My 25th Anniversary Train Trip

[Roadtrp]

In less than a week my wife and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary with a trip on the Empire Builder from Minneapolis to Chicago and back. We will be staying over in Chicago one night at The Drake hotel (ritzy!) and going to a play.

I am so excited about the train trip that I'm like a little kid.

Sadly, I think I've seen at least a part of the reason that Amtrak is failing. I had originally purchased coach fare to Chicago, but decided I would like to add a standard bedroom. Even though the trip is only eight hours, we will have to get up really early to get to the depot prior to departure at 7:40 AM. I thought it would be nice to have a place where we could nap in privacy on the way to Chicago.

I called Amtrak reservations to get the upgrade, and they handled it beautifully. I was told that I would just have to get my ticket changed at the depot either prior to our departure or on the morning of our departure.

Thank God I chose to get it prior to my departure, or it would probably have never happened. I went to the Amtrak depot over my lunch hour to get my ticket upgraded. I went to the ticketing counter and dealt with a person who clearly should not have been dealing with the public. He had NO personality, seemed to feel that I and the couple of people in line behind me were imposing on his time, and was probably the WORST service person I have ever dealt with.

The task should have been quick and easy. I had my original tickets and the change number that I had been given by Amtrak for the upgrade over the phone.

Unfortunately the guy I was dealing with had apparently never learned to type. He pecked away with one finger from each hand, taking a full 15 minutes to process a change that should have been processed in less than 5 minutes.

I'm still really excited about my trip on the train, but wonder why Amtrak tolerates such incompetence in the staff who serve the public. After all, since they are the first people many passengers see, they are the face of Amtrak. If I were running the railroad, I'd make sure that the face was a little more friendly and competent.

We're still excited as can be about our trip, but I really have to wonder about the service we will receive if the guy at the Amtrak ticket counter is any indication of what we have ahead of us. [:)]

[Anonymous]

Take in the HO display at the MSI which is due East of Chgo Union Station, approx 3/4 mile east
then south approx four/five miles.

Since you will be at the Drake, near North side, again, 3/4 east, but then north approx one mile
so that puts you approx five/six miles from MSI.

Please entend to *** Daley our kindest & warmest regards.

[dknelson]

Be alert as the trains goes through Rondout near the Illinois/Wisconsin border -- there are sometimes things of interest to see there, such as Metra or EJ&E. You'll go under and old North Shore bridge.
Also the Sturtevant Depot (about an hour out of Chicago) on the west side of the tracks is a neat old wood structure -- deteriorated badly. The Klinkhouse Hotel to the east is interesting too and if you look just right you will see a stuffed and mounted Milwaukee Road caboose to the east as you go through Sturtevant. As you approach Milwaukee sit on the west side of the car and wave to us railfans at Waterford Avenue (also known as Powerton due to an old interchange between the Milwaukee Road and an electric railroad that served a lakeshore power plant). There are usually railfans at Powerton to see the Builder go by.
Columbus WI will be your next stop after Milwaukee and it has a neat stone depot from the early 1900s. They might give you a minute to stretch your legs in LaCrosse and if you are lucky you might see some local switching on the CP. Sorry about the Amtrak clerk but enjoy the trip
Dave Nelson

[Big_Boy_4005]

Congratulations Jerry, you are a better man than I am for making it 25 years![swg]

I have always loved Chicago, and have visited many times. I've taken the Builder at least 3 times over the years, and it's a nice trip. But I think you have made some slight planning errors for your trip. There is SO MUCH to see and do in Chicago, that an overnight stay is nothing more than a tease. If you are going to spend the money to travel, and I'm guessing that your train fare is a pretty good chunk of this trip's cost, why not stay longer?

Then there's timing, the Twins are playing the White Sox the weekend of the 14th. It is always nice to go to the theater, but isn't a road game with your favorite team just a different form of theater?[;)] I'm not suggesting that you skip the theater, but an extra day could give you the best possible trip, allowing you to do both events, and take better advantage of your train fare.

As far as the Amtrak clerk goes, I think I would find that job somewhat depressing. Watching over an empty station in the middle of an industrial park, with little human contact cannot be to much fun. He was either put there because he didn't have good people skills, or the job has gotten to him and people are an inconvenience. I would think that they have more and better people on duty on the morning and night shifts when the trains come through.

