# Family Trip Iowa-Atlanta and Back



## coachseats (Jun 24, 2010)

Just got back Monday from a RT from Ottumwa, Iowa to Atlanta, GA. Just a few quick observations and thoughts:

I was worried about if the CZ would be on time for our trip to Chicago due to bad weather and a lot of flooding in the Midwest. Many other CZs have been greatly delayed. But to my surprise a call to Julie that morning said it was right on time. We drove down to Ottumwa, got our tickets printed out (it was an AGR trip the whole way) and soon the train rolled in right on time. Ottumwa's station is nice in that it has a ticket agent, waiting room, covered platforms, plenty of free and safe parking (we even got covered parking since you can pull up under some of the unused platform covers if there is space) and a nice outside area with a fountain and a well taken care of CB&Q steam engine on display.

Trip to CHI was nice and right on time- got in about 1/2 hr. early. This was the first trip for my 1 1/2 year old daughter. We didn't know how she would do on the train but were pleasantly suprised. She was very adaptable, enjoyed not being strapped into a car seat the whole time. She loved looking out the window, climbing on the seat and couch in the bedroom, pushing the reading light on/off button thousands of times, and reading books and playing with toys we had brought. Each trip segment I also took her down to the lounge car so she could stretch her legs a bit and see some new people or meet some other kids. On the total trip we ate lunch twice in the dining car which went OK, but since she was kind of squirmy without her regular high chair, we had the meals brought to our room the rest of the time which worked out well.

In CHI we checked into the metro lounge and left some bags before going for a walk and meeting my brother. To those travelling with children I strongly recommend taking a stroller. I didn't know which one of ours to take, but chose to take the larger jogging stroller. I was glad I did- it served as a luggage cart as well as storage and there was always plenty of room to store it on the train, plus we then had it to use for walks at our destination. The only exception would be when we were on the viewliner sleeper which didn't have space downstairs to store luggage like on the Superliners, but I just took the wheels off and it fit in our room fine.

Then we took the CL to WAS. Again everything was on time and we all slept well. I could see maybe doing one quick night in a roomette with a small child, but I would really recommend getting a bedroom as the larger space, sink to wash hands, shower for bathtime routines was so much nicer. Food was good on the CL, but both ways service was a little slow. I always forget how scenic the trip between PGH and WAS is. This time of the year most of the trip is in daylight, but it sure would be nice if they had another train scheduled for this trip where it was in the middle of the day.

In WAS we checked into the Acela lounge. It looks like there were doing some kind of renovations to the center part of the lounge- I wonder what is planned? We walked over to the Capitol grounds and let our daughter run around on the grass and burn off some steam, then walked down and saw the botanical gardens before returning to the station.

On the Crescent southbound to Atlanta we had one of the nicest sleeper attendants I have ever had. There were actually two attendants for our car since one was training. It was her fourth trip overall and she was doing a great job. She really took the time to explain everything to us, let us know she was there to get us anything we needed and made good freinds with our daughter. She helped with luggage and brought our dinner right on time. She was from New Orleans and said she works on the Crescent and City of New Orleans both as a coach and sleeper attendant. I hope she stays on as she is the kind of customer service oriented employee Amtrak needs. Arrival into Atlanta was right on time where we were picked up by my aunt and spent a few days in GA and NC with family.

The return trip was one we were a little worried about as we couldn't get a sleeper from ATL-WAS since they were all sold out. Actually the whole train was sold out in both coach and sleepers and the ATL station was very busy. One nice thing I found that I hadn't noticed before was a nice courtyard in the ATL station wtih benches, flowers, and a grassy area. The train was about an hour late into ATL so my daughter enjoyed playing with some other kids out there. We got on the coach and she fussed a bit so we went to the lounge car until she fell asleep and then went back to our seats. She slept fine on our laps, we slept on and off throughout the night. In the morning we went back to the lounge car for breakfast and we had made up time overnight as we arrived into WAS right on time. Again, if travelling with small children I would definitley recommend a sleeper, preferably the bedroom, but if you just can't afford it or the alternative is a long car or plane trip I think most kids would do fine in coach. My wife was much relieved that our daughter didn't scream all night long.

Sunday was Father's Day in WAS, so I got to decide what we did. It was beastly hot there so we walked on the mall for awhile then went to the Smithsonian American History museum, which was gratefully well air conditioned. They have some very nice exhibits, including a lot of train information in their transportation exhibit. We had lunch at the old post office pavilion which was very outdated and seeminly hadn't changed since I had been there on a trip in college 15 years ago. We then took the Meto back to Union Station to avoid a long hot walk. Stroller on the Metro worked fine, just had to find the elevators at each station.

