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Nice report, Henry. Did you notice if the Mom and Pop "convenience store" on the station platform at Grand Junction is still in operation?
HillsideStation Member # 6386
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Mr. Kisor...is it Kissor or Kaiser?
My compliments on an excellent and articulate report. The latter is so often missing from these environs. As to the windows: we also experienced window cleaners at Denver on our first CZ trip in June of '04. Unfortunately the ride through the Moffat quickly undid what was done. Thanks again for your essay. Best regards, Rodger
smitty195 Member # 5102
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quote:Originally posted by Ocala Mike: Did you notice if the Mom and Pop "convenience store" on the station platform at Grand Junction is still in operation?
Unless someone took it over recently, it would still be closed. The owner had a heart attack and passed away, and his son took over for about a year. The son didn't really like doing it, so he quit the business. Last time I was there, the stand itself was still there but all boarded up. The little store inside the building is still open.
I used to get fresh fruit every time I would pass through there. It was a nice treat.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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I'll check the Mom n Pop shop at Grand Junction on the way back.
By the way, there are at least four free wi-fi nodes at Chicago Union Station now -- three of them in the food court. Not all were working last week but the Corner Bakery one was.
The Amtrak node was up when we arrived with our bags, but when we got back from lunch it was down. Not sure why.
It's "Kaiser," by the way. Sometimes people ask me if my father built ships.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Were you able to use the trick of purchasing WiFi time in the bar, then going back downstairs to the Metro Lounge?
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Smitty, I wanted to . . . but my wife insisted we eat at the Corner Bakery. Not sure if the Bakery's wi-fi can be accessed in the sleeper lounge; I didn't try.
It may be moot before long, if the lounge is to be moved into a corner of the big waiting room.
DeeCT Member # 3241
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Henry - have I missed something? They just renovated the Metropolitan Lounge a short while ago (3 maybe 4 years back). Why on earth would they be considering moving the location of it. --- Dee
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Ms. Dee, the space is needed as a waiting room for Coach passengers. Wanting a more conspicuous presence, the Police Dept has commandeered some of the existing Coach space. Save an occasional "gig", The Gold Lion, SW corner of the Head House, is just sitting there unused as it has ever since Harvey folded up.
I've never used the Met Lounge on any of my "qualified" journeys; I prefer to sit out in the Main Waiting Room (Head House; Great Hall) where there is enough light so I can read (guarantee you there ain't in the subject dungeon).
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Good report, Henry -- sorry your train got so delayed.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Wonder if the ladies wash windows eastbound at Denver too?
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Just back from Grand Junction on No. 6.
The Mom and Pop store in the station is open. I am not sure, but I think it's a new Mom and a new Pop.
By the way, yesterday Nos. 6 and 5 were delayed 3 1/2 hours by an avalanche just east of Dotsero. It took UP crews exactly that time to clear the mess with backhoes and chainsaws. Most of it was snow, but there were some small rocks and quite a few trees.
While we were waiting, we grew a tad nervous because a semitrailer-sized boulder had plunged from the cliffs onto both westbound and eastbound portions of I-70 in Glenwood Canyon just the day before, punching a huge hole in the westbound lanes and severely damaging the eastbound. It will be days before the mess is fixed and the interstate reopened, we heard, and we wondered about the slide on the tracks -- we didn't know its size and worried that we'd have to back up to Glenwood Springs and bustitute 200 extra miles to get to Denver.
The engineer and crew kept us on top of the proceedings at the avalanche site with frequent updates. That was helpful.
sbalax Member # 2801
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Mr. K--
Belated thanks for the trip report. I always enjoy reading them.
Frank in dark and cool SBA
smitty195 Member # 5102
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: The Mom and Pop store in the station is open. I am not sure, but I think it's a new Mom and a new Pop.
Just to clarify a bit....OcalaMike asked about the mom and pop store on the platform, which I now see could mean either one. Just for my own info, confirm that the store inside the building is open, and the store on the platform is still boarded up?
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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That was the store INSIDE the station I was talking about -- didn't see anything on the platform.
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Okay, thanks. It's too bad the one on the platform shut down and that the son didn't want to continue running it. I have some pictures of the AmChefs buying fruit and veggies there, but I don't know how to post pictures here.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Thanks for the trip report and blog, Henry!
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Well, I thought I figured out how to put a photo into the forum but I guess it didn't work. At any rate, if you want to click on the Photobucket link (above), there is a picture of two AmChefs at the now-closed Grand Junction fruit stand.
Mike Smith Member # 447
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Let's try this... [img ] followed by the link, then [/img ] No spaces in the img part.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Fantastic---thanks Mike!
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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Henry, could you tell me how picking up your car rental went. Both times I tried I ran amok of the infamous cab service in Grand Junction (getting to and from the airport car rentals). They managed to take a couple of hours to pick me up at Amtrak, so I had to do the beautiful drive to Moab in the dark.
And after dropping off at the airport 2 hours before train departure with a previously phoned in cab reservation, they managed to make me almost miss my train. An airport with no cabs? The rental company who advertised they pick up, had insufficient staff to do so.
This made me shy away from using Grand Junction as a jump off point, even though it is located ideally for many a scenic drive.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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After arriving about 7:30 pm (the westbound Zephyr was late) we walked (10 minutes) to the Hampton Inn a few blocks from the Grand Junction station.
There is an Enterprise Rent-a-Car in downtown Grand Junction about six blocks from the Hampton Inn, and they picked us up the next morning just 15 minutes late. Got a free upgrade to a Ford Escape from a Focus.
We returned the car on a Sunday afternoon when Enterprise was closed (dropped the keys in a lock box) and walked back to the Hampton Inn, stopping at a restaurant for supper.
Smooth all the way.
The next morning we didn't want to walk to the station from the Hampton Inn in heavy rain, although we would have if we had to. The desk clerk called the infamous cab company for a pickup to take us the few blocks, and the cab was right on time.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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Thanks, I will check into Enterprise in the future.
20th Century Member # 2196
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Thank you for the enjoyable writing on your Zephyr trip.
kjkober Member # 1423
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The wifi access point is mounted to the wall facing the tv area near the computer stations. You just need to ask a staff person to unplug and replug it and it comes right back up..or do it yourself if you're willing to endure the stares and chair climbing.
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