I too am planning an Amtrak trip in USA next year as part of our vacation. I bought a copy of "USA by Rail" by John Pitt. It gives all the routes available with Amtrak with lots of information of what you can see on the way. Well worth getting @ £13.99. Hope you have a great trip and glad that someone else from UK thinks this is a good way of travelling.

If your travels take you through Pennsylvania, you will have the treat of going around the famous Horshoe Curve just west of Altoona.......If you're forward on the train, you can see the rear of the train coming around the curve! (or vice, versa)

I find the northern route to be more scenic. You don't say where you are starting, but assuming it is NYC...

I suggest taking the Broadway Limited to Chicago (you will hit the Horseshoe Curve), then The Empire Builder to either Seattle or Portland (spectacular scenery over the Continental Divide), then take the Coast Starlight down to LA (sit in the dome car at night). These are all historic routes with interesting scenery. I didn't care for the Southwest Chief's route (LA/Chicago).

Now, all that being said, there is a a review of a really poor experience on AMTRAK in the train travel forum. You should take a look. I have not heard of anyone else having the problem mentioned. Could have been a malfunctioning car, and it is unfortunately extremely uncommon to have malfunctions fixed or equiment replaced enroute.

Can't help you with places to stay enroute, as I have always traveled through, though Chicago, Seattle or Portland, and LA are obvious stopovers.

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