Illinois provided 24 million in funding to increase train service in Illinois. Not only does this expand the service dramatically, it provides more rail fan options.
My first trip on the new service was Saturday, November 4 on the Saluki. I got a decent round trip fare that was less than 50 dollars. Pretty good.
Arrived Union station on Saturday morning to get tickets at about 8 a.m The station was pleasantly busy, with a line of 7 or 8 people waiting to buy tickets. The agent remarked as I picked up my tickets that the new trains made her morning go faster. The south Concourse was about 75 percent full. It was clear thatt even though the new trains were only a week old, people new about them and were ready to ride.
The Saluki boarded ab about 8:55 for its 9:15 departure. There was one engine, a remodeled amfleet cafe car with 2-1 seating for business class. than 3 horizon ars. The horizons were in excellet condition, with outlets at most seats. The first coach seated passengers for carbondale, the second and 3rd seated passengers for Champaign and other stops. The train left Homewodd with the first two cars full, and then some in the last car. South of Champaign the last two cars werre empty.
We immediately lost 15 minutes or so waiting for 58 which was backing in from the St. Charles airline. Then we had a slow go of it making the reverse move and then pulling forward onto the air line. During all of this, I saw a full length dome car in the Amtrak yard in Amtrak colors. Where did this come from?
We made a fast run down the IC line and were about 25 minutes late out of Homewood. We we were never more than 31 minutes late for the entire run down to carbodnale.
As we left Homewood, I walked up to the cafe car for a snack. As I walked through the vestibule area, I observed that a door was still open as the train was accelerating to top speed. I notified the attendnat and she dashed back to close it. She thanked me and pointed out that somebody else had left it open. Damn!! If somebody had walked out there and fell off . . .
There was padding in the schedule, so we made up time into Carbondale. Before entering the station, the train enters a wye to back into the station so that it is ready for the return trip. Aparently some of the passengers were first time riders because they were amazed at the move, and kind of enjoyed it.
Carbondale is a great turn around place. There is a good restaurant across from the station named Booby's that had a nice selection of sandwiches at nice pricees. The station is modern and clean. The agent was unfamiliar with doing agr upgrades, so I paid for business class coming back.
Business class with the 2-1 seating is worth the 14 dollar upgrade. However, you only get a complimentary beverage. I only got one coke, so I do not know if it is unlimited free pop. I suspect not because of the accounting that Amtrak is now undergoing. There is significantly more legroom than in coach, and the seats are made of a different material. Leather? Im not sure. If they have these cars on all Illinois trains, I would probably do business class all of the time. It was not completely full on the trip back to Chicago.
Overall, the new service was marked improvment over the earlier midwest corridor product. If they have these same kind of Horizon cars on all of the routes in Illinois witht he new business class, this is a good step in the right directioin.
More reports will follow as I ride the other trains.
My first trip on the new service was Saturday, November 4 on the Saluki. I got a decent round trip fare that was less than 50 dollars. Pretty good.
Arrived Union station on Saturday morning to get tickets at about 8 a.m The station was pleasantly busy, with a line of 7 or 8 people waiting to buy tickets. The agent remarked as I picked up my tickets that the new trains made her morning go faster. The south Concourse was about 75 percent full. It was clear thatt even though the new trains were only a week old, people new about them and were ready to ride.
The Saluki boarded ab about 8:55 for its 9:15 departure. There was one engine, a remodeled amfleet cafe car with 2-1 seating for business class. than 3 horizon ars. The horizons were in excellet condition, with outlets at most seats. The first coach seated passengers for carbondale, the second and 3rd seated passengers for Champaign and other stops. The train left Homewodd with the first two cars full, and then some in the last car. South of Champaign the last two cars werre empty.
We immediately lost 15 minutes or so waiting for 58 which was backing in from the St. Charles airline. Then we had a slow go of it making the reverse move and then pulling forward onto the air line. During all of this, I saw a full length dome car in the Amtrak yard in Amtrak colors. Where did this come from?
We made a fast run down the IC line and were about 25 minutes late out of Homewood. We we were never more than 31 minutes late for the entire run down to carbodnale.
As we left Homewood, I walked up to the cafe car for a snack. As I walked through the vestibule area, I observed that a door was still open as the train was accelerating to top speed. I notified the attendnat and she dashed back to close it. She thanked me and pointed out that somebody else had left it open. Damn!! If somebody had walked out there and fell off . . .
There was padding in the schedule, so we made up time into Carbondale. Before entering the station, the train enters a wye to back into the station so that it is ready for the return trip. Aparently some of the passengers were first time riders because they were amazed at the move, and kind of enjoyed it.
Carbondale is a great turn around place. There is a good restaurant across from the station named Booby's that had a nice selection of sandwiches at nice pricees. The station is modern and clean. The agent was unfamiliar with doing agr upgrades, so I paid for business class coming back.
Business class with the 2-1 seating is worth the 14 dollar upgrade. However, you only get a complimentary beverage. I only got one coke, so I do not know if it is unlimited free pop. I suspect not because of the accounting that Amtrak is now undergoing. There is significantly more legroom than in coach, and the seats are made of a different material. Leather? Im not sure. If they have these cars on all Illinois trains, I would probably do business class all of the time. It was not completely full on the trip back to Chicago.
Overall, the new service was marked improvment over the earlier midwest corridor product. If they have these same kind of Horizon cars on all of the routes in Illinois witht he new business class, this is a good step in the right directioin.
More reports will follow as I ride the other trains.
