Seaboard92
Engineer
As many of you have read in some of my previous posts that I've been working on the Spring Season of steam excursions. This Spring I worked out of Greensboro, NC, Roanoke, VA, Manassas, VA, and Western Ave Chicago. This post will be about the Manassas and Chicago runs. This one trip has taken me on four different Amtrak routes.
Day 1: Deadheading on The Palmetto
I woke up around seven AM so that I could have my dad drive me to Florence, SC to catch my train. Before we went to the station I needed to deliver a transcript to the school I am attending in the fall. Personally I would have preferred to have mailed the transcript but in the past I've had schools claim to not receive the transcript so I chose to hand deliver it to avoid that from happening with two weeks on the road following. After a very brief meeting with the admissions office I went to pick up some food for the Palmetto. And in keeping with the Chicken Bone Express moniker I read on here prior the trip I went to Maryland Fried Chicken for my lunch. We arrived back at the station around 11 AM for a 1134 departure.
My dad decided to wait until the train arrived to drive home. The train finally pulled in at 1156 AM 22 minutes behind schedule and I boarded an Amfleet II Coach in the window seat. I didn't gain a seat mate for my entire trip. I waited for the conductor to scan my ticket before I started my lunch. The conductor had to deal with a confrontation in the seat pair behind me, about someone who wasn't happy with her seat. I was in the second coach of the train. As the train proceeded north it gradually filled up, especially at FAY. The first coach wasn't occupied at all, which is where I chose to use the restroom the entire day. After eating lunch I pulled my computer out of my bag and got started on some pre run work. After that was completed I played a game for a few hours. Around Emporia I was tired of playing Roller Coaster Tycoon (The original not the crappy remakes) and I started planning my European vacation with friends to explore Christmas Markets.
At Richmond I stepped off for a minute to walk up to the locomotive and get a breath of fresh air. While I was down by our locomotive I did see a NE Regional pull in from the North. The train filled up at Richmond but I still managed to keep the aisle seat empty in my seat pair. I put the computer up around Frederiskburg to start packing things up for my stop. I was planning on catching the VRE Train 337 at Alexandria but I ended up not being able to due to our arrival being an 49 minutes behind.
My now former partner (if you recall he stole my fiancee directly after this trip) picked me up at the ALX station. And we drove down to downtown Manassas. We decided to do some recon on the Amtrak station there seeing our train we were staffing was doing it's boarding there. Then we had dinner at Philadelphia Tavern. I had a burger and it was really good. Afterwards we checked into the hotel.
Overall it was a very good deadhead I don't really have complaints. I thought the TA-C was rather slack. I needed help getting my luggage on the train and he didn't offer assistance to me but he did offer assistance to the women behind me. He also didn't make sure I got off at ALX.
Friday: Yard Day
Honestly yard days are my personal favorite as far as the work load. We arrived at the yard before our boss, but he had already given us orders to open the train up for stocking. So we were boarding between the Hagerstown and Collinsville Inn ex MARC cars. Well once we boarded the train the end doors on both cars were locked so we had to then open other cars. So that we had access to parts of the train. We began sweeping the coaches of cinders in the vestibules. And of course we paused when Amtrak's Crescent passed us going north bound. My partner got called away to go pick up a staff member from the station who was on 20. Meanwhile I continued sweeping. Once he returned we started laying out the route guides, and brochures on each seat, and in coach loading the water. After the mess we had in Roanoke with lacking route guides I purposely counted out enough for each car. We loaded our food on the Iowa Pacific Scenic View for first class after that. To load materials we had to cross five active yard tracks to reach our train. Half of the supplies to go first class, and another half goes to the Paul Revere EX PRR for the concession car. Shortly after that our boss told us to get in the crew van that we were going to lunch. In which everyone brought their radio so we were all talking to each other over the radio like a bunch of school kids. "Back seat to Front Seat, it's kinda hot back here." "No it isn't." "Please turn the dial to rear cool. We had lunch with eight of our crew members at a small taco place on the main drag. It was my first time having Tacos but it was very good.
After lunch our boss wanted milkshakes by the station so we all trapped down the street to get milkshakes that were the consistency of ice cream so a spoon was required. Then we went back to the train and finished up some work. We were invited to dinner on the Dover Harbor prepared for us by the excellent chefs that the car has. We sat down for dinner the minute the Crescent passed by with the Big Game Train leading. I watched it from the rear vestibule right before dinner. They prepared Salmon and some other fancy dessert. My first time having both and both were very good. Afterwards we strolled around downtown and enjoyed the night life before going to sleep.
