I remember a rather unusual New Years. Left ATL to NYC on Dec. 30, 1983. New Year's Day came on a Sunday that year.Pleasant uneventful trip in my sleeper. I do remember clocking the train at 120 mph a few times between WAS and NY. I saw the white mileposts and knew to do that, I realized we were doing some serious speeding and I got curious. I ate dinner at a coffee shop at the Waldorf Astoria Saturday night. I was not quite dressed for the occasion and I am sure the waiter was pre-mouthing "special of the day" on his lips as I gave my order.
My hotel was my usual at that time, the Paramount on W. 46th Street. Just half a block from the action.Times Square!! New Year's Eve!! The first place I stood was near the beginning of a block and it was scarey. I felt I was being lifted off my feet by the crowd. But I was able to move to the block ahead of me and stand in the rear of that line and it was much more sane. Shortly after the big moment of midnight I went back
to my hotel ( I am not a "party animal", sorry to say).
Next day I wandered around town a little and left on the Crescent that afternoon to return to ATL. I ate dinner early....went to the lounge car for a diet soda. The lounge was very very busy, very loud, very noisy, I sort of was not enjoying the train as much as usual. I went back to my room. While the train was sitting in the station in WAS about 6 p.m. I made the decision to change into my p.j.'s, turn all the lights out in my roomette. And just sit there in the dark and put everything out of my mind---I was upset about a thing or two and decided to tune the world out- for awhile--even the train. Did not even check our on time progress....did not conciously do anything except sip on the diet soda and latrine duty. Nothing else entered my mind. Went to bed about 11 p.m. as usual. Slept normally. (remember I was not really sleep deprived, just sort of upset).
Woke up the next morning, still in my self induced state of relaxation, walked to the diner. As soon as I entered the diner(kitchen end) I heard the noise and laughter of the people and smelled the food and "came to" again.
In great shape for the rest of the trip.
We think of the neat things we can DO on the train, meeting strangers in the diner, walking around etc and I am all for that, and that is my normal style. But sometimes we need something else----as I did that time. I feel the only other place one could possilby "shut the world out" would be on a ship. NOT on plane, bus or rail coach.
It was just what I needed. Only on the train. Only in a sleeper.
(NOTE: I have foolishly tried to duplicate that experience a time or two but just wind up realizing I am making a fool of my silly self by shutting myself into my room like that...you have the to have a NEED in order for that to make sense. ) Again, only on the train.
7
My hotel was my usual at that time, the Paramount on W. 46th Street. Just half a block from the action.Times Square!! New Year's Eve!! The first place I stood was near the beginning of a block and it was scarey. I felt I was being lifted off my feet by the crowd. But I was able to move to the block ahead of me and stand in the rear of that line and it was much more sane. Shortly after the big moment of midnight I went back
to my hotel ( I am not a "party animal", sorry to say).
Next day I wandered around town a little and left on the Crescent that afternoon to return to ATL. I ate dinner early....went to the lounge car for a diet soda. The lounge was very very busy, very loud, very noisy, I sort of was not enjoying the train as much as usual. I went back to my room. While the train was sitting in the station in WAS about 6 p.m. I made the decision to change into my p.j.'s, turn all the lights out in my roomette. And just sit there in the dark and put everything out of my mind---I was upset about a thing or two and decided to tune the world out- for awhile--even the train. Did not even check our on time progress....did not conciously do anything except sip on the diet soda and latrine duty. Nothing else entered my mind. Went to bed about 11 p.m. as usual. Slept normally. (remember I was not really sleep deprived, just sort of upset).
Woke up the next morning, still in my self induced state of relaxation, walked to the diner. As soon as I entered the diner(kitchen end) I heard the noise and laughter of the people and smelled the food and "came to" again.
In great shape for the rest of the trip.
We think of the neat things we can DO on the train, meeting strangers in the diner, walking around etc and I am all for that, and that is my normal style. But sometimes we need something else----as I did that time. I feel the only other place one could possilby "shut the world out" would be on a ship. NOT on plane, bus or rail coach.
It was just what I needed. Only on the train. Only in a sleeper.
(NOTE: I have foolishly tried to duplicate that experience a time or two but just wind up realizing I am making a fool of my silly self by shutting myself into my room like that...you have the to have a NEED in order for that to make sense. ) Again, only on the train.
7
