Dakota 400
Engineer
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2014
- Messages
- 3,741
Mr train travel history begins on PRR, Columbus-Chicago (maybe the train was called The Union?) in the late 1940's or early 1050's. Then, in later years, The Buckeye (if my memory is correct).
I remember on those trains a Car that was a combination Section-Lounge Car that allowed people booked in a Pullman accomodation to board early. My Mother and I had a Section. And, we would go to the Lounge part of the Car and have a beverage. I remember ordering a Canada Dry Ginger Ale and so enjoying it. (I know, at this stage of my life, this is a dumb memory. But, I enjoy it!) I also remember one night when we had booked a Section Lower Berth that there was much rain that the train was going through. Rain was coming through the edges of the window of our accommodation and, obviously, my Mother was not pleased. Fortunately, on that trip, the Conductor had a Roomette in the next car that was not reserved and we were moved into that accommodation. While it was cozy, to say the least, it surely was better than dealing with damp bedding.
On C&NW, Chicago-Rochester, Minnesota: first: the Dakota 400 which ran from Chicago to Mankato, Minnesota with a connection at Wyeville, Wisconsin with the Twin Cities 400.
Once the PRR train from Columbus missed our connection in Chicago with the Dakota 400--had to change train stations, if you recall. We were put on the Twin Cities 400 and made our connection Wyeville with no problems.
Does anyone remember the name of the transfer service in Chicago that ferried rail passengers from one station to another? I remember that PRR always issued us a special document that we could use to go from Union Station to the C&NW Station and back for that transfer service.
Because of a reservation error of some type (I was a minor at the time and did not know any details), on one trip, my Mother and I ended up in the Parlor Car instead of our usual Coach seat from Chicago to Rochester. An experience that I still remember, obviously.)
Sorry, the details escape me, but the Dakota 400 became the Rochester 400 and I think stopped at Mankato rather than traveling beyound that city.
I had one delightful round-trip from Rochester, Minnesota to Rapid City, South Dakota one Summer on the Rochester-Black Hills Special. No Dining Car from Mankato to Rapid City, but there was a cafe/diner that provided excellent service and food.
The Rochester-Black Hills Special dropped the Pullman at Rochester from Chicago West and re-attached the car the next day when she returned East.
Dining Car fare on C&NW was excellent! The Broiled Whitefish still stands out in my memory! Along with their soups!
In 1967 or 1968, a C&O Cincinnati to Washington, D.C. rail journey in a double bedroom: two individual seats; no couch in those bedrooms. Memorable because when my friend and I enjoyed "dinner in the diner", the roadbed was so rough out of Cincinnati, when the Steward put our First Course, a cup of soup, on the table, one-half immediately ended up in the saucer under the cup.
My Amtrak experiences began in 1980 on the former "whatever its name" Dayton, Ohio to New York and return. Roomettes at that time were, sorry, shabby. But, they were clean and the Attendants did a good job. (It may have been the former PRR's Spirit of Saint Louis.) Anyone interested in haute cuisine on that train would have been disappointed. But, the Cafe Car provided good food--an excellent Ham Sandwich and Chips between Dayton and Columbus--and friendly service.
Also, 1990: Toledo-Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited; Chicago-Seattle on Empire Builder (having to change Sleeping Cars to the Portland Car because of a screw-up with my travel agent's booking) and then the Coast Starlight to Seattle from Portland.
The Cardinal from Cincinnati to Chicago; The California Zephyr to San Francisco (which led to a very late arrival and problems for me when I was dumped off at the Ferry Building with the Station not open late at night), Coast Starlight to Seattle, and then, maybe the most scenic trip of all, the Empire Builder to Chicago during the Winter of 2002 connecting with the Cardinal back to Cincinnati.
Yesterday, I completed a New York-New Orleans-Chicago booking after I had to cancel a Cincinnati-Chicago-Los Angeles-San Diego booking in May.