Saturday: Half Run day, half Yard Day
We left the hotel in daylight at around six am, making it to the yard about fifteen minutes later. Our first task was to load ice for all of the first class cars. Mike, Andrew, my partner, and I carried about 40 bags to the vestibule of the Paul Revere before the first car hosts felt like showing up. They were quite surprised to see us asking them to carry bags down to the various first class cars, none the less most helped out. At seven AM we started backing up to enter the main line. Once we were ready to head north into the station my boss radioed me by my nickname "Minion 1" to pop a trap for our conductor who was on the ground lining a manual switch after our engine passed by. So I went up to the Berlin and popped a trap on both sides not knowing which one he would be on. I felt like an Amtrak conductor opening the trap as the train was slowly rolling north toward the station.
I managed to sit down for a minute to enjoy the calm before the storm. This year we were trying a different boarding plan where we only open two boarding locations and have guides guide people to their car. I was very happy to see that the passengers were lined up and ready for boarding according to plan. We pulled past the station first to clear the signal so we could back up as soon as the last crew member got on. I jumped to the ground after we got three step protection to help with the first class boarding process.
Once the last crew member boarded and three step was released we pushed back from the station to join the NS B line. I did my normal job which is inspecting restroom cleanliness, sweeping cinders, and what other things the boss can come up with. I didn't get to see much of the line because I'm always occupied doing things. Our wye at Front Royal allows great views to see the engine from the cars, and all vestibules are supposed to be closed. So I ascended the steps of one of the Vista Domes to insure no passengers opened the vestibules for a photo. I had to make a four car mad dash to get one door closed before the NS police would see that person. Other then that it was a routine run. While arriving Manassas we had to do the "Trash Bomb Run". The Trash Bomb Run is when we park a truck next to the track and we toss our trash off the train and hopefully somewhere near the truck. I picked the door of the Scenic View which is where the kitchen was, so we had about twenty bags. So logically most didn't land anywhere near the truck, but we did manage to get about four or five near it. Once in the station my job was to get the crew lunches onboard. So I had to locate them inside the tourism office inside the station, and load them on a car close to the concession car. But with passengers walking by it is a rather had task to get anything anywhere. Several passengers were surprised I could open the doors to the outside from outside.
After unloading our passengers we returned the train to the yard, and the engine uncoupled and went back to the Rail Festival. Meanwhile all of the car hosts left, and left a small crew of maybe ten people trainside working. We restocked for the next run on Sunday. We had to service the consist with water, and a sewage truck so a trio of Norfolk Southern SD40-2s shoved us down the connecting wye to the B line so we could do that on a crossing. And as it turns out we were short a box of route guides so my partner and I were frantically looking for a box. Eventually we managed to have enough for the morning run but not enough for our afternoon run on all cars. The solution for that came the next day. While they were shoving us around the wye our boss was washing the train's windows. We finally got off around the time the Crescent passed going south, and we went to Philadelphia Tavern again for dinner.
Oh and to top the day off Wick Moreman former CEO of Norfolk Southern was on the run and he happened to see me when I was taking a break. He said I was working hard.
Sunday: False starts
We wake up to go to the yard in time to leave at six. Except for my former partner's car won't start. So we have to call our boss who brings the crew van to us to get us to work. Meanwhile I'm searching on my phone for where to find a repair shop and my phone just drops completely dead. None the less we get our radios and we are doing our normal job. We load ice again, and we help car hosts board the train in the yard. We shove back from the yard at seven AM and head to the station. Again I help with boarding the train on the ground and I assume my former partner was but he didn't do much so I honestly don't know if he did or not. Boarding was a breeze. About thirty minutes into the run we heard a call for minions on the radio and mechanical in the NS 28 deluxe coach. The air conditioning unit in the roof over the women lavatory was leaking water onto the floor. Well leaking isn't a very good word for it more like raining. So we spend a good hour working on drying the floor up and stoping the problem from occurring. Meanwhile there is a HEP cable that isn't in 100 percent so the train keeps losing it's HEP for a few seconds off and on the entire run. We send a snake in the pipe that drains the condenser pan and it seems to fix the issue so we close it up. And resume our normal jobs. There is really bad wheel slip heading up the grade, to the point we ask people to please stay seated. I continue doing my job, and the rest of this run stays calm to we return to MSS.
Upon arrival by the yard in MSS we do a trash bomb run and pull north of the station across one crossing. We have to wait for Amtrak's regional to do it's station work before we are allowed into the station. But here is the first problem we have. Amtrak has a medical emergency. So we lose one of our paramedics to go help with their passenger who we hear had cardiac arrest. So we have a thirty minute delay because of that. While we are sitting over the crossing I am standing in the vestibule of the Franklin Inn and we have a man and his dog crawl under our train and go to the other side. Meanwhile I'm yelling at him, and another crew member is as well. All he does is flip us off and keep going. We talked to a police officer in the station and they sent someone after him and managed to catch up with him. Once Amtrak passed us we backed into the station and detrained our passengers.
