# July 13-14: New Orleans to Washington D.C.



## SarahZ (Jul 28, 2014)

Part One: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/60741-july-12-chicago-w-architecture-tour/

Part Two: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/60742-july-12-13-chicago-to-new-orleans/

I woke up at 0-dark-thirty to catch the Crescent out of New Orleans. It leaves at 7:00, and I wanted to give myself time to get ready and catch a cab to the station. I had no idea how long it would take to get a cab at 6:00, but the doorman blew a whistle, and one showed up in about a minute. Awesome!

It was another $10 flat fee to go from the hotel to the station, but again, I was not about to walk. It was already pretty warm and muggy, despite how early it was.

This cabbie was really nice. I mentioned that it was muggy, and he turned on the A/C. I thought he'd had it on already. Only in New Orleans do people drive with their windows down when it's 85.  (My boyfriend does this too, though. It drives me crazy.)

When I arrived at Union Station, there were already a ton of people there. I got in line to show the check-in dude my tickets, as I had a coach ticket from NOL to Slidell and then a roomete from Slidell to DC (thus avoiding the crap two-zones times two nonsense - thanks, jimhudson and thetraveler!)

Anyway, I showed the ticket guy my tickets and said, "I'm in coach to Slidell, and then I have a roomette. Would it be okay if I waited in the lounge? If not, I'm cool with waiting out here." He replied, "It's not okay, but I'm going to let you." No smile. No indication he was joking around. I blamed it on the early hour, because I was totally polite about it and knew I was asking for a favor.

He wrote a Super Sekrit code on my ticket, and I walked over to the lounge. I punched in the code, and... nothing. Punched again. Door still wouldn't open. Punched a third time. No dice. Eventually, a nice young lady (pictured) opened the door from the inside.




The Magnolia Lounge isn't swanky like Chicago, but it's still nice. It has comfy furniture, a TV, coffee, soda/juice, and... I'm not sure about the Wi-Fi. I was watching the weather report along with those two.

Eventually, another person tried their code, and the door wouldn't open. The nice lady got up and let them in. It happened a few minutes later. And so on.

Finally, an Amtrak agent opened the door and yelled at us for letting people in. The nice lady said, "Nobody's codes are working. The door won't open," and the Amtrak agent glared at her and said, "People are given codes FOR A REASON."

She slammed the door shut, and another agent, who was getting coffee, turned to us and said, "Wow. This isn't Fort Knox. It's a waiting area, and not a very fancy one at that. Chill out, woman." Bahaha. 

They called everyone to board, and I got in line with the sleeper pax. When it was my turn to show the conductor my ticket, I showed him both and explained the coach/roomette situation, just as thetraveler advised me. It worked! The conductor nodded, scanned both of my tickets, and said, "You're going to be with that gentleman down there. *pointing at an SCA* Just tell him [conductor's name I forgot] said it's okay and that you're all checked-in." So, I walked down to my sleeper, and Marlon (Marlin?) introduced himself. I showed him my tickets and said, "That guy *pointing* said it was fine. He checked me in." Marlon said, "Yup. Totally fine. Your room is ready to go. I'll help you on-board."

He picked up my suitcase and showed me to room #7. He gave me a little tour of the room - "Potty is here, sink works like this, fans here, call button here, all of your lights *flips switches*, and there are extra pillows if you need them." He gave the same spiel to everyone else who boarded.

I was in the last car before the baggage car. I didn't even notice we were on the end. I mean, I did, but I thought we were going to back out and hook up the loco because of the way we'd backed-in on the CONO the previous day. Nope. The loco was hooked to the front, so we just pulled out of the station. Yay, sleepers on the back!

This was my room. I always do a double-take when I see these pictures because the gravel looks like snow at first glance:




I put my suitcase on the seat next to the toilet, because ick. There is a reason you don't put carpet in bathrooms. I'm not a total germaphobe, but seriously.




