Cap Ltd Train 29

[Reno89502]

SO I am currently heading into Chicago on Train 29. After not being on this run for about 8 months, I must say that they have made a few changes.

I know that this train has had a combination Diner/Cafe for a while now, but this is the first time I have ever seen both in action. The lower level of the Sightseer Lounge was closed off to all passengers, so there was quite a back-up from the Cafe counter into the Sightseer lounge.

Here is the one MAJOR thing that I noticed. They did NOT serve Burgers and Hot Dogs out of those plastic packages in the Cafe, like they do on every other train. Your burger or dog was prepared on the grill, ANY time of day, and it came with Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle and Chips, just like it would if you were sitting in the Dining Car. And, the Cafe attendant was doing A LOT of To Go orders for the dining car. The staff was REALLY friendly, curious, and fast!

And speaking of fast, EVERY stop on this run has been EARLY. 35 minutes early at Pittsburgh, 30 minutes early at Toledo, 7 minutes early at Elkhart, and 5 minutes early at South Bend.

 

[Reno89502]

And it looks like the Legacy Club at CUS is closed until February.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Wonder if the Legacy Club will last once the new Metro Lounge opens across the Great Hall or even will reopen at all?

This may be the beginning of the end for this operation?!!!

IINM it was staffed by Amtrak employees, wonder if they are layed off during the closing orcwill be working on helping ge the new Lounge finished?

 

[jis]

Or maybe they'll just start charging for the Metro Lounge too. Where is it written that they can't do that?

 

[HenryK]

I was on the same 29 arriving today. Good diner crew at dinner. OK sleeper attendant. He didn't want to get up to open the door to allow me to walk my service dog at Toledo, but I think he spoke with the conductors and was told to make arrangements with the next sleeper's attendant to come down and open my car's door. Otherwise he did his job acceptably.

On 30 arriving in Washington Dec. 23, the sleeper attendant was more than superb. I don't think he was quite sure what was expected of him regarding a passenger with a service dog. He said he needed to talk to the conductors and came back immediately and said that it was his job to let us off for a walk at whatever station we wished. He had the door open at South Bend, Pittsburgh and Cumberland at my request even though no passengers were getting off or on his car. He was very cheerful about it, too. His name is Jameel Kinney, he is from Ireland, and I am in the next minute writing Amtrak to sing his praises.

 

[Reno89502]

I was in the other sleeping car. I can not remember the attendants name, but she was real good with her duties, and informed me well in advance when my next "Fresh Air Stop" was coming up.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I was on the same 29 arriving today. Good diner crew at dinner. OK sleeper attendant. He didn't want to get up to open the door to allow me to walk my service dog at Toledo, but I think he spoke with the conductors and was told to make arrangements with the next sleeper's attendant to come down and open my car's door. Otherwise he did his job acceptably.

On 30 arriving in Washington Dec. 23, the sleeper attendant was more than superb. I don't think he was quite sure what was expected of him regarding a passenger with a service dog. He said he needed to talk to the conductors and came back immediately and said that it was his job to let us off for a walk at whatever station we wished. He had the door open at South Bend, Pittsburgh and Cumberland at my request even though no passengers were getting off or on his car. He was very cheerful about it, too. His name is Jameel Kinney, he is from Ireland, and I am in the next minute writing Amtrak to sing his praises.

Henry, please let us know how things went for you with your service dog. How long have you had him/her?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Great to hear the positives! I rode the Capitol this August and was also pleasantly pleased with the dining car staff! They were polite, friendly, and fast.

 

[HenryK]

My service dog, a miniature schnauzer mix named Trooper, arrived Dec. 7. This was the first overnight trip we'd taken with him, He handled things with a lot more aplomb than we did—we were deathly worried that the "fresh air stops" would not be sufficient to accommodate his plumbing, and that on-board personnel would view him as an impostor because he is such a small dog at 16 pounds. Everything went very well. I did have to carry him from car to car because those slicey-and-dicey vestibule footplates are dangerous for dogs. He behaved very well in the diner, lying down at my feet under the table as he was trained to do.

