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| After checking out the Amtrak Train Days and historic train displays, and having some good conversations with people I know who work for Amtrak as well as the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP), I headed back to the station and had a nice conversation with the conductor there who is a friend of mine who whom I've rode with more times than I can count over the years, as well as with another friend who also works for Amtrak who was also there. At 7:46pm, Amtrak Empire Service Train #283 arrived at the State Fair platform. I would board Amfleet I Coach #82522 and take seat #17 Window. We departed the Fair at 7:49pm, running 58 minutes late. The consist for tonight's train is shown below: |
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| Tonight's train had the normal consist for an Empire Service train with all-Amfleet I equipment and a cafe car that had tables on one end and 2-and-1 leather seating for Business Class on the other end with a snack bar in the middle. A couple passengers in front of me ordered a mixed drink that I thought was rather interesting, it contained Sierra Mist, Vodka and was topped off with a splash of Orange Juice. I don't know why, but one day I'm gonna order that myself! I did notice the wines they serve on the train were Kendall-Jackson and Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, which were two wineries I rode past on the Napa Valley Wine Train last November! I would just have my Diet Pepsi and a box of Entenmann's Chocolate Chip Cookies (no I didn't eat any burger with a bun made out of a doughnut or deep-fried Twinkies at the State Fair, I wasn't that adventurous). I would chat with a few passengers in my coach before heading into another coach to chat with a conductor who was deadheading back to Buffalo who was also a friend of mine. I would hang out in that coach for the rest of the ride back to Buffalo. We arrived at the next stop of Rochester, NY at 9:01pm and departed at 9:05pm, running 1 hour and 7 minutes late. The rest of the ride back was uneventful as the train's lateness was incurred due mostly to freight traffic over back between Albany and Syracuse. At 9:59pm, running 57 minutes late, Train #283 arrived at Buffalo-Depew Station. Once I got off the train, I would chat a bit with the ticket agents there and a few other people I knew who were at the station. Overall, this was an excellent day and trip. On both trains, the crews were excellent and the rides were uneventful which is always a good thing. Until next time, when I take a huge cross-country journey, Happy Railfanning... |
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