I really like that the Viewliner roomettes have two sets of windows. It lets a lot of light into the room, and the upper bunk doesn't feel like it's _right there_. Plus, the white walls and bunks make it even brighter. The Superliners are almost dreary in comparison. There's a lot of blue trim as well, so combine that with the plastic-ish interior, and I felt like I was in an airplane. It was the best of both worlds - the clean, modern lines and colors of an airplane with the space of a train. If the Superliners are straight-up 1970s, then the Viewliners are "mod" 1960s.

Additionally, the rooms have two fans that you can set between low and high, and the vent along the bottom of the window can be closed. Very nice. I sleep with a fan, so it was nice having those on. Also, it kept the room nice and chilly.

It didn't take long for us to get moving. I was on the right side of the train heading north, so I got to see the Superdome up close.







Once you get out of the CBD, you're treated to a view of cemeteries! Yay! I hadn't had a chance to see any while there, and the train passes two large ones, so it was a treat. These two cemeteries go on for about two miles or so.




They bury the dead above-ground because, well, New Orleans is already below sea level. You can imagine the issues they'd have if they buried people IN the ground. :-/




I think it's really neat, like a true city of the dead. I'd love to walk around and explore a few of them the next time I visit.

Shortly after the cemeteries, we started riding close to Lake Ponchartrain. I spotted these gates, put in place to prevent flooding if the lake should overflow. I'm not sure if they were built because of Katrina or if they've always been there.




Traveling along Lake Ponchartrain:




At this point, we're crossing Lake Ponchartrain. The bridge is very narrow, just a railway actually, so if you look down, you can barely tell you're on tracks instead of water.










Once we crossed the lake, I decided to head to the diner for breakfast. The Viewliners have helpful signs at the end of the hallway that tell you if you're going the right way. Again, they remind me of an airplane:




(You can't quite see it in the picture, but "Other Way" lights up if you're facing the other side of the hallway.)

The dining car was really pretty. I liked the single seats in the booths, and the vintage posters and colors were nice. The only thing I didn't care for was this *UNGODLY LOUD* air compressor sound. It was coming from the area near the vestibule, and people had to almost shout to be heard. During lunch, I was seated closer to the vestibule, and everything on the table was vibrating. Between the compressor noise and the people yelling to talk, I ate very, very quickly. I'm sensitive to noise, so that was pretty nightmarish.

Thanks to Jis, I learned this was not a Viewliner diner after all. It's a "Timoinsa" rebuild diner. Thanks for the correction.  







The dining car crew was awesome. The LSA was David, if I remember correctly, and he's the one taking our order in the first picture. He'll come into play later.

I ordered Railroad French Toast, as I've never had it before. It was yummy! They made it so it was firm and nearly crisp on the edges, which is exactly how I like it. The bread was the perfect thickness. Also, the bacon was crispy, which was perfect. I don't like soggy food.




As I ate breakfast, we pulled into Picayune, MS. I was pleased, as I'd just read a book that mentioned Picayune. I still don't know how to say it, though. I think of it as "pih-kane", which is probably wrong. Sorry, Picayune.




Hattiesburg, MS:




Most of the route looks like this, so it was really hard to get pictures. Don't get me wrong - it's relaxing - but it doesn't make for much scenery or trip-reporting. I kept seeing pretty/cool stuff, but the trees got in the way every time I tried to capture things:




At this point, we were rolling into Ellisville, MS:










That's when I finally gave up and started nodding off. I had the bottom seats in "chaise lounge" position (one seat reclined, and one seat all the way flat). I knew David would be coming around to get lunch reservations soon, so I shut my door and left the curtain pulled aside so he'd know I was in there.

We pulled into Laurel, MS, and this gent on the bike was none too happy about waiting for the train. He kept giving me a dirty look, so I went back to sleep.







Eventually, David did knock, lightly. I was in napping mode, so he didn't startle me. I opened the door, and he said, "Sorry, dear. I just want to get your lunch reservation, and then you can go back to dreaming." I gave him my reservation, and then he said, "Hey, let me show you how to power nap on these trains."

He adjusted my "chaise lounge" a bit, arranged the two extra pillows between my hip and the wall (without touching me or coming too close), showed me where to prop one behind my back, and then handed me another one to lean on. He said, "There. Now you won't bang into the wall when we hit a switch, and if you scoot down while sleeping, you won't bang your head." I smiled and thanked him, and then after he left, I started laughing because I realized I'd just been "tucked-in" by the LSA. It was too cute. 

