CZ #6 Chicago Boarding Time

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RailFanLNK

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Mar 24, 2006
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I have boarded the #6 a couple of times in CHI. Can't remember what time we actually leave the gate to board the CZ. I know Seniors and parents with kids board first. What time do the "regulars" board?
 
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Yes, I meant the #5, ;) we have our final trip orientation meeting on Thursday night and want to be sure I know the exact time since someone will be asking me that! Or they will ask me that at some point during the stay in CHI. I just haven't ever paid attention. I'm alway early than late.
 
You can't really predict the exact time. Did you book with Amtrak as a group? If so perhaps Amtrak can arrange for a block of seats in one coach to be set aside for your group. In general, I would tell everyone in your group to be at the station 1 hour before the train departs. This should be stated in non-negotiable terms. There is always one person in every group that does not move as quickly, or is inconsiderate, or something which causes the whole group to be delayed. You want to be sure that such a person does not put the entire group at risk for missing the train.

Amtrak usually starts boarding about a half hour before depature with sleeper passengrs and red cap assitance passengers. Then the pre-boards, and sometimes about 10 minutes before departure, the rest of the coach passengers. This is about the latest that boarding occurs. I could be a bit earlier, hence the advice to be at the station early.

Remember that 5, 3, 21, and 7 all leave in about a 2 hour time period so the station will be very busy and confusing to first time Amtrak travelers. Good luck.
 
When I took the number 5 last month we had quite a long wait because there were so many older folks and families with kids. What I don't understand is these older folks pack their luggage, wheel their luggage and then all of a sudden they're not capable of wheeling their luggage to the train? They get driven to the train! We had to wait a good 30+ minutes just for the older passengers. Then we got the news that there was a train derailment and the passengers for the first few stops would have to take a bus. This was the train ride from hell. But it was fun and I'm totally looking forward to my next train trip which will definitely take me back East and then up north, I hope! Steve
 
steveindixon said:
When I took the number 5 last month we had quite a long wait because there were so many older folks and families with kids. What I don't understand is these older folks pack their luggage, wheel their luggage and then all of a sudden they're not capable of wheeling their luggage to the train? They get driven to the train! We had to wait a good 30+ minutes just for the older passengers. Then we got the news that there was a train derailment and the passengers for the first few stops would have to take a bus. This was the train ride from hell. But it was fun and I'm totally looking forward to my next train trip which will definitely take me back East and then up north, I hope! Steve
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Steve, with all due respect I don't buy your 30+ minute "quite a long wait" just for the older passengers and families with kids story.

I'm handicapped and walking limited and I've been carried to the train many times by Red Caps transporter, by wheel chair and other methods in the past. I've usually been helped (without asking) with my bags! There are times that I have walked when the distance was short enough and other passangers were never delayed in any of these cases more than seconds with just a few exceptions! At one station this last trip I needed to board using one of those yellow stools and had trouble pulling myself up! That held up other passangers by about a whole whopping 45 seconds. If in fact you were held up for that long then I'd dare say that it was a rare exception under unusual circumstances!

Also, packing and wheeling one's luggage from home to the train station does not equate to carrying ones bag to the train. For one, the older person may have had help getting to and into the train station. If they don't have help, they may have enough endurance to start out with but for the walk to the train or getting their luggage into the train car, it may be another matter. In any case it is very likely that the two distances involved in getting bags to the station are shorter than the distance from the station to the train. Small stations may be an exception.

When we are young we don't realize how difficult certain things can be for some older persons, that is until we ourselves are no longer young and in the same shape we used to be! Perhaps you should consider doing what I was taught when I was growing up... try helping where you can the older person you see that needs help rather than complain about them!
 
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