# My First Long Distance - Capitol Limited



## districtRich (Sep 26, 2015)

[SIZE=14.6667px]I decided to book a weekend trip to Chicago and make my first overnight train trip. After looking at the times and fares I booked train 29 on Friday the 25th leaving DC and arriving in Chicago on Saturday morning. The return train ended up being a special train 930 (the normal 30 train was listed as canceled) which was scheduled to leave Chicago on the 26th at 10pm. A special group booked the entire coach portion of the train and worked with Amtrak to change the departure time until 10pm. The only fares for normal sale were sleeper fares. Thankfully, this later departure time would allow me to spend the entire day in Chicago![/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]I arrived at Washington Union Station around 2:30pm on Friday and had my usual Manhattan at the bar in the middle of the main hall. After that I went to the Club Acela to wait to board the Capitol Limited which was scheduled to leave at 4:05pm. The lounge was full and the folks inside seemed to consist of people waiting to board long distance sleepers and business people heading back to NYC. It was interesting to see quite a few Amish passengers in the lounge waiting to board. I later discovered that it’s common for Amish to use the trains instead of planes when traveling.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The attendant called train 29 and led us out onto the platform and we boarded the train. My attendant introduced himself and explained the features of my bedroom. I had planned to book a roomette both was, but the bedroom was cheaper on the way there! I made dinner reservations for 8pm and then I went to the Sightseer Lounge to enjoy the view of the city as we left the station. It took a while for the lounge to fill up, and the view was great leaving the city and the suburbs.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]They called the 8pm group and I went to the dining portion of the combo diner/cafe. I was sweated with another solo diner next to me and two, I believe Japanese, men across the table. It was very quiet at first as everyone ordered and ate dinner. I had the steak which was delicious and then the strawberry cheesecake. Only when dessert came did I finally say something and begin talking to the man next to me. We had a nice conversation and then I went to the lounge to sit and finish the half bottle of wine I bought for dinner. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]When I got back to my bedroom around 10 I sat for a bit and then the attendant came by to the seats into my bed. I finally tried to go to sleep around 11, but it took me a while to fall asleep. I think I only managed to get a couple hours of sleep before I woke up around 6:20am to get ready for breakfast. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]I went to the diner around 6:45am for breakfast and was seated with another solo gentleman and an Amish woman who was eating by herself but traveling with a group. The man was returning to Denver after taking Amtrak to Cumberland and then biking the C&O canal to DC. I thought I heard the Amish woman tell the other man that she was going to Mexico, but it was tough to hear across the table as she was speaking. I had the scrambled eggs and potatoes and some OJ and then went back to my bedroom to shower and get ready for arrival into Chicago.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]We arrived to Chicago Union Station a bit after 9am Central time, and after finding my way out onto the street I walked over to the El and took the Orange line over to Millenium Station to take the Metra Electric line down to the Museum of Science & Industry. I spent the morning walking around the museum to see the exhibits before I took the train back up to the museum campus to go to the Field Museum. What a great museum! I spent a good four hours walking around and acutally reading as many of the exhibit explanations as I could. Being from DC, I’m used to going to the museums, but I don’t always spend a lot of time reading in depth about all the exhibits because I’m usually taking friends or family from out of town around, and we’re trying to do as much as we can in a short amount of time.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]After te Field Museum I walked along the lakefront and then over to Michigan Avenue to walk up to the John Hancock building. I stopped in some shops along the way but after spending a lot to get into the museums I decided not to buy anything. I then bought the ticket to go to the top of the John Hancock building. It was just before sunset so the line was a bit long and it was fairly crowded when I got to the top, but it was still a great view of the city. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]At this point it was 6:30pm and my next plan was to walk over to Lou Malnati’s on the way to Union Station and stop for some deep dish! However, when I turned onto Wells Street there was a line out the door for Lou’s. I decided I would just go back to Union Station and grab some food and sit in the lounge. I went up to the food court and had some McDonald’s which turned out to be a bad idea because when I went down to the Metropolitan Lounge, as soon as I walked in around 7:45 they were saying they were going to board train 930 early so people could eat in the diner even though we weren’t leaving until 10pm! If I had known they were planning to feed us before departure I would have gotten another steak. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Anyway, she took us out onto the platform and the sleeper passengers boarded the train. I ended up with the same attendant as I had on the way to Chicago! This time I was in a roomette though instead of a bedroom. Since I had just eaten I decided to skip dinner in the lounge and take a shower since I had been walking around all day. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]So now here I sit, and it’s just after 9pm. We’re waiting for the special group to get here. I think it’s the Howard University marching band if I deduced correctly. I asked in the lounge who booked and she said it was for the Chicago Football Classic. I Googled that and it was a football game of Howard versus Morgan State. After boarding just now, the attendant said it was a marching band that had booked the coaches, so I assume it’s Howard going back to DC.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Since we don’t leave until 10pm, I think I’ll be turning in by 11 and that way I can get up for breakfast and hopefully enjoy the lounge and ths scenery as we enter Pennsylvania. It’ll be nice to roll into Pittsburgh in daylight! [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]I’ll update the rest of the train ride home once I get back home to DC.[/SIZE]


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## SarahZ (Sep 26, 2015)

We crossed paths all day! 

