Which Hiawatha time to leave?

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dvdapex

Train Attendant
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Sep 26, 2011
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On Saturday, July 26th my family is taking the 2:00 PM leaving CHI to SFC.

We live in Madison, WI and have decided to take MKE - CHI in the morning to get to Union Station in Chicago. My parents who live about an hour west will be picking us up and driving us to MKE.

So, I'm wondering which train / time we should take from MKE - CHI:

Option #1

Leave 8:05 AM, Arrive 9:35 AM

Cons:

a. My parents would have to leave their house by 4:45 AM at the latest and us at 5:45 AM. Crabby family to start the 2 week trip.

b. The CHI - SFC train leaves at 2:00 PM so there'll be several hours to kill in the station (more if the CHI - SFC train leaves late).

Pro: unless a MAJOR issue, no way we'll be late for the CHI - SFC train.

Option #2

Leave 11:00 AM, Arrive 12:30 PM

Pros:

a. We can all leave a couple of hours later from our homes

b. Much less time waiting in CHI for the CHI - SFC train

Con: added stress on me for every few minutes later than scheduled the MKE - CHI train is. With only 1.5 hr time between scheduled arrival in and departure from CHI, not much room for error.

With it being a Saturday (not sure if that's good or bad) and the on-time history of the MKE - CHI, I think we'd be okay taking the 11:00, but obviously it would screw our entire trip up if we were to miss the 2:00 trip out of CHI.

So, I'm sure I should just bite the bullet and plan on an early morning and take the 8:05 out of MKE, but I figured I'd check with the experts.
 
I'd go with the 11:00am Hiawatha. The Hiawatha is one of Amtrak's most reliable routes. The 11:00AM train is a guaranteed connection with the California Zephyr (it's listed as the connecting train when you try to book a ticket from MKE to anywhere along the Zephyr, the 8:00am train doesn't show up as an option). I assume you won't be the only people connecting.
 
I would take the Thruway Bus from Madison to Chicago Union Station that's operated by Van Galder. You could leave Madison at 8:45 and arrive at CUS at 12:30. That would spare your parents making a round trip to pick you up and you could leave your homes later in the morning. Being a Thruway it's an Amtrak ticket all the same...just a short bus ride as opposed to a short train ride.
 
lepearso said:
I would take the Thruway Bus from Madison to Chicago Union Station that's operated by Van Galder. You could leave Madison at 8:45 and arrive at CUS at 12:30. That would spare your parents making a round trip to pick you up and you could leave your homes later in the morning. Being a Thruway it's an Amtrak ticket all the same...just a short bus ride as opposed to a short train ride.
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The reason my parents are taking us to the station is so that we don't have to leave our vehicle at the station. Our return from SFC will go through PDX and into Columbus where they'll be picking us up 2 weeks later. So by taking the bus out of downtown Madison, it would require my parents to either drop us off still or pick up our car at some point.
 
We did this trip last summer. We took the later Hiawatha with no problem. It was however nerve wracking worrying about any problem with the Hiawatha, causing us to be late for our Chicago departure. Using the early deparure, does give the advantage of being able to check out the sears tower in Chicago. My choice if i were doing it over would be stage a vehicle in Columbus ahead of time , and take the bus.
 
Fred said:
We did this trip last summer. We took the later Hiawatha with no problem. It was however nerve wracking worrying about any problem with the Hiawatha, causing us to be late for our Chicago departure. Using the early deparure, does give the advantage of being able to check out the sears tower in Chicago. My choice if i were doing it over would be stage a vehicle in Columbus ahead of time , and take the bus.
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The bus arrives at the same time as the late train (12:30 PM).
 
The Milwaukee Airport station has a large parking lot that was $5/day the last time I used it. I know you said you didn't want to leave your car, but if it came to that I recommend departing from MKA rather than MKE. You could also park at the airport long-term lot which is inside a secure fence.
 
MKA doesn't have luggage service. Since our stay in San Francisco will be near 2 weeks long, I'm thinking we'll need more than just carry-on.

Train Rider said:
The Milwaukee Airport station has a large parking lot that was $5/day the last time I used it. I know you said you didn't want to leave your car, but if it came to that I recommend departing from MKA rather than MKE. You could also park at the airport long-term lot which is inside a secure fence.
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Never thought about it before-Where does checked luggage go on corridor trains like the Hiawatha, that don't have a baggage car? I guess they just throw it in the coach on the racks with the carry ons? Never noticed anyone loading or unloading checked bags from that train before.

