The train dropped me off at night right in the middle of Reno, Nev., where neon lights flashed everywhere and casinos lined the streets. The railroad to Reno was built in 1868 and the train runs over the mountains, not through tunnels. This is probably whey we don't have bullet trains in the U.S. -- they'd turn into roller coasters.
This train from San Francisco to Reno could be dubbed the "pachinko train," as it takes you straight to the center of Reno, an entire city of pachinko parlors, where people have been gambling since the 1930s. I booked a room at the Peppermill Casino for $49 per night. This does not include obligatory extraneous charges that show up on your bill at checkout, but hey, this is the American way!
The Peppermill Casino, one of the "Top 10 casinos in America," is a city within itself. Along with over 2,000 guest rooms, the casino houses 14 bars, eight restaurants and all the gambling tables and machines you could dream of. It's a wonder I got out of Reno neither married nor broke. When I went to check out of the hotel, my $49-come-$102 room charge included a $3.50 "energy" charge. So that explains why I was so tired when I left Reno.