# 2 weeks till my trip!



## TraderTif (May 27, 2003)

Only 2 weeks to go till I catch the Lakeshore Ltd. out of Albany and then catch the CA Zephyr out of Chicago to Burlington, IA. (and then back about 2 weeks later).

The last time I took this trip (except I got off at Ottumwa, IA) about 2 years ago, I had a great time going out!! The sleeping car guy was really great (and I heard him collecting some really big tips at the end too) and everything was pretty much on time. However, the trip back was really, really awful! The Zephyr was late (like, 8 or 9 hours), and we missed the connection in Chicago, so they put us all up in a hotel (it took us 1 hour just to check in because there were 5 busloads of amtrak people waiting in line) and then the hotel room was bad (not amtrak's fault, I know) and the AC fell out of the wall and rain leaked in (sheesh). And then we spent the ENTIRE next day in the Metro Lounge trying to find out if we could get our sleepers on the Lakeshore Ltd. (no). I guess they were all full (and so was the Metro Lounge, with the busloads of people from the hotel) So, they got us all crammed in coach on the Lakeshore Ltd. (which left late, because they held it for people making connections). I'm telling you, people were MAD!! It's the only time I've seen 3 different people actually ejected from the train by amtrak people because they were so angry I thought they were going to start punching people. But we finally got out, and the next day we were still running late, but I was almost back to Albany, and I couldn't wait to get home and get some SLEEP......but then.....about 3 miles outside the station the crew hit their work limit, and we had to stop.....and we sat there.......on the tracks.......3 miles outside my station.......for 2.5 hours!!! I mean, people were FUMING!!

Needless to say, I am a bit concerned about this happening again....I really hope that the Zephyr gets back in time to make the connection!!! PLEASE!!

Wish me luck!

Tif =


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## Bill Haithcoat (May 27, 2003)

Well, there are no guarantees.....but for what it is worth....I hope your upcoming trip is nothing like the above eastbound. I can tell you that I have traveled many miles, a number of them on the CZ, and I have never had a disgusting spectacle such as you describe happen to me.....so the odds are, it will go much better than all that.


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## amtrakadirondack (Jun 3, 2003)

Hope you have fun!!!


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## Chris (Jun 3, 2003)

We'll be taking the same trip in Sept. except we will be leaving from

NYP and going all the way to Emeryville. We got sleeplers on both trains

and we are totaly looking forward to it. I've only taken the train on day

trips, so this should be totaly cool. It seems like the best idea would be to

lay up in Chicago overnight on the eastbound trip just incase. Because

of the time, we are flying out from SFO to JFK on the fly/rail deal. Hope

you have a great trip, and we will be looking forward to your posts when

you get back.


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## battalion51 (Jun 6, 2003)

I too will soon be making a trip (then again its almost a weekly occurance for me). I will travel long distance for a change taking 98 from JAX-BAL (2 in the 11) for the 2003 NRHS Convention. On the return I will take 195 from BAL-WAS, and then 91 from WAS-FTL (2 in the 10). I'm looking forward to the trip, and will also tour Amtrak's Wilmington Maintenence Facility on the trip, expect a full trip report, as well as hundreds of images on my website middle of next month.


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## tp49 (Jun 6, 2003)

I have always wanted to do the Emeryville-NYP trip, please post a trip report here when you get back.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Jun 9, 2003)

B51-(as well as everyone else) ---have a good trip, also.


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Jun 30, 2003)

Once again, Have a great time!


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