As to the time, I take that train pretty regularly, connecting to the TE, I usually take the 1110 from MKA, never even came close to being late enough to worry about anything.
 
The Hiawathas use "cabbage" (cab/baggage) units on one end of the train, that's where the baggage goes. Only Chicago and Milwaukee offer baggage service.
 
While there is an outside possibility that there could be some sort of delay, due to occasional construction or right of way work, I neither think that it would be so significant as to cause you to miss your connection, nor would you probably be the only group needing to do so. As such, I'd simply suggest informing the conductor when you board in Milwaukee about your connecting ticket. He ought to be able to reasonably ensure the connection, even if there were any delay, by calling ahead and informing Amtrak that there is good reason to hold the other train for connecting passengers.

Most likely, you'll arrive pretty much on time, and even have a spare twenty minutes to grab some lunch from the food court, before boarding the Zephyr. (It won't take you more than ten minutes, maybe five, if you actually were cutting it close to transfer trains and others had already boarded, anyway. In fact, I sort of prefer doing this as I walk right up to the gate, through ticket check, and down the platform to board without waiting in long lines and an uncomfortably crowded waiting room.)

I think you can feel safe and comfortable enough to sit back, relax, and enjoy the later departure.
 
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Thanks for the information everyone. I had two reservations for the CHI - SFC trip (one was paid with credit from trip last year and one was with points). I amended each reservation to add the 11:00 AM to MKE - CHI. It cost an extra $36 for the paid reservation and there was no additional charge to add to the points trip. I confirmed that they're guaranteed connections both over the phone and when I look at the new etickets, they show the full trip (MKE - CHI - EMY - SFC).

So, we should be able to sleep in and still rest easy.
 
Even when departing from MKE, I have always checked luggage for follow-on trains in Chicago. Never had a problem hauling multiple suitcases on the Hiawatha...I just make sure I am not interrupting the loading of other passengers.

Now waiting for the chorus of you only get xxx carry-on bags......
 
The Red Caps typically service the Hiawatha, also, making carry on all the more viable. That said, wouldn't the crowds and lines be less, and baggage checking easier, in Milwaukee versus Chicago?
 
Too bad some of the Hiawathas don't run all the way west to Madison. The CP Rail (Ex MILW) line is in pretty good shape as far as Watertown, especially if the second main were restored. They could have stops at Downtown (Convention Center), Universitiy East (Football Stadium) and a terminal at University West (UW Hospital). Perhaps a private operator like VIrgin Trains could make it happen.
 
Wisconsin needs to elect a different Governor and Legislature before this could happen!

Y'all came close to having rail service to Madison ( it wasn't the best of plans but it beat nothing!) once before but close only counts in horseshoes and hand gernades!
 
grover5995 said:
Too bad some of the Hiawathas don't run all the way west to Madison. The CP Rail (Ex MILW) line is in pretty good shape as far as Watertown, especially if the second main were restored. They could have stops at Downtown (Convention Center), Universitiy East (Football Stadium) and a terminal at University West (UW Hospital). Perhaps a private operator like VIrgin Trains could make it happen.
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Just curious - are you aware that a similar proposal came close to fruition just a few years ago (federal funding to make it happen was awarded to WI, but then taken back when the current governor [governor-elect at the time] announced plans to cancel the project - had things gone according to schedule, there would be 6 daily CHI-MKE-MSN trains today)?
 
grover5995 said:
Too bad some of the Hiawathas don't run all the way west to Madison. The CP Rail (Ex MILW) line is in pretty good shape as far as Watertown, especially if the second main were restored. They could have stops at Downtown (Convention Center), Universitiy East (Football Stadium) and a terminal at University West (UW Hospital). Perhaps a private operator like VIrgin Trains could make it happen.
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You're a little behind the times. Work on a similar route was ready to start, but was quashed by Gov. Scott Walker. Two sets of Talgo trains were ordered and almost completed before Walker was elected.
 
Just wanted to report that there was absolutely no delay with the Hiawatha to Union station today. On the way to SFC on the CZ.
 
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