[SIZE=14pt]This adventure took us to three different thoroughbred racetracks: Arlington Park in a northern suburb of Chicago, Monmouth in Oceanport, NJ, and Belmont Park in Elmont on Long Island. We rode a wide gamut of steel wheels including Amtrak equipment; heritage, superliner and Acela, Chicago Metra, NJ Transit, and the Long Island RR. As a bonus, we got to see some of the best thoroughbred athletes in the country perform.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I made my way from Grand Rapids to Chicago on the Pere Marquette which, by the way, is a corridor train that uses Superliner cars, and JoeG came north from Carbondale to Chicago on the Saluki which, by the way, uses Heritage cars that should have been retired sometime during the last century! We met up in the Union Station Metro Deli just to make sure the $9 pitcher sale had not faded away like the on-board wine tasting and the plastic flowers in the diner. Alas, the $9 pitcher tradition survives![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Before striking out toward the northern suburbs, we decide to compare the corned beef sandwich at one of Chicago's iconic downtown delis--Manny's Coffee Shop. Manny's is easily accessible just down Jefferson from Union Station and they provide very generous plates to their patrons. The corned beef is very good but we both think that some of the racetracks are equal to the task. After lunch we go to Ogilvie Station to make our way to Arlington Park on the Metra using the Union Pacific rail line.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]We spent two days at the races at Arlington Park. The first day was opening day at Arlington Park so admission was free. The weather was a bit blustery, so we opted for indoor seating at the Cowboy Bar and Grill. This turned out to be a great decision...a very friendly and attentive staff, good food, and lots of large TV screens to fulfill our main purpose. We are here to watch the races at Churchill Downs but avoid the huge crowds in Louisville. On Friday, the three year old fillies take the track in The Oaks and on Sat. the 3 year old boys compete in the Kentucky Derby. We start betting the Churchill races in the sixth race. As occasionally happens, JoeG gets in a zone and picks the winner of every race the rest of the day, including the Oaks!! This leads to a very nice steak dinner that evening at the Chicago Prime Steakhouse. JoeG actually had Bacon Sticks for dinner!! On Saturday we return to Arlington Park for another full slate of racing and can't forget to sample the corned beef today! While we are standing up rooting on one of our selections during a race, the restaurant manager, Linda, slips a corned beef sandwich on our table. This sandwich is outstanding...moving into the Win column in our quest for the best racetrack corned beef. (Getting the sandwich free didn't influence our decision!!) JoeG did show our appreciation by “tipping” Linda with a $10 betting ticket on the Derby...that ticket was a winner and she was able to convert it for $35!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]On Sunday morning we ride the Metra back to the Loop, have a nice brunch at Tavern on Rush (I have French toast with strawberries and rhubarb and JoeG gets a flaming hot breakfast burrito), and catch trains home for a couple of days. Midweek, we find ourselves back at the Metro Deli (and the $9 pitcher lives on). On this occasion we are catching the #30 Capitol Limited to Washington DC. Before boarding the train, we board the #60 bus and go to the Little Italy neighborhood for an excellent lunch at Tuscany on Taylor. I have the linguini and clams and JoeG goes for the daily special, spaghetti and meatballs. This place is the real deal so we finish up with a chocolate cannoli. Now we are ready for a train ride!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The Cap Limited leaves Union Station one and a half hours down and fully loaded...with passengers, not us!! We asked for a late seating for dinner and they gave us 8 pm. The 6 o'clock seating was called at 6:30, the 7 o'clock seating was called at 7:50 and I don't think they every got around to making the 8 o'clock seating call. I checked with JoeG the next morning to see if he had gone to dinner...he had not. Luckily, we had an excellent lunch and neither of us is likely to dry up and blow away by missing one meal. The train was running a couple of hours late so the diner offered a burger for lunch before arriving WAS. We decided it might be a good idea to have a sandwich and we took a seat in the diner. I ordered a beer and the LSA said they were out of beer and he added that the train left Chicago with 3, count em, 3 beers. I asked him if they were aware that this was a sold out train and it might take more than 3 beers. At this point, the conversation got very loud and the LSA got defensive and made me read the inventory report. He also begged me to write a complaint to customer relations about under stocking.