My job now was to load the crew lunch on to the train and turn the train and make it look new. We arrived back in with only 30 minutes to turn a 19 car train. My partner did deluxe coach (supposedly), I tasked a volunteer car host in first class to see that first class looked good and to check on my partner. Meanwhile I turned four coach cars singlehandly. I barely had enough supplies to make it a perfect job but I managed it somehow. And the afternoon run wasn't any smoother then the first. the NS 28 felt again like it had to pour on the inside of the train. So the three of us spent about an hour sopping it up and climbing up into the ceiling to look at the problem. It had a busted up condenser pan that was slopped against the drain, which was probably clogged. At one point we had to lock the door to the next car to discourage people from coming by as we were working on dumping the water out of the pan. Again we had horrible wheel slip due to the grade, and rain. It actually sent a career railroader who was helping us with the air conditioning unit to the floor and again we had everyone sit down. Eventually we got the problem fixed for the rest of the run and finished our normal jobs. I took a short break in the NS 42 our store car and Andrew fixed my phone for me for the day so I could use it. And we had to get the person who was acting as a EMT because on our lunch stop we lost our second one when someone had a heart attack waiting to board our train, to deal with someone with a panic attack.
Once we got back to MSS we started detraining and as soon as we started it started to pour. My job was to unload the concession car's items into the truck waiting to pick up the supplies that were not being used. So I ended up looking like a sewer rat. And what would you know the minute we had that task done it stopped raining. Meanwhile I stood in a vestibule to dry off. We pulled forward on the main and Amtrak's Crescent passed us on it's approach to the station. While it was doing it's station work we managed to pass it again. And as we were pulling into the yard he over took us. Our next task was to get all of our unused food supplies to the local homeless shelter's truck which again was over several tracks. So we started a bucket brigade of car hosts and staff members to get the items off. The elderly volunteer for the shelter who was helping load our food into his truck dropped to the ground without a pulse. We were lucky we had our person acting as an EMT nearby who immediately started CPR while one of Iowa Pacific's employees ran to get the only AED on the train which was in their car. She ran and got it. When they went to use it it had no charge and was dead.
Meanwhile the IP manager there called 911 who sent an ambulance and other emergency responders. After that my boss just told everyone to go home that what wasn't done just wouldn't get done. And Mike and I shut down the HEP and I went to dinner with Fran and Lawrence of the Dover Harbor crew.
Monday: To Maryland
We get his car started and drive to his relatives in Maryland to spend the week between runs. And he proceeds to get mad at me because I don't have to try to have his family like me, while he is always trying to get them to like him. Nothing really new to talk about here.
Tuesday: Railfaning
We spent the morning railfaning on the NEC around Bowie where we were staying. In the afternoon we switched to the Capitol Sub (Camden Line). We saw a lot of trains on the NEC, nothing really on the Camden line. He went to a softball game and I was left with his elderly aunt. Who I quickly befriended.
Wednesday: B&O Museum
We went to railfan on the Old Main Line first at Relay for a little bit. Then went to the museum. I was disappointed with the excellent equipment they have out in the parking lot rusting, and was deeply saddened by it. Their inside displays are wonderful and look great. They have a lot of really good equipment but I was somewhat disappointed. And again that evening he leaves me with his elderly aunt.
Thursday: He is gone most of the morning but in the afternoon he takes me to the mall so I can get my phone fixed. Which means the apple store just gave me a new phone with none of my contacts, or anything on it. So I have to start over on all of that.
Friday: The Cardinal
We wake up around seven AM to finish packing our stuff and we leave the house at around eight in his cousins car to take us to the Bowie State MARC station. We catch a morning MARC Train to DC and low and behold it has an AEM7 pushing so I got one last ride with a Toaster. It was a quick uneventful trip on a full commuter train. When we reached the station we went to check our luggage thru to Chicago. Once that was done I went down to Bojangles to grab lunch and dinner for the Cardinal not wanting to pay for the diner lite fare. We boarded our train and found out we have private car Silver Foot on the rear. My partner greedy takes the window which was really only a partial window of our seat pair. So I eat my lunch then I move to the cafe where I can enjoy having a window. I spent the entire day in the cafe. Up until CVS I stayed relatively quiet and kept to myself. But around there I struck up a conversation with a young teacher from New York and I talked to her I want to say for about two hours. I did get off in CVS to get a photo of the train. I really enjoyed the beautiful scenery but I enjoyed the conversation better. After she left I talked to a young person my age traveling to Chicago, a British man on a pass going to tour the US and the crew. We talked about everything from macroeconomics to beer. And it was rather enjoyable. Our conductors were fantastic, they pointed out the sites and were very friendly. Some of the best I've ever had. I really enjoyed seeing the New River Gorge even at Sunset it's amazing. After it got dark I sat with some passengers who boarded in Clifton Forge in the sleepers and had a lovely conversation she reads our forum maybe she is reading this now. You should join us.
