# Hutchinson, KS to Philadelphia, PA & back



## Midland Valley (Mar 28, 2006)

It came and went all too quickly. What a glorious time with my two youngest sons! We left the train station at Hutchinson right on time, 2:21 AM March 19, for Chicago in the coaches. The train moved about 1/4 mile and while the conductor was taking our tickets, I heard someone say something on his communicator. All I could get was "....off the track.." and he said Oh No! Gotta go! and took off. We sat there about 30 minutes and I never did find out what happened but must have hit something placed along the track. Anyway we still made it to Chicago a little early. We went to the Metropolitan lounge and were in and out untill our #30 train left about 1 hour late. We boarded our bedroom E/3000 and settled in. Our supper was great. I had the Braised Beef/baked potato, and the boys had the special, salisbury steak/mashed potatoes. We had the chocholate bundt cake with whipped cream for dessert. Played cards in the lower level of the lounge and went to bed fairly early. I got up early and went to the Diner for breakfast and had the keish and croisant and it wasn't bad, but as we had spoklen earlier, its not two eggs over easy either.

I had forgotted the CL followed the old canal and still had the locks and houses in several areas intact. We arrived in Chicago about 45 minutes before we boarded the 148 for Phil. I had a red cap help me with the luggage so we could board early and get plenty of space for our bags and actually had seats that faced each other. I don't know how fast the train went but it was better than 90 I'll bet.

We arrived right on time into 30th Street and took a cab to our hotel near the convention center. We used the old Reading Terminal for our entrypoint to the shopping mall and the PATCO train to New Jersey to see the BB New Jersey. It was quite a sight to take the train over the Ben Franklin Bridge and back. We went up into the old train shed for the reading terminal; marvelous old room that used to have 16 or 18 tracks.

Coming home on the 23, we spent a couple of hours in beautiful old 30th street station and saw Ben Franklin, (or at least the guy the city hires to dress up like him for the B.F. Tercentennary). Our train #125 left on time for DC and again we didn't have time to mess around in WUS before we boarded #29 and bedroom E/3000 again. Had the same supper and it was just as good as the first. Watched a good movie in the lounge, "Elizabeth Town". Went to bed fairly early and slept well. It worked out pretty good to share the lower berth with the youngest boy.

Since I fast on Friday morning and noon, I didn't go to breakfast. I enjoyed seeing again the old New York Central cars and locos at Elkhart. We arrived into Chicago about 1 hr late and pulled onto the BNSF line to make the back up into CUS. They had some problems getting some freight cars to come off the end of the train, (I thought they had stopped hauling freight) so that detained us another 45 minutes. The CNO had to go over the overpass to get around us and make their back up.

We still had plenty of time to relax in the Metropolitan lounge before an on time departure with a full train that just got fuller as we went. We had two roometts out of Chicago. The Chief still had china, glass and full food service. All three of us had the flat iron steak. And chocolate cake with icecream. Unkfortunately the train was on time getting into Hutchinson so we detrained at 4:00 AM. All of the staff was great and helpful and fun to visit with, even the dining car staff made it fun. I need a good excuse to plan my next rip, I'll probably have to take the wife on it; she deserves it.


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## AlanB (Mar 28, 2006)

Midland Valley said:


> I had forgotted the CL followed the old canal and still had the locks and houses in several areas intact. We arrived in Chicago about 45 minutes before we boarded the 148 for Phil.


That must have been a neat trick to leave Chicago and arrive back into Chicago on the very same train. :lol:

Otherwise, a great report. Thanks for it and I'm glad you had a great time.


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## GG-1 (Mar 28, 2006)

Mahalo sorta felt like old home, wish more understood how important enjoying the trip can be as opposed to getting there. It is all good.


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## Sam Damon (Mar 30, 2006)

Nice to hear of another good Amtrak experience... when you hang around here a bit, the negativity at times can bring you down a bit.


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## AmtrakFan (Mar 30, 2006)

Midland Valley,

They have to haul Reffers because the Court ordered them to during Express Trak's Bankruptcy Preceedings.


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## Midland Valley (Mar 31, 2006)

Thanks for the info on that.


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