SUMMER 2002 AMTRAK TRAVELOGUE

SUMMER 2002 AMTRAK TRAVELOGUE

PART V OF V

THE HIAWATHA AND RETURN HOME

by Carol Larsen

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2002

Having already missed the 5:08 PM Hiawatha by about forty-five minutes, there was no reason to rush through the terminal. Although I was transferring to an unreserved train, I was still entitled to use the Metropolitan Lounge as a First Class passenger from the Southwest Chief. By the time I worked my way through the crowds, it was almost 6:10 when I checked in. The attendant at the counter took my word for the fact that I had been a First Class passenger and didn't check my tickets. This time I took the luggage stickers, marked with 341 for the Hiawatha train number, so I could store my luggage in the baggage room there instead of in the locked room down the hall as I had done at the beginning of my trip. The attendant said if I left the lounge, I should return to claim them by 7:45, but I planned to remain there. The let-down of the impending end to my travels and the long hours of the day left me uninterested in exploring the station, even for food.

The lounge was far from full at this hour, so I found a seat where I could observe activity at the counter and soon saw other passengers from the Southwest Chief checking in. I don't know how I arrived there before them unless they weren't as familiar with the location in the station as I am.

If the Southwest Chief had been on time but I hadn't reached the 5:08 Hiawatha, I would have had almost a three hour wait for the 8:05 train. As it was, I now had less than a two-hour wait. Despite the big lunch in the dining car, I was beginning to feel a bit hungry. I opened the "goody bag" I was given upon leaving the Fray Marcos and found a large blueberry muffin and a sweet roll. These were just the snack I needed to top off my stomach.

As the time for Hiawatha boarding approached, Stan came into the lounge. He was surprised to see me there, but then remembered I was still considered a First Class passenger. There were fewer vacant seats then as departures were approaching for eastbound trains, one of those he would be taking on his way to Montreal. I offered him my seat since I was about to claim my luggage and leave, but he declined and found a seat elsewhere in the lounge.

It was now a struggle to remove my luggage from the baggage room. I had placed it near the end of the almost empty room when I arrived, so there were now other suitcases placed ahead of it. The attendant helped me clear a path and I wheeled it out. Although I didn't hurry, there were still a few minutes to wait before the 7:45 boarding call when I reached the Hiawatha gate in the north concourse. I wanted to be among the first on the train so I could find a space

at the end of the car for my suitcase. Horizon cars don't have luggage racks, leaving only limited space for suitcases behind the end seats in each car.

When the 7:45 boarding call came, other passengers had gathered near the Hiawatha gate. An advantage to having missed the 5:08 train, generally loaded with commuters, is that the 8:05 train wouldn't be as crowded. Most of the group heading down the platform didn't have luggage, but my wheeled luggage kept up with the fastest of them.

The conductor instructed me to board the train and he would hand my suitcase up to me. Moving the suitcase into the car, I found a large empty area behind the first seats. If this space isn't provided for luggage, it may be intended for wheelchair passengers.

I settled into the closest empty seat, retrieving my radio from my carry-on to monitor rail frequencies for the last time this trip. Looking around at my fellow passengers, I noticed a woman across the aisle who had set up her notebook computer on the pull-down tray and plugged the power cord into an outlet in the wall. Thinking about how some Amtrak cars had power outlets at the end seats, I found an outlet at my seat, too. I suspect that this Horizon

car was wired with power outlets at each seat, especially since the Hiawatha is used largely by business commuters. I would like to bring my laptop on Amtrak trips, but am already so loaded down with radio and camera equipment that it isn't a viable option.

At the 8:05 departure, I discovered that the sun was either setting early or else the day had turned gloomy. The dusky evening did nothing to make me feel more wide awake at that hour after a long day. As soon as the conductor tore my ticket, I closed my eyes to listen quietly for any communications on my radio. I was so relaxed that I didn't bother to notice the name of either conductor. I was really getting lazy on collecting details!

Opening my eyes briefly at the intervening stops, I may have even dozed slightly. The trip and HBD's went by quickly and I soon discovered we were coming into Milwaukee. As the train pulled into the station right on the dot of 9:34 PM as scheduled, I was pleased to see that we were on the track adjacent to the terminal. That would save me from having to wheel my luggage up and down ramps again. Over half the other passengers preceded me in leaving the car, due to my having to retrieve my suitcase. In the vestibule, the conductor reached up and lifted my suitcase to the platform and I wheeled on into the station.

Gary and Karen were waiting for me near the gate. It felt good to have people from home meeting me, now that my adventures were only a memory and notes for this travelogue. Soon we were on the road, with me regaling them on some of the events of the past ten days.

It was after midnight by the time I was back in my house, where I put my luggage aside to deal with in the morning. As I turned out the light beside my own bed that night, I thought about when my next Amtrak trip might be and when I would again be sleeping in a Superliner sleeper.

CONSIST:

P42's in push/pull mode

Horizon cars

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