How's Amtrak these days?

you can start here
I really don't know about Amtrak, but Via Rail across Canada can be quite fun and relaxing, if you have the money, and like train travel. It isn't cheap....I picked Toronto as a destination, because i didn't know where in the east you were going. You could make connections South easily from there, I think

HOWEVER... you might want to check out the special deal they have for seniors. You pay one full fare, and the other person, no matter what age, travels free. Unfortunately this dosen't apply to sleepers, but it does cut the cost. There are small 'roomettes' that your mom might like. Also, when you book sleeping accommodations, meals are included, and judging by my brief experience last year they were pretty good.

this is worth looking at

There is no Amtrak from Alaska. You only have excursion routes up there (e.g, Anchorage to Denali). So you will have to fly to somewhere in the south before you can pick up a train. It seems to me that flying to Vancouver then transferring to a hotel for the night then taking a train for days where she has to bounce along from car to car to get food or toilet or whatever, sleeping on the train in a tiny roomette .... It's all great fun when you are healthy - did it numerous times as a kid because my Dad worked for Via Rail. Anyway, strikes me that it could be a lot more stressful than simply taking a flight. For the money it will cost you to take Via Rail (very expensive especially with roomette) you could buy her a business or 1st class seat and that makes ALL the difference in the world on a long haul flight.

Have you posted this on the US branch?

My partner took Amtrak from Seattle to DC a few years ago. We just had seats and hauled our own food along. You can get roomettes and the price includes all your meals. I've heard the roomettes are small but adequate. The observation car is a very pleasant place to watch the world go by. I think it is a great way to go and so, so much more relaxing than flying. I'm sure your Mom would really like it especially since she likes trains.

Amtrack is far cheaper than Via Rail and be sure to check out their various discounts.

I'll be on the Amtrak Empire Builder traveling from Chicago to Seattle over the U.S. Memorial Day weekend in May (2009). I've booked a roomette for the trip. There's a good web forum for people especially interested in Amtrak travel and you can view it and possibly cross-post questions there when you click here.

On my way to Alaska last year I met two couples on the ferry who had travelled on Via from Toronto to Vancouver (arriving six hours late). Their info was the staff were great and the food fine but the sleeping arrangements not good - they wouldn't do it again.

Thanks everyone for all the feedback. I really appreciate all the links and will look at them all. At this point a main concern is getting us into some sort of sleeper car where she can sit all day as she is not very mobile and is basically going to be in a wheelchair. Sounds like VIA is not the way to go for that. Plus getting back and forth to a dining car may be problematic. We are going to DC so I'm looking at either catching the train in Seattle, or CA, or possibly combining a VIA leg (Vancouver to Toronto) with a Amtrak leg.

Last year we had to go down south of here and took the railroad and she really had a great time so I really want to make one last big trip for her memorable. We can't afford to do this both ways but at least once across the continent would be nice.