amtrakmichigan
Lead Service Attendant
11/17/03 #30 Capitol Limited Chicago to Washington
Sleeper: Room C (car 3000)Deluxe Bedroom.
Consist:
(front of train)
1) Genesis locomotive
2) Genesis locomotive
3) Baggage car
4) 39039 Transistion sleeper (dorm)
5) 32078 Superliner II sleeper ("Florida")
6) 32104 Superliner II sleeper ("oklahoma") <OUR CAR
7) 38044 Superliner Diner
8) 33025 Superliner Lounge
9) 31545 Superliner Coach/smoking
10) 34047 Superliner Coach
11-17) Road railers and misc box cars
We departed Chicago on time but quickly came to a halt over a freeway bridge waiting on a signal. I am so happy that I wasn't in all that traffic downthere, what a mess! Our car attendent Michael came by and informed us that dinner would be served in about an hour and there would only be one seating due to quanity of passengers on the train. about 45 minutes latter they anounced the first and only call for dinner. We proceded to the diner and a seated right away. Our server, Rick Green was on the ball and brought our salads and dressings right away. 15 minutes latter our dinner was served. I had the NY strip with carrots and baked potato. Kim and Danielle had the chef's special of chicken corn on blue (however you spell it) Danielle didn't like it much because the sauce was very rich. However Kim thought it was very good. They both had the carrots and baked potato too. The carratots were good, but didn't seem to be cooked long enough. My steak was a little tough and dry, but still tasty. last time I was on the Capitol I had a filet mignon that was out of this world. I had cheesecake for desert, which is always excellent.
Rick's service: A- (a little slow with my desert but professional and nice)
Food quality: B- (steak and carrots could have been better)
After Dinner Danielle climbed up into the top bunk of our deluxe room and went to sleep shortly after. Kim worked on her laptop with homework the rest of the night and I played railfan and bartender for the 2 of us. I steped offthe train in Toledo for a while and smoked and stretch out a little. We were 1hr and 1 minute late departing South Bend and Elkhart, but only 39 minutes late departing Toledo. We went to sleep just before Cleveland and woke up shortly after Connelsville, PA. I took a shower in our room. This was the first time I ever showered on a train, and found it to be quite easy considering what I have herd and read about it. I am a big guy (6'1 250) but didn't have much of a hard time moving around to shower. I was expecting I would have to keep pressing the button for the water every 30 seconds or so, but looked like Amtrak did away with the buttons. In fact on all 4 of our trains, there was no water buttons. Just the simple water control valve to control the temp. which also turns it on and off.
We got to the diner shortly before Cumberland,Md. We were served by Rick again, which was good because I enjoyed his good service the night before. I had scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage, (notice I had both, I will write about what happend at breakfast on the Meteor in part 3) and a croissant. Kim and Danielle both had french toast with bacon and sausage. Oh and i had hashbrowns too. Breakfast was perfect ! Very good food and service.
Rick's Service: A
Food: A
We returned to our room and basically enjoyed the scenery all the way to WAS. This is one of my favorite rides for scenery, especially between Pittsburgh and Harpers ferry. It is exceptional in the fall, but we were too late to see any real colors.
We pulled into WAS about 10 minutes late. Michael our car attendent, which I didn't care for much because of how "laid back" he was made a big BOO BOO when we got off the train. He took 1 of my small bags that I had in the storage bin and put it on a red cap cart. Well, I didn't want redcap service. My wife informed me that we were missing a bag. I went back in the car to look and couldn't find it. Michael asked what type of bag it was and after describing it he said "OH I put it on with the red cap" which already drove off a few minutes earlier. All I was thinking was he better find out where it went. He told us to go to the First Class lounge and wait there and the red cap would be there with it. He also said he would be in there in a few minutes to make sure that I got it. Well about 10 minutes after we got to the lounge the red cap pulled up with the cart with my bag on it (big relief) Mike in about a minute latter to check on me and to make sure everything was OK. By the way I had to put our beds up myself because Mike didn't "have time" while we were at breakfast. Mike knew we went to breakfast and said "he would have them ready when we got back". Needless to say Mike didn't score many points with me.
