# Quick CZ trip



## RailFanLNK (Apr 30, 2007)

Hello All,

Decided to take a quick trip to Chicago and take advantage of the fare sale on the "Hot Deals" section of the Amtrak website. I purchased at RT ticket from LNK to CHI for $78.00 and did not want to take a day off work to do this trip so I needed a little luck. I needed the #6 to arrive in LNK at a decent time and it did. The #6 is always late but sometimes REALLY late. The posted arrival time is 4:11am but most times its 6am to 11am. On my departure day 4/28 it rolled into LNK at 5:50am. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! That was Saturday morning and that meant if things went well the rest of the way, I would be in CHI by 5pm with enough time to see Chicago for about 21 hours.

The crew on the #6 was a really good crew. Very friendly and always hustling. They had the 3rd coach car shut down with a trash can in the doorway so the two other coach cars were full. The coach attendent (Michelle was her name I think) constantly walked the coaches. How do I know that? Cuz she had a set of keys that jingled all the time. Didn't bother me, I just always knew it was her. The Assistant Conductor was a woman named Mary from Galesburg. She never sat down or rested as far as I was concerned. I had her on the RT on the #5. She was nice but firm with a few passengers that were less than friendly. We made up time as we neared Chicago. I had a wonderful breakfast with two women that I believe were in their 80's. They were sisters, one from Chicago and one from Maryland, they had taken the CZ to SAC and were returning. We broke bread and broke laughter. They were just great tablemates. I had the Railroad French Toast and part of thier meals as well since they didn't want to waste food. I had lunch with a man and women from Omaha who was going to MTP. They guy just seemed like someone I knew. Being a UPS driver, I know ALOT of people. I finally quit trying to figure it out and figured I had mistaken identity. I had the Angus Burger and it was very good. I really miss the china that I got to use the one time I rode the CZ before SDS. But all the meals were good. After lunch with my friends from Omaha, I went back to coach dumbfounded on how I "might" know this guy. Finally....WALLAH!!!!!!! We use to deliver pizza together at a pizza joint in Lincoln in '89. The whole time he was tellling his girlfriend that he thought he knew ME from somewhere. So I seeked him out in the observation car and we put our clues together. They were on the #5 on Sunday night but didn't get much of a chance to visit with them. We arrived in CUS at 4:50pm. CUS was a real treat to check out. I was in a hurry to get to the HI Hostel so I didn't have much time to "look see" but I did have time the following morning when I was leaving. I think the thing I like the most about the train is that its pleasent, and the "community" spirit aboard. Getting to know people and visiting with them for short bits of time is real nice.

I checked into my Hostel at 5:15pm and there was a tour going to Giadori's (sp?) Pizza, so I went with 12 Girl Scouts, a woman from Montreal, a woman from Paris, 2 Aussies and a 43 year old UPS guy from the US. The pizza was great and it was this forum where I learned about this place and its so close to CUS. After going to blues clubs, eating at Lou Mitchell's on Sunday and generally just "walking around Chicago" I boarded the #5 back to LNK at about 1:30pm. There was only 2 coach cars so the train didn't have an empty seat. I asked the conductor "whats up?" and she didn't know why they were shorted on the consist. On the way back I had the chicken fried steak in the dining car and met a grandmother who goes from McCook NE to Galesburg to see her grand kids. We had a great visit and I ended up in the Dining Car with a husband and wife who are retired teachers from Red Oak Ia. They enjoy Amtrak and have the rail line that Amtrak and BN run on right behind there house. They put out a sign every Christmas wishing the "railroaders" Merry Christmas. Up until a few years ago, an engineer always threw an BN calendar out of train window in a plastic tube for them. He retired so they no longer get a calender/  The trip back was uneventful but a joy. The scenery was real nice and so GREEN! The food was excellent and the Amtrak staff pleaseant. I know I had to have some luck to pull off this quick of a trip, but after eating in the Dining Car, I proceeded back to my seat and was asleep at 9:30 pm and arrived in LNK 8 minutes late at 12:26am. Great trip and can't wait to ride Amtrak in the near future.

Al


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## had8ley (Apr 30, 2007)

rail rookie said:


> Hello All,Decided to take a quick trip to Chicago and take advantage of the fare sale on the "Hot Deals" section of the Amtrak website. I purchased at RT ticket from LNK to CHI for $78.00 and did not want to take a day off work to do this trip so I needed a little luck. I needed the #6 to arrive in LNK at a decent time and it did. The #6 is always late but sometimes REALLY late. The posted arrival time is 4:11am but most times its 6am to 11am. On my departure day 4/28 it rolled into LNK at 5:50am. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! That was Saturday morning and that meant if things went well the rest of the way, I would be in CHI by 5pm with enough time to see Chicago for about 21 hours.
> 
> The crew on the #6 was a really good crew. Very friendly and always hustling. They had the 3rd coach car shut down with a trash can in the doorway so the two other coach cars were full. The coach attendent (Michelle was her name I think) constantly walked the coaches. How do I know that? Cuz she had a set of keys that jingled all the time. Didn't bother me, I just always knew it was her. The Assistant Conductor was a woman named Mary from Galesburg. She never sat down or rested as far as I was concerned. I had her on the RT on the #5. She was nice but firm with a few passengers that were less than friendly. We made up time as we neared Chicago. I had a wonderful breakfast with two women that I believe were in their 80's. They were sisters, one from Chicago and one from Maryland, they had taken the CZ to SAC and were returning. We broke bread and broke laughter. They were just great tablemates. I had the Railroad French Toast and part of thier meals as well since they didn't want to waste food. I had lunch with a man and women from Omaha who was going to MTP. They guy just seemed like someone I knew. Being a UPS driver, I know ALOT of people. I finally quit trying to figure it out and figured I had mistaken identity. I had the Angus Burger and it was very good. I really miss the china that I got to use the one time I rode the CZ before SDS. But all the meals were good. After lunch with my friends from Omaha, I went back to coach dumbfounded on how I "might" know this guy. Finally....WALLAH!!!!!!! We use to deliver pizza together at a pizza joint in Lincoln in '89. The whole time he was tellling his girlfriend that he thought he knew ME from somewhere. So I seeked him out in the observation car and we put our clues together. They were on the #5 on Sunday night but didn't get much of a chance to visit with them. We arrived in CUS at 4:50pm. CUS was a real treat to check out. I was in a hurry to get to the HI Hostel so I didn't have much time to "look see" but I did have time the following morning when I was leaving. I think the thing I like the most about the train is that its pleasent, and the "community" spirit aboard. Getting to know people and visiting with them for short bits of time is real nice.
> 
> ...


Hey Al,

Sounds like a winner to me. We tried to make a "Tuscaloosa turn" on the Crescent out of New Orleans a couple of weeks ago and had to get off in Meridian, MS. #19 was on time and #20 fell down at every red block we came to. Glad somebody enjoyed their trip.


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## Windy City LSA (Apr 30, 2007)

I was hoping you'd post a trip report! I hope you had an enjoyable time. Did you make it to the lakefront? It was a beautiful weekend! I need to figure out a short trip I could take. I miss it.


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## had8ley (Apr 30, 2007)

Windy City LSA said:


> I was hoping you'd post a trip report! I hope you had an enjoyable time. Did you make it to the lakefront? It was a beautiful weekend! I need to figure out a short trip I could take. I miss it.


No trip report but the Meridian ticket agent sure enjoyed the lunch I was trying to bring PJ in Tuscaloosa.


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## Everydaymatters (May 4, 2007)

What a nice trip, Al. Glad you had a great time.


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