Days 1 and 2: Left Worcester MA Monday 9/13 on 449 wife and I in a roomette. Mark our SCA was very helpful. Train on time until Albany then left 1 hrs 15 min late due to a switch problem. In the meantime we had dinner, we both had the enchiladas which were OK. Ended up sitting with the lady from the roomette across from us who was returning from a visit to Boston getting off at her home in Erie PA at Oh Dark Thirty did not envy her. Had a nice wide ranging talk on everything from birds to the state of the country.
Back to the room and Mark made up our beds quickly and we settled in for the night. A Viewliner roomette is a bit snug for 2 but we managed. Train managed to make up some time so by the time we went to breakfast we were only 35 min down. They cut the dwell at Toledo and we arrived at CUS only 10 min late which is on time for all practical purposes. By the way breakfast was the omelette and potatoes which was OK, coffee was good. Dining car crew was great for both meals.
At Chicago Union Station I tried to find the taxi rank but was unsuccessful. Could use some signage there. We decided to walk as it was a nice day and our hotel was only 10 blocks or so on Wabash in the Loop. A friendly cop directed us to the exit on Canal st. and of course there were the taxis. We walked anyway. Our hotel was the Silversmith which is a little pricey but very nice and convenient to Millenium Park and the L. We had stayed there on a previous visit. They had only just reopened the week before due to the pandemic. Restaurant open for continental breakfast and dinner only with a limited menu. But that is fine with us. Checked in early and collapsed in room, rest up for tomorrow's leg, the Southwest Chief to Flagstaff AZ. Stay tuned.
Back to the room and Mark made up our beds quickly and we settled in for the night. A Viewliner roomette is a bit snug for 2 but we managed. Train managed to make up some time so by the time we went to breakfast we were only 35 min down. They cut the dwell at Toledo and we arrived at CUS only 10 min late which is on time for all practical purposes. By the way breakfast was the omelette and potatoes which was OK, coffee was good. Dining car crew was great for both meals.
At Chicago Union Station I tried to find the taxi rank but was unsuccessful. Could use some signage there. We decided to walk as it was a nice day and our hotel was only 10 blocks or so on Wabash in the Loop. A friendly cop directed us to the exit on Canal st. and of course there were the taxis. We walked anyway. Our hotel was the Silversmith which is a little pricey but very nice and convenient to Millenium Park and the L. We had stayed there on a previous visit. They had only just reopened the week before due to the pandemic. Restaurant open for continental breakfast and dinner only with a limited menu. But that is fine with us. Checked in early and collapsed in room, rest up for tomorrow's leg, the Southwest Chief to Flagstaff AZ. Stay tuned.