After a final picture of the Summerville NRHS Steam Train taken from the car, Chris and I returned to Interstate 75 towards Knoxville. We stopped in Athens for petrol and food just as a thunderstorm started and the sky gave us a pretty good light show this early the evening. We called Julie, Amtrak's automated agent, who could not access Amtrak's computer system because it was down. A reservation agent only had the Crescent departing Birmingham, Alabama forty- five minutes late. We entered Interstate 40, but had a slow trip across the Great Smoky Mountains so were behind schedule. Catching the train in Charlotte was now impossible if it was on time and we had no way to know. We tried Amtrak again, asking them call to Charlotte to let them know I would try to make the train in Salisbury.
From Stateville, we drove US 70 straight into Salisbury and Chris Parker did an excellent job of driving , arriving at the parking lot at 2:48 AM for a 2:49 departure. After we said our goodbyes, we drove off into the night back to Charlotte. A group of passengers were waiting at the station and our excellent station keeper kept us well-informed. I gave him my name and room number in case the conductor called since I would not be boarding in Charlotte, and he did call just before the train arrived.
The Norfolk Southern ran a pair of trains through Salisbury as I waited and did Sudoku puzzles under a station light on a very warm night.
A peaceful night in Salisbury.
The Crescent 20 8/26/2007The Crescent arrived at 4:13 AM with P42DCs 46 and 72, baggage 1712, Viewliner sleepers 62061 "Prairie View" and 62000 "American View", diner 8522, lounge 28020 with coaches 25089, 25044 and 25062. I boarded the "Prairie View" and had Room 2 for the trip to Washington Union Station. I stowed my luggage and climbed into bed. During the night, the sink slammed down on my glasses and broke the frames. I slept until about 8:00 AM but awoke really tired then went to the dining car for breakfast of French Toast and sausage patties.
The interior of diner 8522. We departed Charlottesville at 8:32 AM {7:20 AM} and I returned to my room to work on my stories until I detrained at Washington Union Station, where the Crescent arrived just under an hour late. Phase 1 of my trip home was complete.
Washington Union Station 8/26/2007A Red Cap saw my luggage and gave me a ride to Club Acela, where I was checked in with my Red Cap request to help me out to the Capitol Limited later this afternoon. I looked for a store to get a new frame for my glasses and found one, but they did not open until noon so returned to the store then and purchased my new frames and received $65 dollars for being the first customer of the day. I called my mother then continued to write the NRHS Summerville steam trip from yesterday and completed that just before I was taken out by the Red Cap to the Capitol Limited.
Our sister Train 30, the Capitol Limited arrived to end its run.
Washington Union Station K Tower, built in 1907.
Train 91, the Silver Star, arrived from New York on its way to Miami.
Acela Expresses wait for their departure time from here to points north.
Capitol Limited 29 8/26/2007
The Capitol Limited had a consist of P42DCs 158 and 165, baggage 1203, transition 39037, sleepers 32042 and 32001, diner 38003, lounge 38003 and coaches 31028, 34165 and 34117. I had Room 6 in the 32001, with Brian Perry as my Sleeping Car Attendant.
We departed Washington Union Station on time and made our way to our first stop of Rockville, Maryland. I was given a 5:00 PM dinner reservation and just after that time, I was seated with Donna and Taylor from Valencia, California and Bill, on his way home to Milwaukee. I had the pork chop and chocolate temptation cake and during dinner, we stopped at Harpers Ferry.
The historic Baltimore and Ohio Martinsburg roundhouse and shops, built in 1866. I had a much-needed shower before setting my room for the evening then calling it a good night before Cumberland, as it had been a very long day.
8/27/2007 I awoke at 7:35 AM and went to the dning car for a breakfast of French Toast and sausage links. The train arrived at Elkhart, Indiana on time then after breakfastm I started on the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway story before our early arrival at Chicago. Phase 2 of my trip home was complete.
Chicago Union Station 8/27/2007I walked the most direct path to the Metropolitan Lounge and after checking in, chose a table by an electrical plug and finished the Incline story then worked on the Ruby Falls one before going to get a pair of Char Dogs at Gold Coast. After my lunch, I did the preparatory work for that story before packing and waiting for the Red Cap to get me out to the Southwest Chief.
Southwest Chief 8/27/2007This train consisted of P42DCs 147 and 124, baggage 1855, transition 39045, coaches 34017, 31044 and 34033, lounge 33049, diner 38058 along with sleepers 32081 "Illinois" and 32031. I boarded 32031 and had Room 4, with Tom as my Sleeping Car Attendant. We departed on time as I caught up on this story from last night to now then wrote most of the Southeastern Railway Museum story before an early dinner, where I enjoyed pork shanks and a chocolate bundt cake. As we neared the Mississippi River, it was time to take some pictures.
The mighty Mississippi River.
The view from the rear of the train.
Coming out onto the Mississippi River swing bridge.
Out above the water!
The front of the train was in Iowa.
A look back at the Mississippi River bridge.
We arrived at Fort Madison for a fresh air stop.
An eastbound BNSF freight departed.
A Canadian National locomotive laying over in Fort Madison. I finished up some small tasks before arriving at La Plata where I waved at Tom Marshall, owner of the Depot Inn and Suites, along with Cathy Stanfill and her mother from our Train Travel Meetup Group, who were staying there. I then made up my room and called it a night.
8/28/2007 I awoke in western Kansas and went to the dining car for my usual French Toast and sausage patties then started to work on the Stone Mountain Railroad story and took fresh air at La Junta.
The gravesite of the Outlaw Cruz Torres along the old Santa Fe Trail just below the Raton Tunnel on the north side of the pass. I took another fresh air stop at Raton just before finishing the story then had lunch at 11:30 AM of an Angus beef burger before working on the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History story, which I finished after we crossed the Pecos River. Next I would tackle the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum story and did the first half before dinner. We arrived in Albuquerque early so a Coldstone Creamery run was made on a dry 90 degree afternoon here in New Mexico.
Coach 31010 was added to the rear of the train and we departed at 5:12 PM {4:50 PM} as I relaxed until dinner at 5:45 PM, when I had the seared salmon then completed the TVRM story after a sudden stop and the train was then inspected when a car was found on the tracks. After an hour, we were on the move west again as the sun had set and a tired Chris called it a night after a shower.
8/29/2007 I awoke after Victorville with the train now over two hours late but I did not care. I had the usual breakfast crossing Cajon Pass and we took the north track through the tunnels and Sullivan's Curve then proceeded down to San Bernardino and on to Riverside. After the final sprint to Fullerton, I detrained at 8:55 AM and hauled my bags to the elevator then went up and over the three-track BNSF mainline. Down the south elevator, I found there was no longer a pay phone on that side, which I thought rather stupid as if someone had a heart attack, you could not call for help in a timely manner. I borrowed a mobile phone to call home to get picked up in Santa Ana when I arrived.
Pacific Surfliner 566 arrived at Fullerton a few minutes late at 9:03 AM and I detrained at Santa Ana on time to the heat, but a lot less humidity, as I waited for my mother to pick me up and take me home. It was good to finally be home again, but it had been a fantastic trip with so many new adventures!