I slept for about an hour and then woke up when we stopped in Meridian, MS:




At this point, it was time for lunch. I went to the dining car, and I was seated with the young, blonde lady who'd been yelled at in the Magnolia Lounge. She was on a cross-country trip with her father. They were both from England, but he'd grown up in Wales. He started to tell me where Wales was, and I had to resist the urge to go completely U.K. fangirl all over them. Once they realized I wasn't the typical, geographically-deficient American, we started talking about all sorts of things - rail travel, the U.S, the U.K, Europe, driving on the left/right side of the road, soccer/football, various language differences (cookies, biscuits, crisps, chips, fries, etc). I gave them some fun American words ("In Wisconsin, drinking fountains are called bubblers,") and they told me about all of the states they'd been to.

I explained that they'd been to more states than some Americans, and that was pretty impressive. They'd started in CA and had traveled through CA, AZ, NM, TX, AR, and LA, and were on their way to DC for a few days. From DC, they were going to take another train to NYC and then Boston before flying home. The father told me that they'd had to drive from CA to LA because their train had been canceled or some such thing (the compressor was loud, and he was softspoken - maybe the SL got cancelled at some point?)

Anyway, we passed through Tuscaloosa while eating and wrapped-up lunch as we approached the outskirts of Birmingham. I'd ordered the Angus Burger. I didn't take a picture of it because I've had it a million times, and pretty much everyone here has seen it. 

Lipscomb, AL:




Entering Birmingham:




Birmingham Amtrak:







Once we passed through Birmingham and started heading more northeast-ish, it became steadily apparent that we were reaching the very southern tip of the Appalachians. This area is known as the Talladega National Forest:

























(to be continued in next post - reaching photo limit)


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## SarahZ (Jul 28, 2014)

After Birmingham, keep an eye out the left side of the train (northbound) for the Anniston Army Depot. You'll see lots of tanks, trucks, and equipment. These are just a few shots.










The station is on the left, and I was back in my roomette on the right. This is still Anniston:




I don't remember where this is, but I took this picture for Swadian. 




After that, it was back to nature until Atlanta.







Heflin, AL - I imagine this is a courthouse and/or City Hall:













Bilbo's Motel!  (This is in Douglasville, GA.)




Approaching the outskirts of Atlanta:







It's strange seeing signs for I-75 this far south. I-75 is the main, north/south artery in Michigan. It made me feel close to home, even though I was approximately 800 miles away.



















I thiiiiiink I went to dinner (steak) before Atlanta. I honestly can't remember. I must have, because Marlon made up my room right before we arrived. Anyway, when I got back on, I took this picture while sitting on the lower bunk:




I noticed it had a lot more room than the Superliners when the top bunk is down. On the Superliners, I feel like I'm at summer camp, sitting on a bunk bed. On the Viewliner, I still had a lot of head room. I was actually sitting on the seat, as I'd asked Marlon to just put the top bunk down and leave the seats in daytime mode.

I figured since the Viewliner top bunk isn't as close to the ceiling as the Superliners, plus it has a window, I'd lay up there like it was a cozy nest and use the bottom for changing. Plus, the toilet is really difficult to use when the lower bunk is down. This is a shot of the top bunk, taken right before I climbed up:




So here's the thing. I'm not short. I'm 5'6", and a lot of my height is in my legs. Still, it was pretty tricky getting up there. I had to use the handle plus the seat belt mesh thing to get balance, and then I had to sort of jump and roll. My leg was hyperextended, so it felt like I was getting on a horse. Unfortunately, thanks to the ceiling, I couldn't "mount" by throwing myself up and onto the bunk like I would with a horse. I'd have hit my head.

Needless to say, I'm glad nobody was filming me.

Once I was up there, I realized just how narrow those Viewliner bunks are. Oh. My. God. I tried to get comfortable, but every time the train lurched, I could feel the edge of the bunk with my hip. Oh, HELL NAW.

