# My Seattle/Chicago/NYC return trip



## skyguy (May 16, 2010)

Hello, all:

I’ve just returned from a Seattle – Chicago – New York, return trip and thought I’d share a few notes:

We’d come down from Vancouver, Canada, leaving early in the day. We could have easily caught the Empire Builder’s p.m. departure but my wife and I thought we’d overnight and shop in Seattle for food and drink to take on our trip and enjoy the city for a day and a half.

Our room (E) on the Builder was on train left giving a great view of the sound as we headed for Everett and after that, north views till the train turned south to Chicago. We’d opted for a room on the Empire Builder since it was a two sleep journey but when we changed trains in Chicago to the Lake Shore Limited, we took a roomette, the same format as our return trip.

Our room was exactly as expected: compact, sparse, tidy yet cozy. Everything worked, few things rattled. Thanks to this forum, I packed a few things like duct tape, clothes pegs, a power bar plus a few other items that proved to be worthy of taking up space in my carry on. The amenity bags were a nice touch event though we didn’t need two of everything. We’ve seen and used the products included in the bags at some upscale hotels in New York so the stuff’s good.

The meals on the train(s) for the most part were un spectacular. Not horrible, but certainly not haute cuisine. The crew can only do so much with the equipment at their disposal. Clearly the meals were brought in from a commissary and heated as required. Breakfasts were always good and the first day’s meals were better than the second day’s meals. On the Lake Shore, they have a completely different operational system from which, IHMO the meals were , on the whole, better than the EB.

The wine and cheese party was after lunch on the second day. Nice wines and interesting cheeses. Wine and cheeses are always a good way to meet people, and enjoying the mutual experience of the train and you can start some interesting conversations. The trivia questions session at the end was fun. More so if one took home a bottle at the end.

Our cabin crew were very attentive although the eastbound folks were a bit more effervescent than the west bound. For those folks that trip is the end of a six day stint on the rails. When they get to Seattle they have five days off. That crew was tired and it showed.

It was fun to have a scanner along. My son set me up with one and I used it from time to time but since the trip was, for the most part, uneventful, there wasn’t much chatter but we did eavesdrop on some interesting conversations such as some unruly passengers who chose not to honor their bar and meal tab and so were ejected at the next stop and someone else being ejected by Boarder Security. I was constantly amazed on how well coordinated the trains were and what the controllers were going through sometimes. Some of that action allowed us to make up an hour an a half on the west bound leg that resulted from a faulty switch.

Union Station in Chicago was an amazing sight although most of the Amtrak action takes place across the street. On our eastbound leg, the Union part of the station was closed for a fundraising do so we could not see in but we did catch it on our westbound leg.

We had a six or so hour layover in Chicago before getting on the Lake Shore Limited so, again, thanks to this forum, I had a ‘hit list’ of things to do and first was to take the water taxi to Michigan Street and walk up to the “Billy Goat Tavern”, a bizarre hole in the wall that was the idea behind the “Cheeseburger, cheseburger, cheeseburger” skit on Saturday Night Live. Of course I had a ‘cheboogor’ and a local brew. Then we wandered about town checking out a few places that we’ll be visiting in a week or so on our return trip home

The Lake Shore Limited boarded we sleepers about an hour prior to the coach riders and treated us to a wine and cheese in diner while at the station. Why not, it would have been very difficult to attempt while ‘on the road’. Less spillage and larger pours!

Our roomette (#1) was train right and that put us on the river side of the leg down the Hudson from Albany. Lots of history on that river, boy! As we passed West Point we saw about 6 parachutists, one by one, gliding in for a landing over the academy walls. Cool!

Then New York.

I won’t bore you with the details of our vacation but we mastered the Subway system and participated in the 5 boro bike tour and had lots of fun.

Our LSL out of NYC, like every train so far, left right on time. We were, again, train right, that meant that our roomette view was facing away from the river. It was nice to see that part of the valley, too. The run from Albany to Chicago was mostly industrial but there were long stretches of well manicured farms and quaint villages and towns that made up for the industrial landscape. I rather enjoyed seeing some recognized manufacturers as we went through upper New York ,Ohio and Illinois. It was also very sad to see so many factories shut down and in a poor state of health.

Chicago for three days.

For me, Chicago was an unknown except for TV shows. Great town. Go if you’ve never been. Go back if you have. Enjoy the “EL”.

Empire Builder to Seattle.

We left Chicago on the 9th, the day after Train Day. Union Station and Amtrak did a big thing at the station but we were missed it but saw the wonderful result of their effort waiting for us on the platform; a three car consist at the end of our Empire Builder made up of an old lounge car with an exterior ‘waving’ platform, a dome care and a beautiful tapered lounge car from the Hiawatha line. Apparently they were brought to Chicago from St. Paul for Train Day. We saw them in the yards at St. Paul on our way east. Of course they were rented by someone that didn’t wish to be disturbed but it (they) got lots of attention. On more than one level crossing, train spotters had set up their cameras to get a view of those cars in tow. I felt rather proud of that .

As noted, the crew was tired, the food mediocre, the wine and cheese fun and so were the people we met at our meals. Indeed, that’s one of the things about train travel, you meet so many (but not too many) people taking the trains for different reasons. On the eastbound leg a lot of people were going to visit their Moms or to attend a family member’s graduation. On the way home we met a lot of folk heading to Seattle/Vancouver to catch an Alaska Cruise.

This trip was so much fun that we’re going to take another this October: Los Angeles to San Francisco then (after 3 days in SF) from there to Seattle after getting to LA via cruise ship.

Thanks to everyone on this form for making this trip that much better. Looking forward to the next ride…..


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## Guest (May 16, 2010)

Thanks for the report, glad you enjoyed the trip, and what good fortune to be able to go on so many great trains and too such beautiful cities! The point about the Westbound crews being tired is true of all crews that do turnarounds on the LD trains except for the Sunset Ltd. since the crew gets to rest up a couple of days in NOL (is that possible? )I am surprised that yall found the food on the LSL better than the Builder, most people feel the opposite is true,including me based on experience!


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## Cascadia (May 20, 2010)

I have some AGR points burning a hole in my pocket, man your trip sounds great, I am right here by you in Bellingham so it would be the same logistics leaving from here. I would like to take the Adirondack north from New York, I have never been in that part of the country but my family roots are there.

I have looked at the thing you are doing in October too, taking a repositioning cruise to L.A. then the Coast Starlight north, wouldn't that be a great trip, I am glad you are doing that.

My folks are coming from Minneapolis on the Empire Builder THIS WEEK, they will be here Sunday, they are so excited, and of course reading your trip report makes me so happy for them, I know they are going to have a great time.


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