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This past week I was in Durham, NC for three nights involved with the Admissions Committee at a school for academically gifted high school students. (aka - professional activity.)
On Wednesday evening with no plans other than eating supper and going back to the hotel, I decided to make a quick turn riding Amtrak #79 from Durham to Burlington and returning an hour later on Amtrak #76.
Both trains were on-time and at slightly over 50% capacity...... note that due to CSX trackwork, this train #79 had originated in Raleigh that afternoon.
In order to rack up a few more Guest Reward points, I used my AGR mastercard for dinner in the Amcafe. Had the cheeseburger and pretzels. Found the cheeseburger to be adequate and no worse than others I've had from the lounge car though note that recent reports say the cheeseburgers served in the dining cars are of poorer quality these days.
Also will add that if anyone is in the area, the Amtrak stations in both Durham and Burlington, NC are worth a look. Both are in restored trackside buildings which date from the 1800's.... a former tobacco warehouse in Durham and the original locomotive shop building of the North Carolina Railroad in Burlington.
Happy travels everyone -
SilverStar092 Member # 2652
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Thanks for the nice mini-report, David. Impromptu trips like that are among the most enjoyable.
notelvis Member # 3071
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The ride was absolutely impromptu..... almost.
Meaning that I already had the background knowledge that #79 was scheduled out of Durham shortly before 5:30pm and that I could easily do a turn to Burlington returning on #76...... or that if I was slightly more willing to take a chance on the trains being on-time, I could even try for the 17 minute layover in Greensboro.
Knowing this going in, being free of my meetings at 4:45pm and being eight blocks from the Amtrak station with no obligations or plans until 8:00am the following day made it an easy 'impromptu' decision.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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If the School District requires receipts for reimbursement of meals, what will they think when they see one from an Amcafe?
Oh well, "once upon a time" there were a few more options, at least out of Chicago, to do as Mr. Presley did:
On this trip the hotel was covered by the NC School of Science and Mathematics...... and a decent hot breakfast available at the hotel.
Lunch was provided on-site during the meetings.
We will receive reimbursement for our mileage.
Dinner Tue, Wed, and Thu evening was "On our own" so the only person to handle said receipt will be our paid tax preparer in early 2013.
Of course I'll receive 'double points' for my Amburger because I used my Amtrak Guest Rewards Master Card to make the purchase. That opportunity was part of the incentive for making this little turn and having a meal (of sorts) in the first place. Made a purchase in the Capitol Limited Lounge Car March 3rd using the card for the same reason.
I recognize that a microwaved sandwich on the Carolinian pales in comparison to what was available on some railroads well into the late 1960's and, for railfans in the Washington, DC area, on-board the Southern Crescent before it's southbound departure for nearly a decade beyond that.
notelvis Member # 3071
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I intended to mention that the title for this thread is inspired from a short piece which appeared in an issue of Trains Magazine in the early 1970's
That travel account, titled "Dining Alone on the B&O", recounted an afternoon ride on the first incarnation of Amtrak service westward from Washington to Parkersburg, WV. The author went to the lounge car and had some sort of hot entree which had come in a plastic bag and was reheated on-board. He further noted that on this evening he was the only person in the lounge car on the only intercity passenger train operating anywhere on the traditional B&O Railraod route system.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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"Mystery Meat" boiled in a plastic bag was "state of the art" during 1971, lest we forget.
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