I climbed down even faster than I'd gotten up, grabbed the pillows and bedding from the top bunk, raised it back toward the ceiling, and made up the bottom bunk. The bottom bunk was pretty narrow too, but I used David's tricks with the pillows and reasoned that if I fell, I wouldn't actually go anywhere. (I wouldn't have fallen out of the top bunk either, thanks to the net, but tell that to my brain when it's locked in primal mode.)

I think I got a few hours of sleep. The ride was extremely lurchy and rocky. I got thrown around quite a bit and kept waking up. I woke up right around the NC/VA border and took a shower. The Viewliner shower rooms have a window! Love it! It felt like a normal bathroom. 

As I was getting ready, I took a photo of Charlottesville, VA:




A bit later, we passed through Orange. We didn't stop here. I'm not sure if this station is still in operation:




Marlon popped in to check on me and make up my beds. He asked me if I'd slept okay, and then he said, "I don't know if we had a new engineer or trainee or what, but we were ROCKING last night." I told him I figured it was just normal lurching, and he said, "No. It's usually pretty smooth at night. I was getting pissed. That's why I came to check and see if you noticed. I feel bad if you didn't sleep much. I almost said something to the conductor. These old-timers who've been doing this route for 20 years know how to handle those switches and curves. I don't know if this guy had something to prove or what, but it's not like we were making up time." (We were 30 minutes early at this point.)

While it wasn't _professional_, I'm pretty sure SCAs can tell when it's okay to be a bit more real with people. I joke around a lot and talk about working in customer service, so it's like they come out of their shell a bit with me. I really like that. I feel the same way when I have a customer I can relax and joke with because it gives me a break from wearing that mask. So, I feel good when I can return the favor.

Anyway, since he was making up my room, I decided to go to the diner for breakfast, as we were getting close to D.C. and I didn't want to eat when we got there (I had lots of sightseeing to do). As I ate breakfast (omelet), we stopped in Culpepper, VA.




I was so gutted that I couldn't get any decent shots of the colonial homes. Virginia is absolutely gorgeous. I haven't been there since I was 16, and I'd missed it.

At this point, we had reached Manassas. I was back in my room, getting my things together.




Once I started seeing commuter parking and train stations, I knew we were getting close to D.C.













Hey! I can see the Capitol!




I am so freaking proud that this shot came out. Obviously, we were near Reagan National Airport (DCA) at this point:




Crossing the Potomac:




The left side of the train was treated to a view of the Pentagon, Arlington, etc. I got to see this:




(continued in next post - reaching picture limit)


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## SarahZ (Jul 28, 2014)

Hmm. I can't get that screenshot of the temperature out of that post. Oh well. Pretend I took it upon arrival instead of a couple hours later.


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## SarahZ (Jul 28, 2014)

So yes. D.C. was hot, but first, the arrival at Union Station.

The train felt like an airplane, and Union Station felt like an airport. (These are not bad things.) After I got off the train and tipped Marlon $20, I walked to the escalator that said the train station was this-a-way. After getting off the escalator, I followed the signs through the terminal, so to speak, until I reached the station proper. There, I was greeted with gates and a "shopping mall" atmosphere. Seriously. It's an airport with trains.

But it was cool!

I found my way to the lounge, figured out how to get in (doorbell, wait for the beep), and then showed the gate dragon my ticket. She pointed to a cloak room where I could leave my bag. They didn't have a redcap, and it wasn't monitored, so I felt sort of weird leaving my bag, but oh well.

After dropping everything off, I went to the Metro and started my day. This plan worked out a lot better than New Orleans, as in, I knew where I was going, and the Metro arrives a lot more often than the streetcars. It was hot, sticky, and awful again, but first things first.

I went down the escalator and located the fare card machines. (This is not hard. There are two banks of them against the walls when you go downstairs.) I located the SmarTrip machine and fed it $10. I was rewarded with a card with a cute picture of a seal. Awww.




The seal gave me access to the Metro and bus system.

This is what the Metro tunnels look like:




I took this shot later in the day. These red lights start flashing when a train is approaching the station. It's a great idea. I didn't see anyone leaning over the tracks to check for a train (I'm looking at you, Chicago):




I got off at the stop near the National Mall. Actually, that doesn't narrow it down. I got off at the stop that's right smack between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument.







