Gathering day one

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amtrakwolverine

Engineer
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
4,002
Location
Warren MI
Off work at 11:30PM and home after 12AM. Pulled a all nighter as I don't go to bed till 4-5Am anyway. Called the regular cab company I use at 4AM but the dispatch guy said he didn't have anyone near me since it was shift change and it would be a hour and a half wait. He suggested another company which I haven't used in a long time. The dispatch lady at that company said about 45+ but the driver showed up right at the 45 minute mark. He made a comment about how this trailer park has the lot numbers backwards compaired to others. Got to Royal oak at 5:05AM. Train arrived ontime into Royal oak.

When they announced the cafe car was opened I went back there but saw the attendent I didn't care for and I overheard him telling people bear with me folks we were 5 hours late yesterday and Im running on 1 and half hours sleep. I decided to forgo breakfast and instead try to sleep. I slept on and off till about Kalamazoo when the conductor said he needed everyseat and he was right. Allot of folks got on. Train was about a 1 or so late into chicago due to track work and traffic. Since misty sent me a text eariler saying lunch was moved to CUS I made my way to the foot court where I spotted AlanB his mother and a couple others who told me misty was looking for me.I went to get food and found the other betty(amtrakblue) and then misty finally found me.

Got my lunch and headed to loung G where everyone else was. About 12:35PM the lady came and pre boarded us on the Hiawatha. During the trip to MKE the group collected the money and took the orders for the group dinner. Misty and I decided not to partake as I did not have the time and Misty decided to follow me to the airport. The also passed out a couple goodie bags with amtrak stuff in them Like playing cards,pens,postcards etc. When the train arrived into MKE we stayed on the train and just walked to the next car since the car we were in would become the quite car and you can't keep railfans quite LOL.

When we arrived in glenview everyone except misty and I got off to go to dinner. Misty and I ended up getting arbys at ogilvie. We tried to buy our weekend METRA passes but the machines wouldn't sell them till saturday and when Misty tried at the ticket window at ogilvie she noticed a sign that said saturdays and sundays only. After our dinner we went and walked to the orange line., I tried to use my Ventra card but since I couldn't activate it I wouldn't work. I was going to use my one day pass I had but misty said just by a 1 way ticket for 2.25 instead which I did. Once at midway We said our goodbyes and I procided to head through security. Security was a breeze since I had a Buisness class ticket for southwest so all I had to do after putting my shoes jacket hat camera bag etc on the conveyor was pass through was a metal detector.

The Plane was 30 minutes late arriving into chicago from wherever it came from(I forgot were). They managed to turn it around quickly and we boarded shortly after it arrived. We then had to wait for another crew member to board then we pushed back from the gate and taxied down to the runway where they wasted no time getting airborn. It was my first time flying and I enjoyed it. It was like a rollercoster with the gravity when taking off and decending. Arrived about 11 minutes late into Detroit where I had a 3 Minute wait for my cab driver to find me at the baggage claim.It was about a 30 minute cab ride that cost $85 with tip which was prepaid online a couple days before. Arrived home safe and Look forward to seeing everyone on sunday.
 
Flying is fun! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

The runways at Midway are short, so takeoffs and landings are... interesting. The landings really freak people out. There's an old joke that says if at least one of the wheels doesn't touch Cicero, it doesn't count. ;)
 
Flying is fun! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

The runways at Midway are short, so takeoffs and landings are... interesting. The landings really freak people out. There's an old joke that says if at least one of the wheels doesn't touch Cicero, it doesn't count. ;)
Yeah Midway -- remember landing there a few decades ago - somewhere in the near approach the engines went to full thrust -- seatmate said, as we stopped at least 30 yards from the fence

"We landed at approximately 183 knots" (about 40 kt above standard approach). But definitely short of the fence. Interesting, but not life-threatening.
 
I grew up near Chicago and the takeoffs at Midway terrified me as well.

I don't like to fly.
If you can see the White Castle sign on approach for landing, your altitude is perfect and you'll hit it right on the numbers. ;)

It really is scary for a lot of people. I understand. I've seen videos on YouTube from people who think the pilot screwed up and risked their lives because they could count shingles on houses.
 
I love landings like that. I told Ryan that I'd pay good money for the opportunity to land and take off from an aircraft carrier. :D

I'm an adrenalin junkie. Even the Ledge made me "meh" this time. They need to make some kind of skywalk from the same material and let you walk from the Ledge to the Hancock Building. I realize that would be an engineering nightmare, but it would still be fun. :D
 
Landing at Kai Tak is not nearly as exciting as making the approach...in the dark...at wx minimums. There are two vectors on that approach that are 45 degree turns that require you to be very exact while descending since you are being vectored straight toward a mountain prior to each turn. Regretfully, all flight crews did not have a complete understanding of the approach even though you were not allowed to execute the approach until you had flown a day light checkout. The resulting mistakes were fatal.
 
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