We had a roomette on 30, a reservation made in August before we knew Trooper was coming to us. That was way too crowded for a couple of geezers and even a small dog. Yesterday morning, the day we caught 29 back to Chicago, I decided six hours before train time to see if maybe a bedroom had opened up. No, but the handicapped room was available. Even though I'm deaf and that isn't a mobility impairment, Amtrak said sure, I could have the H room . . . for $63 more than I'd paid for the roomette. MUCH better!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

My service dog, a miniature schnauzer mix named Trooper, arrived Dec. 7. This was the first overnight trip we'd taken with him, He handled things with a lot more aplomb than we did—we were deathly worried that the "fresh air stops" would not be sufficient to accommodate his plumbing, and that on-board personnel would view him as an impostor because he is such a small dog at 16 pounds. Everything went very well. I did have to carry him from car to car because those slicey-and-dicey vestibule footplates are dangerous for dogs. He behaved very well in the diner, lying down at my feet under the table as he was trained to do.

We had a roomette on 30, a reservation made in August before we knew Trooper was coming to us. That was way too crowded for a couple of geezers and even a small dog. Yesterday morning, the day we caught 29 back to Chicago, I decided six hours before train time to see if maybe a bedroom had opened up. No, but the handicapped room was available. Even though I'm deaf and that isn't a mobility impairment, Amtrak said sure, I could have the H room . . . for $63 more than I'd paid for the roomette. MUCH better!

Great to hear (no pun intended, of course) everything went well. The handicap room becomes available for everyone within a week or two of departure, I believe, so you were fine to get it.

 

[greatcats]

I am sure Trooper is better behaved and has a more agreeable personality than some passengers I've observed! ( but on my return from California this past week everybody in my car was fine!)

 

[PVD]

I remember all the back and forth about this upcoming trip a while back. I am extremely pleased to hear how well things went

 

[HenryK]

The details of the trip are posted here: http://henrykisor.blogspot.com/2015/12/trooper-takes-train-trip.html

 

[PVD]

Great trip-log. Thanks for posting. Service animals are remarkable in so many ways. I wish people understood them a little better. Too many people blur the line between "service" and "support", and sadly, selfish and stupid people who game the system make it more difficult for many folks to see the wonderful things that "the real ones" bring to the table.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Excellent report by an excellent writer! Y'all are lucky that Trooper decided to work for you! Thanks for sharing!

It's especially interesting that he got along so well with the other dogs @ your sons home!

 

[FormerOBS]

I've said it before: Service animals were always among my favorite passengers.

Tom

 

[Thirdrail7]

I've said it before: Service animals were always among my favorite passengers.

Tom

If only they tipped a wee bit more. :giggle:

 

[Trollopian]

Thanks, Henry, for the update and for your interesting travelogue! I recall that you were asking a few months ago about stops on the CL, even before you welcomed Trooper. He sounds like the perfect assistance dog except, perhaps, when it comes to deciphering Amtrak's garbled and impenetrable boarding announcements; but nobody's perfect.

My service dog, a miniature schnauzer mix named Trooper, arrived Dec. 7. This was the first overnight trip we'd taken with him, He handled things with a lot more aplomb than we did—we were deathly worried that the "fresh air stops" would not be sufficient to accommodate his plumbing, and that on-board personnel would view him as an impostor because he is such a small dog at 16 pounds. Everything went very well. I did have to carry him from car to car because those slicey-and-dicey vestibule footplates are dangerous for dogs. He behaved very well in the diner, lying down at my feet under the table as he was trained to do.

We had a roomette on 30, a reservation made in August before we knew Trooper was coming to us. That was way too crowded for a couple of geezers and even a small dog. Yesterday morning, the day we caught 29 back to Chicago, I decided six hours before train time to see if maybe a bedroom had opened up. No, but the handicapped room was available. Even though I'm deaf and that isn't a mobility impairment, Amtrak said sure, I could have the H room . . . for $63 more than I'd paid for the roomette. MUCH better!