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]So, we arrived in WAS and made our connection to the Acela enroute to Metropark, NJ. On the Acela, we both have the cheese plate for dinner and we are very well served by Janice. She introduced me to Courvoisier, a nice after dinner digestief. I can't even pronounce it but I did enjoy it. In the next few days I kept asking to order corvair...JoeG thought I wanted an old Chevy.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The next morning we are headed to the Jersey shore. We catch the NJ Transit (NJT) to Newark Penn and transfer to the train to Oceanport, home to Monmouth Park. Again, it is opening day so there is no admission. We find our way to a dining room that overlooks the finish line and set up shop for the day. Amy is our server and seems to be able to put up with us for a few hours and she serves us a very good corned beef sandwich, although it doesn't take over the Win category. This is a nice race track with a long history but it is a little stingy in honoring our winning choices. There are a few rain showers that pass through the area during the afternoon but by the time we leave the skies are clear and the couple of blocks walk back to the train stop are dry.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Sunday is the focal point for the race track adventure. We are going to Belmont, the track that hosts the third jewel in the Triple Crown of racing. Our journey starts with an NJT ride from Metropark to New York Penn. Then we transfer to the Long Island RR. The LIRR has a special train that goes right to Belmont during the racing season and it serves our purpose well. This track is nicknamed Big Sandy and for good reason...the place is huge. The grandstand and seating area is very large and covers four floors (most track are two or three decks) and the track is 12 furlongs (1 1/2 miles) a full 2 or 3 furlongs longer than most tracks. It was a special place to see and it was a gorgeous day (also it was Mother's Day)! The quality of the horses at this track is outstanding. Our only letdown was they do not serve corned beef sandwiches!! Nevertheless, we won a few bucks and had a great afternoon.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The LIRR delivered us back to NYP late in the afternoon. Since the dining options are a little better in downtown Manhattan than in Iselin, NJ (DUH!!), we decided to grab dinner before boarding the NJT. We took a stroll down Broadway and settled on the Martinique Restaurant. We both chose chefs salads, mine was a Greek salad and JoeG had a hot Thai salad. Both hit the spot. A short walk back to the station and we were on our way back to N.J. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Monday was a very special day. We had the opportunity to spend the day seeing New York and riding public transportation with our good friend Piotr (NJCoastExp), a fellow AU member. Piotr is a subway motorman...there is a more p.c. title for his job these days, but I forgot what it is. Nevertheless, he drives the train!! We met Piotr at the NYP Acela lounge and from there headed uptown on the subway. We climbed out of the ground at about 79th and Central Park West right in front of the Museum of Natural History, a beautiful building in its own right. The weather report this morning had said this was going to be the best spring day so far this year in New York. We took a stroll from the west to the east side of Central Park and there were lots of people out enjoying the day. Next we rode a bus down Lexington Ave to visit Grand Central Station, the grand old lady of train stations. We explored this building and grabbed a New York hot dog at one of the concessions in the basement. Then we got back on the subway to go to the south end of the island, Battery Park. Along the way Piotr told us if we put our face right up against the window we could see the old City Hall subway stop that is no longer in use. So we all get up and stick our noses up against the window and look out at the jet black tunnel wall. Others in the car watching us probably thought they were getting a look at a prank that was just about to happen. About that time, the train slowed, and we could see the old station with all of the nice ceramic tile signs still in place denoting City Hall. What a treat.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]We toured around the Battery Park area for a while and then caught the Staten Island Ferry for a ride to, where else, Staten Island. Once there, we turned around and enjoyed the ride back with the great view of the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan. It was getting close to dinner time so we hopped on the C train for Brooklyn. One of our favorite pizza joints is Grimaldi's in Allen, TX. The original Grimaldi's is in an old iron building tucked, literally, under the Brooklyn Bridge. The C train stop left us with a couple of blocks walk down a hill with a great view of the city, the bridge and the pizza place under the bridge. This pizza shop was a little different from the place we visit in Texas. They have no beer, no salad, and no credit cards. If it were Texas instead of Brooklyn I'd say we have all the makins' for a good country song. Alas, the pizza was very good with unbelievably fresh mozzarella cheese. Plus we got a very good feel for this Brooklyn neighborhood.