I get off to enjoy some fresh air in HUN for our stop there. At this station the best crew I've ever seen on Amtrak got on the train. He made a really good announcement about delays, the mid run service stop in Russel, KY, and who was running the train, where to find him if you had a problem. They were amazing, and it's a small detail like that that impressed me. I tried to sleep a little bit after Russel, KY and woke back up around CIN where we switched from coach seats into a roomette. Our room wasn't clean when we switched so we sat in the cafe for a bit before getting to go into our room. I slept the entire way to Indy. We arrived in Indy twenty five minutes early. So I actually took the chance to take photos of the old Union Station which is outside the current station and down the block.
We had breakfast somewhere around Monon, IN with a cute railfan couple our age from CIN traveling for a birthday party of her parents in Chicago. We were ontime all the way till about five miles from Union Station where we lost 39 minutes.
Saturday: Franklin Park
We got off and claimed our luggage from the baggage room, walked around the block to a burger joint had a quick bite to eat. Then we went back to CUS and boarded a Metra train to Franklin Park. After a short ride on the upper level we got off at Franklin Park and stowed our bags on Iowa Pacific Prairie View. Then we took a quick walk around the display they had for Railroad Daze in our railroad safety gear. Then we went to work helping people board the concession car that Fort Wayne had brought with them. At three we had NKP Berkshire 765 pull the Paul Revere and Prairie View back to Western Ave yard with us onboard. We really enjoyed our ride riding in the open vestibule at track speed behind steam. It was a short run but man was it fun. When we got to the junction with the line to Milwaukee the Empire Builder passed us and I have a photo of our steam engine and it passing in front of it. Then we backed the rest of the way into the yard and they began assembling the train. We swept the cars out as usual and then started stocking the train.
Our manager for this run didn't show up, and the first class manger showed up for a bit then left for a long dinner while we did various things. We were up till midnight getting things in order. Instead of sleeping in a hotel we slept in a booth on Stampede Pass dome car.
Sunday: Thunder on the High Iron
We got up at five and started helping car hosts on board the train, then we took our place in a vestibule to ride dutch door for the deadhead to Glenview. We ran at track speed the entire way and it was amazing riding open dutch door behind NKP 765. We help load the train which was shear chaos as there was no boarding plan. My job was then made very difficult because open dutch door riding was allowed and people wouldn't move out of the passage way between cars making it hard for me to walk around. That and difficult to sweep vestibules clear. It was a slow run once we left Metra territory.
In Janesville we loaded the passenger lunches onto the train from Subway. They pulled the train up and we would throw the pre counted supplies onto the respective cars. Which turned out to be quite an ordeal.
We then headed back to Chicago after the engine was serviced and the passengers were fed. And it was a typical run. After we got off our boss for the run took us out to get upside down Pizza in Chicago and then we went to bed soon after.
Monday: 22nd Street Yard
After getting breakfast in the hotel we went to scout out Amtrak's 22nd St. Yard because of the next excursion being based out of there (It didn't run). While we were there we bumped into a pv owner so we spent about two hours chatting in the yard. Afterwards we checked our luggage to Washington on Train 30 and went to explore the city. My former partner doesn't walk fast so I didn't get to see much of anything in Chicago but I did see enough to know I want to come back. We boarded the Capitol Limited that evening and went straight to the Sightseer Lounge and spent the ride to Elkhart there before returning to our seats. I tried to sleep in the seat but didn't manage that too well so I went to the large luggage area of the Coach baggage and slept there till somewhere east of Alliance where it was daylight and enjoyed watching that scenery. The train was a bit late. I got a photo of our locomotives in PGH then went back to the Sightseer Lounge for the rest of the run. I enjoyed sitting there but I had a connection to make and with our train late I was worried about making my connection. Great scenery on this run.
Upon arrival in WUS I ran to the ticket office to make a modification on my next leg from coach into a low bucket roomette. Then I ran to Bojangles to get lunch and dinner for the Silver Starvation. By the time our baggage came up from the Capitol Limited I went straight to the Club Acela where they were already pre boarding my train.
Tuesday: Silver Starvation
I missed the pre boarding for my train so I had to go to the regular waiting area for it and boarded my sleeper with the rest of the crowd. I immediately started eating my lunch once I was on board. Around Lorton I went to sleep till about fifteen miles south of Petersburg. Then I relaxed in my room some and ate dinner. I stretched my legs in RGH. And called my ride home around CYN where we lost some time due to a late Piedmont Train 76. Then I relaxed some and went to the lounge and talked to the LSA Floroy who was amazing. Very nice, and loads of fun to watch. He clearly loves his job. We lost a bit more time due to a detector not going off and having to do a walking inspection of the train. I asked the conductor who was running south of Hamlet and it was my favorite engineer Pshaw. He had amazing handling and it was very smooth. I took a shower just after Cheraw, SC so that I wouldn't stink for my ride picking me up. Pshaw did a perfect stop in Camden where I got off, smooth and no slack action. My ride wasn't there till after the train left but that wasn't too bad.
