I spent 53 hours on an Amtrak train. Here’s what I’m glad I packed, wish I’d brought, and should have left at home.

• I took Amtrak’s longest train, the California Zephyr, from Illinois to California in 53 hours.
• I’ve been on several overnight trains, so I knew what to pack to stay comfortable and entertained.
• There were still some items I longed for, and others I regretted bringing.

I stepped aboard the train with a carry-on suitcase and a backpack.

Since sleeper cars have showers, I’m glad I packed waterproof clogs and slippers.

But I should have left the noisy ones behind.

So I brought a small drum pad, a pair of sticks, and a ukulele, which I clipped to my backpack while flying so it would count as a single item. It was a bit of a hassle that wasn’t worth the effort since I didn’t end up using either of them. Sound traveled far in the sleeper car, and passengers were asked to play any audio through headphones in their cabins.

I’m glad I downloaded movies and shows on my phone since there was no WiFi on the train.

There’s no WiFi on the California Zephyr train, so I downloaded movies and episodes of shows in different genres to satisfy whatever I was craving. Watching TV at night made me feel at home on the train.

But it would have been worth bringing my iPad for a larger screen.

With my work laptop, smartphone, and Nintendo Switch, packing my iPad seemed like a little much, but I didn’t think about watching TV at night. I didn’t want to risk falling asleep with my laptop in bed, since the rails were bumpy and it could fall off.

I settled for squinting at my phone screen and regretted leaving the tablet at home.

The California Zephyr is known for being one of the most scenic train rides in the US, so I’m glad I packed my cameras and lenses.

I brought two cameras with me on this trip. One was small and light, which was great for quick snaps in crowded spaces without disturbing others. The other was larger, with detachable lenses, so I could get a variety of perspectives on the passing landscape.

More than anything else, I wish I’d packed a pair of binoculars.

The California Zephyr route took us through the wilderness, from the Rockies of Colorado to California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Zooming in as much as my camera lens allowed didn’t satisfy my craving to get closer. A pair of binoculars would have been perfect.

From Illinois through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada to California’s Bay Area, the lands we passed through are home to a variety of wildlife: birds such as eagles, hawks, geese, and herons; bighorn sheep; antelope; coyotes; and even moose. I think I would have been able to spot some of these animals if I’d had a closer look. Missing this opportunity to see wildlife was my biggest regret of the trip.

Without my towel, toiletries, and noisy activities, I would have easily been able to pack my iPad. But even with the extra items I didn’t need, binoculars would have been easy to fit into my backpack, suitcase, or possibly my pocket.