# Jamie's trip report - part 1



## amtrakmichigan (Dec 1, 2003)

Well this is my first time writing a trip report, so let's see how it goes 

I am going to write this in a few different parts as time permits. This will be part 1 of at least 4 reports for my trip from Dearborn, Mi to Kississmee, Fl. My wife Kim, Daughter Danielle, and myself traveled almost 4,000 miles on our voyage.

There will be a few consists that I didn't get a chance to write down car numbers on some of the cars. I also didn't write down any of the locomotive # either.

PART 1

Friday November 14, 2003 - Train#351 "Wolverine" 3 Business Class seats

We departed Dearborn, Mi (home of Ford Motor Co.) at 8:20 am 17 minutes late on our way to Chicago. besides the 3 of us, my two good friends Mike and Bill rode along with us to Chicago. they were just going for the weekend and would return home on that Sunday. Anytime we go to Chicago on the train, I always take a double bowling ball bag with me with a small cooler in the middle of it. Before we leave I will buy some 20 oz bottles of pop (soda) pour out some of the pop and add some whiskey or rum or whatever my friends would like to make a nice cold mixed drink that looks like a plain bottle of coke. I know what Amtrak's official rule is regarding personell stock of booze, but never had anybody ever question me about my "pop" in several trips to and from Chicago. It almost seems that they know, but look the other way as long as you don't become stupidly drunk, or become a problem, and as long as it's hidden and not tearing open a case of beer or pulling out a fifth of booze in front of everyone. I always still purchase a mixed drink from the lounge to patronize Amtrak when I bring my own supply.

We had a nice ride to Chicago, the latest our train was running at one point was 37 minutes late at Niles, Mi but still arrived into Chicago on time due to a little padding. Our lounge car attendent was Henry Lanoir a very nice older gentlemen that seemed to enjoy his job. He came up to see us in Business Class shortly after departing dearborn and made a few jokes and wise cracks (in good nature of corse) and told us all of his friends call him Hank. But he didn't care if he called him Henry or Hank. He gave us our Business Class voucher toward $4.50 on food or drink in the the lounge. I remember Hank was the attendent on at least one of my prior trips and he beleaves in taking "good care" of the Business Class people. The big thing that he does for the Business Class people is he will let us come up to the counter and be served right away instead of making us get in line which can reach to the next coach car. I thanked Hank for the good service. Hank told me he does that because he personelly beleaves that Business Class should have some extras such as the quick counter service even when there is 40 people from coach waiting in line. Most good attendents will keep an eye open to who is coming and going in Business Class. I have witnessed a few times where a attendent will throw a coach passenger out of Business Class just because they want to go to the toilet. Our Business Class cars here in the Mid-West use either Amfleet or Horizon Dinette, Lounge or Cafe cars. The table part of the car is always toward the coaches. The serving area is in the middle, and the Business Class is on the other side. Business class seating is usually 16 in Horizon cars and sometimes 18 in a Amfleet.

#351 "Wolverine" CONSISTS

(front of train)

1) F-40 non-powered locomotive (for push / pull service)

2)53007 Horizon Cafe / Business Class (OUR CAR)

3) ? Horizon Coach

4) ? Horizon Coach

5) ? Amfleet II Coach

6) ? Horizon Coach

7) ? Horizon Coach

8) ? Genesis Locomotive

FOOD SERVICE ..... I rated all of our food and service on a scale from A+ to E. A+ being the best possible quality of food or service to E being horrible.

I had 2 breakfast sandwiches and coffee.

Hank's Service: A

Food Quality: B+ (it's still lounge car food  ) the only reason I didn't rate it higer is beacuse it had a very little piece of canadian bacon on it that you could hardly taste.


----------



## amtrakmichigan (Dec 1, 2003)

Sorry, I didn't mean to stop there. I hit the return button on accident....

CHICAGO

We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn on 10 E Grand in downtown Chicago at the corner of state street. We had very nice rooms which I booked for $125 per night ( which is a great deal for downtown Chicago) plus I got 1,000 bonus points on my Amtrak card because Hilton partners with Amtrak on there frequent travelers point system.

MONEY SAVING ALERT!!!! $$$$$$$$ !!!!!!!!! B)

The Hilton Garden Inn is directly across State street from a Jewell- Osco grocery store. This is a grocery store that you would never think you would find in the middle of downtown Chicago. The Hilton Garden Inn has small refridgerators and microwaves in every room. I love fine dining, but can't afford to do it every day while on vacation. I then get sick of eating restaurant food after a while too. This grocery store was a paridise! A fully stocked, full service grocery store with a deli counter about 50ft long, all sorts of pre cooked dinners like fried chicken, hot soups, sandwiches, salads etc.. We did most of our eating from the grocery store the 4 days we were in Chicago. This grocery store also sells a full line of beer wine and liquor, which is hard to find, especially liquor in downtown Chicago. Again the store is on N. State St. about 2 doors N. of Grand Ave. on the West side of State.

On Saturday the 5 of us went to the Michigan vs. Northwestern football game. We rode the "EL" all the way to Evanston about a 50 min ride one way through some of Chicago's older but nice neighborhoods.

On Sunday Bill, Mike and Myself watched football on TV for most of the day. They were returning home on the Twilight Limited latter in the evening. Kim, Danielle, and I went to the Disney Lion King musical at the Cadilac Palace Theatre on Randolph St. which started at 6:30 that evening. The theatre was beautifull, but I got bored with the performance pretty quick, but stuck it out like a good husband and dad since Danielle and Kim just loved the performance.

Monday - We checked out of the hotel right at check out time (12:00) and checked our bags with the bellhop for storage. We took Danielle to Rain Forest Cafe for lunch, and bummed around Michigan Ave. for a couple hours before going back to the hotel to gather our belongings and taxied off to union station for a ride on the Capitol Limited departing at 5:35 pm.

I will continue this trip report in a few days under "part 2" in the main headings under "trip reports"


----------



## Steve4031 (Dec 2, 2003)

Interesting trip report. Looking forward to the next section.


----------

