September 13, 2018:

 

            I got up and got dressed. The train was stopped. The Amtrak crew announced we were waiting for a freight train and would be stopped for an hour! I went to the dining car for breakfast.

 

            The BNSF fright that delayed us passed. We were finally underway again. We were running two hours late when we stopped at Osceola which is close to Des Moines, Iowa. A couple hours later, we stopped at Ottumwa. Ottumwa was a smoke stop. I stepped off and took some photos.

 

 

            I got back on the train and attempted to photograph a CB&Q steam locomotive near the station building.

 

 

            The train departed Ottumwa. At one point, I photographed a couple F units on a siding in front of what looked like a shop building.

 

 

            The train stopped at Mount Pleasant. At one point east of Mount Pleasant we passed what looked like a shop building with some old F units parked in front.

 

 

            When we stopped at Burlington, I attempted to photograph another CB&Q steam locomotive.

 

 

            I also photographed a CN SD70M-2 in a BNSF yard.

 

 

            Burlington was a smoke stop. I stepped off the train and took some photos.

 

 

 

            I got back on the train and watched a pair of BNSF Geeps switching in the yard and photographed them.

 

 

 

 

            I watched as the Geeps coupled up to the cut of cars behind the CN SD70M-2 I photographed earlier.

 

            The train departed. As we departed, I photographed a Burlington Northern caboose and an old CB&Q boxcar.

 

 

 

            The train went across a drawbridge over a river. We were now in the state of Illinois. The train stopped at Galesburg. As we left Galesburg, I photographed various pieces of railway equipment on display by the station.

 

 

 

            I then phoned my friend Karl in Chicago to see if there was the possibility for us meeting. However, it was not the case.

 

            I photographed an ex CB&Q caboose.

 

 

            The train stopped at Princeton. I photographed some equipment from the train including some coaches on display.

 

 

            Amtrak trains 3 and 5; the westbound Southwest Chief and California Zephyr passed. I attempted to film both trains. Between Chicago and Galesburg, the California Zephyr and Southwest Chief run on the same line. After the California Zephyr heads to Emeryville while the Southwest Chief heads to Los Angeles. The train stopped at Naperville. We were passed by many Metra commuter trains.

 

            The Amtrak crew made an announcement regarding connections with other Amtrak trains and buses that are affected by the train’s late arrival. I overheard one person talking with her son about where to meet her as a result of missing her original connection. I was still good for the Lakeshore Limited though.

 

            Soon we were approaching Chicago. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off. When we passed the Amtrak yard, I filmed the equipment in the yard. I saw some original California Zephyr coaches in the yard including dome observation Silver Solarium.

 

            The California Zephyr arrived into Chicago just over two hours late. I got off and photographed the train as well as train #393 which was being led by a new Charger locomotive and had two heritage baggage cars and a heritage diner coupled to the rear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            The reason train #393 had the three heritage cars was to satisfy axle requirements on CN as apparently shorter trains don’t activate crossing as they should.

 

            I went inside the station. While I wasn’t able to meet Karl, I did call Greg. He said he could meet me after work and would walk down to Union Station. I looked around for him inside and outside the station. I photographed some CTA buses and took one more photograph of the California Zephyr.

 

 

 

 

            I eventually met up with Greg and we walked down looking for a restaurant for dinner. This was actually my first time in Chicago since the 2200 and 2400 series El cars were retired. However, I would not end up riding the El today.

 

            Greg and I had dinner at a Five Guys restaurant. As we ate dinner, we talked a bit about transit.

 

            Greg mentioned CTA’s new boss is historic vehicle friendly.

 

            After the 2400s were retired, CTA had kept a few sets as a historic train. However, CTA employees realized there was a large gap in between the 4000 and 2400 series El cars and decided to fill it by acquiring two sets of 6000 series El cars including cars 6101 and 6102 from the Fox River Trolley Museum. I had photographed those cars back in 2012.

 

 

CTA recently took back these two cars and another set from a museum in St. Louis.

 

            The other two 6000s came from the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis. They are painted in the Spirit of Chicago livery which was the last livery the cars and their 1-50 series cousins were painted in prior to retirement.

 

            Greg mentioned that 6101 and 6102 would require a bit of work because of Fox River had neglected them. It was then how I told Greg that TTC has reacquired fishbowl #8058 from the Halton County Radial Railway Museum in its condition and how there is a debate on if 8058 is restorable or too far gone. Greg said he didn’t know of that Nor did he know that the TTC kept some fishbowls as historic buses.

 

            Greg also asked me about the PCCs in San Francisco. He knew of the ex SEPTA cars. I told him about the ex Newark cars and #1040. I also told him how there were originally 14 ex SEPTA PCCs used in service by Muni, but #1054 was totaled in an accident.

 

            Greg also gave me a large envelope with CTA memorabilia including the CTA historic calendar. We eventually finished. Greg then said he had to go to a pharmacy to get medication relating to the heart attack he suffered in 2015. He told me he is reluctant to travel in case something happens.

 

            I then walked to Union station. Since I was traveling in a sleeper on Train #48, I was allowed into Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge. I went online for the first time since I left California. I also got a snack and worked on this report until it was time to board #48. When it was time to board the train, I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            I had a room in Viewliner 1 sleeping car #62016 which was originally named Lake View. I had a room on the right side of the train. This was the first time I had a room in a Viewliner sleeping car in 10 years. I went online as the Lakeshore Limited has Wi-Fi unlike the California Zephyr.

 

            I went to the dining car which was one of Amtrak’s new Viewliner 2 dining cars. Amtrak has put a full dining car back on the Lakeshore Limited. However, due to Amtrak’s new president Richard Anderson; a former president of Delta Airlines, the menu selection has been downgraded.

