Y
Yerry
Guest
Flew CHI-SEA last week to helpa friend set up some animal pens for zoo animals (he takes care of exotic cat kittens when their mother abandons them, which seems to happen frequently).
Anyway, the Chicago to Grand Rapids legs were via Amtrak and the Blue Line of the CTA.
The Pere Marquette on the CSX line was a five car train with a baggage cat. There was a ski group in GR headed out to Colorado. Same group goes every eyar, and I've Amtrakked with them five years ina row, all unplanned. With teh ski equipment loading, we were quickly 35 minutes late, and stayed that way into Chicago. For $3.50, I got a cup of coffee and a pretty darned big danish. Not a bad deal. especially since MacDonalds in Union Station was $7.70.
I noticed some construction-- loaders and ATK ballast cars-- on the highest-numbered South tracks. I also noticed that many signals, dwarf, mast and bridge included, had been replaced with LED-cluster types.
I walked down Clinton St to the Blue Line with two bags and a very bad shoulder, but made it fine. If you ever want to experience the CTA without actually riding it, put a metal pot over your head and beat it with wooden spoons for 45 minutes. In all fairness, there were quite a few lurches and slams from past trips that didn't manifest themselves this ride.
Trip home involved picking up internet tickets oat Chicago Union. Ticket Agent remembered me from a town I used to live in 21 years ago! I had planned on sitting around all day (not much fun when you can't roam the platforms) until the PM PM (not the AM PM-- I love it!) left at 5:40. She asked if I knew about the truway bus, and after I told her it had been sold out, she did some typing on her terminal and found me a seat!
So, within an hour I was on a Wolverine Service train that took off 12 seconds later than advertised. NASA should do so well. push/pull was in push, with one car between my coach and the P42. Cafe was 'way up front, by the cabbage car, but I was so tired from my awful redeye flight I didn't roam the train--a first for me. All cars were Horizon, except for some AMFleet car second from the Cabbage car. The State of Michigan owned track was very smooth, and fast, but indicated absolutely NOTHING of the 100+ MPH hoopla MI/ATK were hyping back then.
Arrived at Kalamazoo on time, and waited for the Thruway bus to Grand Rapids. Bus arrived 15m late. We loaded and were on our way. Surprise, the bus was a midlength, fairly new, and really, really nice-- and you're hearing this from someone not taht fond of buses. I was amazed at how quiet the bus was, even when accelerating. Engine noise was a dull, quiet hum, even at freeway speeds.
One intermediate stop at Otsego; the bus just cruised through a MCDonalds parking lot and, seeing nobody thdre, drove right back out to the freeway. The bus makes two stops in Grand rapids; one at the AMtrak station, (AMtrak psgrs only) and another at the fairly new downtown bus depot.
SOme otehr passengers apparently had someone drop off a car for them earlier in the day; they were qiote upset about it not being there. They described it to me, and I then pointed out a SUV in the satellite (overflow) parking lot across the 5-way intersection and asked it that was it.
Summing it all up, I received great service from everyone, with several Amtrak employees going beyond what their job description mandated (read: tip). My only disappointment was over the MI-owned track speeds, but that's really a moot point since the Wolverine WAS the fastest train I rode.
Anyway, the Chicago to Grand Rapids legs were via Amtrak and the Blue Line of the CTA.
The Pere Marquette on the CSX line was a five car train with a baggage cat. There was a ski group in GR headed out to Colorado. Same group goes every eyar, and I've Amtrakked with them five years ina row, all unplanned. With teh ski equipment loading, we were quickly 35 minutes late, and stayed that way into Chicago. For $3.50, I got a cup of coffee and a pretty darned big danish. Not a bad deal. especially since MacDonalds in Union Station was $7.70.
I noticed some construction-- loaders and ATK ballast cars-- on the highest-numbered South tracks. I also noticed that many signals, dwarf, mast and bridge included, had been replaced with LED-cluster types.
I walked down Clinton St to the Blue Line with two bags and a very bad shoulder, but made it fine. If you ever want to experience the CTA without actually riding it, put a metal pot over your head and beat it with wooden spoons for 45 minutes. In all fairness, there were quite a few lurches and slams from past trips that didn't manifest themselves this ride.
Trip home involved picking up internet tickets oat Chicago Union. Ticket Agent remembered me from a town I used to live in 21 years ago! I had planned on sitting around all day (not much fun when you can't roam the platforms) until the PM PM (not the AM PM-- I love it!) left at 5:40. She asked if I knew about the truway bus, and after I told her it had been sold out, she did some typing on her terminal and found me a seat!
So, within an hour I was on a Wolverine Service train that took off 12 seconds later than advertised. NASA should do so well. push/pull was in push, with one car between my coach and the P42. Cafe was 'way up front, by the cabbage car, but I was so tired from my awful redeye flight I didn't roam the train--a first for me. All cars were Horizon, except for some AMFleet car second from the Cabbage car. The State of Michigan owned track was very smooth, and fast, but indicated absolutely NOTHING of the 100+ MPH hoopla MI/ATK were hyping back then.
Arrived at Kalamazoo on time, and waited for the Thruway bus to Grand Rapids. Bus arrived 15m late. We loaded and were on our way. Surprise, the bus was a midlength, fairly new, and really, really nice-- and you're hearing this from someone not taht fond of buses. I was amazed at how quiet the bus was, even when accelerating. Engine noise was a dull, quiet hum, even at freeway speeds.
One intermediate stop at Otsego; the bus just cruised through a MCDonalds parking lot and, seeing nobody thdre, drove right back out to the freeway. The bus makes two stops in Grand rapids; one at the AMtrak station, (AMtrak psgrs only) and another at the fairly new downtown bus depot.
SOme otehr passengers apparently had someone drop off a car for them earlier in the day; they were qiote upset about it not being there. They described it to me, and I then pointed out a SUV in the satellite (overflow) parking lot across the 5-way intersection and asked it that was it.
Summing it all up, I received great service from everyone, with several Amtrak employees going beyond what their job description mandated (read: tip). My only disappointment was over the MI-owned track speeds, but that's really a moot point since the Wolverine WAS the fastest train I rode.
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