Regardless of all that, HAVE FUN and Happy Anniversary!!!![:D]

Elliot

[Roadtrp]

Elliot,

We really love Chicago, and have also been there quite a few times. I know that overnight really is just a tease, but we don't have much choice this time. We will be going down Wednesday and coming back Thursday. On Friday we have to hit the road to bring our daughter back from college for the summer.

This trip the train ride itself is really the main event. The fancy hotel, dinner and play are for my wife -- she is doing the train trip for me.

I've pretty much forgotten about that crummy reservations clerk. I was just SO excited about my train trip that it was kind of a bummer to have my first contact with an Amtrak employee be so disappointing. But you are right; Amtrak wouldn't put their 'A Team' on to baby-sit the station during the middle of the day. I'm sure the service on the train will be much better.

-Jerry

[lupo]

Congratulations!
I hope you'll have e great time!

[Big_Boy_4005]

Enjoy Jerry, sorry about giving you a bit of a hard time above. For as short a trip as it is, it sounds very nice.

I guess I've gotten rather set in my ways when it comes to travel planning. I always seem to plan my travel around some event, often train related, and if I can squeeze in something like a Twins game, I'm in heaven. When I travel, it is never relaxing. If I want to relax I stay home. Of course this drove my ex wife nuts.

11 years ago we took a trip that was so much fun, trains and baseball. 3 weeks on the road with our son who was just 7 months old at the time. We visited 10 states saw 3 Twins games, and 13 different train related attractions, including a train convention.

By the time we got home we needed a vacation.[swg]

[FThunder11]

Boy do I envy you. I'm only 14, but i would love to go on any Amtrak train. God clerks or bad clerks. The biggest train trip ive ever been on was a little 20 senic train in the rocky moutians. But if Im lucky this summer when i go to Maine, my dad said he might take me down to Boston on the Downeaster for the day. Anyway, Congradulations and i hope you have fun.

[Roadtrp]

We just got back from our trip and it was absolutely AWESOME!!

Travel on the train exceeded my expectations in every way. The standard bedroom was very spacious and comfortable for two people. Our trip was not overnight, but we were able to recline the seats so we could both stretch out and nap. With the glass door to the room shut and the privacy curtain pulled, we were in our own little world. It was great to just kick back, relax and watch the scenery go by.

In fact if we did travel overnight, I think we would both sleep in the bottom berth. You would need to sleep with your heads at different ends, but sleeping head to foot there would be plenty of room for two. I think I would prefer that to the minimal headroom provided in the upper berth.

The standard bedrooms don't have toilets in them, but I'm not convinced that is a bad thing. The bathroom down the hall worked just fine, and all things considered I don't know that I want my toidy right next to my bed.

The meals in the dining car were excellent and make sleeping accommodations an excellent value. Each way we received about $50 in free meals because of our first class ticket. Our accommodation charge on the way down (purchased in advance) was only $73. Figuring that we received $50 in food, we were able to enjoy the comfort and privacy of our bedroom for only $23.

Originally I had just booked a bedroom for the trip to Chicago, figuring we would travel coach on the way back. We ended up enjoying the bedroom so much that the first thing we did at the depot in Chicago was to book a bedroom for our return trip. Since we were booking so late, the bedroom on the way back cost $134 -- almost twice what we paid for the way down. As with airfare, it pays to book well in advance of your travel. Even at the higher cost, I still felt it was a good value. Again figuring $50 for food, we paid a little over $80 for the comfort and privacy of having our own space.

There is so much more I want to tell about the trip, but I don't want to bore you guys by putting it all in one long post. I will stretch it out over several posts, each one commenting on a different aspect of our train trip. [:)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Wow Jerry, you must have just walked in the door, and typed all that. Glad you enjoyed the trip, makes me want to take my kids to Chicago. One of these days. [swg]

[Anonymous]

Just like Kevin (FThunder) I am jealous too. [}:)] [;)]

I am so glad you all had fun and enjoyed your trip. [:)]

(Next time don't forget Jim and Kevin, we want to go too. [:D] [:D] [:D] )