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[Anonymous]

I was recently traveling on Amtrak's California Zephyr from Emeryville to Chicago, and I met a dining car waiter. His name was Michael Brown, and we became much more than simple acquaintances. We became true friends in the short space between Emeryville and Truckee. A mere five meals later it was time to say good-bye. I became remorseful that the friendship might end as soon as P42DC 76 hit the bumper posts of Chicago's Union Station. It did not end there. In the baggage waiting area, Michael departed from his friends and colleagues and came over to me. We talked a little about the trip, but mostly about the philosophical meaning to the life I was about to enter. The teen life, and the life where I was to become a man. And then, in full view of Amtrak's second largest station, a station serving Amtrak and Metra, a station seeing over 2500 passengers a day, we hugged. A good-bye hug? Perhaps. But no. We have a connection. An enduring connection. A connection I hope to revive soon. At least the next time I ride the California Zephyr. That time is one to be spent with the best waiter of Amtrak's and the best friend of mine.

[daveklepper]

As Doug Riddell recalled in an issue about nine years ago of Rail News, I had longtime friendship with James Masters, an ACL dining car steward.  A second section of the northbound Havana Special was supposed to pick up a Marine detatchment at Wilson, North Carolina, in the Spring of 1945 (Germany had quit, we were still fighting Japan), and their orders were cancelled at the last minute, and I was the only one, age 13 boarding at the time.   So when I ate in the diner, I ate at the same table as the conductor and two trainment, and Jim insisted on my have second helpings of everything, the main dish being excellent fried chicken.   I continued to plan trips around seeing Jim on the East Coast or West Coast Champions, when I was assigned to Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, and later when I did consulting work for clients in the Southeast.

 

I hope you and Michael have a long an great relationship and that you have many many opportunities to ride the CZ in the future.   The scenery between Denver and Salt Lake City remains tops in my book!

[al-in-chgo]

As Doug Riddell recalled in an issue about nine years ago of Rail News, I had longtime friendship with James Masters, an ACL dining car steward.  A second section of the northbound Havana Special was supposed to pick up a Marine detatchment at Wilson, North Carolina, in the Spring of 1945 (Germany had quit, we were still fighting Japan), and their orders were cancelled at the last minute, and I was the only one, age 13 boarding at the time.   So when I ate in the diner, I ate at the same table as the conductor and two trainment, and Jim insisted on my have second helpings of everything, the main dish being excellent fried chicken.   I continued to plan trips around seeing Jim on the East Coast or West Coast Champions, when I was assigned to Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, and later when I did consulting work for clients in the Southeast.

 

I hope you and Michael have a long an great relationship and that you have many many opportunities to ride the CZ in the future.   The scenery between Denver and Salt Lake City remains tops in my book!

 

 

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There are times in my life where I've felt a connection, almost a "soul mate" type of thing when encountering a person for the first time and having heartfelt dialog on both sides.  Often I am too slow to hand my card or find some face-saving way to re-establish a link.  And unfortunately, there seems to be a lot less risk-taking in general, and specifically I'm not as open and trusting as I used to be.  What with the threat of identity theft and terrorism, if pays to be cautious.   On the other hand, there are times that absolutely the right person pops up, offers a solution or service, and goes away.  This is not a mystical thing to me, nor do I claim any special luck: just expect the unexpected is what it boils down to, I suppose. I have a feeling you will encounter your new acquaintance some time in the future but if you don't--well, it still was something beautiful, wasn't it?

al  

 

 

[daveklepper]

A friend recently rode the Sothwest Chief, end to end, and reported a fine trip in every way.   He was with his wife, and they shared an economy room.