Midland Valley
Lead Service Attendant
Joyce and I left Hutchinson, KS. Jan 2, on the SWC, right on time: 2:21 AM. We rode coach to Chicago and arrived a few minutes early. The train did'nt back into the station like it usually does. We checked into the Metropolitan Lounge and settled in for a nice layover. The City of New Orleans left on time at 8:00 PM. We had a roomette, #5 and our car attendant was very kind and helpful. We went to the diner at 8:30 where we had a very nice meal (already reported in other forum). Got a fair nights sleep for an early wake up for Memphis. A cab was waiting trackside to take us to airport for car rental. On Friday, the 6th, we arrived at the train station in Memphis at about 3:30 PM. We checked our big bag for Chicago and stored our other bags behind the counter for $2.00 per bag, (a little steep to me). Then we walked up Main Street to Beale. We ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and messed around till about 7:00 PM when we got on one of the old electric steet cars and headed back to the station. The Train arrived quite early and we boarded the sleeper, Bedroom E. Our car attendant was quite helpful and soon had our beds down. The train left on time and we went to bed and had a pretty good sleep. We woke up on our own around 6:30 AM and both took showers and dressed for a slightly ahead of on time arrival into CUS. We headed for the Metro Lounge and checked in there, then walked to State street and Marshall Field's and killed a couple of hours there, Joyce bought her a new purse there. I saw some dress shirts on sale I liked but just couldn't see spending $130.00. We walked back to the station and hung out in the Lounge untill boarding time for the SWC. We had roomette #2, very handy to upstairs restroom and the attendants room. Simon, our car attendant was superb. Very friendly, helpful, professional. The train left the station on time, since the #29 had arrived early that morning. We made a 5:00 PM reservation in the diner. We both had the steak with baked potato and the chocolate cake with ice cream for dessert. Wonderful! The dining car staff was great and fun. Moments before we were to cross the Mississippi at Fort Madison, Iowa, we heard a loud hiss and the train went into emergency brake. We stopped pretty hard. Don't know what happened but think a hose came uncoupled. It took about twenty minutes and we were back in motion. Made up the time in Fort Madison. Simon put our beds down about 9:00 PM. I told him we would let him sleep and to be sure to tell the conductor who would get on at KC. to get us up about 20 minutes befor Hutchinson, as I didn't want to wake up in Dodge City. I gave him our tip, for which he was most grateful and we went to sleep. Good sleep but had to get up at 3:30 AM for an ontime 4:00 AM stop in Hutchinson, KS. This was the first time in twenty some years of Amtrak travel that every single leg of the journey was on time or early. Lots of fun. I'm looking forward to our March journey to Philadelphia.
That was from 2 or 3 years ago too, so it may well have gone up since then.