 

            The Lakeshore Limited departed on time. I attempted to film the Amtrak yard. I had a bottle of orange juice in the diner.

 

            After awhile I decided to get some milk from the café car before bed. I had a long walk as I had to walk through the six Amfleet 2 coaches on the New York and Boston sections. I noticed the last coach on the New York section was empty! Presumably Amtrak would fill it later.

 

            I bought some milk and walked back nine coaches to my sleeper. Unlike last time I was in a Viewliner, I chose to sleep in the bottom bunk. I called it a night.

 

September 14, 2018:

 

            I got up around 6:00 am and got dressed. I went to the dining car for breakfast. Thanks to Richard Anderson’s cuts, there was only one item for breakfast. While it was included in the cost of my sleeper ticket it was mediocre. I felt the selection in the café car would have been better!

 

            I wasn’t sure where we were, but it soon became apparent that we were approaching Cleveland so we were two hours late. We then stopped at Cleveland. We departed Cleveland and were soon up to speed.

 

            Awhile later, we stopped at Erie. After departing Erie, I filmed the GE locomotive plant. At some point, I photographed a former South Shore Little Joe electric locomotive at a museum that I saw from the train.

 

 

            I went into the dining car which was full of people. I then made my way back to my sleeper.

 

            Soon, we were approaching Buffalo. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off. From my room, I photographed the train going around a curve and over a lift bridge.

 

 

            I then photographed four old freight cars; one of which was a caboose.

 

 

            I was told to go one sleeper forward and exit through there because it was running with the door at the front while my sleeper had the door towards the back. It wasn’t a problem for me.

 

            Train #48 arrived into Buffalo Depew two hours late. I got off and photographed the dining car and walked to the end of the platform and photographed the locomotive.

 

 

 

            I then filmed the Lakeshore Limited departing. I then took one last photo of the train.

 

 

            I made my way back to the station building. While making my way down the platform, I photographed a CSX freight train.

 

 

 

            I then boarded a NFTA bus to go to Niagara Central Hobby. When I got there, I saw that while the caboose was still there, the store looked to have closed! This was a major bummer. I photographed the caboose before I walked to the Walden Galleria Mall.

 

 

            On my way to the mall, I photographed a NFTA Nova LFS.

 

 

            I then got to the mall and had lunch in the food court. I looked around for a few minutes before I went to catch a bus back to the Amtrak station.

 

            I got off at Dick Road and walked the rest of the way to the Amtrak station though I could have stayed on the bus. I figured I could get there before the bus. I was right.

 

            I waited inside and outside the station. I went outside and filmed Amtrak train #64 arriving and photographed it.

 

 

            I then filmed Amtrak #64 departing and took one more photo of it.

 

 

            I then went back inside the station and logged on. I worked on this report for a little while.  I also checked with Julie to see the status of train #63.

 

            Around 3:00 pm, I went out to the platform. I photographed a freight train before I filmed Amtrak train #63 arriving 9 minutes late.

 

 

 

 

            I was seated in Amfleet 1 coach #82980. I noticed the coach and new grey leather seats. Amtrak is currently giving a minor refurbishing of the Amfleet 1 coach interiors. I had a window seat on the right hand side of the train. The train soon departed.

 

            The train stopped at Buffalo Exchange Street. After leaving Exchange Street, I was given a form to fill out for Canadian Customs. I filled it out.

 

            The train stopped at Niagara Falls, New York. I was allowed to step off briefly. I took some photos.

 

 

 

            I got back on the train. The train soon departed and crossed into Canada. We were made to get off the train and go through Customs. My inspection was quick. Once I was clear of Customs, I went and photographed the train.

 

 

            I then went back to the station. At one point I saw Niagara Falls Transit Nova LFS #1397. I had seen this bus at the Nova Bus factory back in 2013 but wasn’t allowed to photograph it in the factory. This was the first time I had seen #1397. I attempted to photograph it legally.

 

 

            I then went back into the station to wait to get back on the train. Boarding began around 5:30 pm. I was now seated in Amfleet 2 coach #25000. I had ridden that car at least twice; on the New York bound Maple Leaf on my Three Rivers trip and on #49 on my Arizona trip. I had a window seat on the right hand side of the train. VIA train #98 left on time.

 

            My ticket was soon taken. The bridge over the Welland Canal was down. The train stopped at St. Catherines.

 

            After leaving St. Catherines, I went to the café car for dinner. I then went back to my seat. The train stopped at Grimsby.

 

            The train passed through Hamilton and stopped at Aldershot. 10 minutes later, we stopped at Oakville.

 

            The train passed through Mississauga and by Long Branch. When we passed VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Center, I filmed the equipment in the yard including former CN/VIA sleeping car Edmundston which is owned by Rapido Trains.

 

            We were soon nearing Toronto. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off. As we arrived into Union Station, I filmed VIA train #79 as we arrived into Union Station on time. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

 

            I then went downstairs and phoned home. I then got on the subway and rode to Finch. I met my dad and headed home.

 

Conclusions:

 

            Aside from the bad hotel in Oakland and not being able to ride Milan Witt #1859, this trip was excellent. I’m pleased to have finally ridden PCC #1074; even though it was not an original Toronto PCC. I’m glad I also got to ride the last PCC built in North America as well.

 

            The new breakfast item on the Lakeshore makes me wonder if having a room is worth it. Years ago, Amtrak used to run Slumbercoaches which were sleeping cars without free meals. They were popular until Amtrak discontinued them in 1995. I just hope Richard Anderson is soon replaced and his successor restores things to how they were.

 

            As for me, my next trip is in October when I will ride the Adirondack for another impending casualty of Richard Anderson: Amtrak’s last dome car. This means yet ANOTHER trip to Montreal! Until next time…

 

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