Yeeeaaaahhhh... those look MUCH closer together on the map. It was super muggy, so I decided to pick one over the other. I started walking toward the Washington Monument since that was one of my main goals for the day.




All this shot needs is a crying eagle:




After resting for a bit and drinking some water, I thought about walking to the Lincoln Memorial so I could see that and the reflecting pool. Again, it looks much, much closer in photos, but it's actually about a mile and a half away. I took this photo from the Washington Monument, and it's zoomed-in:




If it hadn't been so hot and muggy, I definitely would have walked, but I was already miserable. I was wearing jeans since I don't wear shorts, ever, and boy was I paying for it. If I'd thought about it, I would have changed into the dress I wore in New Orleans.

Anyway, I stopped to buy more water and some souvenirs (magnet, postcard) and then went back to the Metro station. The A/C felt glorious. I rode the train for a bit and then got off at a "random" stop.

When I checked my phone to see where I was, I realized I'd gotten off at the perfect stop. I was right by the Library of Congress and the Folger Shakespeare Library! Yay!

As I walked to the Library of Congress, I cringed every time I saw a man in a suit or a woman in a skirt suit with pantyhose. All I wanted to do was jump in a pool, and they were wearing multiple layers of warm clothing. Ugh. I am not cut out for living south of the Great Lakes. 

So, here we are. The Library of Congress. It was so beautiful, more beautiful than I imagined. I'd never seen photos of the interior, and I'm glad. It was a wonderful surprise.










The floor was decorated with zodiac signs:



















At this point, I started fanning myself with a brochure. When it's muggy like that, A/C doesn't really help. The air is so heavy. Anyway, after I fanned myself, I decided to look at the brochure, just in case there was anything I shouldn't miss.

OMG THEY HAVE A GUTENBERG BIBLE




I'm so glad I got to see that. I'd have kicked myself if I'd learned that after leaving D.C.

On the way out, I spotted the sheet music for "The Star-Spangled Banner":




When you leave, you get a good view of the Capitol Building:




...and the Supreme Court:




I walked a couple blocks down and found the Folger Shakespeare Library. /fangirl /squee

A nice lady who worked there saw me taking pictures of it and offered to take a picture of me. Awww. 










A funeral scroll - when you move it along the scroll, it shows the procession.




This is what I came for, though. The first folio. I'm not even a little bit ashamed to admit I shed a couple tears when I saw it:




Some lucky rare books archivist got to scan it into the digital database. This means you can leaf through it without touching it.







They have a gift shop full of wonderful things (and some weird ones):




The exterior features some of the major plays in bas-relief:




After I finished there, I was beyond overheated and just wanted to get back to Union Station. I caught a bus near the corner and then walked into the main entrance, as I hadn't seen the old architecture yet:







I walked around a bit, had lunch, and then sat in the lounge until the CL was ready to depart. I'll write that post tomorrow.


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## SarahZ (Jul 28, 2014)

Full Facebook album with lots more pictures here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101681828718864.1073741853.30311596&type=1&l=926ae84340

You don't need to be a member of FB to view it.


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## Ryan (Jul 28, 2014)

What the heck are Washington Metro buses doing in Anniston, AL?

I'm sure SH will be along presently to explain all.


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## Ryan (Jul 28, 2014)

The station between the Capitol and Washington Monument is Smithsonian.

The station you got off at just south of the Capitol near the LoC is (appropriately named) Capitol South.


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## SarahZ (Jul 28, 2014)

RyanS said:


> What the heck are Washington Metro buses doing in Anniston, AL?
> 
> I'm sure SH will be along presently to explain all.


I have another photo taken immediately after that. There was a huge parking area full of them. I didn't think anything of it and assumed they were for Birmingham or Atlanta or something. Then, when I saw them in D.C, I thought, "Heyyyyy... wait a second..."

Maybe they make them there? (In Alabama)


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## SarahZ (Jul 28, 2014)

RyanS said:


> The station between the Capitol and Washington Monument is Smithsonian.
> 
> The station you got off at just south of the Capitol near the LoC is (appropriately named) Capitol South.


