Due to the wrong date on our tickets, we had to cancel our previous reservations. Having to move to coach from Washington to Chicago on The Capital Limited, we were reimbursed nearly $500.00 bucks which helped smooth out some of the kinks we felt.
The blessing of the mix up was not having paid for a wrecked sleeper but it allowed the cancellation of our next sleeper which was on the Trans/Dorm.
I talked to several that were on the Trans/Dorm and they were all trying to
move from there. They said the noise from the train horn was terrible.
We instead were assigned room #12 downstairs on a new refurbished sleeper.This car was really nice and clean and had the new shower and area. I loved being below where the shower and restrooms were only about 10 ft away. Even our luggage was in sight, close and handy in the racks below. You can almost see as much as top side.
Of the other 3 sleepettes below, one was vacant and the other 2 were occupied by only passenger that were very quite. The handicap room was also vacant. The family room was occupied by a Grandmother and 3 early teen Granddaughters. They were very noisy singing and fighting and playing electronic games and T.V. without earphones. This went on till about 10:30 PM and the conductor wandered through and put a stop to that.
The Eagle made great time all the way to St. Louis and even came in about
15 minutes early. They quickly unhooked a empty coach car we pulled there
and prepaired for our 9:15 or so departure when our attendent was told we wouldn't leave till 10:00 PM. It seems our Conductors and Engineers went off duty there at 9:00 PM and the new ones didn't come on till 10:00 pm. The new Conductor and engineers didn't arrive till after 10:15 then had to place the empty coach we brought to a different siding.
We finally left St Louis 2 hours late. This turned into a rail fans nightmare.
All night long was spent flying down the rails for a while then setting for 20 or 30 minutes for a freight. We finally were down to being 6 hours late.
Our arrival in Austin was at 2 AM Thursday morning instead of 8:05 pm Wednesday. And the Conductors and Engineers that started this mess were relieved earler in the day. Their hours are regulated by law and they can only be on duty so long I was told. Anyway, the 21 didn't make it to San Antonio till 7:05 am about an hour before it was due to leave and go back North.
All in All, it was one Hell-of- a -trip and I look forward to the next one.
I shall be better prepared..........BD
The blessing of the mix up was not having paid for a wrecked sleeper but it allowed the cancellation of our next sleeper which was on the Trans/Dorm.
I talked to several that were on the Trans/Dorm and they were all trying to
move from there. They said the noise from the train horn was terrible.
We instead were assigned room #12 downstairs on a new refurbished sleeper.This car was really nice and clean and had the new shower and area. I loved being below where the shower and restrooms were only about 10 ft away. Even our luggage was in sight, close and handy in the racks below. You can almost see as much as top side.
Of the other 3 sleepettes below, one was vacant and the other 2 were occupied by only passenger that were very quite. The handicap room was also vacant. The family room was occupied by a Grandmother and 3 early teen Granddaughters. They were very noisy singing and fighting and playing electronic games and T.V. without earphones. This went on till about 10:30 PM and the conductor wandered through and put a stop to that.
The Eagle made great time all the way to St. Louis and even came in about
15 minutes early. They quickly unhooked a empty coach car we pulled there
and prepaired for our 9:15 or so departure when our attendent was told we wouldn't leave till 10:00 PM. It seems our Conductors and Engineers went off duty there at 9:00 PM and the new ones didn't come on till 10:00 pm. The new Conductor and engineers didn't arrive till after 10:15 then had to place the empty coach we brought to a different siding.
We finally left St Louis 2 hours late. This turned into a rail fans nightmare.
All night long was spent flying down the rails for a while then setting for 20 or 30 minutes for a freight. We finally were down to being 6 hours late.
Our arrival in Austin was at 2 AM Thursday morning instead of 8:05 pm Wednesday. And the Conductors and Engineers that started this mess were relieved earler in the day. Their hours are regulated by law and they can only be on duty so long I was told. Anyway, the 21 didn't make it to San Antonio till 7:05 am about an hour before it was due to leave and go back North.
All in All, it was one Hell-of- a -trip and I look forward to the next one.
I shall be better prepared..........BD