# chuljin's Gathering Mega-trip Part 3



## chuljin (Nov 9, 2009)

Pictures from this part are here.

At about 8:30, IIRC, we went out to board the LSL. Its consist was: 75, 102, 1730, 62036 (4820; me, MrFSS and MrsFSS, EDM and friend Winnie, and hessjm), 25081, 25064, 53509, (BOS/NYP section boundary), 25113, 25083, 25006, 28003, 62037 (4811), 62041 (4812), 1757. I was in roomette 2; charming Illinois Ladies EveryDayMatters and her friend Winnie were across the hall in 1; hessjm was down the hall in 5, and Mr and MrsFSS were around the corner in B. GG-1 and amtrakwolverine were in coach, in 25064 IIRC.

In Part 2, you'll have read about how the difference between Horizon and Amfleet club-dinettes got me...here's an example of how Superliner bedrooms and Viewliner roomettes got me. On the SWC, in a bedroom, I'd gotten used to the idea, when I needed to inspect the plumbing, of leaving all curtains (and sometimes even the door) open, while shutting myself into the little room. I knew that Viewliner roomettes are different, but I made only partial use of this knowledge. While still parked in CHI, I needed to, and so I closed and locked my door, and used the system of straps and velcro and whatnot to completely viewproof the hallway side, then er...prepared to sit down, and sat down. *Then* I realized I'd left the exterior curtains wide open. I quickly ducked down and snapped them shut. We were so far over in the shed that there were many tracks on that side of the car, but fortunately there were no trains nor a single soul on that side. Still, it was a little embarassing. Chris W (saxman) shared that he'd done something similar, sitting, curtains open, without fear in the countryside, then still being seated as the train pulled into a station. 

After we set out, I spent a little time freshening and familiarizing myself with the room, then went to the cafe for a couple of beers with the very interesting hessjm. As we sat there, I remembered that I wanted to at least see, if not take photos or videos, of LaPorte as we went by, but was disappointed when the conductor told us we'd already passed it some 10 minutes before.

I went back and slept a couple hours, woke for the half-hour stop at TOL, slept a couple more hours, and woke for the half-hour stop at CLE. I reboarded at CLE through the coach, and as I was walking back, I saw GG-1 gregariously chatting with three new passengers, who I soon figured out were Micah (ALC_Rail_Writer) and his mom, the lovely Susan (Mrs_ALC_Rail_Writer's_Mom  ), and _*AAARGH!*_. I chatted for a while, too, until the coach attendant came and told us, not literally but in essence, to either shut up or go to the cafe car (this was about 5:30am). I went back and slept again for a while, intending to step off for a bit at Buffalo, but slept right through and didn't wake until shortly after we left Syracuse. I decided to forego breakfast, but later had lunch with (IIRC) hessjm, though I remember not what I had. It was around this time that I also delivered the extra Giordano's pizza to Micah and his mom. I understand from his trip report that they savored it, and from Stephen's (Long Train Runnin') that some of it even made its way to him! That stuff really stretches!

Soon enough, we arrived *near* Albany, and I was perhaps a little disappointed that we didn't get to detrain and watch them cleave the train, which they did before we arrived *at* Albany and could detrain. I took several pictures in and around the station, and here experienced the first minor unpleasantness of the trip. As you'll know, the front of the station, which is actually in Rensselaer, faces away from Albany itself thus: station front, station, tracks, river, Albany. So the best views of Albany are to be had from the sidewalk beside the front of the station. Separating this sidewalk from the steep dropoff to the tracks is a wall about 3 feet high and 3 feet thick, topped with a wrought-iron fence about 3 feet high topped with those ornamental black spikes. I figured the best pictures of Albany would be taken from atop this wall, but knew that it was not meant to be stood on, so I knelt on it and snapped several pictures between the uprights of the fence. As I was getting down, I held the fence to steady myself, and wound up getting a minor, but bloody and major-looking, cut in the middle of my left palm. As I was describing the incident to my hosts in NYC the next week, I called it (due to the position and appearance) my Amtrak Stigmata. I wish I'd thought of that name earlier, because I bet some of you would have enjoyed it. I went into the station restroom and scrubbed it good with soap and water, and was fine. It's almost healed now; all that's left is a tiny 1mm scab.