Thanks.  I'd forgotten, and I was too lazy to look it up. It's pajama time.


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## jebr (Jul 29, 2014)

RyanS said:


> What the heck are Washington Metro buses doing in Anniston, AL?
> 
> I'm sure SH will be along presently to explain all.


Yeah, that does seem a bit strange. Off topic: I seem random transit buses rather frequently on I-94 here in Minnesota as well going to Minneapolis and back. It'd be a rare 100 miles to drive down 94 and not see a transit bus (even when there's no transit coverage on that highway at all where I'm at.)


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## oregon pioneer (Jul 29, 2014)

Sooooo much fun traveling along with you! The LOC is one place I would really want to go if ever in DC with some extra time! And I've never been on the Crescent, either, so it was fun to see the scenery.


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## SarahZ (Jul 29, 2014)

oregon pioneer said:


> Sooooo much fun traveling along with you! The LOC is one place I would really want to go if ever in DC with some extra time! And I've never been on the Crescent, either, so it was fun to see the scenery.


I definitely want to see more of it someday. I took those photos while walking around the main area. I didn't go into any of the collection rooms.

It was really crowded with tourists/families, so I hung back. As it was, I had to wait about 15 minutes to get a photo of the Gutenberg Bible. There were a lot of tour groups crowding the displays. (Not that there's anything wrong with that - just explaining why I didn't hang around long.)


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## tp49 (Jul 29, 2014)

The LOC is a hidden gem and one of my favorite places in DC. You would absolutely love Shakespeare's Globe in London.


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## third rail 1200 (Jul 29, 2014)

Thanks for another great trip report. You are a good observer and reporter. I aways enjoy reading your work.


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## Railroad Bill (Jul 29, 2014)

I want to go back to the LOC to see where they have a copy of my book stored  . They supposedly have the copy I sent them for copyright somewhere in the building... Perhaps in the basement  Really enjoying your trip reports. Only three weeks until we head to WAS. Can hardly wait.


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## jis (Jul 29, 2014)

As explained in connection with your Facebook posting on "Viewliner Diner", the Diner you had was not a Viewliner Diner. It was a Timoinsa rebuild Diner. You may want to correct that in your trip report.

These are all very old cars and will be around for a short while and will be most likely gone as soon as sufficient number of Viewliner II Diners come on line.


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## SarahZ (Jul 29, 2014)

jis said:


> As explained in connection with your Facebook posting on "Viewliner Diner", the Diner you had was not a Viewliner Diner. It was a Timoinsa rebuild Diner. You may want to correct that in your trip report.
> 
> These are all very old cars and will be around for a short while and will be most likely gone as soon as sufficient number of Viewliner II Diners come on line.


I came here to do just that.


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## greatcats (Jul 29, 2014)

As a tour guide, I want to compliment you on your excellent trip report, Sarah! I have to get busy and figure out how to post some of my European pictures. I have only been on the City of New Orleans once, which was in 1984. I had taken the Crescent to New Orleans and had gone to the World's Fair at the time and then rented a car and drove around the plantation areas and into Mississippi and explored part of the Natchez Trace Parkway. I boarded the northbound train that night and had a Slumbercoach and even a dome car. That was 30 years ago. I boarded the northbound train at Jackson.


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## CaliforniaMom (Jul 29, 2014)

Very nice report! I think I recall that you are a little hesitant about eating meals with strangers in the dining cars - did that work out okay for you?

We are going to Washington DC in a few weeks - after reading about the humidity and your "tip" that distances are longer than they appear, I am definitely going to budget some money for taxis!


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## SarahZ (Jul 29, 2014)

CaliforniaMom said:


> Very nice report! I think I recall that you are a little hesitant about eating meals with strangers in the dining cars - did that work out okay for you?


No, I still hate it.


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## CaliforniaMom (Jul 29, 2014)

SarahZ said:


> CaliforniaMom said:
> 
> 
> > Very nice report! I think I recall that you are a little hesitant about eating meals with strangers in the dining cars - did that work out okay for you?
> ...


