Cross-Country Trip to Visit Friends

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Maglev

Conductor
Joined
Sep 4, 2016
Messages
1,521
Location
Orcas Island, Washington
In April 2017, my wife decided two weeks in advance that she wanted to go to a friend's daughter's wedding in Massachusetts, then visit other friends in Virginia. I convinced her to travel by Amtrak, and she was off on an adventure!

She decided to drive to Everett and catch the Empire Builder to Chicago, then take the Lake Shore Limited to Boston. Special arrangements were needed for long-term parking near the station, but the owners were very accommodating and quite a bit of money was saved over parking in Seattle. She booked a Handicapped Room on the Empire Builder in both directions, and really enjoyed the spaciousness (but did not mind sitting on the toilet for half the view).

After the wedding in Gloucester, Massachusetts, my wife took an Acela from Boston to New York for a layover before catching the Cardinal to Hinton, West Virginia. She called me from the phone on the train at what happened to be the stretch of 150 mph running, and commented that "This train waits for nothing!" She stayed at the Hotel Pennsylvania, and was not at all happy with the room or service.

After a visit with friends in Virginia, my wife returned on the Cardinal and Empire Builder. She enjoyed the food and service throughout the trip, but was especially impressed with her SCA from Chicago to Everett. "My name Jimmy (xxxx). I work Amtrak (xx) years. Next year, retire--go China, drive rickshaw."

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In April 2017, my wife decided two weeks in advance that she wanted to go to a friend's daughter's wedding in Massachusetts, then visit other friends in Virginia. I convinced her to travel by Amtrak, and she was off on an adventure!

She decided to drive to Everett and catch the Empire Builder to Chicago, then take the Lake Shore Limited to Boston. Special arrangements were needed for long-term parking near the station, but the owners were very accommodating and quite a bit of money was saved over parking in Seattle. She booked a Handicapped Room on the Empire Builder in both directions, and really enjoyed the spaciousness (but did not mind sitting on the toilet for half the view).

After the wedding in Gloucester, Massachusetts, my wife took an Acela from Boston to New York for a layover before catching the Cardinal to Hinton, West Virginia. She called me from the phone on the train at what happened to be the stretch of 150 mph running, and commented that "This train waits for nothing!" She stayed at the Hotel Pennsylvania, and was not at all happy with the room or service.

After a visit with friends in Virginia, my wife returned on the Cardinal and Empire Builder. She enjoyed the food and service throughout the trip, but was especially impressed with her SCA from Chicago to Everett. "My name Jimmy (xxxx). I work Amtrak (xx) years. Next year, retire--go China, drive rickshaw."

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Thanks for the report and the pictures.
 
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