# Pittsburgh to Salt Lake City (round trip) Nov 2012



## librarian (Nov 22, 2012)

The opportunity to use Amtrak to go to Salt Lake City for a computer conference became a reality in late summer, so I booked online and was able to snag roomettes for the whole trip at a reasonable price, returning right before the Thanksgiving travel season. My neighbor took me to the Amtrak Pittsburgh Station about 9:00 pm on Nov 9. About 25 people from Train 43 were waiting in the station, others were exploring downtown Pittsburgh before the 11:59 pm departure of Train 29 for Chicago. Some had ordered food from the restaurant menus kept at the ticket counter. A crowd of about 60 people had developed by train time, and 29 was on time tonight. There appeared to be two of us boarding the 2900 sleeper, I had printed my first eTicket and Larry scanned it.

I had taken a nap beforehand to try and see as much of the trip to Chicago, but that failed after Alliance, OH, although I do wake up at every stop. Breakfast was served as we crossed NW Ohio nearing Indiana, and I enjoyed an omlet and excellent service. I napped before arriving into Chicago, and checked into the Metropolitan Lounge at CUS. It was a cold day in Chicago, and I took only a short walk around the block and then watched as the Great Hall was returned to a waiting area after some event. It was interesting to see the huge rooms around the Hall that are used for storage today. I went upstairs to try the Gold Coast Dogs, as several have mentioned it for lunch. It wasn't the most exciting lunch I have ever had.

They "collected" tickets for Train 5 in the Lounge, and was the only time my eTicket wasn't "scanned," a manual check mark on a sheet of paper was the checkin. The California Zephyr left on time, and coach passengers were warned not to place luggage on seats as the train would be full by Iowa. I was in Room 13 of the 531 sleeper, actually all of my rooms were downstairs on the whole trip and I feel there are advantages to downstairs rooms. As long as I am on a train, I don't care which level I occupy. Crossing the new railroad bridge at Burlington, Iowa was a highlight, the new bridge structure seems huge from inside the train!

It started to rain across Iowa, and by Omaha it was pouring rain causing me to remain on board during the stop. By Lincoln, the rain had turned to wet snow which blanketed the ground the rest of the way to Salt Lake City. I was awake at Holdgreve and McCook, NE to watch an air hose being replaced on our car after the snow and ice was removed from the connection. We arrived into Denver a little late after breakfast in a rather empty Diner. After backing into the temporary Amtrak Station at Denver, I enjoyed the cold air as the train was serviced, and listened to boarding passengers tell their tales of trying to find the temporary station (or their taxi driver). An announcement was made that departure would be delayed due to a broken rail right in front of the locomotive. Inspection found that the train could be "walked over the broken rail" allowing us to proceed. About an hour late, we creeped out of the station.

The journey up the front range of the Rockies is always spectacular, but I continue to be amazed how some people sit in the Sightseer Lounge with some eDevice in hand ignoring the scenery. Guess it is a sign of the times. We found snow on the ground clear to Salt Lake City, arriving nearly on time. I followed the taxi signs to the neighboring Transit Center, and located one taxi already with a passenger, the driver saying he would radio another taxi for me. For about ten minutes, I stood on the curb at the desolate pick-up point until the promised taxi arrived.

Five days later, my hotel called a taxi at 2:00 am for my return trip to the Amtrak Station in Salt Lake City. About halfway there, the driver asked, "Do you know where the Station is located?" I told him it was straight ahead by the RR tracks, but then he didn't know where to let me out as the station is blocked by light rail tracks. The front door is closed and locked, and you have to go "around the back." I found two other passengers in the station, sound asleep. About 25 people showed up by 3:00 am, Train 6 was a few minutes late. The Conductor came into the Station and scanned our tickets before the train arrived, and gave us seat/room checks that were already prepared. People seemed to have quite an assortment of eTickets, some requiring manual keying of the numbers. I never saw an eTicket on a smart phone, but I am sure it happens.

William was my attendant on the return CZ trip and was most accommodating. The snow had started to melt along the return. I was in 631 Room 11 on the return. We arrived 45 minutes early into Denver, but lost the whole time in the moves required to back into the station. It will be interesting to see the changes to the station in Denver, a railfan was grumbling about the new "dome" over the tracks and the loss of the traditional platform covers. We started to leave ontime, then stopped due to freight traffic that had to be cleared first. Probably a good thing, as our car's water valve had not be turned back on after filling, and the Conductor had to exit and take care of it.

The trip back to Chicago was uneventful until our car's toilets overflowed someplace in Illinois. Poor William had to attend to the mess and tell everyone to go to the other sleeper to use the restrooms. We arrived in Chicago on time, and I simply waited in the Lounge and chatted with new friends who were also returning on Train 30.

The Capitol Ltd. left ontime with a full load with not a seat or room available. My dinner reservation was for 7:30 which was called early as even with a full passenger load, the Diner was not full. The Capitol Ltd. Dining Car staff is efficient and smooth with their service. I retired to 3001 Room 13 for the evening and watched the stations pass until Toledo. My car attendant was Carlos, a delightful and busy fellow who checked on all of his passengers several times during the evening.

About 1:00 am, I awoke to find us stopped east of Elyria, OH behind a broken freight train. It was past 3:30 before we moved, finally reaching the Cleveland Station. We continued eastward, but at 5:15 am Carlos came on the P.A. to say good morning and deliver the bad news that the delay would cause us to lose the window and force busing of passengers east of Pittsburgh, due to the CSX construction schedule at Cumberland, MD. Carlos earned his pay, as the Dining Car staff served a breakfast to each sleeper room and helped folks get ready for the change in transportation. Transfers to Train 42 at Pittsburgh would continue, and departure at PGH would also be possible, Connelsville and Cumberland passengers would stay on the train, but Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry, Rockville, and D.C. folks would need to exit the train and take the bus at Pittsburgh.

An interesting end to my trip.


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## MrEd (Nov 23, 2012)

Thanks for the report.


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## greatcats (Nov 23, 2012)

You wrote a nice report. I thought that " missing the window " bussing from Pittsburgh was done with several months ago, which was to have taken place over a thirteen month period. I am glad we missed that feature when we arrived Washington on Nov. 2. Anybody know why this is still occurring. I don't see anything about it in the Amtrak notices.


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## Blackwolf (Nov 23, 2012)

No kidding! The once long-standing Service Alert regarding the CSX construction poofed several months ago now, further making me and others think that it was over with. I sure hope there will be no Bustitution coming up in December! I'd never hear the end of it from Mrs. Blackwolf.


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## NETrainfan (Dec 8, 2012)

Nice report. We also have wondered about people not watching the scenery on some of the very scenic routes. Perhaps they travel these

routes frequently- so the scenery isn't new. But- I hardly read anything on a train as I don't want to miss the scenery- even in the less scenic

areas.


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## Steel City Don (Dec 9, 2012)

Nice report. I am due for an Amtrak trip, been A while.


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## OlympianHiawatha (Dec 9, 2012)

NETrainfan said:


> Nice report. We also have wondered about people not watching the scenery on some of the very scenic routes. Perhaps they travel these
> 
> routes frequently- so the scenery isn't new. But- I hardly read anything on a train as I don't want to miss the scenery- even in the less scenic
> 
> areas.


I am the same way regarding scenery and am always amazed how many folks have their noses buried in a computer, TV screen or some other gadget. I can, though, understand if they have been through that area countless times. The couple of times I have been through Donner Pass nearly half the folks in the Sightseer Lounge weren't paying a lick of attention to the outside or the Guides and many of these "guilty" folks were obviously vacationers.


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