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Once again we are back on the C train for the ride back to Manhattan. Luckily, this train took us all the way to NYP where we switch to the NJT. We ride with Piotr as far as Newark Penn where we say our thank you's for a full day of memories. We take another train to Westfield and spend our last NJ night in this neat town that deserves another visit. Then Monday morning we catch the Acela back to WAS for our Cap Limited ride back to CHI. At Metropark, Piotr joins us once more to make a points run to WAS for himself.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The #29 Capitol Limited rolls out of WAS Union Station on time. This is a beautiful ride after daylight savings time is in effect. Once you go thru the tunnel at Harper's Ferry it is a peaceful ride along the river for hours into darkness. We had the opportunity to share dinner with Mark Benedict and his son on their way to Minnesota. Mark is an Amtrak Internal Controls manager at 40 Mass. He is relatively new to the Amtrak business and seems very interested in improving the business model. He probably hasn't come up against many of his 500+ 'bosses' over on Capitol Hill!! God bless him!! When we ordered dinner they were out of fish. JoeG ordered a bottle of Cabernet and Mark followed with the same order except they were out...Joe got the last bottle. Now he has seen firsthand how out of touch the inventory control is in the diner/commissary and I related the beer shortage on the #30 train. We shrugged it off and had a very interesting dinner and he gave us his business card before we left the train. I don't know what “Internal Controls” is the p.c. title for but I hope it has to do with auditor!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]We were a couple of hours late getting into CHI, so JoeG didn't have time to go downtown for lunch as planned. Instead we walked down to the Burger Joint in Ogilvie Center for a burger and some poutine before making our connecting trains home. This has been a very profitable trip from a point standpoint...almost 3000 TQPs and a boatload of Double Points just as that promotion expires. We will only be home a few days before the next adventure begins. It will be a bit different although still race related. “Hooves and bricks” should give you a hint.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I made my way from Grand Rapids to Chicago on the Pere Marquette which, by the way, is a corridor train that uses Superliner cars, and JoeG came north from Carbondale to Chicago on the Saluki which, by the way, uses Heritage cars that should have been retired sometime during the last century! We met up in the Union Station Metro Deli just to make sure the $9 pitcher sale had not faded away like the on-board wine tasting and the plastic flowers in the diner. Alas, the $9 pitcher tradition survives![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Before striking out toward the northern suburbs, we decide to compare the corned beef sandwich at one of Chicago's iconic downtown delis--Manny's Coffee Shop. Manny's is easily accessible just down Jefferson from Union Station and they provide very generous plates to their patrons. The corned beef is very good but we both think that some of the racetracks are equal to the task. After lunch we go to Ogilvie Station to make our way to Arlington Park on the Metra using the Union Pacific rail line.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]We spent two days at the races at Arlington Park. The first day was opening day at Arlington Park so admission was free. The weather was a bit blustery, so we opted for indoor seating at the Cowboy Bar and Grill. This turned out to be a great decision...a very friendly and attentive staff, good food, and lots of large TV screens to fulfill our main purpose. We are here to watch the races at Churchill Downs but avoid the huge crowds in Louisville. On Friday, the three year old fillies take the track in The Oaks and on Sat. the 3 year old boys compete in the Kentucky Derby. We start betting the Churchill races in the sixth race. As occasionally happens, JoeG gets in a zone and picks the winner of every race the rest of the day, including the Oaks!! This leads to a very nice steak dinner that evening at the Chicago Prime Steakhouse. JoeG actually had Bacon Sticks for dinner!! On Saturday we return to Arlington Park for another full slate of racing and can't forget to sample the corned beef today! While we are standing up rooting on one of our selections during a race, the restaurant manager, Linda, slips a corned beef sandwich on our table. This sandwich is outstanding...moving into the Win column in our quest for the best racetrack corned beef. (Getting the sandwich free didn't influence our decision!!) JoeG did show our appreciation by “tipping” Linda with a $10 betting ticket on the Derby...that ticket was a winner and she was able to convert it for $35!