All in all a good trip.
Pictures on my next post
Day 1: Deadheading on The Palmetto
I woke up around seven AM so that I could have my dad drive me to Florence, SC to catch my train. Before we went to the station I needed to deliver a transcript to the school I am attending in the fall. Personally I would have preferred to have mailed the transcript but in the past I've had schools claim to not receive the transcript so I chose to hand deliver it to avoid that from happening with two weeks on the road following. After a very brief meeting with the admissions office I went to pick up some food for the Palmetto. And in keeping with the Chicken Bone Express moniker I read on here prior the trip I went to Maryland Fried Chicken for my lunch. We arrived back at the station around 11 AM for a 1134 departure.
My dad decided to wait until the train arrived to drive home. The train finally pulled in at 1156 AM 22 minutes behind schedule and I boarded an Amfleet II Coach in the window seat. I didn't gain a seat mate for my entire trip. I waited for the conductor to scan my ticket before I started my lunch. The conductor had to deal with a confrontation in the seat pair behind me, about someone who wasn't happy with her seat. I was in the second coach of the train. As the train proceeded north it gradually filled up, especially at FAY. The first coach wasn't occupied at all, which is where I chose to use the restroom the entire day. After eating lunch I pulled my computer out of my bag and got started on some pre run work. After that was completed I played a game for a few hours. Around Emporia I was tired of playing Roller Coaster Tycoon (The original not the crappy remakes) and I started planning my European vacation with friends to explore Christmas Markets.
At Richmond I stepped off for a minute to walk up to the locomotive and get a breath of fresh air. While I was down by our locomotive I did see a NE Regional pull in from the North. The train filled up at Richmond but I still managed to keep the aisle seat empty in my seat pair. I put the computer up around Frederiskburg to start packing things up for my stop. I was planning on catching the VRE Train 337 at Alexandria but I ended up not being able to due to our arrival being an 49 minutes behind.
My now former partner (if you recall he stole my fiancee directly after this trip) picked me up at the ALX station. And we drove down to downtown Manassas. We decided to do some recon on the Amtrak station there seeing our train we were staffing was doing it's boarding there. Then we had dinner at Philadelphia Tavern. I had a burger and it was really good. Afterwards we checked into the hotel.
Overall it was a very good deadhead I don't really have complaints. I thought the TA-C was rather slack. I needed help getting my luggage on the train and he didn't offer assistance to me but he did offer assistance to the women behind me. He also didn't make sure I got off at ALX.
Friday: Yard Day
Honestly yard days are my personal favorite as far as the work load. We arrived at the yard before our boss, but he had already given us orders to open the train up for stocking. So we were boarding between the Hagerstown and Collinsville Inn ex MARC cars. Well once we boarded the train the end doors on both cars were locked so we had to then open other cars. So that we had access to parts of the train. We began sweeping the coaches of cinders in the vestibules. And of course we paused when Amtrak's Crescent passed us going north bound. My partner got called away to go pick up a staff member from the station who was on 20. Meanwhile I continued sweeping. Once he returned we started laying out the route guides, and brochures on each seat, and in coach loading the water. After the mess we had in Roanoke with lacking route guides I purposely counted out enough for each car. We loaded our food on the Iowa Pacific Scenic View for first class after that. To load materials we had to cross five active yard tracks to reach our train. Half of the supplies to go first class, and another half goes to the Paul Revere EX PRR for the concession car. Shortly after that our boss told us to get in the crew van that we were going to lunch. In which everyone brought their radio so we were all talking to each other over the radio like a bunch of school kids. "Back seat to Front Seat, it's kinda hot back here." "No it isn't." "Please turn the dial to rear cool. We had lunch with eight of our crew members at a small taco place on the main drag. It was my first time having Tacos but it was very good.
After lunch our boss wanted milkshakes by the station so we all trapped down the street to get milkshakes that were the consistency of ice cream so a spoon was required. Then we went back to the train and finished up some work. We were invited to dinner on the Dover Harbor prepared for us by the excellent chefs that the car has. We sat down for dinner the minute the Crescent passed by with the Big Game Train leading. I watched it from the rear vestibule right before dinner. They prepared Salmon and some other fancy dessert. My first time having both and both were very good. Afterwards we strolled around downtown and enjoyed the night life before going to sleep.
Saturday: Half Run day, half Yard Day
We left the hotel in daylight at around six am, making it to the yard about fifteen minutes later. Our first task was to load ice for all of the first class cars. Mike, Andrew, my partner, and I carried about 40 bags to the vestibule of the Paul Revere before the first car hosts felt like showing up. They were quite surprised to see us asking them to carry bags down to the various first class cars, none the less most helped out. At seven AM we started backing up to enter the main line. Once we were ready to head north into the station my boss radioed me by my nickname "Minion 1" to pop a trap for our conductor who was on the ground lining a manual switch after our engine passed by. So I went up to the Berlin and popped a trap on both sides not knowing which one he would be on. I felt like an Amtrak conductor opening the trap as the train was slowly rolling north toward the station.
