Notes on the "Short" and "Shorter" Trip To/From CHI

[Bob Dylan]

Part I: SOLO Travel AUS-CHI-WAS

Sat. 10/12 TE#22 AUS-CHI Room #3/Car #2230 2 Zone AGR Award

Arrived Early into AUS/Large Crowd Boarded/ Full Train

Consist: Revenue Sleeper Back on Front behind TransDorm (Where it Belongs)/Tired Old Superliner II/ NO Sightseer Lounge/ CCC Replacement

Crew: All New(I used to know All the Crews on this Route)/ SCA( Bob) from Extra Board/Did his Job/Overall Average- Earned his Tip

Diner(CCC)/Food: 1 LSA/1 Server/1 Chef Breakfast: Excellent Omelette Lunch: Tasty Veggie "Hypocrite Burger (with Bacon and Cheese) and Really Tasty Brownie with Vanilla Gelato (New Deserts) Dinner: Well Cooked Steak with All the Sides including Excellent Tasting Veggies and Warm Dinner Rolls! Had the New Cheese Cake with Blueberries/Better than the Old Stuff IMO!!

Had breakfast in STL on the Train/Skipped "Lunch" since it is a Limited Menu and too Soon after Breakfast!

OTP:On Time Most of the Trip/Arrived CHI 30 Minutes Down into CHI due to Slow Orders in the Yards Routing was the Regular STL-SPI-JOL-CHI Route/Arrived Sun Morning 10/13 on a Cloudy/Wet and Cool Morning !

Layover in CHI: Didnt Leave Station/Went to Metro Lounge/Checked In/Explored Station/Had a Gold Coast Dog in the Food Court! Watched NFL Football/News/had Snacks etc. as Lounge became Jammed with all the Various LD Trains and Now BC Passengers! WIFI Very Slow and A Woman Lived on the One Ancient Computer in the Lounge!

Sun 10/13 CL#30 CHI-WAS Room#4/Car #3000 2 Zone AGR Award

Kindergarden Walk from Lounge about 6:15PM /took 7:00PM Dinner Rez in Lounge since Time Changes in Indiana!

Consist: 3 Engines (think 2 is usual??)/Transdorm and 2 Revenue Sleepers/Diner/SSL/4 Coaches/The 3000 Sleeper is a Rehab I in Excellent Shape/SCA Fred is Excellent!

Departure Delay: Conductor Announced that there would be a Delay (6:40PM is Scheduled Roll Out Time)due to the Diner haven been Bad ordered in the Yards and the Replacement had Frozen Food Delivered too Late to Serve on Time! At 7PM the Conductor Announced that we were Waiting on a Late CZ#6 (the EB#8/#28 was Already 8 Hours Late!) Finally about 7:15PM a Looooong #6 (it had 6 Deadhead Superliner Cars in Consist)Rolled in on the Next Platform and about 100 Passengers did a Cross Platform transfer Along with all the Baggage etc. This ws handled Very Efficiently/by 7:45PM we Rolled out into the Night 1 Hour/5 Minutes Late.

Diner/Food: Regular Diner/ 1 Good LSA/3 Servers/2 Chefs (they said??) Had Outstanding Salmon with Usual Sides and the Orange Sorbet which I thought was Good! Efficient Service as we Rolled through the Night in a dark and Wet Indiana! Had some Baileys in my Room and was Asleep by 10:30PM/ Slept through SOB/TOL etc./Woke up Briefly in Cleveland (2AM)/then Up @ Pittsburgh (6AM/30 Mins Down) for a Shower and Coffee and Juice Before going to the Diner for Breakfast!!

(Excellent Omelette again!) Starting to Get Light was we Rolled out of Pittsburgh headed for WAS via Penn/MD/WV through the Tunnels/Hills! The LSA Actually Announced that Breakfast/Brunch would be served in the Diner from 6:30AM-11;30AM which is a First for Me on this Route! I had an Excellent Angus Burger and Gelato about 10:30AM as we Rolled Past the Small Mountain Towns and Villages and Along Rivers and Down the Beautiful Potomac into DC! Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry were especially Impressive in the Morning Light, I'd forgotten how this Route Almost Rivals the Cardinal for Scenery!