Well, it sounds like you had nice dining companions, anyway!


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## SarahZ (Jul 29, 2014)

Yes, they were nice.  It's one of those, "It's not you; it's me," things.  No matter how nice someone is, I still feel very shy and self-conscious.


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## CaliforniaMom (Jul 29, 2014)

SarahZ said:


> Yes, they were nice.  It's one of those, "It's not you; it's me," things.  No matter how nice someone is, I still feel very shy and self-conscious.


Right here with ya! My younger son and I will be doing the CZ and CL in a few weeks, and I am hoping that we get nice dining companions as well. I'm not totally introverted, but it is a push for me to make long conversations with strangers.


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## trainman74 (Jul 29, 2014)

> It's strange seeing signs for I-75 this far south.


Having grown up in Florida, I say it's strange seeing signs for I-75 in Michigan. That's too far _north!_ 

Those Washington, D.C. buses were in Anniston, Alabama, because that happens to be the manufacturing plant for NABI.


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## SarahZ (Jul 29, 2014)

trainman74 said:


> > It's strange seeing signs for I-75 this far south.
> 
> 
> Having grown up in Florida, I say it's strange seeing signs for I-75 in Michigan. That's too far _north!_
> ...


I always used to talk about driving on I-75 from start to finish. We came close in 1990; my family drove from Orlando back to Gaylord, MI at the end of spring break.

http://goo.gl/maps/MCCcr


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## MrFSS (Jul 29, 2014)

SarahZ said:


> trainman74 said:
> 
> 
> > > It's strange seeing signs for I-75 this far south.
> ...


 I-75 is all over the place. I live a few miles from KY exit 126 on I-75 and drive on it weekly. Near Cincinnati in northern KY, I-75 is one of the top ten busiest Interstates in the US.


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## crescent2 (Jul 30, 2014)

RyanS said:


> What the heck are Washington Metro buses doing in Anniston, AL?
> 
> I'm sure SH will be along presently to explain all.


Amanda and I wanted one for a souvenir. We couldn't give up our train ride back, though, so we hired Swadian. Not a scratch on it; he's a great driver.

Sarah, great trip report! I've done most of this route many times, and you are very observant. I can read it and pretend I wrote it. (I wish.)

I've never been to the LOC, but apparently we were close the other day. I'd love to go inside but I'd probably stay too long. What is the name of your book?


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## SarahZ (Jul 30, 2014)

My book?


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## Ryan (Jul 30, 2014)




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## crescent2 (Jul 30, 2014)

Railroad Bill said:


> I want to go back to the LOC to see where they have a copy of my book stored  . They supposedly have the copy I sent them for copyright somewhere in the building... Perhaps in the basement  Really enjoying your trip reports. Only three weeks until we head to WAS. Can hardly wait.


I was posting very late....it was Railroad Bill......both avatars are cats.......

Anyway, do you know the name of Railroad Bill's book? (SOMEONE with a cat has written a book.)


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## Railroad Bill (Aug 1, 2014)

crescent2 said:


> Railroad Bill said:
> 
> 
> > I want to go back to the LOC to see where they have a copy of my book stored  . They supposedly have the copy I sent them for copyright somewhere in the building... Perhaps in the basement  Really enjoying your trip reports. Only three weeks until we head to WAS. Can hardly wait.
> ...


"The Rattlesnake and The Ramsey: The History of the Lorain, Ashland & Southern Railroad" 478 pages of pure joy


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## caravanman (Aug 1, 2014)

Very enjoyable read, and a good eye for photography.

I will be in WAS myself for a few days from 27th Aug, and probably seeing similar sights!

Glad someone asked about Railroad Bill's book, I was about to do the same... sounds heavy at 478 pages, is it on Kindle? 

Ed


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## Railroad Bill (Aug 1, 2014)

caravanman said:


> Very enjoyable read, and a good eye for photography.
> 
> I will be in WAS myself for a few days from 27th Aug, and probably seeing similar sights!
> 
> ...


Sorry we will just miss you all since we will be returning home on the 25th from WAS. Book is on Amazon but not a Kindle book.


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