31 March
I've used Amtrak enough to know that making arrival time crucial is not one of the best ideas and, generally, late arrivals haven't been a problem (arriving in downtown LA after midnight was a bit daunting, though) so I have myself PARTLY to blame for the following...
Having arrived early on the SWC I retired to the Metropolitan Lounge to await my connection to the CL. Made a dinner reservation for 19:30 and settled in with my laptop to read the news from home and send a few emails. Took the opportunity to ice my wine from the drinks dispenser and settled in to wait for boarding.
We were called to the front door (!) and were led Indian file to the platform and abandoned to our own devices - which was not a good idea as coach had been called ahead of us and the platform was choked. Furthermore, the attendant on the last coach wouldn't let anyone pass until I screeched 'sleeper' from the back of the line. We were then allowed to pass.
Finally made it to my car (which displayed the wrong rumber) and boarded quickly, leaving my heavy bag downstairs as I wouldn't need it on an overnighter. Quickly settled in to my Superliner II bedroom and poured a wine as the train departed on time. Shortly after they called my dinner sitting and I made my way, glass in hand, to the CCC.
Extremely unimpressed with the CCC! All the sleeper passengers crammed into a totally inadequate space and I suppose someone got a productivity bonus for designing a diner where one sits with one's back to the view (dinner and breakfast). I tried the crab cakes and found them reasonably good and followed that up with a wedge of raspberry chocolate cream cake - I'll have to get active in New York to burn all this stuff off. Oh, and I've found that the staff in the diner never comment on a glass of white wine carried into the diner, maybe they think it's apple juice.
Retired to my room after dinner to find it still in day mode so I settled in to wait for the SCA to turn up to perform the trick. I don't like to call the attendant at bedtime as I figure she has enough on her plate. She eventually turned up and offered to do my room after she'd finished the room next to mine so I dropped the seats and stowed the table to take some of the 'muscle' work out of the job. She seemed surprised, but grateful, that I'd done it myself - I guess she didn't expect someone with my accent to know how. But I was really starting to miss Renee. A note for the future: If you get a Filipino attendant youve struck lucky (Renee and Ephrem are just unbelievable).
Went to bed and dozed off fairly quickly only to wake to the sound that always wakes me on a train -silence. We had stopped somewhere between Toledo and Sandusky (by the timetable) and we weren't going anywhere. My scheduled rendezvous with my partner in New York was slipping away and it was important for us to meet to exchange the keys to the apartment we were renting. No meeting and I was going to be left sitting on my luggage at NYP waiting for a Carnegie Hall concert to end.
After an hour or so I managed to stop worrying and went back to sleep on the still stationary train. It rolled on sometime after I passed out.
Went to breakfast at 07:00 to be advised that we were still west of Pittsburgh and about three hours down. OK, not good but I had a contingency - if I didn't arrive in New York in time the keys were to be left at the counter in the Club Acela.
Towards the end of breakfast we rolled into Pittsburgh where I noticed the Pennsyvanian still waiting in the platform. I was pretty annoyed that I hadn't been offered the option of a transfer as the crew knew that I was booked through to NYP and a transfer would have got me in ahead of my deadline. Must try harder Amtrak!
We eventually dawdled out of Pittsburgh and followed the Casselman River east toward the eastern divide through a landscape that was still dressed for winter with bare trees and plenty of snow still on the ground. Passing through all the little coal mining towns I was half expecting Sissy Spacek to appear and start singing at me.
From Cumberland we followed the C&O canal towards Washington and it was quite obvious we'd entered the eastern seaboard - it was spring!
The CL eventually limped into WAS 3:15 hours late, well after the departure of my 'guaranteed' connection on 148 to NYP. Dashed down the platform with the intention of connecting with 196 at 17:05 and ran right into a 'Washington Moment'. The station was in full lock-down to allow an Important Person to be driven to his train. He was boarding at the next platform and no-one in our group recognised him (and he wasn't riding Beech Grove, either). No wonder American politicians get shot, I was fuming.
We were eventually allowed to cross into the packed station, towing my luggage against a tide of passengers trying to get to their trains. I made it to the Club Acela and waved my ticket at the attendant. 'Go with "fast feet" to platform K, no re-book required' - so I was off and runningt o platform K, the furthest from the Club Acela. Surprisingly, I was allowed on the platform with an expired ticket, rode the escalator down and had the pleasure of a low-level platform, three items of baggage and an Amcan to climb onto with seconds to spare. One thing WAS really needs is more high-level platforms and, if you can change trains without re-booking, some departure boards on the platforms.
Didn't even have time to find a seat before the train departed. I stowed my stuff at the end of the carriage and settled in for the run to NYP. At least I'd arrive before the Club Acela shut down for the night. One highlight of the run to NYP was observing the Assistant Conducter (I presume) go through the motions. She was extremely attactive, wore her uniform very well and seemed to know many of her charges on a first name basis. She regularly woke people for their stops and seemed to have things incredibly under control. A pleasure to observe as I tried to cool down and dry out (I was really sweating). 196 pulled into NYP on time and I made it to the Club Acela to find a note had been left for me 'meet me at the apartment after the concert' - the attendant explained that they were not allowed to accept responsibility for 'valuables' so he couldn't take the keys. This was turning into a long day!
The lounge closed at 22:00 so I hung around and eventually caught a taxi to the apartment in Harlem (75mph down Central Park West!) where I actually did end up sitting on my luggage wait, waiting. But it wasn't that long before we were reunited and I was poured a very stiff gin and tonic to wash away the woes of the day.
Oh, and Harlem certainly isn't at all threatening, even close to midnight - things have changed.
