The total solar eclipse that will sweep across North America on Monday, April 8, is set to draw crowds from across the continent and beyond. The prize—darkness in the day and a view of the sun’s corona with your naked eyes—is everything, but it’s only open to those inside the 115-mile wide path of totality. You have to be in it to win it.
But with an event this big comes the inevitable traffic congestion—which could be a real headache for those trying to get to and from the path of totality. Another hurdle is that hotels are sold out or hard to come by—particularly on Sunday, April 7.
Night Trains To Totality
One solution that could solve both of those problems is taking the train. It can save money on hotels and eliminate the headache of navigating congested roads. Plus, with night trains, you can travel while you sleep and wake up inside the path of totality.
There are even options with Amtrak to travel between different early cities on eclipse day—alighting at whatever station is predicted to have clear skies.
Here are five ways to travel by train into the path of totality from Chicago, New York, St Louis, as well as a handy service between Cleveland and Buffalo within the path—but act fast if you want tickets:
1. On The Rails To Carbondale (or Du Quoin)
Journey: Chicago Union Station-Carbondale, Illinois
It is possible to take a train on the 330 miles, five-and-a-half hours journey from Chicago to Carbondale, for a long totality (the college town’s second in less than seven years). You could even get to the Southern Illinois Crossroads Eclipse Festival, where NASA Edge will be broadcasting from. Not surprisingly, Amtrak tickets are sold out on Monday, April 8 for a day return, so you will need to snag somewhere to stay on Sunday.
However, you could spend Monday evening celebrating the eclipse in Carbondale, then head to the train station at 01:14 a.m. and go straight to work in Chicago on Tuesday. Another option is to alight at Centralia (totality for 2 minutes 46 seconds) or Du Quoin (3 minutes and 52 seconds).
Sunday, April 7
- Chicago 8:15 a.m./Carbondale 1:45 p.m.
- Chicago 4:05 p.m./Carbondale 9:35 p.m.
- Chicago 6:05 p.m./Carbondale 11:21 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8
- Carbondale 01:14 a.m./Chicago 07:15 a.m.
- Carbondale 07:30 a.m./Chicago 1:00 p.m.
- Carbondale 4:15 p.m./Chicago 9:45 p.m.
Eclipse timings for Carbondale
Partial phases: 12:43-3.18 p.m. CDT
Totality: 1:59 CDT (4 minutes and 9 seconds)
2. Night Train To Indy
Journey: New York Penn Station-Indianapolis, Indiana
This puts you on a train for 22 hours, but you will wake up in the path of totality, ready to explore one of the many eclipse events in the eclipse capital of the Midwest. The downside is that you’ll need to find somewhere to stay for Monday night before taking the train home just after midnight on Wednesday morning. That’s doable—there will almost certainly be hotel rooms available after the eclipse on Monday as people abandon hotel bookings and decide to brave the traffic.
Sunday, April 7- Monday, April 8
- New York Penn 6:45 a.m./Indianapolis 5:15 a.m.
Wednesday, April 10
- Indianapolis 12:14 a.m./New York Penn 10:23 p.m.
Eclipse timings for Indianapolis
Partial phases: 1:50 p.m.-4:35 p.m. EDT
Totality: 3:06 p.m. EDT (3 minutes and 45 seconds)
3. Follow The Tracks To The Adirondacks
Journey: New York PennStation-Plattsburgh, Upstate New York
The Adirondack Coast and Plattsburgh—dead on the centerline—is well organized for this eclipse, with plenty of events planned. Although no overnight journeys are possible from New York, if you can find accommodation in Plattsburgh, there’s no need to drive:
Sunday, April 7
- New York Penn 8:35 a.m./Plattsburgh 3:54 p.m.
Tuesday, April 9
- Plattsburgh 2:54 p.m./New York Penn 10:15 p.m.
Eclipse timings for Plattsburgh
Partial phases: 2:14 p.m.-4:37 p.m. EDT
Totality: 3:25 p.m. EDT (3 minutes and 43 seconds)
4. The Gateway To Totality
Journey: St Louis, Missouri-Texarkana, Arkansas
Here are a couple of convenient night trains from St Louis that get you south—where there’s a higher chance of clear skies—and back without having to battle traffic or stay in any hotels. Staying on the train until Texarkana maximizes your sleeping time, but much of the journey cuts straight through—and follows—the path of totality of hundreds of miles.
Between St Louis and Texarkana, you could alight at Arcadia, Poplar Bluff, Walnut Ridge, Little Rock, Malvern, Arkadelphia and Hope because all ate inside the path of totality. Have a handle on where the latest weather forecast and hop off wherever clear skies are most likely.
Sunday, April 7-Monday, April 8
- St Louis 7:55 p.m./Little Rock 3:02 a.m. /Texarkana 5:50 a.m.
Monday, April 8-Tuesday 9
- Texarkana 8:43 p.m./Little Rock 11:39 p.m. /St Louis 7:24 a.m.
Eclipse timings for Texarkana
Partial phases: 12:28 p.m. -3:07 p.m. CDT
Totality: 1:46 p.m. CDT (2 minutes and 28 seconds)
5. The Lake Shore Either/Or
Journey: between Cleveland and Buffalo
Lake Erie and Niagara Falls are going to be key eclipse observing locations—and, for the lake in particular, “eclipse cooling” could see convenience clouds dissipate—but reacting to weather could be crucial. Eclipse chasers talk about the “miracle of I-90” that will take traffic between Cleveland and Buffalo/Niagara, depending on the forecast. You can do that by train and dodge all those cars—the wait for a (very) late train back.
Cleveland-Buffalo
Monday, April 8
- Depart Cleveland at 5:50 a.m./arrive in Buffalo at 8:53 a.m.
Tuesday, April 9
- Depart Buffalo at 12:39 a.m./arrive in Cleveland at 3:55 a.m.
Eclipse timings for Buffalo
Partial phases: 2:04 p.m.-4:32 p.m. EDT
Totality: 3:18 p.m. EDT (3 minutes and 46 seconds)
Buffalo-Cleveland
Monday, April 8
- Depart Buffalo at 12:39 a.m./arrive in Cleveland at 3:55 a.m.
Tuesday, April 9
- Depart Cleveland at 5:50 a.m./arrive in Buffalo at 8:53 a.m.
Eclipse timings for Cleveland
Partial phases: 1:59 p.m.-4:29 p.m. EDT
Totality: 3:13 p.m. EDT (3 minutes and 50 seconds)
For the latest on all aspects of April 8’s total solar eclipse in North America, check my main feed for new articles each day.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Read the full article here