Received a Text from an AU Member that was in the CA in WAS that would be sharing the rest of the Short Way to CHI but hell Remain Nameless to protect the Guilty! (his initials are the_traveler! ^_^ )

Arrived 1 Hour Down into Union Station/.headed for the CA/Checked in/had Snacks/watched TV and Waited on the #3:15PM Departure of #91 to ORL which is Now a Guaranteed Connection!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Part II: The Plot Thickens! WAS-ORL-NYP

Mon 10/14 SS#91 WAS-ORL H Room/Car 9111 2 Zone AGR Award(cont.)

****Disclaimer: Any Mistakes as to Tmes/People/Places or Happenings is My Fault! Corrections are Welcomed Since My Mind Isn't What it Used to Be!****

Arrived into WAS on a Sunny and Warm Day 1 Hour Down! Headed for CA/Checked in/Left Luggage in Cloak Room and met up with 3 AU Members! (Mike and Jerry Who were Catching #29 to CHI and a Mysterious Stranger from the NE) Had Snacks/Watched TV and Waited for RedCap to take us to the Train! Soon the Call Came, we Loaded up on the Cart and took the Secret Way through the Garage and Bowls of Union Station to the Platform and Train Side! Met our SCA (Larry who Would Prove to Be in Leo's Class as a SCA! )/ WeBoarded and Kicked back till the Train Rolled out headed for Florida Right on Time!

Consist: Usual Silver Star Consist of Engines/Bag Car/2 Sleepers /(on the front where they Belong!)/Heritage Diner(Oldest One I've Ever Seen)/Cafe-Lounge Car/ 3 AmfleetII Coaches!!!

Crew: Our SCA, Larry, 1 40 Year Vet of Amtrak proved to be excellent as was the LSA and Servers in the Diner! We had a 7PM Dinner and the Salmon and Brownie with Gelato was Outstanding!

After Richmond it Grew Dark, Larry made up the Room and we hit the Sack for a Pleasant Nights Sleep! I had intended to get off in Savanah during the Stop, when I awoke we were in Jacksonville! Our SCA had to Leave the Train here so the other SCA from the 9110 Sleeper, Ashok Took Over our Car Also and he proved to be Friendly and Efficient! Amtrak will hear about Both of these Guys! :blush:

Had a Shower, ate the Continental Breakfast , from Jacksonville on Due to Sun Rail Trackwork we had Slow Orders All the Way to

ORL (we Saw the AutoTrain in the Sanford Station as we Passed) where we Arrived about 1 Hour Down! Detrained on a Cloudy but Warm Day (60s) and were met by our Resident AUer Penny who was Cold and was wearing a Jacket and Long Pants! :lol:

After we got our Luggage Loaded, (the Agent gave us a Ride on a Cart to her Car in the Parking Lot), she took us to an Exclusive Resturant in Orlando for Lunch, A Burger King! :giggle: Since we had a Little over an Hour till #98 the NB Silver Meteor was Due and she hadnt finished Packing, she dropped uus off at the station after our Gourment Meal and we waited with a Large Crowd for the 3 Trains that were Due in Close together Due to the Temporary Scheduled brought about by Sun Rail Track Work!! (#97/#92/#98)

Tue 10/15 SM#98 ORL-NYP H Room/Car9810 2 Zone AGR Award

Once Penny returned to the Station (she was Joining Us to NYP in a Roomette in the 9810 Sleeper) We Waited Outside for the 3 Trains to Arrive wondering in Which order they would Roll into the Station?? Our Train was Due @ 1:35PM/#92 was Due in @ 12:45PM on the Altered Schedule and Finally Showed up @ 1:45pM/Loaded and Pulled out headed to NYP! #97 was Due in @ 12:55PM/Showed up @ 1:30PM. The Agents kept making Announcement about Being Sure to Board the Right Train, the Crowd waiting was Large and it was Hectic! Finally our Train came Chugging Up from Kissimmee about 2:30PM/They had Everyone Cross the Tracks to the other Platform (we had a Ride Again on the Agent's Cart)/ Of course the train came into the station on the Other Track so Everyone had to Cross Back Over to the Station Platform to Load! Needless to Say the Agent Wasn't a Happy Camper! We finally Boarded/met our SCA Antoniette and dropped our Stuff in the H Room and headed to the Heritage Diner for a Late Lunch! Penny joined us on the way to the Diner as did Shanghai, Now a resident of Florida for 2 Weeks)and we had Lunch as we Rolled out heading North for NYP!

Consist: Usual Consist of Engines/Bag/3 Sleepers/Heritage Diner/Cafe-Lounge/4 AmfleetII Coaches! Our Sleeper is Getting a Little Long in the Tooth, Once the New Viewliners come On Line ,a Rehab is Definitely in Order!

