First Train Trip Completed!

[steveindixon]

On 7-18 I took the CZ from Davis, CA to Chicago. Reader's Digest version: Train was 3 hours late. Not bad. Dining car ran out of food the day before we were scheduled to arrive in Chicago. The next day the lounge car ran out. Beautiful scenery. Docents from the Railroad Museum were onboard from Sacramento to Reno to tell us about things we were passing. Very cool! Then in Colorado we had 2 more docents from the National Forest Service come on. Although they were both new, they were still very entertaining. Train trip to Albany and then to Boston were uneventful.

Now, coming back ... first of the all the train was 10 hours late. They ended up taking us off the train in Reno and putting us on buses for the rest of the trip. Once again the dining car ran out of food. In Albany I was told not to pay attention to the board but to listen for the announcements of when to board. There were several of us sitting and listening. No one heard anything. Then a woman came down and said they're boarding our train on track 5. We were told to be at track 13! Coming back all 3 restrooms in my car were broken. Even the water dispenser broke.

Overall: staff is excellent. Coach seats are very comfortable to sit in. Coach seats are NOT comfortable to sleep in!

I would not recommend going Coach cross-country. It's VERY hard on one's body! But, I did do it and I surivived! Met some GREAT new friends and saw some BEAUTIFUL scenery! Overall I'll give them a B+!!

Steve in Dixon

 

[the_traveler]

In Albany I was told not to pay attention to the board but to listen for the announcements of when to board. There were several of us sitting and listening. No one heard anything. Then a woman came down and said they're boarding our train on track 5. We were told to be at track 13!

:huh:

How could you board in Albany on track 5 or 13? :huh: ALB only has 3 tracks - with a 4th one to be built at some time!

 

[steveindixon]

Well, they have doors with the track numbers above them. And they did go up to 13 or 14 I believe.

 

[AlanB]

Well, they have doors with the track numbers above them. And they did go up to 13 or 14 I believe.

You must be talking about Boston, because again Albany NY has 3 tracks only.

 

[PetalumaLoco]

Steve

I'll be making that trip in October, starting from Martinez, ending up in New Haven Ct then returning. How the heck did they run out of food? Did they offer a reason? Overweight passengers? Docents eating too much?

Why the bustitution on the way back?

We'll be in roomettes, by body is too old for sleeping on coach seats.

 

[the_traveler]

Why the bustitution on the way back?

IIRC, they bus-tituted beyond RNO due to a (pedestrian) bridge problem over the rails. #5 terminated in RNO and #6 originated in RNO.

 

[sky12065]

How the heck did they run out of food? Did they offer a reason? Overweight passengers?

Yes Mr. Loco, in the middle of the night when everybody else is fast asleep , we rail-a-tubbies are falling over each other to get to and raid the kitchen. There we gorge ourselves to extreme before sneaking back to our little cubby hole where we can relax a little before bribing attendants to bring us a few extra meals. WAIT A SEC! Now I get it! You're just trying to be facetious!!! Man, you should of been a comedian. I'm laughing so hard the tears are just-a-rollin down my chubby cheeks!

 

[steveindixon]

Yes, it was in Boston instead of Albany where we waited at the wrong track door. I'm sorry! I wrote this too close to returning and I was beat! In Albany you boarded from upstairs then went downstairs to get on the train.

I have no idea how or why they ran out of food. I always ate in the lounge car. I thought the hamburgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches were good! I do know on the return trip they gave us all free packets of snacks and water. I thought that was pretty cool of them. I felt sorry for the staff on the train. It seemed like anything that could go wrong DID go wrong. There was a big train derailment somewhere which meant the first several stops would have to take buses to get there. So we had to take another route which made us late. Then, we got behind a frieght train that broke down.

I will say this, the people on the train were the friendliest people I have ever met! I had so many great conversations in the observation car with people. Quite an enjoyable trip. I haven't given up on train riding, my next trip I'm going to get a room and see now that is!

Thanks everyone! Steve

 

[PetalumaLoco]

How the heck did they run out of food? Did they offer a reason? Overweight passengers?

Yes Mr. Loco, in the middle of the night when everybody else is fast asleep , we rail-a-tubbies are falling over each other to get to and raid the kitchen. There we gorge ourselves to extreme before sneaking back to our little cubby hole where we can relax a little before bribing attendants to bring us a few extra meals. WAIT A SEC! Now I get it! You're just trying to be facetious!!! Man, you should of been a comedian. I'm laughing so hard the tears are just-a-rollin down my chubby cheeks!

I can imagine the wait staff with whip and chair holding off the hungry midnight horde...

 

[the_traveler]

How the heck did they run out of food? Did they offer a reason? Overweight passengers?

Yes Mr. Loco, in the middle of the night when everybody else is fast asleep , we rail-a-tubbies are falling over each other to get to and raid the kitchen. There we gorge ourselves to extreme before sneaking back to our little cubby hole where we can relax a little before bribing attendants to bring us a few extra meals. WAIT A SEC! Now I get it! You're just trying to be facetious!!! Man, you should of been a comedian. I'm laughing so hard the tears are just-a-rollin down my chubby cheeks!

I can imagine the wait staff with whip and chair holding off the hungry midnight horde...

Not if they don't want to lose an arm and a leg! :lol: (I heard some say they taste like chicken! :lol: )