Soybeans and corn fields.. My awesome birthday cake from Ian and Sara.
Tuesday August 10, The Last Day
We awoke early as our train rocked and rolled through northern Ohio. We weren’t exactly sure where we were but we guessed that we were late. We remembered the busy time at dinner, so we got our clean clothes out of the bag and did the contortionist act to get dressed in our compartment and moved to the dining car. We were seated with a retired teacher from Erie, Pennsylvania, who with some friends was on her way to Chicago for a holiday. They had gotten on at 2:00 AM because the train was over an hour late, and she had only had 4 hours sleep before breakfast. Her friends who had coach seats, not a sleeping room, had to sit up even longer until coach seats were available….train was overbooked. We had a pleasant breakfast comparing schools in Pennsylvania and Iowa and pleasant stewards—we don’t know where they get their patience. Back in our compartment the steward had put away the beds, and we had our chair seats to Chicago. We seemed to be ripping along part of the time, but alternatively we had to wait for freights to clear the track. It was a pleasant ride except knowing we would be late---the second late leg of the entire trip.
A note: We woke up to FOG!!!! It was even quite thick for a while.
We pulled into Chicago about 1:30 hrs. late and got off the train—a long hike to the station (it was a very long train) in the warm humid Chicago air. We collected our checked baggage, loaded it all on a cart, then moved to the counter to see if any bags could be checked through to Galesburg—we thought not and we were correct so we moved the whole kit and caboodle to the first class lounge. We as first class passengers from New York could wait in this crowded but air conditioned lounge and board with the first class passengers, but we could not move the baggage gurney on the carpet. So we waited, went in singles to get some lunch and waited. The lounge was very full as Amtrak is busy, and there were four major trains leaving in the afternoon. The Texas Chief, The Empire Builder, the California Zephyr, and the Southwest Chief.
We were scheduled to leave at 2:00, but the train was delayed getting to the platform, something about adding another car or changing an engine. By 2:30 we were ready to board and off we went down the platform, past the sleepers to the coaches asking train people as we reached them which car was for Galesburg. At the third asking and only about half way down the platform we found our coach. We loaded the luggage, and went upstairs (this was the superliner the California Zephyr) to find seats—not difficult as we boarded before a majority of the coach passengers. The ride to Galesburg was pleasant enough, nice seats with plenty of room. Minor annoyances the family who no sooner found seats and were off to find the lounge car and then complained when others took their seats, the man who needed a shower with great immediacy, the self important business type who took two seats, and talked loudly on his cell phone. It reminded us that coach travel is indeed a step more hectic than a sleeper cabin. Anyway the ride was fun with lots of familiar landmarks and plenty of corn fields.
We arrived at Galesburg a little late and were met by Ian as we stepped off the train. His dark pants, and blue stripped dress shirt had convinced some of the people waiting to get on that he worked for AmTrak, and he had fielded several questions. The drive home was familiar and pleasant. We stayed at Ian’s to see the boys and to have dinner. We pulled into the driveway a little after 8:00—it’s great to finally be home---but what a grand adventure.
The menus from the Queen Mary and an accounting of the steps are in separate entries.
Steps today 3806
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