Recent content by rtabern

Well, the LSA in the Cross Country Cafe at least must be loving the three car Texas Eagle today Think about it --- NO SLEEPER AT ALL means he (or she) does not have to prepare any dining car meals We rode in a sleeper last week from Bloomington-Normal to Chicago just for a train ride, and...

My wife and I are going to NYC and Western Maryland Scenic Railroad for our 10th Anniversary in mid-October. Out on #8 and 50 and back on #29 and #7 from Tomah, WI. We really like having our separate bedrooms OR roomettes... so no one gets the upper bunk. Just too old for that! LOL Anyway...

I am curious WHO is heck is working weekends at the call centers? and are there seriously no managers available what-so-ever on Saturdays? Usually once a month, since moving to far NW Wisconsin a little more than years ago, we take the Empire Builder from Tomah to Glenview and back to visit...

Does anyone know if the new cars have remained on 303 this past week? We are planning to ride on Wednesday from Chicago to Pontiac on 303 and back on 422. Thanks in advance!

Question if anyone is in the know here ---- will the new coaches remain on 303 and 306 into next week (week of February 9th).... Was thinking of maybe riding on Wednesday if our schedules permitted.

Chicago is 24 and sunny today. 30 and sunny tomorrow.

I remember when they started that on the Coast Starlight. It was a completed cluster ---- The conductors and LSAs had no idea if the business class passengers were allowed free meals in the diner and/or should have access to the Pacific Parlour Car. I saw three different policies on the PPC on...

You were probably looking at Google Maps when there was some traffic delays on the Eisenhower (I-290) in Chicago, hence the extra 23 minutes. 2 hours and 28 minutes is with no delays --- aka the drive time show at 10am this morning... Saturday 1/15/22 And yes, it can be much higher in...

Illinois has been talking about this service for more than 10 years now. I have a feeling it's never going to happen, but you never know. Back in 2012 when we started doing a Trails & Rails program on the Southwest Chief... I remember pointing out the crossing where the connection would be to...

21 minutes ago Add bookmark #145 Just got the email that our monthly trips "home" on the Empire Builder (Tomah to Chicago) are cancelled in Jan, Feb, and March. Dang! I have not seen any official postings or schedules on the cuts, but for the Empire Builder... it seems #7 out of Chicago is...

The City of New Orleans and the Texas Eagle --- ***??? The worst weather on the City of New Orleans route seems to be 2-4" of snow in Memphis. The worst weather on the Texas Eagle route seems to be 1" of snow in St. Louis. (I used to live between STL and MEM for 4.5 years... and yes, that...

Just got the email that our monthly trips "home" on the Empire Builder (Tomah to Chicago) are cancelled in Jan, Feb, and March. Dang! I have not seen any official postings or schedules on the cuts, but for the Empire Builder... it seems #7 out of Chicago is cancelled on Thursdays and Fridays...

Hi, Hoping someone from the Pacific Northwest or who knows more about the Talgos can help here... My wife and a good friend of mine are going to Guam and Hawaii in December. On the way back, on December 31st, we have a day layover in the Portland/Salem area before leaving on the Empire Builder...

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/midwest-private-car-trips-set-for-summer-fall/ The owner of private car Hollywood Beach, a 1956 Seaboard Air Line observation car, is offering three trips open to the public this summer and fall that will feature guides from Midwest Rail...

As of this morning (3/17/21), ex-Amtrak Great Dome "Ocean View" is parked in the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Yards in Ridgely, West Virginia (just across the Potomac River from Cumberland, MD). It was purchased by Paxrail and is on loan to the WMSRR. I do not think a formal announcement...