Well, it wasn't the Rocky Mountains on the Zephyr, but of course I wasn't expecting anything spectacular. It was a pleasant enough trip. Photographed a couple of nice sunsets in both directions and a huge rainbow on the way back. Enjoyed staying at the Train Inn in Carbondale -- it's a neat little find for anyone looking for a B&B in town. SIU is a nice campus to explore -- it was the beginning of the semester so campus was very lively. Got asked a couple of times if I was a Freshman, but am 10 years too old for that! Not much else to see in Carbondale, though there are some nice historic homes in the western part of town.
Amtrak service was okay on outbound leg and pretty good on the return leg. On my outbound trip, they had canceled one of the Lincoln services and were apparently putting people on Illini/Saluki to Urbana-Champaign and then bussing them from there to St. Louis. So the train was really packed until Champaign. The crowding meant a delay of 10 or 20 mins. I also saw some passengers arguing about e-tickets with the conductor. Coming back, the train was much less packed and had an on-time arrival, and the announcer had a bit of a sense of humor, welcoming passengers on board the "world-famous Saluki" and making a few other jokes. I enjoy a bit of irony, adds a bit of flavor to the usually clinical announcements on public transport.
Anything worth looking out for on this ride? Have done it before on the City of New Orleans but should get to see it the route in daylight this time. And anything worth seeing during an overnight stay in Carbondale?