Fly to New York; fly home from Chicao. If the Cardinal had a more reasonable arrival and departure schedule from/to Cincinnati, I would have booked those trains.
I remember on those trains a Car that was a combination Section-Lounge Car that allowed people booked in a Pullman accomodation to board early. My Mother and I had a Section. And, we would go to the Lounge part of the Car and have a beverage. I remember ordering a Canada Dry Ginger Ale and so enjoying it. (I know, at this stage of my life, this is a dumb memory. But, I enjoy it!) I also remember one night when we had booked a Section Lower Berth that there was much rain that the train was going through. Rain was coming through the edges of the window of our accommodation and, obviously, my Mother was not pleased. Fortunately, on that trip, the Conductor had a Roomette in the next car that was not reserved and we were moved into that accommodation. While it was cozy, to say the least, it surely was better than dealing with damp bedding.
On C&NW, Chicago-Rochester, Minnesota: first: the Dakota 400 which ran from Chicago to Mankato, Minnesota with a connection at Wyeville, Wisconsin with the Twin Cities 400.
Once the PRR train from Columbus missed our connection in Chicago with the Dakota 400--had to change train stations, if you recall. We were put on the Twin Cities 400 and made our connection Wyeville with no problems.
Does anyone remember the name of the transfer service in Chicago that ferried rail passengers from one station to another? I remember that PRR always issued us a special document that we could use to go from Union Station to the C&NW Station and back for that transfer service.
Because of a reservation error of some type (I was a minor at the time and did not know any details), on one trip, my Mother and I ended up in the Parlor Car instead of our usual Coach seat from Chicago to Rochester. An experience that I still remember, obviously.)
Sorry, the details escape me, but the Dakota 400 became the Rochester 400 and I think stopped at Mankato rather than traveling beyound that city.
I had one delightful round-trip from Rochester, Minnesota to Rapid City, South Dakota one Summer on the Rochester-Black Hills Special. No Dining Car from Mankato to Rapid City, but there was a cafe/diner that provided excellent service and food.
The Rochester-Black Hills Special dropped the Pullman at Rochester from Chicago West and re-attached the car the next day when she returned East.
Dining Car fare on C&NW was excellent! The Broiled Whitefish still stands out in my memory! Along with their soups!
In 1967 or 1968, a C&O Cincinnati to Washington, D.C. rail journey in a double bedroom: two individual seats; no couch in those bedrooms. Memorable because when my friend and I enjoyed "dinner in the diner", the roadbed was so rough out of Cincinnati, when the Steward put our First Course, a cup of soup, on the table, one-half immediately ended up in the saucer under the cup.
My Amtrak experiences began in 1980 on the former "whatever its name" Dayton, Ohio to New York and return. Roomettes at that time were, sorry, shabby. But, they were clean and the Attendants did a good job. (It may have been the former PRR's Spirit of Saint Louis.) Anyone interested in haute cuisine on that train would have been disappointed. But, the Cafe Car provided good food--an excellent Ham Sandwich and Chips between Dayton and Columbus--and friendly service.
Also, 1990: Toledo-Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited; Chicago-Seattle on Empire Builder (having to change Sleeping Cars to the Portland Car because of a screw-up with my travel agent's booking) and then the Coast Starlight to Seattle from Portland.
The Cardinal from Cincinnati to Chicago; The California Zephyr to San Francisco (which led to a very late arrival and problems for me when I was dumped off at the Ferry Building with the Station not open late at night), Coast Starlight to Seattle, and then, maybe the most scenic trip of all, the Empire Builder to Chicago during the Winter of 2002 connecting with the Cardinal back to Cincinnati.
Yesterday, I completed a New York-New Orleans-Chicago booking after I had to cancel a Cincinnati-Chicago-Los Angeles-San Diego booking in May.
Fly to New York; fly home from Chicao. If the Cardinal had a more reasonable arrival and departure schedule from/to Cincinnati, I would have booked those trains.
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