First off, this is truly the way to travel... if one has the time. From the minute I walked into the Metropolitan Lounge at Union Station in Washington the service has been first rate. I sat back into a comfy sofa chair and had a root beer and waited for my train and my name to be called. We would be the first to board the train, and at my request a Red Cap would be lugging my luggage down the platform and into my compartment on the train. As it was, he didn't feel like lugging it all the way down there so we took a golf cart instead. Smart man.
The train is the Capitol Limited, heading to Chicago. I'm sorry that I haven't researched the history of this train as much as I have the one I'll be on later in the trip. So, I can't really tell you much about the train itself.
What I can tell you about is how comfortable a train it is. At first, I was taken aback at the size of my private sleeper compartment. I thought it would be a little bit bigger. But, the more time I spend in the compartment the larger it seems to become. Maybe this is a sign that I should quit television and become an astronaut.
Dinner, which I just had, was good. It wasn't anything that will stand out in my mind (sorry, Amtrak), but it sure beat the best of airline food. Now, I have had some good airline food when I've been overseas in business class. But even then, there isn't much a plate and eating can take a little logistical planning. One the train, however, the booths are large and the dining ware real and full sized. And people actually have conversations.
That is one thing that has sometimes pissed me off about airline travel. Everyone is so standoffish and solitary. Talking is like breaking a taboo on the plane. Here on the train, well, it seems to be expected to chat with and get to know the others around you. So, if you don't want to be social, don't eat and don't go to the smoking car!
On to other things. Unfortunately, being December the sun set quite early today. Fortunately, it was still light for most of our trip out of Washington and up through the Potomac valley to Harpers Ferry. For a long ways the train followed the old C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) canal. Old as in it was built by George Washington after he kicked the Brits out of the land. A long while later, the B&O (Baltimore and Ohio) railroad was built basically along the same way.
Today the towpath along the canal is a public greenway park, and a very beautiful thing it is. From the tidal plain of Washington the river climbs through the mountains. And it all got me into the mood to write a poem...
Sun setting low
and heavy
below newborn fingers
of suburbia
Old telephone poles
standing brown
dead tree limbs
straining wires
Dry canal hides
under brown leaves and trees
between the train
and the river reborn
A good start to the trip - I am writing poems again.
Coming into Chicago just now. A short night on sleep. I think I am still pretty excited about this trip, and had a tough time getting myself sleepy with all the things to peer out at going by in the dark. I finally did get myself to pass out and slept through to Toledo. I did wake up to watch Pittsburgh go by. A very pretty view down the river as we crossed it.
Breakfast was about the same as dinner, good but nothing very noteworthy. Snapped off a few pictures while we made a station stop in Hammond, Indiana. Ooo, I'm on the wrong side of the train but Comisky Park just went by. I have about a four hour layover here in Chicago. I'm going to drop my bag and go have lunch with my cousin Kati who is studying voice here at Roosevelt University.
After arriving at Chicago Union Station, I stashed my bags at the Metropolitan Lounge. I also made a few phone calls while I was there, mainly to figure out what my plans are for tonight in Minneapolis. I think the plan is that my good friend Greg will meet me at the station, and then we'll be going out with my other good friend, Greg's brother Steve. Then up to my parents house to spend the night. Ever wonder why there are so many Union Stations in America?
Anyhow, that comes later in the story. So, having refreshed and reorganized myself at the lounge, I caught a cab over to Roosevelt University to visit my cousin. I think I may have chosen the wrong field to study in. Most of the folks in the performing arts program there are girls, and most of the boys there don't like girls if you catch my drift.
We chatted for a while in her dorm (yes, Kati, it was as small as mine) while I uploaded the web stuff from last night. Then off to lunch/brunch/whatever. Having recently been one myself, I understand fully the pleasure a free meal brings to a college student. Except for the rich bastard Arab prince students that were at AU. And by the time lunch was finished, I had to head off back to the train station.
The next page picks up the story... Go To Page Two