I managed to sit down for a minute to enjoy the calm before the storm. This year we were trying a different boarding plan where we only open two boarding locations and have guides guide people to their car. I was very happy to see that the passengers were lined up and ready for boarding according to plan. We pulled past the station first to clear the signal so we could back up as soon as the last crew member got on. I jumped to the ground after we got three step protection to help with the first class boarding process.
Once the last crew member boarded and three step was released we pushed back from the station to join the NS B line. I did my normal job which is inspecting restroom cleanliness, sweeping cinders, and what other things the boss can come up with. I didn't get to see much of the line because I'm always occupied doing things. Our wye at Front Royal allows great views to see the engine from the cars, and all vestibules are supposed to be closed. So I ascended the steps of one of the Vista Domes to insure no passengers opened the vestibules for a photo. I had to make a four car mad dash to get one door closed before the NS police would see that person. Other then that it was a routine run. While arriving Manassas we had to do the "Trash Bomb Run". The Trash Bomb Run is when we park a truck next to the track and we toss our trash off the train and hopefully somewhere near the truck. I picked the door of the Scenic View which is where the kitchen was, so we had about twenty bags. So logically most didn't land anywhere near the truck, but we did manage to get about four or five near it. Once in the station my job was to get the crew lunches onboard. So I had to locate them inside the tourism office inside the station, and load them on a car close to the concession car. But with passengers walking by it is a rather had task to get anything anywhere. Several passengers were surprised I could open the doors to the outside from outside.
After unloading our passengers we returned the train to the yard, and the engine uncoupled and went back to the Rail Festival. Meanwhile all of the car hosts left, and left a small crew of maybe ten people trainside working. We restocked for the next run on Sunday. We had to service the consist with water, and a sewage truck so a trio of Norfolk Southern SD40-2s shoved us down the connecting wye to the B line so we could do that on a crossing. And as it turns out we were short a box of route guides so my partner and I were frantically looking for a box. Eventually we managed to have enough for the morning run but not enough for our afternoon run on all cars. The solution for that came the next day. While they were shoving us around the wye our boss was washing the train's windows. We finally got off around the time the Crescent passed going south, and we went to Philadelphia Tavern again for dinner.
Oh and to top the day off Wick Moreman former CEO of Norfolk Southern was on the run and he happened to see me when I was taking a break. He said I was working hard.
Sunday: False starts
We wake up to go to the yard in time to leave at six. Except for my former partner's car won't start. So we have to call our boss who brings the crew van to us to get us to work. Meanwhile I'm searching on my phone for where to find a repair shop and my phone just drops completely dead. None the less we get our radios and we are doing our normal job. We load ice again, and we help car hosts board the train in the yard. We shove back from the yard at seven AM and head to the station. Again I help with boarding the train on the ground and I assume my former partner was but he didn't do much so I honestly don't know if he did or not. Boarding was a breeze. About thirty minutes into the run we heard a call for minions on the radio and mechanical in the NS 28 deluxe coach. The air conditioning unit in the roof over the women lavatory was leaking water onto the floor. Well leaking isn't a very good word for it more like raining. So we spend a good hour working on drying the floor up and stoping the problem from occurring. Meanwhile there is a HEP cable that isn't in 100 percent so the train keeps losing it's HEP for a few seconds off and on the entire run. We send a snake in the pipe that drains the condenser pan and it seems to fix the issue so we close it up. And resume our normal jobs. There is really bad wheel slip heading up the grade, to the point we ask people to please stay seated. I continue doing my job, and the rest of this run stays calm to we return to MSS.
Upon arrival by the yard in MSS we do a trash bomb run and pull north of the station across one crossing. We have to wait for Amtrak's regional to do it's station work before we are allowed into the station. But here is the first problem we have. Amtrak has a medical emergency. So we lose one of our paramedics to go help with their passenger who we hear had cardiac arrest. So we have a thirty minute delay because of that. While we are sitting over the crossing I am standing in the vestibule of the Franklin Inn and we have a man and his dog crawl under our train and go to the other side. Meanwhile I'm yelling at him, and another crew member is as well. All he does is flip us off and keep going. We talked to a police officer in the station and they sent someone after him and managed to catch up with him. Once Amtrak passed us we backed into the station and detrained our passengers.
