Where to sit on the Pere Marquette

[walker46]

So my son and I are going on the Pere Marquette tomorrow from Grand Rapids to Chicago. He likes to sit on the Lake Michigan side of the train facing forward. This is his first trip from the new station and because at the new station the train either backs in or backs out or maybe both and has engines on both ends it's kind of hard to tell what side is what. Anybody know? I left from the new station a couple of months ago but since I don't care where I sit, I don't remember, and besides that was during the week so it would have been easy to switch sides. Being a Saturday they will probably be full so it won't be as easy to swap seats.

 

[the_traveler]

I never traveled on the PM, but if there's only a locomotive on one end, that is the direction of travel. Also,normally on most all trains, the seats face the direction of travel. The Lake will be on the left going east and on the right going west.

 

[MiRider]

I take the PM a lot from Holland but I've never taken the PM from GR, I'll try to help anyway.

From Grand Rapids, if you're on the train facing forward, the right/west side is the Lake Michigan side, it looks like that's the side you'll board the train on.

Looking at Google Maps, 131 will be on the left/east side of the train so when you're looking for a seat, don't pick one on the 131 side.

I believe that's an end station stub track that was built for the station so the train can only go one way, like I said, I haven't been there.

The train will be traveling southwest to Holland.

You could always ask someone at the station.

 

[tim49424]

I too, have never boarded in GR. At the time of boarding in Holland, the side facing the lake is right side of the train.

A heads up, however.......the only places you see the lake from the PM are just south of St. Joseph (you can only see the park/beach at the station) and for a short time in the industrial area east of Chicago in Indiana.

 

[hessjm]

If there is an engine on both ends of the train, then the one near the station will be the lead, so sit facing it on the right side. Your best bet is to find Chris the conductor and ask her. If you want to have some real fun bring her a bottle of diet Vernor's :giggle: I always bring her one!

 

[niemi24s]

Consider this: there may possibly be something worth viewing on the side away from the lake. To find out, follow the tracks using the aerial imagery of Google Earth. That way, if there's something worth a look on both sides of the track you'll know what it is and about where to look for it.

 

[tim49424]

If there is an engine on both ends of the train, then the one near the station will be the lead, so sit facing it on the right side. Your best bet is to find Chris the conductor and ask her. If you want to have some real fun bring her a bottle of diet Vernor's :giggle: I always bring her one!

Chris is awesome! I've ridden many times with her.

If her crew isn't working, more than likely Smilin' Dave's will be. He earned that nickname by his constant infectious smile. He too is always willing to help.

Both of these conductors genuinely love their jobs and it always shows.

 

[hessjm]

The normal rotation is Darryl/Dave leaves Chicago on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday; Chris/Jerry leaves Chicago on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. A relief crew normally on the Wolverine leaves Chicago on Saturday.

 

[walker46]

If there is an engine on both ends of the train, then the one near the station will be the lead, so sit facing it on the right side. Your best bet is to find Chris the conductor and ask her. If you want to have some real fun bring her a bottle of diet Vernor's :giggle: I always bring her one!

So I'm back from my trip and you are right. The train backs out of the station and doesn't turn around, it just goes forward on the mainline after it clears the siding. So the front of the train is facing the station and if you want to sit on the Lake Michigan side you need to sit on the right side, the 131 expressway side, while in the station. Coming back the train backs into the station so what was the front of the train becomes the back of the train for the next day. In fact leaving Saturday morning the "engine" at the front of the train was a dummy so the train to Chicago was pushed and the train returning to Grand Rapids was pulled.

Even though I had some at home, I forgot the Vernors for Chris. She was pretty busy sorting out the customers for boarding. First groups of three or more then twos, then singles. First time I've seen that in Grand Rapids and it made the boarding process a lot more organized and less stressful. Of course you couldn't easily board that way at the old station since access to the platform at the old station couldn't be funneled through one door.

 

[Saber Mom]

Walker46 - did you notice if there were seats facing backwards? I was forced to sit in a backwards seat on my way to Chicago from GR and I ended up really liking it. I was worried about getting carsick, but I was fine.

 

[walker46]

Walker46 - did you notice if there were seats facing backwards? I was forced to sit in a backwards seat on my way to Chicago from GR and I ended up really liking it. I was worried about getting carsick, but I was fine.

In the first car all seats were facing what would be the front of the train. In the second car the seats were facing both ways split in the middle. I cant' remember because I only went in the third car to go to the cafe but I think they were facing toward the engine at the end. So in the whole train half the seats were facing forward and half backwards. I'd rather sit facing forward but I suppose like in an airplane it would really be safer to sit backwards.