# First Amtrak Trip Report



## wjh2 (May 16, 2015)

On April 26, I started my first Amtrak journey from Kansas City, MO to Washington D.C. and back. Overall it was a great experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I arrived at Kansas City Union Station at 6:45 AM, I was informed via text message and automated phone message that Amtrak 4 Southwest Chief would be delayed. I had planned for it and was mostly worried making my connection in Chicago. I finally boarded at around 9:45.

When I was ready to board and occupy my roommette, the SCA was apologetic that the room wasn't ready for me and kindly asked me if I could wait in the Sightseer Lounge. This was no big deal for me as I was glad to be on board. About 5 minutes after we left Kansas City, the room was ready. We didn't waste no time once we were moving and were going 90 MPH. I had lunch at 12:15 and orded the Angus Steak Burger which was delicious. This was about the time we arrived in La Plata, MO and lost electrical power. It was quickly fixed and we were on our way. The rest of the way was uneventful and we arrived in Chicago around 5:30.

Once I was in Chicago Union Station I found the Metropolitan Lounge and checked in. It's a nice place and quite relaxing to just sit back. I boarded the Capitol Limited around 6:15 and we left on time. That evening I ordered the Signature Steak which so delicious and prepared very well. Everything went fine until about bed time. I had forgotten where the time zone changed and so I had trouble sleeping in my roommette. I left the curtains open on the window and kept looking out of the window seeing what I was missing. I was finally able to catch some shut eye and woke up somewhere in Pennsylvania and ordered the scrambled eggs for breakfast. We arrived in Washingon D.C. about 15 minutes early.

My folks decided to drive from Kansas to Washington D.C. and they were stressed from driving all that way. They met me in Union Station and we caught the shuttle bus to the hotel. We toured about half of the Smithsonian museums, the national monuments, Ford's Theatre, and other sites.

On May 2, we boarded the Northeast Regional to take a day trip to Philadelphia to see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. We headed back to 30th Street Station and waited for the Northeast Regional to return back to Washington. I liked the 30th Street Station and found it very relaxing. We had a nice trip back and the only problem was I kept falling asleep. Last Tuesday, we were kind of shaken up upon learning about the derailment, but it put my mind at ease knowing that we got off before that train went through that curve.

I left Washington D.C. on May 8 on the Capitol Limited. I ordered the Salmon dinner that night and it was delicious. I slept better that night and enjoyed it. We arrived into Chicago around 10:30. I left my bag in the Metropolitan lounge and attended the Amtrak Train days. I also enjoyed a great lunch at the Metro Deli. The Amtrak exhibit train was worth going though. I headed back to Metropolitan Lounge and waited to board the Southwest Chief. I arrived in Kansas City on time and checked into my hotel.

While this was my first Amtrak trip, it definitely won't be my last.


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## caravanman (May 17, 2015)

Glad you enjoyed the trip, overall, and it sounds as if the train food was pretty good too.

Thanks for posting your report.

Ed


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## Bob Dylan (May 17, 2015)

Thanks for sharing! Have your folks decided that next trip they should ride the train and leave the driving to Amtrak? Smiles

And for your next trip on Amtrak, consider going West!


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## TraneMan (May 17, 2015)

wjh2 said:


> My folks decided to drive from Kansas to Washington D.C. and they were stressed from driving all that way. They met me in Union Station and we caught the shuttle bus to the hotel. We toured about half of the Smithsonian museums, the national monuments, Ford's Theatre, and other sites.


Too bad your parents didn't join you.. Why didn't they? Hope you had videos and photos that you shared with them to see how stress free the travel was.


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## KmH (May 17, 2015)

Thanks for your report, and welcome to the growing cadre of Amtrak train passengers.


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## crabby_appleton1950 (May 17, 2015)

Thanks for your report. I found it very interesting. I've been to Washington a number of times and really enjoyed the sites, especially the museums.

