Midland Valley
Lead Service Attendant
In 1995, we took the CZ from Hastings NE to Chicago and the
Cardinal to Charlottesville and the Crescent to Gainsville where we had booked two slumbercoaches on the latter two. That was about the time they were dissapearing and they used 10/6 so we had two bedrooms opened up into one large room w/2 bathrooms. I had a conference at the Lake Junaluska United Methodist Center. We had the same situation on the way home. At SouthPortsmouth KY we let our oldest son off to visit relatives for a week. The plan was my next oldest and I would pick him up on the train. Our "fun" Journey was to be CZ, LSL to Boston, Night Owel to DC and the Cardinal, pick up the boy on the way back to Chicago and the CZ home.
We were 6 hours late leaving hastings. The LSL and our sleeping room, left w/o us. We took the Broadway Ltd to NY. This was the last few weeks of opperations for that grand old train. The conductor who was very friendly turned out to be the brother of a lady whose daughter had been married to a cousin of mine in Kansas. Anyway we arrived in NY, caught the NO to DC. and the Cardinal. We were welcome aboard by our car attendant who got our beds turned down for a nap as we were tired.
After dinner he said be sure to take your shoes off and place them in the little compartment for shoes and I'll shine them for you while your asleep. When we got to South Portsmouth, I went to the door. There wasn't a sole there. NO BOY. The conductor said we can't sit here long. I was beside myself with worry. He said "If the boys here on the next night we come through, I'll see that he gets picked up. (I had his ticket).
The dummies just forgot. He showed up the next train night and the conductor took on board. In Chicago, I sought out a very nice lady who usually is out on trains helping people make arrangements for missed connections, (I would not want her job). I called her my angel as she wore a small gold angel on her lapel. I told her about our situation and she said don't worry, if he comes in, I'll have someone look after him and see he gets on the right train home. Well she found him, put him on the CZ and gave him an economy room (since he was supposed to be in first class with us originally) so he would get a meal.
This whole trip could have been the trip from hell except for the tremendous people who I encountered aboard and in the stations. It is now a memorable adventure. There are some real heros in the Amtrak organization.
Cardinal to Charlottesville and the Crescent to Gainsville where we had booked two slumbercoaches on the latter two. That was about the time they were dissapearing and they used 10/6 so we had two bedrooms opened up into one large room w/2 bathrooms. I had a conference at the Lake Junaluska United Methodist Center. We had the same situation on the way home. At SouthPortsmouth KY we let our oldest son off to visit relatives for a week. The plan was my next oldest and I would pick him up on the train. Our "fun" Journey was to be CZ, LSL to Boston, Night Owel to DC and the Cardinal, pick up the boy on the way back to Chicago and the CZ home.
We were 6 hours late leaving hastings. The LSL and our sleeping room, left w/o us. We took the Broadway Ltd to NY. This was the last few weeks of opperations for that grand old train. The conductor who was very friendly turned out to be the brother of a lady whose daughter had been married to a cousin of mine in Kansas. Anyway we arrived in NY, caught the NO to DC. and the Cardinal. We were welcome aboard by our car attendant who got our beds turned down for a nap as we were tired.
After dinner he said be sure to take your shoes off and place them in the little compartment for shoes and I'll shine them for you while your asleep. When we got to South Portsmouth, I went to the door. There wasn't a sole there. NO BOY. The conductor said we can't sit here long. I was beside myself with worry. He said "If the boys here on the next night we come through, I'll see that he gets picked up. (I had his ticket).
The dummies just forgot. He showed up the next train night and the conductor took on board. In Chicago, I sought out a very nice lady who usually is out on trains helping people make arrangements for missed connections, (I would not want her job). I called her my angel as she wore a small gold angel on her lapel. I told her about our situation and she said don't worry, if he comes in, I'll have someone look after him and see he gets on the right train home. Well she found him, put him on the CZ and gave him an economy room (since he was supposed to be in first class with us originally) so he would get a meal.
This whole trip could have been the trip from hell except for the tremendous people who I encountered aboard and in the stations. It is now a memorable adventure. There are some real heros in the Amtrak organization.
