I booked this trip two weeks ago around the time I read that the spreads had been increased to 110 mph on this route. I followed my normal routine of driving to the White Palace restaurant at the intersection of Roosevelt and Canal. The food is reliably good. Arriving at 6 a.m. usually ensures an interesting cross section of customers finishing off the Saturday night party routine. Today, I was looking for my waitress to get my check. It was 6:30 and I was ready to head to Union Station. I went up to the cash register and the manager was there. He knows me , but was acting distracted. I explained that I had a train to catch. One of the other waitresses went to the door and called my waitress who was outside watching a fight. Two guys were rolling around on the ground.
The waitress came in and gave me my check. I paid and left. Union Station is set up differently. The seating near the gates is no longer being used. Passengers are instructed to wait in the wait hall. I was not aware of this change, and I was lucky that the lady controlling the access to the south concourse let me just wait by the passage way near the bathrooms. She sent several other passengers back to the great hall. I think she recognized me from our positive interactions in the metropolitan lounge. Boarding commenced in a few minutes and I was pleased to discover a venture coach in front of the BC class/shack car which was brining up the markers. I got a nice full window on the right so I could enjoy passing the cars on I55 at 110 mph. Even better, the windows were immaculate. The bathroom was also in immaculate condition. Everything was working.
We took a 15 minute delay at the junction just west of Summit. This will give us an opportunity to see if UP and Amtrak can use the 110 mph running to make up the time.
The waitress came in and gave me my check. I paid and left. Union Station is set up differently. The seating near the gates is no longer being used. Passengers are instructed to wait in the wait hall. I was not aware of this change, and I was lucky that the lady controlling the access to the south concourse let me just wait by the passage way near the bathrooms. She sent several other passengers back to the great hall. I think she recognized me from our positive interactions in the metropolitan lounge. Boarding commenced in a few minutes and I was pleased to discover a venture coach in front of the BC class/shack car which was brining up the markers. I got a nice full window on the right so I could enjoy passing the cars on I55 at 110 mph. Even better, the windows were immaculate. The bathroom was also in immaculate condition. Everything was working.
We took a 15 minute delay at the junction just west of Summit. This will give us an opportunity to see if UP and Amtrak can use the 110 mph running to make up the time.