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Some may have wondered why I decided to ride the Missouri River Runner from and back to Washington, MO rather than St. Louis. Essentially I was looking for relatively low-risk overnight parking and also allowing more 'cushion-time' for the last part of my trip in case the eastbound Missouri train was late.
From Washington I drove as directly as possible up to I-70 and then eastward to US-61 en route to Quincy, MO. I left Washington about 1:45pm and arrived in Quincy shortly after 4:00pm, checked in to a Comfort Inn which may have actually been a hand-me-down Super 8 (but it was cheap), and drove directly over to the Quincy Amtrak Station.
It's a small cinder-block affair but with brick on the outside making it look a bit nicer than many Amshacks. A small crowd of 50-60 people had gathered for the 5:30pm eastbound departure. There was a little drama though - Quincy's Quiktrak machine was out-of-service and most of the assembled passengers - myself included - had to board the train armed only with our reservation numbers.
The conductor and assistant conductor took this in stride and were even - believe it or not - PLEASANT - in dealing with the ticketless passengers. The conductor came through and asked for reservation numbers and then marked us off on his printed manifest. Later he returned bringing us our ticket stubs and, where necessary, our return trip tickets.
Given that in Illinois Amtrak now has the technology to print tickets onboard the train, I'm thinking that total e-ticketing can't be too far off...... or maybe the removal of outdated automatic ticket kiosks.
At any rate, the Carl Sandburg was a typical midwestern 5-car horizon fleet train. The AC worked, the crew was friendly, we were on-time and we stayed that way. For me it was my first time riding the former Burlington route between Quincy and Galesburg. Can't say that the scenery was stunning and the cornfields southwest of Galesburg look just like the cornfields east of Galesburg.
What stunned me was that I had assumed that these Illinois trains merely handled people in and out of Chicago but Nooooooo. We had people just going to Galesburg or just to Mendota. A crowd of college-town folks surged aboard at Maccomb going to Naperville or Princeton.
No one batted an eye when I stepped off the train in Kewanee..... a small midwestern town with a brand-new train station and an attractive advertisement in the latest Amtrak timetables.
Turned out to be a study in contrasts - the attractive stuff in the ad is a block or two away and not in sight of the platform where Kewanee looks like a small, dusty, agrarian community. The train station is new and shiny - kind of a two story tall glass and chrome lean-to with the town name spelled out in blue neon on the waiting room wall...... but visible to passengers through the plate-glass windows.
I liked it and the air-conditioning worked. The train times were posted. I've got to admit though that this glass box is as out of place in a town of grain elevators and mostly 100-year old buildings as a rocket ship with martians aboard might be. Adding incongruance is an old wooden shelter (a CB&Q shack) on the westbound platform just across the tracks from the shiny new station.
The westbound Illinois Zephyr swept me up from Kewanee about 30 minutes behind schedule but made up 10 of those (padding) before Quincy. This train had 7 cars and a locomotive on either end. I don't know whether this is typical to save the need for turning the train in Quincy.
Overall - more positives than negatives.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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I've never ridden either the Illinois Zephyr or the Carl Sandburg. I'm not surprised, however, that if "you've seen one cornfield, you've seen them all!" Glad you had a good trip, David!
notelvis Member # 3071
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Absolutely correct on the cornfields Rich....
For the moment I've been trying to see stations which I had not yet seen before and snagging the loose ends of the current Amtrak system that I have not ridden before.
Things I'm keeping my eyes on now -
Have not ridden the Pere Marquette route yet.... but my wife has an old friend who this week is moving home to Michigan so I might get that one soon!
Maine. Once the currently abuilding expansion is in place, I may work in a trip that direction.
San Joaquins - next trip to California..... but might be a couple or three years.
THAT would finish off my unridden current Amtrak mileage.
I'm also eager to see what things look like on the ground in the Twin Cities once SPUD reopens. Might get there as soon as summer 2013.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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Regarding SPUD, Central Corridor Light Rail is not scheduled to be completed until late 2014, leaving SPUD isolated for rail connections. Amtrak was to start using SPUD sometime this year but there are rumors of delays.
Interesting that Greyhound is 'pulling the pooch' so-to-speak. Any reason given as to why they don't want to be in St. Paul Union Depot?
Also, where would the 'future light rail' which has a dedicated platform be going? Isn't the Central Light Rail line expected in 2014 going to be stopping in front of the depot rather than behind it with the buses and Amtrak?