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]On Sunday morning we ride the Metra back to the Loop, have a nice brunch at Tavern on Rush (I have French toast with strawberries and rhubarb and JoeG gets a flaming hot breakfast burrito), and catch trains home for a couple of days. Midweek, we find ourselves back at the Metro Deli (and the $9 pitcher lives on). On this occasion we are catching the #30 Capitol Limited to Washington DC. Before boarding the train, we board the #60 bus and go to the Little Italy neighborhood for an excellent lunch at Tuscany on Taylor. I have the linguini and clams and JoeG goes for the daily special, spaghetti and meatballs. This place is the real deal so we finish up with a chocolate cannoli. Now we are ready for a train ride!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The Cap Limited leaves Union Station one and a half hours down and fully loaded...with passengers, not us!! We asked for a late seating for dinner and they gave us 8 pm. The 6 o'clock seating was called at 6:30, the 7 o'clock seating was called at 7:50 and I don't think they every got around to making the 8 o'clock seating call. I checked with JoeG the next morning to see if he had gone to dinner...he had not. Luckily, we had an excellent lunch and neither of us is likely to dry up and blow away by missing one meal. The train was running a couple of hours late so the diner offered a burger for lunch before arriving WAS. We decided it might be a good idea to have a sandwich and we took a seat in the diner. I ordered a beer and the LSA said they were out of beer and he added that the train left Chicago with 3, count em, 3 beers. I asked him if they were aware that this was a sold out train and it might take more than 3 beers. At this point, the conversation got very loud and the LSA got defensive and made me read the inventory report. He also begged me to write a complaint to customer relations about under stocking.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]So, we arrived in WAS and made our connection to the Acela enroute to Metropark, NJ. On the Acela, we both have the cheese plate for dinner and we are very well served by Janice. She introduced me to Courvoisier, a nice after dinner digestief. I can't even pronounce it but I did enjoy it. In the next few days I kept asking to order corvair...JoeG thought I wanted an old Chevy.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The next morning we are headed to the Jersey shore. We catch the NJ Transit (NJT) to Newark Penn and transfer to the train to Oceanport, home to Monmouth Park. Again, it is opening day so there is no admission. We find our way to a dining room that overlooks the finish line and set up shop for the day. Amy is our server and seems to be able to put up with us for a few hours and she serves us a very good corned beef sandwich, although it doesn't take over the Win category. This is a nice race track with a long history but it is a little stingy in honoring our winning choices. There are a few rain showers that pass through the area during the afternoon but by the time we leave the skies are clear and the couple of blocks walk back to the train stop are dry.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Sunday is the focal point for the race track adventure. We are going to Belmont, the track that hosts the third jewel in the Triple Crown of racing. Our journey starts with an NJT ride from Metropark to New York Penn. Then we transfer to the Long Island RR. The LIRR has a special train that goes right to Belmont during the racing season and it serves our purpose well. This track is nicknamed Big Sandy and for good reason...the place is huge. The grandstand and seating area is very large and covers four floors (most track are two or three decks) and the track is 12 furlongs (1 1/2 miles) a full 2 or 3 furlongs longer than most tracks. It was a special place to see and it was a gorgeous day (also it was Mother's Day)! The quality of the horses at this track is outstanding. Our only letdown was they do not serve corned beef sandwiches!! Nevertheless, we won a few bucks and had a great afternoon.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The LIRR delivered us back to NYP late in the afternoon. Since the dining options are a little better in downtown Manhattan than in Iselin, NJ (DUH!!), we decided to grab dinner before boarding the NJT. We took a stroll down Broadway and settled on the Martinique Restaurant. We both chose chefs salads, mine was a Greek salad and JoeG had a hot Thai salad. Both hit the spot. A short walk back to the station and we were on our way back to N.J. