Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Discussions and Questions about Land Destinations, Hotels, Ports, and More.
HostDave
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Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby HostDave » Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:12 pm

Let's get started! We're leaving home at 3:30pm Tuesday for the Amtrak station in Fullerton. The Southwest Chief is supposed to depart at 6:50pm, but that seems to be an arbitrary number according to the status reports. Hope for the best!!

By the way, we were able to get Bill's Verizon Wireless modem working with my laptop (after a call to tech support), so I should be able to post reports in the blog during the train ride.

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby Marybeth » Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:05 am

Yay!! Let the fun begin. Looking forward to your reports.

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby HostDave » Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:30 pm

We made it to the train and through our first meal with no problems, so score one for us! OMG, the service is TERRIBLE. The blog has been updated with today's report.

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby kayred » Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:27 am

Yaaaa the first post. My mom took the same trip you are a few years ago (now that I think about it more than a few). She enjoyed it and was glad not to be flying. We have taken the train once on a short trip - over a decade ago - when it when from Las Vegas to Southern CA. It was a great break from driving and a kind of adventure to eat in a dining car. My husband and myself couldn't stop thinking about the Wild Wild West TV Show...lol.

Enjoy....Have Fun....Be Safe...

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby HostDave » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:15 am

Still surviving. No sleep because it is EXTREMELY rough, but other than that no problem. Breakfast food was very good with same bizarre service ethic. Everyone sort of does their own thing with little or no training (or they just don't care.) Nobody has been rude, but I wouldn't call this "service" exactly. Had no idea that people in the roomettes and coach have to feed quarters into the showers! That isn't mentioned anywhere I saw on the Amtrak site. Glad we have our own bathroom, tiny as it is. Our breakfast tablemate said her room periodically smells like sewage, but we don't have that issue. I think the car we're in is newer than the others, but I have no real frame of reference other than it looks nice and is very clean.

Next stop Albuquerque in about 30 minutes.

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby FeAudrey » Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:00 pm

(from the trip report)
HostDave wrote:The bathroom/shower combination is smaller than an airline bathroom, so we're praying to God we don't need to take a shower ...


Sometimes you have to, er, take one for the team ;) . We want full details of the total experience! :lol:

Based on my experiences, the rough ride sounds a bit unusual -- sway, yes; bumps, no. You might ask the conductor if there have been track problems.

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby Marybeth » Thu Apr 19, 2012 5:26 am

I'm loving reading your blog. Your narrative very funny. I have heard many times how good train food is and I have always wondered how that could be even remotely possible. Is the train crowded? Thanks for posting your adventures.

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby HostDave » Thu Apr 19, 2012 7:01 am

I don't have any frame of reference for how crowded the train is since we only see our sleeping car and the dining car. The dining car has never been completely full, so I'm guessing the train isn't either. Just a guess though. I heard an attendant telling someone the sleepers are sold out (there are three sleeper cars in the train, 3 coach cars), but considering the service I'd guess they say that because they don't want to be bothered.

Whatever room we get in Chicago will be palatial!! Better post this, we're moving again.

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby FeAudrey » Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:35 am

Welcome to Chicago!

If the weather is decent when you arrive and you are aren't too tired, you might do your Navy Pier excursion today.

It's the free evening (5PM-8PM) at the Children's Museum (usually $12), and you could have a lake-viewing walk and dinner and watch the city lights come on.

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Re: Midwest & More Road Trip Discussion (On the Road)

Postby YFlower » Thu Apr 19, 2012 1:15 pm

As always, it's a real treat to read your blog!!

I, too, am surprised by the rough ride. I just got off a NE Corrider Acela trip yesterday & today, and it was quite fine...would've been no problem sleeping, I'm sure. I noticed you knew ahead that the ride in Kansas would be rough and wondered if that had been announced or was on the Amtrak site?

Appalled, but not totally surprised, to read about the lack of service. Service is fine on Acela (and at the prices, more expensive than flying, it should be), but I have definitely experienced what you describe on occasion from regular NE Corridor and station personnel.


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