Almost cheaper then rent...

I was bored, so I came up with a schedule for the Amtrak USA Rail Pass.  45 days or 18 segments (whichever comes first) for $829. A segment ends when you get off a train or Amtrak bus.  Unfortunately it involves some overnight stays.  That would drive the cost up.  Someday I'll try to come up with another scenario that involves less or no overnight stays. I can picture how I would figure it out.  I would need a large white board, a video projector, a variety of Post-it Notes, and a machine that goes "bing".

Seg	Route	From	To	Time	Time		Start/End Day
1	Empire Builder	MSP	Portland	Fri 23:15	Sun 01:40	Stay overnight	0	3
2	Coast Starlight	PDX	LA	Sun 14:25	Mon 21:00	2 night stay	3	4
3	Sunset Ltd	LAX	New Orleans	Wed 15:00	Fri 14:55	Stay overnight	6	8
4	Crescent	NOL	NY Penn Sta.	Sat 07:00	Sun 13:48		9	10
5	Silver Meteor	NYP	Miami	Sun 15:15	Mon 16:15	Stay overnight	10	11
6	Silver Star	MIA	Wash. DC	Tue 11:50	Wed 15:14		12	13
7	Capitol Ltd	WAS	Chicago	Wed 16:05	Thu 08:45		13	14
8	California Zephyr	CHI	Emeryville, CA	Thu 14:00	Sat 16:10		14	16
9	San Joaquin	EMY	Bakersfield	Sat 18:00	Sat 23:56	Stay overnight	16	16
10	Bus 3612	BFD	Barstow	Sun 13:50	Sun 15:55		17	17
11	SW Chief	BAR	Chicago	Sun 21:56	Tue 15:15		17	19
12	City of New Orleans	CHI	New Orleans	Tue 20:00	Wed 15:32	2 night stay	19	20
13	Sunset Ltd	NOL	San Antonio	Fri 11:55	Sat 03:00		22	23
14	Texas Eagle	SAS	Chicago	Sat 07:00	Sun 13:52		23	24
15	Lake Shore Ltd-BOS	CHI	Boston	Sun 21:30	Mon 21:10	Stay overnight	24	25
16	Crescent	BOS	Charlottesville VA	Tue 08:15	Tue 19:23	Stay overnight	26	26
17	Cardinal	CVS	Chicago	Wed 13:55	Thu 10:05		27	28
18	Empire Builder	CHI	Minneapolis	Thu 14:15	Thu 22:31		28	28