Crew: Antoniette proved to be a Very Friendly and Professional SCA and the Diner Crew, as Well as the Food, was First Rate!

(I had a Steak for Dinner with the Cheese Cake w/Blueberries and the Omelette @ Breakfast! Excellent Company from Penny and Dick Also/ even the Mysterious Stranger was OK! ^_^ )

We Rolled into the Night with #92 Ahead of Us heading up from Jacksonville into the Night and the AutoTrain behind us! Most of the way we were a Couple of Hours Down, but Once we hit Alexandria we started Picking Up Time! Did a Quickie Engine Change in WAS, ate Breakfast in the Diner and headed up the NEC on a Partly Sunny/Warmish Day for NYP where we Rolled in about 1 Hour Down, Snagged a Red Cap and headed for the CA where we would meet up with some more of the AU Usual Suspects!

 

[the_traveler]

I felt safer riding in the agent's cart to the car, then I did riding in the "Penny Limo"! And to make sure we couldn't escape, she locked all the doors!

 

[pennyk]

After we got our Luggage Loaded, (the Agent gave us a Ride on a Cart to her Car in the Parking Lot), she took us to an Exclusive Resturant in Orlando for Lunch, A Burger King! :giggle:

Jim, you are too funny. :lol: It was not a Burger King, it was Wendy's. Also, if I remember correctly, I was wearing shorts and a hoodie. And, Dave... I have child proof locks on my car, so only the driver may unlock the doors, which comes in handy when I have "children" like you and Jim as passengers in my car.

 

[SarahZ]

I cannot imagine having the two of them in my car.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Jim, you forgot to tell about passing the 2 AUers along the NEC going the RIGHT WAY to Chicago. :lol:

 

[Bob Dylan]

First Class Passengers don't acknowledge Folks in Steerage on the Lowly Cardinal, Especially Yankees!!

 

[the_traveler]

Jim, you forgot to tell about passing the 2 AUers along the NEC going the RIGHT WAY to Chicago. :lol:

You weren't going the RIGHT way - unless you held the map upside down! Going west is LEFT of the right coast! :giggle:

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Jim,

1) I was born in GA.

2) MARC Rider was on the Cardinal in FC (sleeper). And being from MD, I think he might be insulted being called a Yankee.

Dave, we must have been going the RIGHT WAY.

1) We turned right right in VA to head to Chicago.

2) We got there before you guys.

 

[the_traveler]

Well, you did go south to head west - just like we did! So if we were wrong, so were you!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Jim,

1) I was born in GA.

2) MARC Rider was on the Cardinal in FC (sleeper). And being from MD, I think he might be insulted being called a Yankee.

Dave, we must have been going the RIGHT WAY.

1) We turned right right in VA to head to Chicago.

2) We got there before you guys.

:hi: Touche Scarlet! In Texas, anyone North of Taylor is considered a Yankee! ^_^ And our being 2 Hours Late into CHI can't be Blamed on "Wrong Way" Penny, it wasn't her Fault! (This Time!)! :giggle:

 

[Bob Dylan]

PART III: Round Up the Usual Suspects!

Wed. 10/16 NYP-CHI LSL#49 H Room/Car 4910

Arrived in to NYP 1 Hour Down, a Couple of our Members used RedCaps to get to the CA, Penny,Nina and I went Up the Escelator and Straight across the Amtrak Area to the CA beating them by a Good 10 Minutes! Upon checking in to the Crowded Lounge, we saw our Old Friend and AUer Pitor who is Now a NYC Motorman on the NY Subways! Soon after getting our Stuff Stashed, Penny and Nina went to get some "Black and White Cookies", whatever that is? Soon, Alan's Mother Grace came into the Lounge (she Walked from the Bus Station/Brave Woman!) We visited with Pitor while he was waiting to go to Work and about 3 PM Alan came Waltzing In from Queens! 3:30PM the red Caps showed up for those using their Services and one of the CA Attendants took us out the Door to the Down Escelator to Board the LSL, this is Something New in NYP!!! We met our SCA, Sharon, (who the Mysterious Stranger got into it with when she wouldn't let him store his Walker Under the Couch in the H Room)Stashed our Stuff and Proceeded to Wait and Wait and Wait! Finally they Announced that Signal problems had Delayed the Train Arriving from Sunnsside!(IINM Alan already knew this and told us!) Then while Loading the Checked Luggage, the Baggage handlers threw some Bags through the Baggage Car onto Parallel Tracks which caused still Further Delay! Finally our SCA Sharon told us that an Extremely Obese Woman was Boarding the Train and they had to take the Door off the Baggage Car to get her Motorized Chair onto the train and find a Lift Strong Enough to Hold Her while Boarding the Train!

