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Hello everyone - I'm home safely and thought I'd share my whirlwind midwestern excursion with you.
Part 1 - Last Friday, July 17 I made the four hour drive from my home to the Atlanta airport and caught an afternoon Airtran flight to Minneapolis. I like that Airtran is relatively cheap, had several nonstop flights to Minneapolis to choose from, and that they fly relatively new jets.
I'm not so wild about their policy of surcharges for things like selecting your seat in advance or checking luggage.......but that's another story. Flying alone for under two and a half hours I can carry my luggage and make do.
The flight was uneventful, we landed on-time, and I caught the very nice Hiawatha Light Rail to downtown Minneapolis where I spent the night in the Renaissance Hotel located in and adjacent to the former Milwaukee Road passenger station. As discussed with Gilbert Norman in another thread, I got an uncommon bargain by booking and prepaying directly with the Renaissance folks via their website.
Part 2 - Saturday morning I was up and out of the hotel early. I grabbed a bagel on the go and caught a taxi for the 1.75 mile ride to the Harrison Street Railroad yard at Minneapolis Junction. Today's event was an all-day steam excursion pulled by locomotive 4449 (and Amtrak #51) from Minneapolis to Chicago via the former CB&Q route which has been 'freight only' since 1971. I splurged and bought a premium class ticket so that I could spend the day in Super Dome #53, originally a Milwaukee Road car but one I enjoyed a number of times in the late 1990's when the North Carolina DOT was using it as their business class accomodation on the Piedmont.
The steam locomotive performed wonderfully and had no difficulty maintaining a speed hovering around 60mph (with a 13 car train) most of the day. The view of the Mississippi River out that lovely dome window for nearly 300 miles is one that I will recall fondly for some time to come. The Friends of the 261 (Minneapolis) and the Friends of the 4449 (Portland, OR) who joined forces to run this trip did an outstanding job and not even being held for an hour on the outskirts of Chicago dimmed the day. I even spent an hour or so on the phone with our own Gilbert Norman keeping him updated as to where the train was so that he could get trackside to watch us thunder by.
Part 3 - I caught a Metra commuter back out to Aurora because I've been curious about the Comfort Suites adjacent to the commuter station there for some time. It was about midnight when I got into my room so I lingered a bit on Sunday morning and then went exploring other parts of the Metra system since my ticket the night before was actually a weekend pass good anywhere I wanted to roam Sunday.......I selected Fox Lake and Elgin......
Nothing really to report here.....commuter trains are commuter trains. I enjoyed riding and people watching.......Mr. Norman, next time I pass through Chicago with more time I'll take you up on your invitation to meet for a meal and conversation.
Part 4 - I still enjoy the expanded Chicago Metropolitan Lounge and the folks who work there are just great if you call them 'sir' or 'ma'am' a time or two up front. We boarded the Capitol Limited at about 615pm and I had room 8 in the first full superliner sleeper (running behind the baggage car and transition sleeper). This car is one of the remodeled ones with the faux wood-paneling and lot's of dark blue. It's a nice look and everything works the way it's supposed to........but the latest remodel is already starting to look worn and threadbare. Our carhost appears to say hello and ask what time I'd like him to turn the bed down. He showed to do that 30 minutes late and I otherwise didn't see him again the entire trip......but then I was feeling a little anti-social after a couple of days hardcore railfanning and it didn't particularly bother me that he kept his distance. It would have had I expected 'service' though.
We departed on-time and I went to the Cross-Country Cafe car for the 7:30pm sitting.
The CCC cars do not have many friends here and they should never been configured in the way they are. They are pretty useless except in cases where they are being used a just the diner and a separate sightseer lounge is still being assigned.......as is the case on the Capitol.
I have decided that I kind of like the CCC cars when I am by myself and seated at one of the three-seater tables. Yes, the table is too small for dinner and yes it's odd having tables face inward BUT I like that I can eat at one of these tables and not have a problem being lefthanded.
The crew was very efficient.....one of the best I've seen east of the Mississippi and our meals arrived.....complete with salad, roll, and beverage.....for each of the three passengers at our table in under five minutes. I had the braised flat iron steak and it was remarkably good.......the tenderest meat I've ever had on an Amtrak train. The baked potato was certainly OK.....the mixed vegetables a bit dry and tasteless but all in all a pleasant diner experience.
The overnight ride was a little rough but I slept adequately. The roughness, I think, had to do with the track conditions and being in roomette 8 I was over the trucks.
We lagged a little timewise early in the trip but with padding we were on-time into Pittsburgh and actually arrived about 10-15 minutes early in DC. The diner crew is now doing 'brunch' from 6:30 - 11:30 into DC. Presumably I could have appeared early for breakfast and returned later for lunch but I opted for the French Toast breakfast and opted for lunch at a favorite vendor in DC Union Station. Following lunch, I took the metro over to the Mall and visited the Museum of History and Technology.
Part 5 - The Crescent.....again right on time for boarding, departure, and every stop en route. I was in the #6 roomette in the last car on the train. The car was in better shape than I expected and my room was suitably quiet and smooth-riding. (albeit the upper window proved later to leak a little in a heavy rain.)
