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Since I received much good advice on our western trip from this forum, I wanted to give you all a brief recap.
Since taking early retirement two years ago, my wife and I have been able to do some traveling. Last year it was a trip on the Sunset. We then decided we can could tie a visit to relatives in Vancouver and Phoenix by using the Empire Builder to Seattle and Cascade service to Vancouver with Southwest closing the loop to Phoenix.
Points at Holiday Inn let us stay at their Harrison avenue hotel. A good location and one which I later learned is next to the Blue lines Clinton stop. We took the CTA from O'Hare to Jackson and then a short cab ride. To do something a little different we had dinner at the Russian Tea Time restaurant. We enjoyed sampling all the different flavors along with Russian beer and tea. A good choice.
The next day we decided to scale back our plans and take it easy with a stop atop at the Sears tower. Visibility was 30+ miles and was a great experience. We then strolled by the Board of Trade (had not signed up for a tour) and then to Marshall Field for lunch at the Walnut room. It brought back good memories for my wife as this was the way department stores were when she was a young girl. All the ladies were dressed for lunch and the food was outstanding. We had good old comfort food - chicken pot pie and meat loaf. Mama didn't make it any better. The mint tea and Frango chocolate mint pie had us ready for a nap.
We arrived by taxi at 1:15 and I insisting on entering through the main concourse building. With shafts of light and soft echos in the grand hall it was almost a religious experience. I do get carried away.
When we arrived at the Metropolitan lounge (and yes it's better than it used to be) the red cap insisted on getting our bags out of storage and onto his cart. Hadn't seen service like that in a while. We were then off to Bedroom C, Car 0730 at a fast trot. We were settled in by 1:30 and so had plenty of time to contemplate our adventure.
The car was in good condition and miracle of miracles our sofa seat was facing forward. Our attendent was a lady named Celia (that's not the right spelling) but she was outstanding and took great care of us throughout the trip. She told us she was on the saftey video on the Cascades which we got to see a couple days later.
On leaving the Chicago we went to the lounge car and listened to the 'Rails and Trails' narration by the two volunteers. I guess I had been aware of the program but never listened to it. It was very entertaining and informative. It is a joint program with the National Park Service and Amtrak run entirely by volunteers from the area. Well done.
An hour or so after leaving Milwaukee we went back to our room where Celia was waiting with a bottle of champagne and we toasted the good life as we sped west.
I guess the only slight disappointment for the entire trip was the dining car. Maybe I expected to much after hearing about EB service. You can be sure I had the steak and ice cream, simply because I could again. But aside from that, it appeared the chef was just going through the motions and the food was pretty bland and uninteresting. My wife said the french toast was the best thing and I do think breakfast was the most enjoyable meal. The dining crew was ok. Some were trying hard others were going through the motions. But it still beat the alternative on Amtrak and dining at 79 mph is still one of the best experiences on the rails.
The next morning I opened the curtains to see North Dakota as advertised. Wide open praries with dry plains beyond green river and stream valleys. I don't understand those who say this is boring as we found it fascinating as we ran in and out of rain showers. The sky is so big and the country so different than the south. All day we were glued to the window as my wife knitted and I browsed my new copy of Walthers 2007 HO Catalog.
The sleepers were full throughout the trip. A couple next to us got off a Havre, MT and it was filled immediately by another. We had interesting dinner companions. A couple from Regina, Sashkatchawan (sp?) was returning home. They found Amtrak better for them than the Canadian as it was a three hour drive to Saskatoon for the Canadian or a three hour drive to Minot and Amtrak was much cheaper. Canadians seem to be so friendly.
Coaches were about 3/4 full as most had a seat to themselves. The lounge was the new version with half tables. Although I like the seats facing out better, my wife pointed out that you can see better on both sides from the tables (and it was easier to do her knitting). Others were using the tables for computers, chess games, board games, eating and having a beer.
In the late afternnon we could see the mountains in the distance and by early evening we had made it to East Glacier (what a great NP hotel there). A spectacular trip with the aspen trees a bright gold as we wound around the valleys to Marias Pass. I hope my movies come out. It was fully dark as we passed Essex and the Inn looked like another good spot.