My job now was to load the crew lunch on to the train and turn the train and make it look new. We arrived back in with only 30 minutes to turn a 19 car train. My partner did deluxe coach (supposedly), I tasked a volunteer car host in first class to see that first class looked good and to check on my partner. Meanwhile I turned four coach cars singlehandly. I barely had enough supplies to make it a perfect job but I managed it somehow. And the afternoon run wasn't any smoother then the first. the NS 28 felt again like it had to pour on the inside of the train. So the three of us spent about an hour sopping it up and climbing up into the ceiling to look at the problem. It had a busted up condenser pan that was slopped against the drain, which was probably clogged. At one point we had to lock the door to the next car to discourage people from coming by as we were working on dumping the water out of the pan. Again we had horrible wheel slip due to the grade, and rain. It actually sent a career railroader who was helping us with the air conditioning unit to the floor and again we had everyone sit down. Eventually we got the problem fixed for the rest of the run and finished our normal jobs. I took a short break in the NS 42 our store car and Andrew fixed my phone for me for the day so I could use it. And we had to get the person who was acting as a EMT because on our lunch stop we lost our second one when someone had a heart attack waiting to board our train, to deal with someone with a panic attack.
Once we got back to MSS we started detraining and as soon as we started it started to pour. My job was to unload the concession car's items into the truck waiting to pick up the supplies that were not being used. So I ended up looking like a sewer rat. And what would you know the minute we had that task done it stopped raining. Meanwhile I stood in a vestibule to dry off. We pulled forward on the main and Amtrak's Crescent passed us on it's approach to the station. While it was doing it's station work we managed to pass it again. And as we were pulling into the yard he over took us. Our next task was to get all of our unused food supplies to the local homeless shelter's truck which again was over several tracks. So we started a bucket brigade of car hosts and staff members to get the items off. The elderly volunteer for the shelter who was helping load our food into his truck dropped to the ground without a pulse. We were lucky we had our person acting as an EMT nearby who immediately started CPR while one of Iowa Pacific's employees ran to get the only AED on the train which was in their car. She ran and got it. When they went to use it it had no charge and was dead.
Meanwhile the IP manager there called 911 who sent an ambulance and other emergency responders. After that my boss just told everyone to go home that what wasn't done just wouldn't get done. And Mike and I shut down the HEP and I went to dinner with Fran and Lawrence of the Dover Harbor crew.
Monday: To Maryland
We get his car started and drive to his relatives in Maryland to spend the week between runs. And he proceeds to get mad at me because I don't have to try to have his family like me, while he is always trying to get them to like him. Nothing really new to talk about here.
Tuesday: Railfaning
We spent the morning railfaning on the NEC around Bowie where we were staying. In the afternoon we switched to the Capitol Sub (Camden Line). We saw a lot of trains on the NEC, nothing really on the Camden line. He went to a softball game and I was left with his elderly aunt. Who I quickly befriended.
Wednesday: B&O Museum
We went to railfan on the Old Main Line first at Relay for a little bit. Then went to the museum. I was disappointed with the excellent equipment they have out in the parking lot rusting, and was deeply saddened by it. Their inside displays are wonderful and look great. They have a lot of really good equipment but I was somewhat disappointed. And again that evening he leaves me with his elderly aunt.
Thursday: He is gone most of the morning but in the afternoon he takes me to the mall so I can get my phone fixed. Which means the apple store just gave me a new phone with none of my contacts, or anything on it. So I have to start over on all of that.
Friday: The Cardinal
We wake up around seven AM to finish packing our stuff and we leave the house at around eight in his cousins car to take us to the Bowie State MARC station. We catch a morning MARC Train to DC and low and behold it has an AEM7 pushing so I got one last ride with a Toaster. It was a quick uneventful trip on a full commuter train. When we reached the station we went to check our luggage thru to Chicago. Once that was done I went down to Bojangles to grab lunch and dinner for the Cardinal not wanting to pay for the diner lite fare. We boarded our train and found out we have private car Silver Foot on the rear. My partner greedy takes the window which was really only a partial window of our seat pair. So I eat my lunch then I move to the cafe where I can enjoy having a window. I spent the entire day in the cafe. Up until CVS I stayed relatively quiet and kept to myself. But around there I struck up a conversation with a young teacher from New York and I talked to her I want to say for about two hours. I did get off in CVS to get a photo of the train. I really enjoyed the beautiful scenery but I enjoyed the conversation better. After she left I talked to a young person my age traveling to Chicago, a British man on a pass going to tour the US and the crew. We talked about everything from macroeconomics to beer. And it was rather enjoyable. Our conductors were fantastic, they pointed out the sites and were very friendly. Some of the best I've ever had. I really enjoyed seeing the New River Gorge even at Sunset it's amazing. After it got dark I sat with some passengers who boarded in Clifton Forge in the sleepers and had a lovely conversation she reads our forum maybe she is reading this now. You should join us.