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Monday was a very special day. We had the opportunity to spend the day seeing New York and riding public transportation with our good friend Piotr (NJCoastExp), a fellow AU member. Piotr is a subway motorman...there is a more p.c. title for his job these days, but I forgot what it is. Nevertheless, he drives the train!! We met Piotr at the NYP Acela lounge and from there headed uptown on the subway. We climbed out of the ground at about 79th and Central Park West right in front of the Museum of Natural History, a beautiful building in its own right. The weather report this morning had said this was going to be the best spring day so far this year in New York. We took a stroll from the west to the east side of Central Park and there were lots of people out enjoying the day. Next we rode a bus down Lexington Ave to visit Grand Central Station, the grand old lady of train stations. We explored this building and grabbed a New York hot dog at one of the concessions in the basement. Then we got back on the subway to go to the south end of the island, Battery Park. Along the way Piotr told us if we put our face right up against the window we could see the old City Hall subway stop that is no longer in use. So we all get up and stick our noses up against the window and look out at the jet black tunnel wall. Others in the car watching us probably thought they were getting a look at a prank that was just about to happen. About that time, the train slowed, and we could see the old station with all of the nice ceramic tile signs still in place denoting City Hall. What a treat.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]We toured around the Battery Park area for a while and then caught the Staten Island Ferry for a ride to, where else, Staten Island. Once there, we turned around and enjoyed the ride back with the great view of the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan. It was getting close to dinner time so we hopped on the C train for Brooklyn. One of our favorite pizza joints is Grimaldi's in Allen, TX. The original Grimaldi's is in an old iron building tucked, literally, under the Brooklyn Bridge. The C train stop left us with a couple of blocks walk down a hill with a great view of the city, the bridge and the pizza place under the bridge. This pizza shop was a little different from the place we visit in Texas. They have no beer, no salad, and no credit cards. If it were Texas instead of Brooklyn I'd say we have all the makins' for a good country song. Alas, the pizza was very good with unbelievably fresh mozzarella cheese. Plus we got a very good feel for this Brooklyn neighborhood.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Once again we are back on the C train for the ride back to Manhattan. Luckily, this train took us all the way to NYP where we switch to the NJT. We ride with Piotr as far as Newark Penn where we say our thank you's for a full day of memories. We take another train to Westfield and spend our last NJ night in this neat town that deserves another visit. Then Monday morning we catch the Acela back to WAS for our Cap Limited ride back to CHI. At Metropark, Piotr joins us once more to make a points run to WAS for himself.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]The #29 Capitol Limited rolls out of WAS Union Station on time. This is a beautiful ride after daylight savings time is in effect. Once you go thru the tunnel at Harper's Ferry it is a peaceful ride along the river for hours into darkness. We had the opportunity to share dinner with Mark Benedict and his son on their way to Minnesota. Mark is an Amtrak Internal Controls manager at 40 Mass. He is relatively new to the Amtrak business and seems very interested in improving the business model. He probably hasn't come up against many of his 500+ 'bosses' over on Capitol Hill!! God bless him!! When we ordered dinner they were out of fish. JoeG ordered a bottle of Cabernet and Mark followed with the same order except they were out...Joe got the last bottle. Now he has seen firsthand how out of touch the inventory control is in the diner/commissary and I related the beer shortage on the #30 train. We shrugged it off and had a very interesting dinner and he gave us his business card before we left the train. I don't know what “Internal Controls” is the p.c. title for but I hope it has to do with auditor!![/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]We were a couple of hours late getting into CHI, so JoeG didn't have time to go downtown for lunch as planned. Instead we walked down to the Burger Joint in Ogilvie Center for a burger and some poutine before making our connecting trains home. This has been a very profitable trip from a point standpoint...almost 3000 TQPs and a boatload of Double Points just as that promotion expires. We will only be home a few days before the next adventure begins. It will be a bit different although still race related. “Hooves and bricks” should give you a hint.[/SIZE]