Mike's profesionalism: B-
Mikes work ethic: D+
IN UNION STATION
we left our baggage in the lounge. Danielle wanted to eat at McDonalds. None of us including Danielle eat much fast food at all, so I thought it would be a nice treat for her. We ate at the McDonalds in union station. For how busy they were, they did a fine job on how quick they were spitting orders out. Our fast food restaurants here in the Detroit area should go there and take some notes on how to make fast food FAST.
After lunch we walked down to the capitol building and back. I was stunned on how many homeless people (bums) are around WAS. We wern't botthered by any really. I think I might be intemadating a little with my size and shades
B) haha. Anyway.. we basically just hung out in Union Station the rest of the day, did a little shopping in the afternoon. We had dinner in there food court, I had scallops and fries and Danielle had Clams and fries from a seafood place, and kim had some kind of chicken from an asian food place. Oh by the way, I was also stunned by the taxi cab lights on the cabs roof that says "dial 911". I asked a redcap about this, and he said they turn it on if there getting robbed. Sounds like a nice city
We took in a movie at the AMC theatre in union station. We seen the new Loony Toons movie. It was a great movie, we all loved it. After the movie we all went back to the Acella Lounge for a little while. At this time of night there was only 4 other people in there with us. I played on the internet for a while, Danielle took a nap and Kim did some homework.
A red cap by the name of Micky came in and took our bags for us. Micky was a great guy, very professional and polite. Just a real nice guy ! he took us out on the platform before our train even pulled in. Not only did Micky put our bags on the sleeper for us, he carried all 7 of them down to the other end of the car and put them in our room for us. That's pretty good service. I gave Micky $10 to show my thanks, which he very well deserved since he was on the ball.
We then boarded #97 The Silver Meteor. Part 3 will follow soon
Sleeper: Room C (car 3000)Deluxe Bedroom.
Consist:
(front of train)
1) Genesis locomotive
2) Genesis locomotive
3) Baggage car
4) 39039 Transistion sleeper (dorm)
5) 32078 Superliner II sleeper ("Florida")
6) 32104 Superliner II sleeper ("oklahoma") <OUR CAR
7) 38044 Superliner Diner
8) 33025 Superliner Lounge
9) 31545 Superliner Coach/smoking
10) 34047 Superliner Coach
11-17) Road railers and misc box cars
We departed Chicago on time but quickly came to a halt over a freeway bridge waiting on a signal. I am so happy that I wasn't in all that traffic downthere, what a mess! Our car attendent Michael came by and informed us that dinner would be served in about an hour and there would only be one seating due to quanity of passengers on the train. about 45 minutes latter they anounced the first and only call for dinner. We proceded to the diner and a seated right away. Our server, Rick Green was on the ball and brought our salads and dressings right away. 15 minutes latter our dinner was served. I had the NY strip with carrots and baked potato. Kim and Danielle had the chef's special of chicken corn on blue (however you spell it) Danielle didn't like it much because the sauce was very rich. However Kim thought it was very good. They both had the carrots and baked potato too. The carratots were good, but didn't seem to be cooked long enough. My steak was a little tough and dry, but still tasty. last time I was on the Capitol I had a filet mignon that was out of this world. I had cheesecake for desert, which is always excellent.