My trips to D.C. were years before computers and I can't recall today how I planned my travels, how I found hotels,

or how I found my way to the attractions around town via public transit. I suspect I used library resources similar to the Mobile Travel Guides.

When I hear the expression "_A great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there_" I always think of D.C.

I'll be on the Southwest Chief this Tuesday (5/19) for a round trip ABQ-LAX-SAN. And I'm booked in a lower level roomette.

I hope my roomette will be ready for me upon boarding as I have a problem with stairs and would hate to need go wait in the upper level lounge car.

The food sounds great. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to it.

Again, thanks for your report. If you think of anything else, please be sure to add it here as I'd find it interesting.


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## wjh2 (May 17, 2015)

jimhudson said:


> Thanks for sharing! Have your folks decided that next trip they should ride the train and leave the driving to Amtrak? Smiles
> 
> And for your next trip on Amtrak, consider going West!


I have decided to go West on my next trip, but I haven't decided where. I was thinking the Grand Canyon or take the Coast Starlight and go to Seattle.

My folks enjoyed the trip from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia and back, and they are talking about a trip via Amtrak somewhere in the future.


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## wjh2 (May 17, 2015)

TraneMan said:


> wjh2 said:
> 
> 
> > My folks decided to drive from Kansas to Washington D.C. and they were stressed from driving all that way. They met me in Union Station and we caught the shuttle bus to the hotel. We toured about half of the Smithsonian museums, the national monuments, Ford's Theatre, and other sites.
> ...


My parents did not join me because they decided to drive to North Carolina and Tennessee on the way home. When they returned home, they complained about traffic and missing exits. I had taken about 100 photos when I arrived in Washington D.C. and still tell them and co-workers stories about the great times I had onboard. The sad thing was I didn't want to get off and return to work.


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## wjh2 (May 17, 2015)

crabby_appleton1950 said:


> Thanks for your report. I found it very interesting. I've been to Washington a number of times and really enjoyed the sites, especially the museums.
> 
> My trips to D.C. were years before computers and I can't recall today how I planned my travels, how I found hotels,
> 
> ...


I hope for your sake that your room is ready. If you talk to the Sleeping Car Attendent, I am sure they will understand. Taking a shower can be tricky, but it takes a little getting used to. I thought the Superliner shower had a chair to sit on, but the showers on the Capitol Limited required standing.

The food overall was pretty good and I have had some nasty food in my day so Amtrak's food is good.

There are a couple of things I should have brought with me to make my night's sleep a little more enjoyable. I should have taken ear plugs and house shoes for the middle of the night bathroom runs. The noise isn't bad unless passing freight trains and hitting switches.

Anyway, enjoy your trip and I hope you have a great time.


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## PaulM (May 17, 2015)

TraneMan said:


> Too bad your parents didn't join you.. Why didn't they?


A lack of imagination?

PS. Always glad to see a new satisfied customer.


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## Ryan (May 17, 2015)

Great trip report, glad to hear you enjoyed the train!



crabby_appleton1950 said:


> When I hear the expression "_A great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there_" I always think of D.C.


That's funny, as a native Washingtonian, I much prefer "_A great place to live, would be greater if it weren't for all the damn tourists_".


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## bobnjulie (May 17, 2015)

Sounds a lot like my first trip... was too excited to sleep and didn't want to miss a mile  By the time we hit Glacier, I was a cranky zombie. I've learned to try and stay in my sleep routine but I still don't close the curtain


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## MrEd (May 18, 2015)

thanks for the trip report.


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## Mystic River Dragon (May 18, 2015)

Thank you for the delightful trip report--you covered a lot of different things on your first trip!


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## Bob Dylan (May 18, 2015)

Ryan said:


> Great trip report, glad to hear you enjoyed the train!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


ROTFLMAO! Good one Ryan, I spent 25 years in the Beltway and lived to tell about it!!


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## John (May 18, 2015)

Jim:

Just posted a trip report of my own and enjoyed reading yours. I would highly recommend the out west trip as I would take the Zephyr again in a heart beat.


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