The trip down on 301 was a good ride. The consist was an amfleet business class car, two horizon cars,, one venture car, and an amfleet one coach on the rear. We departed Union Station on time. Between Dwight and Bloomington we met 300. Then we waited 30 minutes for a NB freight. Then we followed another freight south until after Lincoln. As we arrived Normal, we met 302. After we overtook the southbound freight we met 22 just north of Springfield. Union Pacific did not do a great job of dispatching here IMHO. They had more trains than railroad capacity. IMHO that southbound should have been put into a siding earlier to al.ow us to overtake it, and the northbound freight could have been held in Bloomington.
The snack car serves grilled cheese sandwiches. I tried one. It was OK. A change of pace from the usual breakfast sandwich. The attendant was pleasant and professional.
One table was occupied by the conductor and he was personable too. Another passenger asked when the higher speeds would kick in. The conductor patiently explained that we were operating at 90 when there was no freight traffic. He also told the passenger that a test train for higher speeds had been operated earlier in the week. He also explained that it was difficult to redo the schedule to coordinate meets with other passenger trains and freight trains.
The snack car serves grilled cheese sandwiches. I tried one. It was OK. A change of pace from the usual breakfast sandwich. The attendant was pleasant and professional.
One table was occupied by the conductor and he was personable too. Another passenger asked when the higher speeds would kick in. The conductor patiently explained that we were operating at 90 when there was no freight traffic. He also told the passenger that a test train for higher speeds had been operated earlier in the week. He also explained that it was difficult to redo the schedule to coordinate meets with other passenger trains and freight trains.
