This is a link to show pictures from my trip.
http://steve4031.smugmug.com/gallery/19450.../7402357/Medium
July 12
The Day is finally here! After dinner with my dad in Greek Town, I am now sitting in the temporary Amtrak lounge in Chicago Union Station. The room does have a temporary feeling to it, but it is comfortable. Like in the regular Metropolitan lounge, I was not allowed to take my bag into the seating area. However, this presented no real problem. The 90 minute wait passed quickly while I talked with another sleeping car passenger on #40.
The boarding announcement is made, and there is a somewhat disorganized boarding process. I had anticipated the call, and gotten my bag early. As I waited around for the group to move, I became impatient and just walked down to the south concourse on my own. Amtrak personal pointed the way, and I walked down the platform to the train. As usual on 40, a few amfleet and horizon cars with a horizon café with one viewliner sleeper (Sylvan View).
I was in room six on the right side of the train. The AC was going full blast, a relief in the hot, humid July night. The attendant, a lady, was efficient and professional. Before we had even left the station she had walked through the car and introduced herself to all passengers. In addition, she took breakfast orders and wake up calls. Each passenger was asked what time they would like Breakfast. I selected 6:30 A.M. like I always do on the train.
Departed on time, and I was asleep shortly after Hammond Whiting. The anticipation of spending the next 14 days riding trains inspired an extreme calm in me. This was beginning of my participation in the Toronto Railfest which was organized by Superliner Diner. The day after tomorrow, Wednesday, July 14 I would meet with some of the Railfest group members in New York’s Penn Station, and then continues on to Buffalo and Toronto. After participating in the Railfest, I would take a circle trip from Toronto to Montreal to Ottawa and back to Toronto. Then I would take the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver. From Vancouver, I would take Amtrak to Seattle, and return to Chicago on the Empire Builder.
July 13
I awoke the next morning between Akron and Youngstown. We were pretty much on schedule. As I poked my head out the door, the attendant reminded me that my breakfast would soon be ready. When I entered the “diner” (really a horizon dinette car) the attendant acknowledged my presence and provided coffee and OJ immediately. Soon after my French toast arrived. Though not cooked to order, it was warm and adequate. The crisp service added to the dining experience and made it enjoyable.
After Breakfast, I returned to my room to read and listen to music. I had just purchased a new jukebox MP3 player and wanted to try it out. A jukebox MP3 player combined with Bose’s comfort noise canceling headphones provides the ultimate complement to train travel. All of my favorite music is easily accessible, and the headphones provide near stereo quality sound, with good bass when that is needed. While enjoying some Peter Brown, I noticed that the attendant had made the room up while I was having breakfast. Old school funk combined with old school train service!
Arrived Pittsburg on time. The new crew boarded and immediately addressed the freezing temperatures in the sleeping car. I over heard that one half of the car was consistently to warm, while the other half was usually to cold. The end doors were kept open, which alleviated the freezing. I noted that the warmer part near the deluxe rooms did not seem to be getting as much relief. The cold didn’t bother me, but I emphasized with the passengers in the warm half.
Departed Pittsburg on time, and I settled back to enjoy the old Pennsy mainline across Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. I enjoy the mountain scenery and the railroading sights such as the horseshoe curve and the right of way of the old 4-track mainline carving its way through the landscape. All of this capped of with the Pennsy position light signals.
As we got the highball out of Johnstown, my cell phone rang. I answered, expecting a friend. Instead it was one of my parents from school. She was irate that arrangements that I had made for her to get paper work from the school had fallen through. I informed her that I was on vacation, but I thought that I could get the problem resolved within a day. So, I played business executive as we climbed up to the horseshoe curve. After three or four calls, I had the problem resolved by the time we left Altoona.
The excellence of service continued with lunch. I was enjoying my rooms so much; I asked if I could have lunch there instead. The attendant was very accommodating, and lunch was served with a flourish as we sat on the north side of the Horseshoe curve waiting for a clear signal. The cheeseburger was pretty tasty . . . or did the surroundings distract my taste buds? Not sure . . . but I enjoyed it none the less.
Freight traffic around Altoona caused us to lose about 40 minutes, which was never gained back despite padding into Harrisburg. I enjoyed the crossing of the Susquehanna River, always a highlight of this route. We lost additional time between Harrisburg and Lancaster as we passed areas where the track was being upgraded in the keystone corridor. From Lancaster to Paoli, the Three Rivers passes through the Dutch country, which had a golden tint to it in the afternoon sun.
We sat for about 45 minute in 30th street station, and thus still did not make up time even though I believe the possibility existed to do so. Eventually, we departed, the train accelerating crisply, until we had an abrupt halt at the north end of the station which caused the door on my compartment to shut. After 7 or 8 minutes, we made a leisurely jaunt through zoo junction before accelerating on to the NEC for a quick run to Trenton, where I detrained.