Consist: Usual NYP#49 Section/Joined with the Boston Section in ALB/Heritage Diner (In Good Shape)

Food: Excellent Food and Service in r the Dinner Rolling Up the Huudson and Breakfast through Indiana!

SCA: Sharon was Very Efficient if Somewhat Bossy but Did a Good Job in MY Opinion/the Mysterious Stranger Disagreed

Fiinally, 2 Hours down, we Rolled out of NYP headed North for Albany, Rolling Up the Hudson on a Partly Cloudy Evening with the Sun Setting as we set in the Diner hoping that Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint might Show up and Join us! Nice Dinner with the AU6, then Arrival into Albany for the Switching of the Boston Section onto the front of the Train! Most of us got off and waited on the Platform during the Switchin, it was Dark but not Cold or Wet! We finally Rolled out headed for CHI on the Water Level Route,I took a Shower and hit the sack after the Syracuse Stop! When I awoke we were just leaving the Cleveland Station,(the Tracks seemed Very Rough in Spots in NY and Ohio during the Night) still 2 Hours Down! i went Back to Sleep, woke up pulling into the Toledo Station, got dressed, had some Coffee and Juice and went to the Diner for Breakfast where the AU Gang was all ready to eat! (With 6 we couldnt Share a Table!) The Sun came up, we Rolled on Across Indiana to SOB, then the Slow, Bouncy Trek through the Less than Beautiful Post Indutrial Landscape of East and South Chicago and up through the Yards into Union Station hitting the Stops 2 Hours Down! RedCaps took some of our members to the Lounge and the rest of us Walked the Long Walk to the Metro lounge through a Very Busy Union Station! When we got to the Lounge several AUers(Joe Hess/Betty II) were already there, the Cardinal and Cap beat us to CHI! I was Kevin this Year, the Lounge Attendant gave me a Hard Time getting into the Lounge cause Id Lost my e-ticket, wouln't even Let Grace bring me in as Her Guest on her Select+ Card! I could have used one of My Coupons but wanted to give them to AUers who could use them like most of us in Flyover country do Annualy, but I finally found a Copy of the Ticket and so was Allowed to enter Buckingham Palace, er the Metro Lounge!!! Soon More Members Arrived during our Pit Stop and Lunch in the Lounge! This is the way I remember it, if other Members have Different Versions, Well, it';s My Story and I'm Sticking To It!

 

[the_traveler]

Actually, I do remember it different. You didn't even go to Chicago! :giggle:

 

[Bob Dylan]

So what was that Big City? Did Penny Misdirect Me in NYP???? :lol:

 

[the_traveler]

That big city was a place you've never been to - Austin!

 

[Railroad Bill]

Really enjoying the trip reports Jim. As many times as you have been in the Metro Lounge, you would think they would have your name and photo memorized.. :giggle: .

 

[Bob Dylan]

Really enjoying the trip reports Jim. As many times as you have been in the Metro Lounge, you would think they would have your name and photo memorized.. :giggle: .

:hi: Maybe that's the Problem Bill?! ^_^ (or perhaps there is a Quota on the Number of AUers they Allow into the Lounge at Once! :lol: )

 

[Bob Dylan]

That big city was a place you've never been to - Austin!

Oh, I thought it was Kingston, RI!!

 

[SarahZ]

Thanks for the lounge passes. We really appreciate it.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks for the lounge passes. We really appreciate it.

:hi: You're Welcome! Thanks for being You, it was a Joy to meet You and your Posts make our Day!

 

[the_traveler]

As many times as you have been in the Metro Lounge, you would think they would have your name and photo memorized.. :giggle:

Actually they do have his name and photo memorized! It's on a poster just under the word
WANTED!!!!!!

 

[GG-1]

As many times as you have been in the Metro Lounge, you would think they would have your name and photo memorized.. :giggle:

Actually they do have his name and photo memorized! It's on a poster just under the word
WANTED!!!!!!

Are you sure that's what it said? from the Post i thought there was a poster that said " Not Wanted" :lol:

Aloha