Minneapolis-Chicago

[Ctguy]

I married a Minneapolis girl, we lived in Tuckahoe, NY. First Christmas we decided to ride the train (1968?) and booked PRR out, NYC return, and MILW to Minneapolis. PRR was late, commuter cars to Phila. with free box lunches, ran a second section of #48 with seats we kept sliding off, equipment waiting in Phila., late into Chicago so our tickets were switched to the Burlington.

We went again in 1973, early AMTRAK. Family plan was still in operation so I booked seats for us and three children in the dome-observation-parlor car on the Morning Zephyr, then two double Sleepercoaches to NYC. The GN and NP were late coming into the Great Northern station in Minneapolis, so we waited. Finally they announced the Morning Zephyr so we climbed aboard and found our seats in the parlor section of the rear dome-observation. We went slowly to St. Paul to await the NP and GN (no one told us anything) and watched them make up the Chicago train. We were the only passengers in the parlor car so the children (5, 3, 1 1/2) had a ball. Finally we left, and was it a wonderful ride. Lunch in the diner, finally reached Wisconsin Dells where another family with 2 children got on with us to share the parlor seats and private dome.

I told my wife we would miss the NY train in Chicago and we started thinking of what we would do, where we would spend the night. We were easily 4 hours late. An announcement was made that many of the connecting trains in Chicago would be held and connecting passengers should detrain first and quickly go to the gates as announced to make their trains. No mention was made of the NY train via Buffalo. I told my wife there is no way they could hold that train that long. About 1/2 hour out of Chicago, the conductor came by and told us that there was a special train for NYC on the adjacent track and we should get on it. And there it was, An E-8 "A" unit, a baggage car, two coaches, diner, and a "Bird" series 16duprm/4DBr car. Our double sleepercoaches translated into two double bedrooms. The young AMTRAK attendant was new so I showed him the wrench to open the connecting door. Meals were free, we arrived in Grand Central Terminal about 6 hours late and took the commuter train home.

Next to my E-L and Burlington ride with 30 Scouts to Philmont Scout Ranch in NM, with an engine ride across NY state, this trip home from Minneapolis was the #2 ride of my life, and remembered by our oldest child.

[Shayster]

Great article reading of your experiences...

 

Thanks for sharing...

A.R. Sibert

 

[daveklepper]

thanks!

[aricat]

Your story reminded me of a trip I took to New York City in 1959 from Minneapolis. Although both the Empire Builder and North Coast Limited carried passengers between Minneapolis and Chicago; most passengers used either the Burlington Morning  Zephyr or the Morning Hiawatha if they were making connections for the east. Both trains usually made good connections to the Pennsy's General or Broadway Limited. We had left Minneapolis on time aboard the Morning Zephyr and  noticed the North Coast Limited just pulling into the Great Northern station in Minneapolis. I didn't think anything of it as we went to the diner for breakfast. We had just returned from breakfast to a vista dome when I noticed we were slowing down. The Zephyr was looking at a red signal at St Croix tower. Why were we stopping? The Burlington had decided to send the late North Coast Limited ahead of the Zephyr. The delay put the Zephyr behind about 20-25 minutes behind schedule. Instead of having about 45 minutes to make connections to the General in Chicago; we had 20 minutes. The North Coast Limited pulled into the track adjacent to the General and the Zephyr pulled into the track next to the North Coast Limited. The North Coast Limited passengers had the General on the next track over; the Zephyr passengers had to go around the North Coast Limited to reach the General. We barely made our connection. I was 14 and could run fast;my mother was wearing high heels and could run very fast. She was not going to shell out the extra money for a Pullman. The next time we made the trip, my mom got us up early to ride the Empire Builder so we could make an easier connection.

[wjstix]

Ctguy

We went again in 1973, early AMTRAK. Family plan was still in operation so I booked seats for us and three children in the dome-observation-parlor car on the Morning Zephyr, then two double Sleepercoaches to NYC. The GN and NP were late coming into the Great Northern station in Minneapolis, so we waited. Finally they announced the Morning Zephyr so we climbed aboard and found our seats in the parlor section of the rear dome-observation. We went slowly to St. Paul to await the NP and GN (no one told us anything) and watched them make up the Chicago train.

Just to nitpick a little, NP and GN didn't exist in 1973, it was BN after the March 1970 merger. BTW many people forget the BN merger was 14 months before Amtrak started, so BN did operate passenger trains during that time. By 1973 I believe the only BN passenger operations were Chicagoland commuter trains.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

BN also managed to issue two system passenger timetables in that brief time.  I remember the first one (a copy of which is somewhere in my basement) was a solid Cascade Green with white lettering.