CL back to Chicago was uneventful, again trip was right on time the whole way. Had a very good steak from the dining (CCC) car. After the previous night in coach we all slept soundly and didn't wake up until almost to South Bend, IN. In Chicago we again went for a walk and met with my brother and his wife. Had pizza at Giordanos near Union Station. Metro lounge was FULL upon our return with so many trains leaving mid afternoon. On the CZ back to Ottumwa we were in the Denver sleeper, which was on the end of the train, and then they take it off of the train in DEN and put it on the next one back. Our attendant was very nice and helpful. The one arrival delay on our trip was about 30 min. back into Ottumwa due to heavy thunderstorms and flash flooding which the conductor explained required us to slow down from 79 mph to 50 for awhile.

Overall it was a great trip although we were very tired upon return and now need a vacation to recover from our vacation. If considering travelling with small children on Amtrak I would say go for it!


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2010)

Very good report, thanks! This should help people with children planning to travel on Amtrak,I'm impressed that yall found the full coach trip from ATL-WAS enjoyable, glad it was however!


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## the_traveler (Jun 24, 2010)

Good report!






Since it was an AGR award, I would contact Customer Service and see about getting some points returned, since you paid the bedroom level and were forced to go coach from ATL to WAS! Also did you get meals included on that segment or did you have to pay for them?





Also, I'm just wondering if they charged a 2 zone award or a 1 zone award?



ATL is the border of the midwest zone, but you had to (thru no fault of you own) pass thru the eastern zone.


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## Ryan (Jun 24, 2010)

Nice report!

They're fixing some water damage in the CL at WAS. Last I heard (last week) something had gotten messed up with the work and they were going to have to redo a bunch of it, so it's likely to be that way for another few months.


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## coachseats (Jun 24, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> Good report!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I had those same questions when making the reservation- but the AGR agent clearly explained up front what the deal was- bedroom points since 2/3rds of the trip was in a bedroom and 2 zones since we were passing through 2 zones. I certainly could have chosen to not accept it- so we weren't "forced" to go coach ATL-WAS - but we were travelling on short notice to visit an ill relative so it was fine with us. All in all I thought it was a good value for the points spent, especially so since there was no way we would have been able to afford to pay cash for such a trip that would have been well over $1000 had we just paid regular fares.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2010)

You still need to call AGR, just like a paid trip if something goes wrong they will usually refund part or all of your AGR points depending on the circumstances. (On a paid trip of course youd get a travel voucher!)IMO  you desereve a partial refund, coach is NOT first class and food is EXPENSIVE on trains!


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## AlanB (Jun 24, 2010)

He cannot get points back because it was his choice to accept the lower accomodation level because he needed to travel on that day and there were no rooms left at that time. Had Amtrak pulled the sleeper for some reason, or if there was a major problem in the room (like a missing/broken window) and Amtrak had to put him in coach, then yes he would get something for his troubles.

But again, he wanted that trip on that date and agreed at the time of booking to accept the lower accomodation level. Therefore it was his choice and Amtrak will not give him any compensation.


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## KYRR (Jun 24, 2010)

My family and I came into Chicago monday the 14th on the Zephyr. I saw a little girl in the Metropolitan Lounge. Would have been about the same age as your daughter. Big eyes and had a lanyard attached to her so she didn't get away from Mom. Just wondering if I saw your family ?


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## coachseats (Jun 24, 2010)

KYRR said:


> My family and I came into Chicago monday the 14th on the Zephyr. I saw a little girl in the Metropolitan Lounge. Would have been about the same age as your daughter. Big eyes and had a lanyard attached to her so she didn't get away from Mom. Just wondering if I saw your family ?


Yep- that was us! Originally I wasn't in favor of the little monkey backpack with a "leash" that my wife got for our daughter as I generally think leashes are for dogs, but after a short while I am a big supporter. Older kids should know enough to hold mom/dad's hand but for a 16 month old having control kept her safe through all of the stations and places we went, and also kept her out of other people's "personal space" that might not enjoy a visit from a little curious girl who thinks everyone is a potential source for "nummy nummys"!


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## KYRR (Jun 24, 2010)

When I saw your daughter my thoughts were how well that would work with my grandaughter. She is too fast for me sometimes. My family sat just around the little partition to your right in the lounge. When I read the post about the stroller I thought that might have been you. Glad you had a good trip and I enjoyed your trip report.


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