Soon we were off again. The views in western MA, in an area I understand to be called the Berkshires, were quite nice, until it started to get dark. We got to SPG pretty late, and were made even later by the next minor unpleasantness: we stopped between SPG and WOR for an awful long time (seemed like a little under an hour) because both engines had stopped. As I'm more interested in the 'let someone else drive' and/or 'cruise on steel wheels' aspect of rail travel, I admit to little knowledge of what goes on below the floor of the car or before the front of the first car, but the way I understood it is that one engine died, and while trying to restart it, they wound up making the computers controlling *both* engines crash. There was a clear view out the back window of the cafe car, now the last car of the BOS section, and we could see train headlights approaching. I and others first thought it was a relief engine sent from ALB, then on learning it was a CSX freight, that they were going to give us a push to BOS. Nooooo...they were going to push us into a hole. Eventually, we got going again, fortunately, and arrived at BOS at around 10pm.

I'd found out during this part of the trip that Betty (EDM) and Winnie were coincidentally in the same hotel as me. Said hotel is about 3/4 mile south of the JFK/UMass Red Line station, to/from which they have a free shuttle, but we didn't want to unpuzzle it that late at night, so we three opted for a taxi.

I checked in and watched TV for a little while, then settled in for a good night's sleep to prepare for the first full day in Boston, i.e. the official pre-Gathering morning commuter ride and my first ride on Acela (q.v. in Part 4).


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## AAARGH! (Nov 9, 2009)

Geeeesh, am I that forgetable? I was sitting right in front of Micah (ALC) and his mom on the LSL when you were chatting with them, Eric (GG-1), and Kevin (AmtrakWolverine). I got on in Cleveland too.

Actually you are the second person to mention the LSL leg, but not me. I'm beggining to get a complex! :blink: :blink: 

Just poking fun. No hard feelings.

And for the record, it was me making too much noise such that we needed to get shushed by a customer and coach attendant. Guilty as charged.


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## chuljin (Nov 9, 2009)

:lol: :lol: I remember you clearly once everyone had gathered...after all, you were my only friend on the northbound Downeastuh.  In my defense, it was 5am when I first met you. :lol: :lol:


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## AAARGH! (Nov 9, 2009)

chuljin said:


> In my defense, it was 5am when I first met you. :lol: :lol:


Good excuse! I'm that way too at 5:00am.


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## GG-1 (Nov 10, 2009)

AAARGH! said:


> chuljin said:
> 
> 
> > In my defense, it was 5am when I first met you. :lol: :lol:
> ...


*5:00AM* does that exist? And who was that lady(that complained about talking), I can't remember anyone but us there.

Aloha

Eric


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## ALC Rail Writer (Nov 10, 2009)

GG-1 said:


> AAARGH! said:
> 
> 
> > chuljin said:
> ...


She complained... twice.


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## AAARGH! (Nov 10, 2009)

ALC_Rail_Writer said:


> GG-1 said:
> 
> 
> > AAARGH! said:
> ...


She was two rows in front of me, three in front of Micah/Susan. She was irritated mostly because she had not smoked in a while. She admitted that to me in Buffalo and apologized for being so abrupt. This while smoking another cigarette.


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## MrFSS (Nov 10, 2009)

chuljin said:


> . . .and Mr and MrsFSS were around the corner in B.


Actually we were in A - B and H were never used during the trip. Eric could have upgraded!


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## saxman (Nov 19, 2009)

Hahaha, you mentioned my story! That was funny. Although what made it worse was the fact that my window ended up right at a road crossing with several cars lined up to see me sitting on the john in my roomette. I had to duck.


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