I was staying at the Marriott on Lafayette square, which was about a mile from the station. The Marriot was supposed to provide a shuttle, but no dice. It was busy. A short cab ride took me to the hotel, which was clean and comfortable. I would recommend this hotel to rail fans who can take advantage of the weekend rates that Marriott offers. With its proximity to the Trenton Amtrak station, it offers rail fans a good home base to explore Philadelphia or New York City.
http://steve4031.smugmug.com/gallery/19450.../7402357/Medium
July 12
The Day is finally here! After dinner with my dad in Greek Town, I am now sitting in the temporary Amtrak lounge in Chicago Union Station. The room does have a temporary feeling to it, but it is comfortable. Like in the regular Metropolitan lounge, I was not allowed to take my bag into the seating area. However, this presented no real problem. The 90 minute wait passed quickly while I talked with another sleeping car passenger on #40.
The boarding announcement is made, and there is a somewhat disorganized boarding process. I had anticipated the call, and gotten my bag early. As I waited around for the group to move, I became impatient and just walked down to the south concourse on my own. Amtrak personal pointed the way, and I walked down the platform to the train. As usual on 40, a few amfleet and horizon cars with a horizon café with one viewliner sleeper (Sylvan View).
I was in room six on the right side of the train. The AC was going full blast, a relief in the hot, humid July night. The attendant, a lady, was efficient and professional. Before we had even left the station she had walked through the car and introduced herself to all passengers. In addition, she took breakfast orders and wake up calls. Each passenger was asked what time they would like Breakfast. I selected 6:30 A.M. like I always do on the train.
Departed on time, and I was asleep shortly after Hammond Whiting. The anticipation of spending the next 14 days riding trains inspired an extreme calm in me. This was beginning of my participation in the Toronto Railfest which was organized by Superliner Diner. The day after tomorrow, Wednesday, July 14 I would meet with some of the Railfest group members in New York’s Penn Station, and then continues on to Buffalo and Toronto. After participating in the Railfest, I would take a circle trip from Toronto to Montreal to Ottawa and back to Toronto. Then I would take the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver. From Vancouver, I would take Amtrak to Seattle, and return to Chicago on the Empire Builder.
July 13
I awoke the next morning between Akron and Youngstown. We were pretty much on schedule. As I poked my head out the door, the attendant reminded me that my breakfast would soon be ready. When I entered the “diner” (really a horizon dinette car) the attendant acknowledged my presence and provided coffee and OJ immediately. Soon after my French toast arrived. Though not cooked to order, it was warm and adequate. The crisp service added to the dining experience and made it enjoyable.
After Breakfast, I returned to my room to read and listen to music. I had just purchased a new jukebox MP3 player and wanted to try it out. A jukebox MP3 player combined with Bose’s comfort noise canceling headphones provides the ultimate complement to train travel. All of my favorite music is easily accessible, and the headphones provide near stereo quality sound, with good bass when that is needed. While enjoying some Peter Brown, I noticed that the attendant had made the room up while I was having breakfast. Old school funk combined with old school train service!
Arrived Pittsburg on time. The new crew boarded and immediately addressed the freezing temperatures in the sleeping car. I over heard that one half of the car was consistently to warm, while the other half was usually to cold. The end doors were kept open, which alleviated the freezing. I noted that the warmer part near the deluxe rooms did not seem to be getting as much relief. The cold didn’t bother me, but I emphasized with the passengers in the warm half.
Departed Pittsburg on time, and I settled back to enjoy the old Pennsy mainline across Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. I enjoy the mountain scenery and the railroading sights such as the horseshoe curve and the right of way of the old 4-track mainline carving its way through the landscape. All of this capped of with the Pennsy position light signals.
As we got the highball out of Johnstown, my cell phone rang. I answered, expecting a friend. Instead it was one of my parents from school. She was irate that arrangements that I had made for her to get paper work from the school had fallen through. I informed her that I was on vacation, but I thought that I could get the problem resolved within a day. So, I played business executive as we climbed up to the horseshoe curve. After three or four calls, I had the problem resolved by the time we left Altoona.
The excellence of service continued with lunch. I was enjoying my rooms so much; I asked if I could have lunch there instead. The attendant was very accommodating, and lunch was served with a flourish as we sat on the north side of the Horseshoe curve waiting for a clear signal. The cheeseburger was pretty tasty . . . or did the surroundings distract my taste buds? Not sure . . . but I enjoyed it none the less.
Freight traffic around Altoona caused us to lose about 40 minutes, which was never gained back despite padding into Harrisburg. I enjoyed the crossing of the Susquehanna River, always a highlight of this route. We lost additional time between Harrisburg and Lancaster as we passed areas where the track was being upgraded in the keystone corridor. From Lancaster to Paoli, the Three Rivers passes through the Dutch country, which had a golden tint to it in the afternoon sun.
We sat for about 45 minute in 30th street station, and thus still did not make up time even though I believe the possibility existed to do so. Eventually, we departed, the train accelerating crisply, until we had an abrupt halt at the north end of the station which caused the door on my compartment to shut. After 7 or 8 minutes, we made a leisurely jaunt through zoo junction before accelerating on to the NEC for a quick run to Trenton, where I detrained.
I was staying at the Marriott on Lafayette square, which was about a mile from the station. The Marriot was supposed to provide a shuttle, but no dice. It was busy. A short cab ride took me to the hotel, which was clean and comfortable. I would recommend this hotel to rail fans who can take advantage of the weekend rates that Marriott offers. With its proximity to the Trenton Amtrak station, it offers rail fans a good home base to explore Philadelphia or New York City.
