Gathering Day 3

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amtrakwolverine

Engineer
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
4,002
Location
Warren MI
There is no day 2 as I only attended Friday and Sunday.

Got off work around 4:30PM and was home around 5PM. Had the cab reserved for 10:45PM and he showed up about 10:30PM. Got to the Detroit greyhound station around 11PM. Shortly after I got there the security guard physically shoved a street musician out the doors who was hanging around the doors and tried to get in. The few people who were inside watching the tigers game must have knew the guard on duty cause they were talking casually with the guard and laughing at the pan handler. The game lasted till 12 which we lost to the red sox due to them getting a grand slam home run. Changing of the guard around midnight this one seamed to look like a former drill sergeant with the type of boots he had on and the pants tucked into them. The bus pulled up around 1AM and the driver for the run to chicago got on the wrong bus at first. there were 2 bussed there as one had just came from Toronto.

We were 10 minutes late departing Detroit. The bus was one of the new ones with the outlets at each seat and free WI-FI. I had both seats to myself so after updaing facebook etc settled in for some sleep. Slept on and off till about Kalamazoo where we had a 10 minute rest stop for snacks etc. I got up and used the busses restroom but did not leave the bus. Slept on a off again and woke up for good about 10 minutes before arriving into Chicago. We were a couple minutes early into Chicago so we made up the 10 minutes. Got the gps on the phone and walked to the roosevelt greenline CTA station.

On the way I passed by the shops that we would be touring later and grabbed a couple morning shots. At the station had a couple minute wait for the greenline train to Harlem. Once at Harlem I got back on and took it to Cottage grove. At cottage grove had a 20-30 minute wait before he turned around and headed back. Once back onboard I got off at roosevelt since it was about 30 minutes before the meetup and ran into railroad bill and then we were soon joined by hessjm.

Soon joe got a phonecall from alan saying the group was downstairs so we made our way down. Met the group downstairs where groundedflyboy was debaiting whether to pay the fair to join us or wait outside the gates. Misty showed up right as I was texting her and then we All walked down to the shop area. While waiting for our tour guide one of our members was met by the Amtrak police in a SUV. Something about someone was walking back and forth. Soon a 2nd SUV showed up but anthony and the tour manager got it settled. Once inside the main area We were all provided with hardhats and safety glasses. Once everything was passed out we were given a lecture about crossing the tracks looking bothways,How trains can't stop etc.

After the brefing we toured the engine shop the car shop where we saw the wheel grinder in action griding away the flatspots. The tour guide was very informtive about everything and had stories to tell but alan had to pull him aside and say there eating this up but we got people who need to be on the eagle so the tour was cut short. We did get to go up in the control tower where the yardmaster controls all the yard actions. Once the tour was over we had to return the hardhats that said amtrak on them and then we made our way to Union station for lunch. I had mcdonalds and wasn't too happy with it since most of the fries were cold. After lunch about 4-5 of us went on the METRA run since everyone else went to there hotels or to catch trains etc.

After the Metra run Misty and I went into the metropolitan lounge to hang out and charge our phones and to see everyone else off. About 7PM Misty and I left the lounge to catch the orange line train to midway since I was flying back to Detroit again. The orignal plain was to take megabus leaving at 10PM and getting to detroit about 5:30AM but the more I thought about it and by the time I got a cab or busses it home from detroit and got to bed it would be close to 8-9AM and I wanted sleep so on saturday while at work used my phone and made a only revvy for southwest departing at the same time as friday. Only had a pay a couple dollars more then I did when I made it a few months ago for the friday flight. On the way to midway we got off at Pulaski to attempt a geocache but couldn't find it. Got back on the orange line and arrived at Midway about 8PM(flight leaves at 9:05PM. After using the restrooms misty and I said goodbye.

Flight departed on time and this time I used my coupon to get a free premium drink. I tried the merlot(red wine) which I did not like so the gave me my coupon back. They passed out those small bags of pretzels and peanuts this time. landed in detroit a couple minutes early and headed to baggage claim to find my ride. Did not see him and after a few minutes the cab driver called saying he was outside. Since I had the same driver he knew I didn't have any checked baggage so it was faster to just wait outside instead of having to park and take a couple elivators to get to me. This time he took his normal route. On friday the GPS had him take I75 the whole way which seemed longer so this time he took I75 to I696 which was shorter. Arrived home around 12AM where my mom told me that had I taken megabus I might have had a problem getting home as the DDOT bus drivers were to go on strike monday morning.

Thats a wrap on my Chicago report also good thing I flew too so I could get more sleep cause it has been a crazy week at work with overtime due to going to another school to detail clean for a event and setting up at the highschool for the kaplan test and having to clean the whole school in 3 hours for PTC. Thursday was the only normal day.
 
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