I'll add that some of my travel opportunities are determined by places my wife wishes to go.... and with an old friend of hers in the Twin Cities..... well.... I anticipate an opportunity to visit (and perhaps even use as intended) SPUD to come my way soon.
I am not sure what they mean by future light rail. Commuter Rail (Red Rock Line) is planned from Hastings to Minneapolis on the same tracks as the Builder. A 3rd light rail line from the southwest suburbs to Minneapolis will have through trains to St. Paul using the Central Corridor. But Central Corridor will only run to the front of SPUD on the opposite side from the other train platforms.
George Harris Member # 2077
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: San Joaquins - next trip to California..... but might be a couple or three years.
The Amtrak California trains are one thing the state really and truly does right. Plus, on the SJ trains, if you sit where you can hear the engineer's conversation with the dispatcher, you would think you are riding the Super Chief. Whenever they have been late there has been some obvious and understandable reason. The line does have a serious volume of freight as well.
Have been on the Capital Corridor just once, and it seemed to also be operated well. It also has a lot of regular riders, almost to the point of being commuters.
Iron Mountain Member # 12411
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I got curious about the Illinois corridors and did a small bit of research and was surprised to read that between 2006 and 2011 ridership on the 4 corridors has increased 84%. The ridership in 2011 was reported to be in excess of 1,700,000. I knew Illinois was working to increase passenger rail but I was unaware that the service had developed to the extent reported. Good.
Iron Mountain Member # 12411
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I should have cited my source concerning the Illinois ridership. It is the Illinois Dept. of Transportation. And I need to correct my citing of the the corridors. They are the Hiawatha, Lincoln, Illini/Saluki, and Zephyr/Sandberg.
SilverStar092 Member # 2652
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Glad you finally picked up the Quincy route. That was one of the final two Amtrak routes we lacked until 2010. We also rode the late afternoon train though we did it one way eastbound. There were one or two nice towns along the way but otherwise it was mainly something just to mark off our rail map.
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by SilverStar092: Glad you finally picked up the Quincy route. That was one of the final two Amtrak routes we lacked until 2010. We also rode the late afternoon train though we did it one way eastbound. There were one or two nice towns along the way but otherwise it was mainly something just to mark off our rail map.
Macomb, IL looked to be a town I would want to spend a bit more time in.
Ira Slotkin Member # 81
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I am reminded of a Twilight Zone episode about a contemporary comuter who falls asleep on a train riding home from work. He awakens to find himself in another era, perhaps a hundred years before his time. The train stops at Willoughby and it appears to be a great place to get off; to spend 'a little more time in' as it were. He has the dream repeatedly and eventually gets off there.
It might be Bradbury story.
I have had that fantasy as I have ridden cross country. Just getting off and spending some time. Used to do that when I hitch-hiked cross country.
Thanks for the memory, David.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Speaking of the Carl Sandburg, it appears that Iowa Pacific is operating an excursion today, for the consist of 381(7) includes two ex-ATSF Big Domes. One is liveried Illinois Central, the other is stainless and is marked Iowa Pacific.
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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quote:Originally posted by Ira Slotkin: I am reminded of a Twilight Zone episode about a contemporary comuter who falls asleep on a train riding home from work. He awakens to find himself in another era, perhaps a hundred years before his time. The train stops at Willoughby and it appears to be a great place to get off; to spend 'a little more time in' as it were. He has the dream repeatedly and eventually gets off there.
According to Wikipedia, it was written by Rod Serling himself. Willoughby, like Iowa in "Field of Dreams," is heaven.
sojourner Member # 3134
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Thanks so much for your report, David. I am hoping to take the train to Quincy some time and then a taxi to Hannibal to see Mark Twain's birthplace.
palmland Member # 4344
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That part of the midwest is pretty much foreign territory for me - other than a camping trip long ago (including a night at the then great train watching spot of Savanna, IL) or zipping through on an LD train. But an interesting report and good to see Amtrak doing well in the heartland.
As for Willoughby, that's my favorite Twilight Zone episode. Even today, if something sparks an unlikely but pleasant memory (train related of course) my brother and I will often make some reference to a Willoughby moment.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Sojourner - RE: Taxi to Hannibal...... distance is probably about 20 miles from the Quincy station which is unstaffed and located at an isolated intersection northeast of town. I'd advise having advance arrangements made and carrying a working cellphone!
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