We had some problems with briefly losing electric power and in Whitefish they tried to fix it. As we left the station it went down again, so it was decided to back a half mile into the station for further work. I 'happened' to be in the last car (a Portland coach was behind the Portland sleeper) and took in the action as the conductor on the rear vestibule with the door open talked us back. The repairs were successful and we left about 40 minutes late.
I think this would be a good spot to rave on about the outstanding job the BNSF dispatchers did in keeping us on time. Almost every siding had a freight waiting for us. While we normally held the main, we had one meet when we went in the siding. After we cleared the switch the freight started moving and we continued to the end of the siding where we paused until the freight cleared the west switch so we could proceed. I hadn't seen a saw by meet in a long time. We lost five minutes. In another siding we never stopped as we passed two freights that could clear on the main. If I was going to invest in a railroad, BNSF would be my first choice because they know how to operate.
The next moring we had breakfast as we left Wenatchee, WA and saw the fruit harvest in full swing. We were told much was left on the trees as the growers could not get enough pickers. We were on our second cup of coffee as we went through the Cascade tunnel and then down along puget sound. The EB is due into Seattle at 10:20. We were on time to the minute.
A brief comment about our trip the next day on the Cascade. All corridor trains should be like that. Very comfortable 2-1 seating in business class. Big windows, a great view along the water and good crew.
The highlight was breakfast (and dinner on our return trip). We were at the table for two on the water side complete with linen and neat table light. Yes the food was microwaved, but it was, dare I say it, better than the EB. The roast beef on our return was excellant. We asked the customs inspector at Blaine, WA if he needed anything (we had our declaration and passport on the table). He looked at us and said 'how about a bite of your roast beef' as he picked up our card and kept walking. Don't think customs inpsection gets any better than that. Amtrak should use the caterer for the Cascade service on other routes.
So that's the story of our trip and we're ready to go again. Oh, almost forgot to mention. As we were waiting for our return in Vancouver, sitting side by side in the afternoon soon were the obsevation cars from the Canadian and the Grand Luxe (formerly AOE) . That's something you don't see every day and a good way to wind up the rail portion of our trip.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
Thanks for the great trip report. I ve taken the Empire Builder several times, and it's always a great trip East and Westbound. Like you, I don t find the vast open plains of North Dakota and Montana boring. Those wide open views of the prairie gives you a nice serene feeling.
I have booked a one way on the Builder in January to Seattle from Chicago. I ll be flying back, due to time restrictions. After riding the other cross country routes this year I m looking forward to the non-simplified dining service again and the nice extras that riding the builder affords. I haven t done the trip Westbound in quite some time and to do it in January should be interesting. Only downside is the lack of daylight.
I m still amazed that the price of a roomette is the cheapest of all the cross country trains and it is the nicest of all of them.
Posts: 176 | From: Bloomsburg Pa | Registered: Jul 2000
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Wouldn't you love to see the Cascade's Talgo equipment running on the Carolinian and Palmetto?
-------------------- 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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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: Great trip report Palmland.
Wouldn't you love to see the Cascade's Talgo equipment running on the Carolinian and Palmetto?
I think ridership would increase significantly if the Carolina service had equipment and service similar to the Talgos. But, not sure if the cars (and passengers) could handle the rough track on CSX. But with a little marketing effort Amtrak could get more of the Charleston/Savannah tourist crowd. I also wonder why Amtrak doesn't offer a thruway bus to Myrtle Beach.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
interesting report. Did you write one (that I missed) about the leg from Seattle home?
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Train lady- Sadly time and money had us on Southwest out of Seattle to Phoenix rather than the Starlight. Probably it is better to remember as it was several years ago when we rode it than the present version. When we saw it in Seattle it was down to 2 sleepers and the transition car, 3 coaches and diner and lounge.
From Phoenix we flew home. In January my wife will return to help relatives through surgery. I may join her later by taking some circuitous Amtrak route. Now where is that timetable.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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