I get off to enjoy some fresh air in HUN for our stop there. At this station the best crew I've ever seen on Amtrak got on the train. He made a really good announcement about delays, the mid run service stop in Russel, KY, and who was running the train, where to find him if you had a problem. They were amazing, and it's a small detail like that that impressed me. I tried to sleep a little bit after Russel, KY and woke back up around CIN where we switched from coach seats into a roomette. Our room wasn't clean when we switched so we sat in the cafe for a bit before getting to go into our room. I slept the entire way to Indy. We arrived in Indy twenty five minutes early. So I actually took the chance to take photos of the old Union Station which is outside the current station and down the block.
We had breakfast somewhere around Monon, IN with a cute railfan couple our age from CIN traveling for a birthday party of her parents in Chicago. We were ontime all the way till about five miles from Union Station where we lost 39 minutes.
Saturday: Franklin Park
We got off and claimed our luggage from the baggage room, walked around the block to a burger joint had a quick bite to eat. Then we went back to CUS and boarded a Metra train to Franklin Park. After a short ride on the upper level we got off at Franklin Park and stowed our bags on Iowa Pacific Prairie View. Then we took a quick walk around the display they had for Railroad Daze in our railroad safety gear. Then we went to work helping people board the concession car that Fort Wayne had brought with them. At three we had NKP Berkshire 765 pull the Paul Revere and Prairie View back to Western Ave yard with us onboard. We really enjoyed our ride riding in the open vestibule at track speed behind steam. It was a short run but man was it fun. When we got to the junction with the line to Milwaukee the Empire Builder passed us and I have a photo of our steam engine and it passing in front of it. Then we backed the rest of the way into the yard and they began assembling the train. We swept the cars out as usual and then started stocking the train.
Our manager for this run didn't show up, and the first class manger showed up for a bit then left for a long dinner while we did various things. We were up till midnight getting things in order. Instead of sleeping in a hotel we slept in a booth on Stampede Pass dome car.
Sunday: Thunder on the High Iron
We got up at five and started helping car hosts on board the train, then we took our place in a vestibule to ride dutch door for the deadhead to Glenview. We ran at track speed the entire way and it was amazing riding open dutch door behind NKP 765. We help load the train which was shear chaos as there was no boarding plan. My job was then made very difficult because open dutch door riding was allowed and people wouldn't move out of the passage way between cars making it hard for me to walk around. That and difficult to sweep vestibules clear. It was a slow run once we left Metra territory.
In Janesville we loaded the passenger lunches onto the train from Subway. They pulled the train up and we would throw the pre counted supplies onto the respective cars. Which turned out to be quite an ordeal.
We then headed back to Chicago after the engine was serviced and the passengers were fed. And it was a typical run. After we got off our boss for the run took us out to get upside down Pizza in Chicago and then we went to bed soon after.
Monday: 22nd Street Yard
After getting breakfast in the hotel we went to scout out Amtrak's 22nd St. Yard because of the next excursion being based out of there (It didn't run). While we were there we bumped into a pv owner so we spent about two hours chatting in the yard. Afterwards we checked our luggage to Washington on Train 30 and went to explore the city. My former partner doesn't walk fast so I didn't get to see much of anything in Chicago but I did see enough to know I want to come back. We boarded the Capitol Limited that evening and went straight to the Sightseer Lounge and spent the ride to Elkhart there before returning to our seats. I tried to sleep in the seat but didn't manage that too well so I went to the large luggage area of the Coach baggage and slept there till somewhere east of Alliance where it was daylight and enjoyed watching that scenery. The train was a bit late. I got a photo of our locomotives in PGH then went back to the Sightseer Lounge for the rest of the run. I enjoyed sitting there but I had a connection to make and with our train late I was worried about making my connection. Great scenery on this run.
Upon arrival in WUS I ran to the ticket office to make a modification on my next leg from coach into a low bucket roomette. Then I ran to Bojangles to get lunch and dinner for the Silver Starvation. By the time our baggage came up from the Capitol Limited I went straight to the Club Acela where they were already pre boarding my train.
Tuesday: Silver Starvation
I missed the pre boarding for my train so I had to go to the regular waiting area for it and boarded my sleeper with the rest of the crowd. I immediately started eating my lunch once I was on board. Around Lorton I went to sleep till about fifteen miles south of Petersburg. Then I relaxed in my room some and ate dinner. I stretched my legs in RGH. And called my ride home around CYN where we lost some time due to a late Piedmont Train 76. Then I relaxed some and went to the lounge and talked to the LSA Floroy who was amazing. Very nice, and loads of fun to watch. He clearly loves his job. We lost a bit more time due to a detector not going off and having to do a walking inspection of the train. I asked the conductor who was running south of Hamlet and it was my favorite engineer Pshaw. He had amazing handling and it was very smooth. I took a shower just after Cheraw, SC so that I wouldn't stink for my ride picking me up. Pshaw did a perfect stop in Camden where I got off, smooth and no slack action. My ride wasn't there till after the train left but that wasn't too bad.
All in all a good trip.
Pictures on my next post