I much prefer the superliner sleepers and here's why......the darn toilet in the roomette. No one wants to sleep with his/her head by the toilet (plus the berth is uncomfortably narrow on that end) and the way my car was positioned, sleeping head away from the toilet had my head on the 'forward' end of the berth. I prefer that I sleep feet first.
Diner on the Crescent was wonderful......it's been spruced up lately but it ought to be in a museum......simple as that. The crew was pleasant though not quite as jacked up as the Capitol Limited folks. Breakfast the morning after (French Toast again) took them about 30 minutes to produce......it seemed like they may have had problems getting the stove going.
All in all, it was a really great railfan trip.....much better than my May venture.....and one that leaves me optimistic that Amtrak may be on the verge of showing some improvement. It won't be like the pampering we had in the Super Dome but maybe it will be something better than it has been.
One addendum to that - I've noticed a gradual improvement (for the most part) in on-board personell for two or three years now. The biggest concern, I think, is the need for new equipment. The heritage diners are clearly on their last life, the Viewliner and Superliner sleepers are both wearing out.......the next generation of passenger equipment can't be far off if Amtrak is going to keep doing what it does.
Thanks for reading and have a great evening everyone.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Thanks for the report, David. I too have noticed improved staff on trains east of the Mississippi for several years now, including the Florida trains. My experiences with the Crescent have always been positive, but in years past I do recall some bad apples on FL trains (esp diners) and Chi trains; people seem more cheerful nowadays, and FL services esp excellent in past 3 years.
As you know, I have different opinions about a few things--I really hate the 3 seater dining experience with inward facing seats and tables too far from the seat, as you know, and I like having my own little toilet, my head nearby or not (I usually keep a bag on it anyway when not in use, so I don't even think of it as a toilet except when I use it!), even though I prefer Superliners for their observation-style lounge cars, as long as they have one. Viewliners also tend to have better lighting for nighttime reading, which I also like. The worst of all possible worlds was therefore the CONO for me--no private toilet, no observation car, bad lighting, AND the awful 3-seater dining cars!!! The best of all possible worlds would be the Superliner with larger sleeper (with own toilet) if I ever have the points for one (could not afford to pay cash!!!)
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Encouraging report, David. On time train, OK crews, decent food, everything worked. What more could you ask for from Amtrak?
Were you able to get any good pictures of 4449- how about a photo run by?
I do have to disagree about the toilet in the viewliner room - it is convenient and certainly it worked well in the heritage roomettes. I guess I don't recall where the toilet is placed in a roomette since we're usually in a bedroom. I was thinking it was at your feet (towards the front of the train) and your head would be at the other end but facing forward. But maybe I'm just recalling the heritage roomettes or did they turn all viewliners when placing them on the rear of the train?
Interesting comment about "I still enjoy the expanded Chicago Metropolitan Lounge and the folks who work there are just great if you call them 'sir' or 'ma'am' a time or two up front."
Certainly bears out the adage that if you treat people with respect they will respond in kind. Although I did have one instance where a young lady did not at all like being called ma'am. I guess some people are just inclined to be offended despite your best efforts.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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No photo runby. Those sadly are a thing of the past it seems......at least when a big locomotive is running on a mainline railroad as we were.
HOWEVER - an old friend of mine who lives in suburban Minneapolis came down and got some decent photos as the excursion train departed Minneapolis. If you will Private Message me with an email address, I'll forward his photos to you.
I neglected to mention that our P42 on the steam excursion, #51, turned up Sunday evening in our consist going to DC on the Capitol Limited.
As for accomodations, Sojourner I absolutely accept your concerns with the CCC as valid. Maybe I'm just trying to put a positive spin on something we'll be living with for the foreseeable future. I agree that the City of New Orleans is a real loser train now. If it's not mealtime, there is no place besides your room to just hang out.
I do like the lighting in the Viewliners better and I really do like the upper level window. Perhaps I'll just have to step up another rung and book bedroom accomodations on the Viewliners rather than just the roomette. I'll tell you, nothing beat the comfort of the berths in the old Heritage roomettes.........BUT using your toilet during the night was a real challenge as it would be UNDER the berth. By comparison going down the hall to a common toilet (as in the Superliner roomettes today) was easy.......
Again, Palmland, if you'll provide me with an email address, I'll forward some photos to you.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Thanks David. I enjoyed the reading. Too bad the Cross Country Cafe falls short a bit. I still think they would be a better fit for trains such as the Adirondack, the Palmetto, and the Maple leaf using single level equipment as compared to what is used at present.
Posts: 498 | From: New Hope, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Thanks for a great report David, The Capitol trip to DC is always a favorite for us. The crews are better in the last year. We enjoyed our Crescent trip last year from NOL to NYP but agree with others that the restroom in the room has its disadvantages, especially when traveling with the wife. Preferred to find a restroom in the lounge car or coach during the day anyway. Best wishes Railroad Bill
Posts: 87 | From: Ohio | Registered: Apr 2007
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