I've used Amtrak enough to know that making arrival time crucial is not one of the best ideas and, generally, late arrivals haven't been a problem (arriving in downtown LA after midnight was a bit daunting, though) so I have myself PARTLY to blame for the following...
Having arrived early on the SWC I retired to the Metropolitan Lounge to await my connection to the CL. Made a dinner reservation for 19:30 and settled in with my laptop to read the news from home and send a few emails. Took the opportunity to ice my wine from the drinks dispenser and settled in to wait for boarding.
We were called to the front door (!) and were led Indian file to the platform and abandoned to our own devices - which was not a good idea as coach had been called ahead of us and the platform was choked. Furthermore, the attendant on the last coach wouldn't let anyone pass until I screeched 'sleeper' from the back of the line. We were then allowed to pass.
Finally made it to my car (which displayed the wrong rumber) and boarded quickly, leaving my heavy bag downstairs as I wouldn't need it on an overnighter. Quickly settled in to my Superliner II bedroom and poured a wine as the train departed on time. Shortly after they called my dinner sitting and I made my way, glass in hand, to the CCC.
Extremely unimpressed with the CCC! All the sleeper passengers crammed into a totally inadequate space and I suppose someone got a productivity bonus for designing a diner where one sits with one's back to the view (dinner and breakfast). I tried the crab cakes and found them reasonably good and followed that up with a wedge of raspberry chocolate cream cake - I'll have to get active in New York to burn all this stuff off. Oh, and I've found that the staff in the diner never comment on a glass of white wine carried into the diner, maybe they think it's apple juice.
Retired to my room after dinner to find it still in day mode so I settled in to wait for the SCA to turn up to perform the trick. I don't like to call the attendant at bedtime as I figure she has enough on her plate. She eventually turned up and offered to do my room after she'd finished the room next to mine so I dropped the seats and stowed the table to take some of the 'muscle' work out of the job. She seemed surprised, but grateful, that I'd done it myself - I guess she didn't expect someone with my accent to know how. But I was really starting to miss Renee. A note for the future: If you get a Filipino attendant youve struck lucky (Renee and Ephrem are just unbelievable).
Went to bed and dozed off fairly quickly only to wake to the sound that always wakes me on a train -silence. We had stopped somewhere between Toledo and Sandusky (by the timetable) and we weren't going anywhere. My scheduled rendezvous with my partner in New York was slipping away and it was important for us to meet to exchange the keys to the apartment we were renting. No meeting and I was going to be left sitting on my luggage at NYP waiting for a Carnegie Hall concert to end.
After an hour or so I managed to stop worrying and went back to sleep on the still stationary train. It rolled on sometime after I passed out.
Went to breakfast at 07:00 to be advised that we were still west of Pittsburgh and about three hours down. OK, not good but I had a contingency - if I didn't arrive in New York in time the keys were to be left at the counter in the Club Acela.
Towards the end of breakfast we rolled into Pittsburgh where I noticed the Pennsyvanian still waiting in the platform. I was pretty annoyed that I hadn't been offered the option of a transfer as the crew knew that I was booked through to NYP and a transfer would have got me in ahead of my deadline. Must try harder Amtrak!
We eventually dawdled out of Pittsburgh and followed the Casselman River east toward the eastern divide through a landscape that was still dressed for winter with bare trees and plenty of snow still on the ground. Passing through all the little coal mining towns I was half expecting Sissy Spacek to appear and start singing at me.
From Cumberland we followed the C&O canal towards Washington and it was quite obvious we'd entered the eastern seaboard - it was spring!
The CL eventually limped into WAS 3:15 hours late, well after the departure of my 'guaranteed' connection on 148 to NYP. Dashed down the platform with the intention of connecting with 196 at 17:05 and ran right into a 'Washington Moment'. The station was in full lock-down to allow an Important Person to be driven to his train. He was boarding at the next platform and no-one in our group recognised him (and he wasn't riding Beech Grove, either). No wonder American politicians get shot, I was fuming.
We were eventually allowed to cross into the packed station, towing my luggage against a tide of passengers trying to get to their trains. I made it to the Club Acela and waved my ticket at the attendant. 'Go with "fast feet" to platform K, no re-book required' - so I was off and runningt o platform K, the furthest from the Club Acela. Surprisingly, I was allowed on the platform with an expired ticket, rode the escalator down and had the pleasure of a low-level platform, three items of baggage and an Amcan to climb onto with seconds to spare. One thing WAS really needs is more high-level platforms and, if you can change trains without re-booking, some departure boards on the platforms.
Didn't even have time to find a seat before the train departed. I stowed my stuff at the end of the carriage and settled in for the run to NYP. At least I'd arrive before the Club Acela shut down for the night. One highlight of the run to NYP was observing the Assistant Conducter (I presume) go through the motions. She was extremely attactive, wore her uniform very well and seemed to know many of her charges on a first name basis. She regularly woke people for their stops and seemed to have things incredibly under control. A pleasure to observe as I tried to cool down and dry out (I was really sweating). 196 pulled into NYP on time and I made it to the Club Acela to find a note had been left for me 'meet me at the apartment after the concert' - the attendant explained that they were not allowed to accept responsibility for 'valuables' so he couldn't take the keys. This was turning into a long day!
The lounge closed at 22:00 so I hung around and eventually caught a taxi to the apartment in Harlem (75mph down Central Park West!) where I actually did end up sitting on my luggage wait, waiting. But it wasn't that long before we were reunited and I was poured a very stiff gin and tonic to wash away the woes of the day.
Oh, and Harlem certainly isn't at all threatening, even close to midnight - things have changed.
