Need bus advice if freights strike: between Normal and Chicago; also Boston to Philly

[Mystic River Dragon]

Because of the heat this summer, a friend and I rescheduled a train trip to Chicago, with an overnight trip to Normal to visit another AU friend. Unfortunately, just in time for the freight train strike if it occurs.

We had planned to take a train to Normal on September 16, visit with our friend and stay overnight at a hotel, take the train back to Chicago on September 17, then the LSL from Chicago to Albany on September 18.

If the strike occurs and no trains are running, is there a bus from Chicago to Normal on September 16 and one back to Chicago on September 17? How long would it take?

Also, I’ll be spending about a week in upstate New York after the Chicago trip. We would have to fly from Chicago to Albany, which I am terrified of, having not been in a plane for 30 years, but my friend has been and can help me through it.

My original plan to get back home was to take the LSL from Albany to Boston, stay overnight in Boston, then take a regional to Philly.

I checked Albany to Boston buses, and that’s fine. I actually wouldn’t mind a bus ride through the Berkshires.

But if there’s a freight strike, will the NEC shut down, too? (Because of no dispatchers, engineers, etc.?)

If so, I see there’s a daytime Greyhound from Boston to Philly. Has anyone done this? How safe is it? I see it stops in NYC, but I would not get off the bus there. The starting and ending points look ok. But I haven’t been on a bus for decades and don’t know what it’s like now or how safe going through NYC would be.

Philly to home is no problem—if I end up on a bunch of buses, I will bite the cost and treat myself to a Lyft home.

Sorry for all the bits and pieces making this so long—I’m tired already and haven’t gone anywhere!

Thanks in advance for all information and suggestions.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

No worries about the NEC, a freight strike will not impact you. So Boston to home can be an Acela if you want.

Don’t think the LSL is going to be effective by any strike. But can’t say that with complete certainty.

The Normal to Chicago might be a problem. But it’s not that long of a distance.

Sorry can’t really help. Too many move parts to know for certain. I really doubt there going to be strike, the freight railroads are very profitable right now, and just seem to be taken advantage of the work force, and how there union has been gutted. Now the government has finished there stuff, I am sure the railroad will sign a contract very soon.

 

[jebr]

There appears to be a twice-a-day bus between Normal, IL and Chicago. In Chicago it'll pick up/drop off at both O'Hare and Midway airports (Midway 1x/day,) and it looks like they do a pickup at the Uptown Transit Station in Normal along with sometimes doing a pickup at Watterson Commons (at the college.) PDF: https://peoriacharter.com/storage/schedule/normal-august-2.pdf

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Very helpful replies—thank you both.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Very helpful replies—thank you both.

As the others said, you should be OK Patty, and your traveling companion is very experienced ( hence his Computer name) and will make sure you get home OK!

Nice trip!

 

[NorthShore]

Realistically, if there's a RR strike, doesn't the federal government step in and keep discussions going to prevent entire shutdown of the supply chain? Or has that already occurred?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Realistically, if there's a RR strike, doesn't the federal government step in and keep discussions going to prevent entire shutdown of the supply chain? Or has that already occurred?

I think that has already occurred.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

There appears to be a twice-a-day bus between Normal, IL and Chicago. In Chicago it'll pick up/drop off at both O'Hare and Midway airports (Midway 1x/day,) and it looks like they do a pickup at the Uptown Transit Station in Normal along with sometimes doing a pickup at Watterson Commons (at the college.) PDF: https://peoriacharter.com/storage/schedule/normal-august-2.pdf

That might be the same bus my son took from Champaign to Normal when he was at UIUC and wanted to come home on break (believe it was the same company, at least).

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Thank you all again—we have decided to postpone the trip and try again in the spring.

Between balance issues from allergy congestion, plus trying to get used to two new glasses prescriptions that turned out to be too strong, plus still using a cane for a shin splint, I am having trouble walking easily around my own town—I don’t think I’m up for being halfway across the country.

Everything is getting resolved, but not in time for mid-September. My friend has suggested a compromise and will come out here and we will go to Philly for a few days. That way, if I had to get home, I could get home easily—even take a Lyft—so that removes the anxiety factor.

All your information was useful, though, and will be squirreled away in my brain for any future needs.