had8ley
Engineer
Our plans for the week-end were to go to Atlanta on Saturday's # 20 and return on Sunday's # 19. About 10 minutes out of Slidell I get an SOS call from home so we short turned at TCL and returned home BUT it was one fantastic trip both ways ! We got to Slidell about 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled departure and # 20 pulled in about 10 minutes early. After double spotting and loading about a dozen pax we had to wait on the TT departure time. For those of you who have had beignets from the south side of the depot all the equipment is gone and there is obviously no where to even get a cup of coffee in the depot. The Times hambuger joint on the north end of the depot was rocking when we pulled back into town at 8 p.m.on # 19.
Our consist both ways was the same as usual~ two miules, a full bag, three or four coaches, lounge, diner 8505 which was a beautiful car with the re-build and the two Viewliners on the REAR. If I had the money I would buy the diner car when the new equipment hits the rails. Ironically, we had the 8504 on the return trip and it was in just as good a shape as any 50 plus grande dame could hope to be. BTW, both diners had air assisted doors with the foot press on the bottom of the doors. The diner was open leaving Slidell and the staff was most agreeable; I even got an egg beaters omelette~ a first for me on the Crescent(not that I haven't tried in the past)The SA was a familar face and she thanked us for traveling Amtrak as we got up to go back to the room.The conductor and I have known each other for about 30 years so he had to fill me in on how few days he had left before he started drawing Railroad Retirement checks. For those of you who might not know RR'ers can retire at age 60 with 30 years of service.
Now, I have to eat my hat but I think someone made a phone call~ ALL the cars on # 19 and # 20 were correctly numbered. I honestly can't remember correctly numbered train cars in Amtrak days until today.
For those of you who have plans to do the Crescent beware that the train will originate and terminate in Atlanta Monday through Thursday for 6 weeks.The screwy part is the NOL based crew has to ride a van from NOL to Atlanta and then work into NYP.
We had to wait in TCL for close to two hours for # 19 that had gotten stuck behind a dead freight train in Anniston. The poor old TCL station has a new coat of paint inside but I feel its days are numbered.We did notice M of W equipment in a lot of sidings and house tracks in order to start laying rail Monday. The NS is supposed to re-lay a lot of the main line rail. I looked at the rail in front of the TCL depot and it is 132# manufactured by Bethlehem Stell in 1976. I think it'll see duty in some siding somewhere after the new rail goes down.
All our meals were A plus and the steaks are delicious. The desserts are to die for if you can leave room for them.
Great day; SOS cleared up and we can't wait to do it again !
Our consist both ways was the same as usual~ two miules, a full bag, three or four coaches, lounge, diner 8505 which was a beautiful car with the re-build and the two Viewliners on the REAR. If I had the money I would buy the diner car when the new equipment hits the rails. Ironically, we had the 8504 on the return trip and it was in just as good a shape as any 50 plus grande dame could hope to be. BTW, both diners had air assisted doors with the foot press on the bottom of the doors. The diner was open leaving Slidell and the staff was most agreeable; I even got an egg beaters omelette~ a first for me on the Crescent(not that I haven't tried in the past)The SA was a familar face and she thanked us for traveling Amtrak as we got up to go back to the room.The conductor and I have known each other for about 30 years so he had to fill me in on how few days he had left before he started drawing Railroad Retirement checks. For those of you who might not know RR'ers can retire at age 60 with 30 years of service.
Now, I have to eat my hat but I think someone made a phone call~ ALL the cars on # 19 and # 20 were correctly numbered. I honestly can't remember correctly numbered train cars in Amtrak days until today.
For those of you who have plans to do the Crescent beware that the train will originate and terminate in Atlanta Monday through Thursday for 6 weeks.The screwy part is the NOL based crew has to ride a van from NOL to Atlanta and then work into NYP.
We had to wait in TCL for close to two hours for # 19 that had gotten stuck behind a dead freight train in Anniston. The poor old TCL station has a new coat of paint inside but I feel its days are numbered.We did notice M of W equipment in a lot of sidings and house tracks in order to start laying rail Monday. The NS is supposed to re-lay a lot of the main line rail. I looked at the rail in front of the TCL depot and it is 132# manufactured by Bethlehem Stell in 1976. I think it'll see duty in some siding somewhere after the new rail goes down.
All our meals were A plus and the steaks are delicious. The desserts are to die for if you can leave room for them.
Great day; SOS cleared up and we can't wait to do it again !