My Blue Water got into Chicago at 11:30 this morning. I was at the Field Museum from 12 - 2:30, and then I was back at the Metropolitan Lounge at 5:15. My Wolverine left at 6:00.

I'm so glad you enjoyed Chicago!


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## Railroad Bill (Sep 27, 2015)

Sounds like you had a nice ride on the CL, our favorite train and a very enjoyable trip around Chicago. Yes, isn't the Field Museum great?! Hoping the remainder of your trip back to DC along the rivers and through the mountains will be fine as well.


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 27, 2015)

Nice trip! For your next trip to Chicago, consider taking the Boat tour on the Chicago River, it leaves right beside Union Station. ( if the weather is nice!)

Also the Double Decker Bus Tours load close to the Sears Tower ( nee Willis) if you're not into boat trips.

I'd also suggest buying a Day Pass for the L and cruising all over Chicagoland, its a great way to sightsee in the Windy City!

Looking forward to the report on the next leg of your trip from PGH-WAS, since its always been dark in Pennsylvania when I rode the Cap between WAS and CHI.


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## FormerOBS (Sep 27, 2015)

You should enjoy a daylight crossing of the Alleghenies. Who is your attendant?

Tom


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## districtRich (Sep 27, 2015)

Well I just got back home to DC. The return portion of the trip was wonderful. After they boarded all the sleeper passengers early and fed them the surprising dinner the Howard and Morgan State marching band members boarded the coaches, They had their own dining car at the end of the train, but they shared the sightseer lounge and the cafe portion of the main dining car. We left Chicago at 10pm and the train only planned to make stops where crew members changed (Toledo, Pittsburgh, and Cumberland). We went right past all of the other stops. The amount of people in the sleepers was light because of the changed itinerary. My attendant (I think his name was Phil, but I'm horrible with names) made my bed just after 11pm, and I fell asleep shortly thereafter.

I woke up around 6:30am Eastern time and we were in eastern Ohio. I went to the dining car for breakfast and there were maybe 4 other people eating. I sat down and had the French toast special, which was just French toast with potatoes and was seated with a woman from NY who was traveling with her husband. They planned to stop in Pittsburgh for a few days before returning home.

After breakfast I sat in my roomette and watched us roll into western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh. It was great seeing the skyline of the city as we rounded the bends of the river. It's a shame the normal schedule doesn't allow a daytime view of Pittsburgh. We stopped for another crew change which took about 20 minutes and boarded/deboarded a couple of passengers. I took a short break from my roomette and went to the lounge for a bit. It wasn't as full as I expected. I assumed since they had four or five full coaches that it would be packed, but there were still some seats. We had to make a reversing maneuver at one point to get around a stalled freight train, but that only delayed us by about 15 minutes.

Just before Cumberland I went to the dining car to have lunch and was seated with a woman who is from Minnesota but lives near DC now. I had the hamburger which was alright and also some wine. We stopped in Cumberland to change crew again and also to pick up some new passengers who came right to the dining car to eat lunch before we got to DC.

We ended up making a very fast, unplanned stop at Harpers Ferry so one of the crew members could get off and wait for the Capitol Limited that was going back to Chicago. We were planned to arrive just after it left DC.

Overall I enjoyed my trip a lot, and I'm looking forward to taking the Capitol Limited again in December along with the Cardinal.


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## TinCan782 (Sep 27, 2015)

Good hearing you had a good trip on the Capitol Limited.

We did the CL for the first time in early August and enjoyed the ride (both ways). We were on a round trip from Los Angeles to Washington for vacation. Would have liked to have seen more of it in daylight!


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## Railroad Bill (Sep 28, 2015)

Glad you had a good CL trip. Phil is one of the best SCAs. He and Bill usually are teamed up in the two sleeping cars and the dorm car if needed. Yes, it would be nice to see Pittsburgh in daylight. The trip across the bridge into the station is great.


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## Sauve850 (Sep 28, 2015)

I also had Phil as SCA in August heading to DC. He was really good.


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## NETrainfan (Oct 17, 2015)

Very interesting to read your review and observations. We met an Amish couple on a train who were going to Mexico for "alternative"

medical care.


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## Mystic River Dragon (Oct 19, 2015)

Glad you had such a great experience for your first overnight train trip, and that you got to see Pittsburgh in daylight!

Which of the two museums did you like the most?


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## districtRich (Oct 19, 2015)

Mystic River Dragon said:


> Glad you had such a great experience for your first overnight train trip, and that you got to see Pittsburgh in daylight!
> 
> Which of the two museums did you like the most?


I liked the Field museum the best exhibit-wise (although it seemed like a few exhibits could use some sprucing up or updating), and I liked the Science and Industry museum better when it came to the actual building. The wing in the S&I museum that had all the physics exhibits was pretty cool though, and the model train exhibit is pretty neat too.


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