Rick's service: A- (a little slow with my desert but professional and nice)
Food quality: B- (steak and carrots could have been better)
After Dinner Danielle climbed up into the top bunk of our deluxe room and went to sleep shortly after. Kim worked on her laptop with homework the rest of the night and I played railfan and bartender for the 2 of us. I steped offthe train in Toledo for a while and smoked and stretch out a little. We were 1hr and 1 minute late departing South Bend and Elkhart, but only 39 minutes late departing Toledo. We went to sleep just before Cleveland and woke up shortly after Connelsville, PA. I took a shower in our room. This was the first time I ever showered on a train, and found it to be quite easy considering what I have herd and read about it. I am a big guy (6'1 250) but didn't have much of a hard time moving around to shower. I was expecting I would have to keep pressing the button for the water every 30 seconds or so, but looked like Amtrak did away with the buttons. In fact on all 4 of our trains, there was no water buttons. Just the simple water control valve to control the temp. which also turns it on and off.
We got to the diner shortly before Cumberland,Md. We were served by Rick again, which was good because I enjoyed his good service the night before. I had scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage, (notice I had both, I will write about what happend at breakfast on the Meteor in part 3) and a croissant. Kim and Danielle both had french toast with bacon and sausage. Oh and i had hashbrowns too. Breakfast was perfect ! Very good food and service.
Rick's Service: A
Food: A
We returned to our room and basically enjoyed the scenery all the way to WAS. This is one of my favorite rides for scenery, especially between Pittsburgh and Harpers ferry. It is exceptional in the fall, but we were too late to see any real colors.
We pulled into WAS about 10 minutes late. Michael our car attendent, which I didn't care for much because of how "laid back" he was made a big BOO BOO when we got off the train. He took 1 of my small bags that I had in the storage bin and put it on a red cap cart. Well, I didn't want redcap service. My wife informed me that we were missing a bag. I went back in the car to look and couldn't find it. Michael asked what type of bag it was and after describing it he said "OH I put it on with the red cap" which already drove off a few minutes earlier. All I was thinking was he better find out where it went. He told us to go to the First Class lounge and wait there and the red cap would be there with it. He also said he would be in there in a few minutes to make sure that I got it. Well about 10 minutes after we got to the lounge the red cap pulled up with the cart with my bag on it (big relief) Mike in about a minute latter to check on me and to make sure everything was OK. By the way I had to put our beds up myself because Mike didn't "have time" while we were at breakfast. Mike knew we went to breakfast and said "he would have them ready when we got back". Needless to say Mike didn't score many points with me.
Mike's profesionalism: B-
Mikes work ethic: D+
IN UNION STATION
we left our baggage in the lounge. Danielle wanted to eat at McDonalds. None of us including Danielle eat much fast food at all, so I thought it would be a nice treat for her. We ate at the McDonalds in union station. For how busy they were, they did a fine job on how quick they were spitting orders out. Our fast food restaurants here in the Detroit area should go there and take some notes on how to make fast food FAST.
After lunch we walked down to the capitol building and back. I was stunned on how many homeless people (bums) are around WAS. We wern't botthered by any really. I think I might be intemadating a little with my size and shades
B) haha. Anyway.. we basically just hung out in Union Station the rest of the day, did a little shopping in the afternoon. We had dinner in there food court, I had scallops and fries and Danielle had Clams and fries from a seafood place, and kim had some kind of chicken from an asian food place. Oh by the way, I was also stunned by the taxi cab lights on the cabs roof that says "dial 911". I asked a redcap about this, and he said they turn it on if there getting robbed. Sounds like a nice city
We took in a movie at the AMC theatre in union station. We seen the new Loony Toons movie. It was a great movie, we all loved it. After the movie we all went back to the Acella Lounge for a little while. At this time of night there was only 4 other people in there with us. I played on the internet for a while, Danielle took a nap and Kim did some homework.
A red cap by the name of Micky came in and took our bags for us. Micky was a great guy, very professional and polite. Just a real nice guy ! he took us out on the platform before our train even pulled in. Not only did Micky put our bags on the sleeper for us, he carried all 7 of them down to the other end of the car and put them in our room for us. That's pretty good service. I gave Micky $10 to show my thanks, which he very well deserved since he was on the ball.
We then boarded #97 The Silver Meteor. Part 3 will follow soon