pianocat
Lead Service Attendant
It's been exactly 24 hours since I arrived back home after a major Christmas journey. While the images and impressions are still fresh, I want to write my travelogue.
Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Amtrak, the wonderful time spent watching America pass by out a large picture window - but. This trip was the absolute roughest ride I've ever experienced in my years of riding the trains. To fill you in, I started out in Centralia, IL on the Saluki headed to Chicago. These tracks seem to be getting worse as time passes. Is there any plan to replace or upgrade this routing? I sure hope so.....
Illinois is so much like southern Indiana, that I ended up playing more solitaire than gazing out the window because the farmlands seemed unending and boring. Still, there was a distinct feeling like i was 'escaping' my calm, sedate life and the ride was still enjoyable. Also, I knew I'd be seeing my daughter in a mere 72 hours...that made it all worthwhile! Upon arrival in CHI i headed for Metro Deli and some great 'comfort food' that I only rarely allow myself to indulge in. Yum. Caught a taxi to my hotel afterwards. The next day, I returned to CUS @ mid morning and took a few pics of the Great Hall, and bought some stuff at the Amtrak store. Since I'd had a big breakfast at the hotel, I skipped Metro Deli again. [When one is used to eating only 1 big meal every day...trying to force 3 squares is really not...practical!] Enjoyed the Met. Lounge for a couple of hours until time to board for the EB. I decided to get a Red Cap, and was glad I did - even though the Portland sleeper was closest to the station. The walk , still, would have been substantial and not something me and my asthma would like. Errol was at the ready to carry my bag up to my room, and was an incredible SCA for the duration of the trip. Once underway, the route was fairly smooth, but almost like clockwork - once we hit ND, the tracks became ridiculously difficult to allow someone to try to navigate walking within the train cars. I have a couple of bruises to prove it...and I was holding chairbacks and red-striped hand/holds religiously. Got to the point where I had to decide if it was really worth it to get myself up to the diner [6 cars ahead] or not. I tried to time it with station stops...or at least getting to the Lounge car [1/2 way] during slow times, but GOOD GRIEF!!! I don't remember the EB being this wobbly!!! I already knew that the meals would be mediocre, at best - especially for someone with only vegetarian choices. We don't ride Amtrak for the quality of the food - it's the comaraderie of who we might 'meet' in the dining car that drives us fans! I met some really interesting people, we sat there, a couple of times, way beyond when the staff would have preferred - but it was so nice to hear about the lives of people who I'd never encountered otherwise. Some nuts, too
Believe it or not...we arrived in Pasco, WA ON TIME!! So awesome to see my daughter and her husband!!! Spent the next 5 days with them, had some phenomenal meals in Walla Walla since this is essentially becoming a jr. Napa valley - both due to wineries, as well as cuisine.
Saturday, 27th, came way too soon. It was time to head back. The EB was ontime in Pasco, but lost 3 hours in Spokane due to the #8 losing time due to potential landslides near Everett. This was not a big deal to me because it afforded me a life-altering nature show of Glacier park in the winter, during the daylight hours!!! WOW. We had to wait for a snowplow once, and the spot where we stopped couldn't have been more Courier & Ives for a photo moment. It was Sunday morning, Dec. 28...and I felt like I was in a 'natural' form of church. Very moving, and humbled me to tears. I will try to attach a photo here, but not sure I know how to do it. Trust me...it was awesome!
After coming down from the Rockies, it was a HUGE amount of dreary, grey, flat environment that didn't provide more than a slight bit of interest from me. I've seen this place [Montana] in the height of summer and it's TOTALLY different at that stage. Big Sky country definitely needs that azure blue to make it anything but depressing. Interesting how all my photos came out only black/white...but that's not due to any sort of filter... it's because that is what the landscape provided!
We arrived in Chicago about 3 hours late, no matter to me as I had a hotel reserved. The rest of the trip is simply making my way back to my home, and I could have done without the next 2 days completely...but I'll still report it. Took the Lincoln Service to St. Louis. More flat, boring Illinois. Been there, done it. The hotel in St. Louis was off the charts great - Omni International. Staff were incredible. Next day, I took Greyhound back to Evansville. Since last year's experience was so.... 'awful'..... I was a bit apprehensive about this leg. Turns out, the ride back was quite comfortable - biggest problem was with the clientele who decided that there's no need to cover their mouths when they cough and felt quite at ease COUGHING on anyone in reach. Eww. Most were well, but some clearly were feverish and ill. As a germaphobe, I either left their airspace or used my knotted scarf to protect my mouth and nose. By time we left St. Louis, I already had one foot 'at home'...and couldn't get there quick enough. My friend, Mike, met me at the station on time and we got out of there asap. The rest, as they say, is .... HISTORY.
Tomorrow, I will be buying a new car. Looking at compacts - especially the Honda Fit, or VW Golf. Anyone have ideas about other choices? Looking too at Subaru Impreza.
Loved my trip...but wish it'd been a bit less time living out of a suitcase. I'll get to take another trip west this summer - but for now, I'm good to work another 5 months before riding the rails. Retirement simply isn't in the works for a 58 year old yet!!! Soon
Take the Train!!!
Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Amtrak, the wonderful time spent watching America pass by out a large picture window - but. This trip was the absolute roughest ride I've ever experienced in my years of riding the trains. To fill you in, I started out in Centralia, IL on the Saluki headed to Chicago. These tracks seem to be getting worse as time passes. Is there any plan to replace or upgrade this routing? I sure hope so.....
Illinois is so much like southern Indiana, that I ended up playing more solitaire than gazing out the window because the farmlands seemed unending and boring. Still, there was a distinct feeling like i was 'escaping' my calm, sedate life and the ride was still enjoyable. Also, I knew I'd be seeing my daughter in a mere 72 hours...that made it all worthwhile! Upon arrival in CHI i headed for Metro Deli and some great 'comfort food' that I only rarely allow myself to indulge in. Yum. Caught a taxi to my hotel afterwards. The next day, I returned to CUS @ mid morning and took a few pics of the Great Hall, and bought some stuff at the Amtrak store. Since I'd had a big breakfast at the hotel, I skipped Metro Deli again. [When one is used to eating only 1 big meal every day...trying to force 3 squares is really not...practical!] Enjoyed the Met. Lounge for a couple of hours until time to board for the EB. I decided to get a Red Cap, and was glad I did - even though the Portland sleeper was closest to the station. The walk , still, would have been substantial and not something me and my asthma would like. Errol was at the ready to carry my bag up to my room, and was an incredible SCA for the duration of the trip. Once underway, the route was fairly smooth, but almost like clockwork - once we hit ND, the tracks became ridiculously difficult to allow someone to try to navigate walking within the train cars. I have a couple of bruises to prove it...and I was holding chairbacks and red-striped hand/holds religiously. Got to the point where I had to decide if it was really worth it to get myself up to the diner [6 cars ahead] or not. I tried to time it with station stops...or at least getting to the Lounge car [1/2 way] during slow times, but GOOD GRIEF!!! I don't remember the EB being this wobbly!!! I already knew that the meals would be mediocre, at best - especially for someone with only vegetarian choices. We don't ride Amtrak for the quality of the food - it's the comaraderie of who we might 'meet' in the dining car that drives us fans! I met some really interesting people, we sat there, a couple of times, way beyond when the staff would have preferred - but it was so nice to hear about the lives of people who I'd never encountered otherwise. Some nuts, too
Believe it or not...we arrived in Pasco, WA ON TIME!! So awesome to see my daughter and her husband!!! Spent the next 5 days with them, had some phenomenal meals in Walla Walla since this is essentially becoming a jr. Napa valley - both due to wineries, as well as cuisine.Saturday, 27th, came way too soon. It was time to head back. The EB was ontime in Pasco, but lost 3 hours in Spokane due to the #8 losing time due to potential landslides near Everett. This was not a big deal to me because it afforded me a life-altering nature show of Glacier park in the winter, during the daylight hours!!! WOW. We had to wait for a snowplow once, and the spot where we stopped couldn't have been more Courier & Ives for a photo moment. It was Sunday morning, Dec. 28...and I felt like I was in a 'natural' form of church. Very moving, and humbled me to tears. I will try to attach a photo here, but not sure I know how to do it. Trust me...it was awesome!
After coming down from the Rockies, it was a HUGE amount of dreary, grey, flat environment that didn't provide more than a slight bit of interest from me. I've seen this place [Montana] in the height of summer and it's TOTALLY different at that stage. Big Sky country definitely needs that azure blue to make it anything but depressing. Interesting how all my photos came out only black/white...but that's not due to any sort of filter... it's because that is what the landscape provided!
We arrived in Chicago about 3 hours late, no matter to me as I had a hotel reserved. The rest of the trip is simply making my way back to my home, and I could have done without the next 2 days completely...but I'll still report it. Took the Lincoln Service to St. Louis. More flat, boring Illinois. Been there, done it. The hotel in St. Louis was off the charts great - Omni International. Staff were incredible. Next day, I took Greyhound back to Evansville. Since last year's experience was so.... 'awful'..... I was a bit apprehensive about this leg. Turns out, the ride back was quite comfortable - biggest problem was with the clientele who decided that there's no need to cover their mouths when they cough and felt quite at ease COUGHING on anyone in reach. Eww. Most were well, but some clearly were feverish and ill. As a germaphobe, I either left their airspace or used my knotted scarf to protect my mouth and nose. By time we left St. Louis, I already had one foot 'at home'...and couldn't get there quick enough. My friend, Mike, met me at the station on time and we got out of there asap. The rest, as they say, is .... HISTORY.
Tomorrow, I will be buying a new car. Looking at compacts - especially the Honda Fit, or VW Golf. Anyone have ideas about other choices? Looking too at Subaru Impreza.
Loved my trip...but wish it'd been a bit less time living out of a suitcase. I'll get to take another trip west this summer - but for now, I'm good to work another 5 months before riding the rails. Retirement simply isn't in the works for a 58 year old yet!!! Soon
Take the Train!!!
