a picture of sweeping panorama, use an f-stop around f/8 or a little higher to get lots of DoF. You will want a shutter speed of at least 1/250 to stop motion. Pick an ISO setting that makes this work.