Trip Report: Albany to Chicago

[Exvalley]

Our trip from Albany to Chicago went off without a hitch. The train was on time. Our Viewliner II bedroom B was very nice. The toilet flushing noise wasn't bad. It certainly didn't wake me up at night.

My one complaint is that the public showers weren't working in either sleeper car. One car had no hot water and the other car had more air than water coming out of the tap. I did not try the shower in our bedroom. Call me crazy, but I like to use the common shower so the toilet in the room stays dry.

Most importantly, it was a fantastic bonding trip with my son who is about to leave for college. I will cherish the time we had together - because these days are rapidly ending.

The purpose of the trip was to audition for music college. My son is a country boy and has never had to go through an audition other than for his high school choir. He was competing with kids who had much more impressive resumes - and much more formal training. He was so nervous prior to his audition that he was literally shaking. Fortunately, he did wonderfully. One of the professors said listening to him sing was like a "breath of fresh air." Another professor emailed him after his audition to tell him how impressed he was. So it was a tremendous confidence booster and a real special trip for the both of us. Teenage kids can drive you crazy, but I don't think that I have ever been as proud of my son as I was on this trip.

 

[TiggerPU88]

Good luck to your son! My son is a junior at Oberlin and I remember the Performing Arts Supplements well! I hope he is accepted to all the schools that interest him.

-- Adrienne : )

 

[NorthShore]

Our trip from Albany to Chicago went off without a hitch. The train was on time. Our Viewliner II bedroom B was very nice. The toilet flushing noise wasn't bad. It certainly didn't wake me up at night.

My one complaint is that the public showers weren't working in either sleeper car. One car had no hot water and the other car had more air than water coming out of the tap. I did not try the shower in our bedroom. Call me crazy, but I like to use the common shower so the toilet in the room stays dry.

Most importantly, it was a fantastic bonding trip with my son who is about to leave for college. I will cherish the time we had together - because these days are rapidly ending.

The purpose of the trip was to audition for music college. My son is a country boy and has never had to go through an audition other than for his high school choir. He was competing with kids who had much more impressive resumes - and much more formal training. He was so nervous prior to his audition that he was literally shaking. Fortunately, he did wonderfully. One of the professors said listening to him sing was like a "breath of fresh air." Another professor emailed him after his audition to tell him how impressed he was. So it was a tremendous confidence booster and a real special trip for the both of us. Teenage kids can drive you crazy, but I don't think that I have ever been as proud of my son as I was on this trip.

I get around to performances (often free or low cost) of the many music conservatories here in Chicago. It's one of the excellent things which leavens our urban environment. If he chooses a school here, I'll look forward to hearing him one day.

 

[Dakota 400]

I have a Nephew who auditioned at a University in Illinois. (Tuba is his major instrument.) Since his family lived in a Maryland suburb of D. C., his Mother and he stopped here for an overnight stay. He wanted to practice, so went out on my balcony to practice. Not very long after he started, I got a phone call from a neighbor asking me what is "all that racket". I explained what was happening. She accepted it, but I could tell she wasn't at all pleased.

 

[Eric in East County]

Trains and Music, a great combination that I can fully appreciate. All through junior high school and high school, I would ride the Cleveland Rapid Transit once a week from the W. 150th Street station to the Terminal Tower in downtown Cleveland to attended rehearsals of the Cleveland All-City Band. In 1960, I made my first long-distance train trip from Ohio to Colorado as a member of the Boy Scout Region 4 Band which performed at the National Boy Scout Jamboree held in Colorado Springs. During the years I worked as a professional musician, Pat and I once had to take the Coast Starlight up to Portland, Oregon for rehearsals and a special Halloween performance of the Oregon Symphony that took placed in 2000.