I belong to the Amtrak Discussion Form, but enjoy Flyertalk and especially trip reports. The following was posted over several days on the Amtrak Discussion site and I thought some here might be interested, too.

Some things may not make sense as they were directed to those on the Amtrak Forum. Questions, comments, let me know.

My May/June Train Rides in Chicago and on the CONO

Part One of Several

Those of you who know me know I don't live anywhere near an Amtrak route. It is close to 100 miles for me to get to one and that's The Cardinal with really bad departure times where I would board and only three days a week. So, at least once a year I try to get to Chicago where I can ride a variety of trains at reasonable prices and visit some friends along the way.

[font="Times New Roman"]This year's trip included a visit to Woodstock, IL to see Forum Member, Everydaymatters, who is also on the Gathering Committee with me. I hadn't seen her in a while as I missed the Chicago Gathering and she wasn't able to make it to Los Angeles.
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I was able to purchase some very inexpensive airline tickets from IND to ORD. I know, why not take The Cardinal or Hoosier State. Well, it's the hour it leaves IND that makes it difficult for me logistically. And even worse coming back to IND. My wife and I were in IND for grandkid babysitting duty so it was convenient to fly from that airport. Plus Indianapolis has a brand new Terminal and I was able to see what it looked like. Very nice indeed. Looks like they built many more gates than they need, now, so they are ready for future expansion.

I flew into ORD on Friday afternoon, 5/29/09 and shuttled to my hotel, The Hilton Garden Inn, which AlanB had recommended. I usually have been a Marriott person, but Hilton gives me AGR points so I gave it a try. It is a nice place, the food was good (a bit expensive) but the hotel service is top notch. Had a great weekend rate, too.

I needed to take the Harvard Metra Line out to Woodstock the next AM to meet Betty for lunch and a tour of Woodstock, the town where they filmed Groundhog Day. Rather than go all the way downtown to catch the train at Olgavie Transportation Center I was able to take a short taxi ride up River Rd to the Des Plaines Metra station and catch the train there. I had about a 20 minute wait and was able to see an inbound train come by, plus a UP pickup truck come outbound up the rails. He stopped at the traffic intersection, got out, raised the rail wheels and drove off into traffic. Nice way to get to work, I guess.




My train came along and I enjoyed the first of my train rides for the week, the hour trip out to Woodstock.

Woodstock is the next to the last stop on the Harvard Line which is the longest Metra ride you can take from Downtown. Almost 2.5 hours one way. So, if you are in Chicago and have a lot of time to kill, here is something to consider. Near Woodstock is The Illinois Railway Museum at Union, one of the finest in the country.

Also, on the weekend you can purchase a $5.00 Metra ticket that is good on all Metra lines all day Saturday and Sunday. Best bargain in Chicago.

Betty was waiting for me as we arrived right on time and we walked the two blocks from the station into town and had lunch at a nice Italian restaurant. We then had time to walk around the square and see the town. It was a very busy place for a Saturday. Even a wedding in the Gazebo in the middle of the town square park.



It was time for my southbound trip and I was going all the way into downtown, so I had a long ride. I was able to find a seat in the first car, the cab car, and had access to the front window most of the way. I took some video along the way and the links are listed at the end of the report.

Especially interesting is the one where the train approaches the station. Lots of track work and switching which I always have enjoyed seeing, even as a kid in the 40's and 50's.

We pulled into Olgavie on time and I walked out the station doors, crossed the street and entered Union Station on the walkways on the North side that follow the tracks and then into the ticketing area. Always a treat to see the trains waiting at the gates for their trips out of town to so many places.

I had walked these same platforms as a kid for the first time in the 1940's, and I always remember the big steam engines with all the steam coming out of so many places on the sides of the engines. They were massive to a young boy like me in those days. Couldn't have steam in there today as there is no place for the exhaust to go.

For a Saturday afternoon, the station was very busy. I went to the Metropolitan Lounge to ask what time it would open in the morning. I wanted to be there early to drop off my luggage before I boarded the CONO on Sunday evening.

Interestingly enough I was able to ask three different Amtrak employees and received three different answers.

7:30 – 8:00 – 8:15

However I didn't make it there on Sunday until 10:30 and it was obviously open, so I never did find out for sure what the correct opening time normally is.

I then picked up my tickets from the Quik-Trak machine and was ready for my ride on the CONO the next evening. More about that in Part Two of the report as soon as I can get it written.

My plan was to take the Blue Line back out toward the airport where the hotel is. I walked into the Great Hall to exit on Clinton Street to walk down to the subway station. As I entered the Great Hall, on the south side, they were having a wedding picture session. Looked like a nice place with the columns in the background, etc.

As you walk out onto Clinton you immediately pass the Amtrak Parking Garage. Makes it very easy to access the station if you need that accommodation.

Here is where a great day went south.

I boarded The Blue Line at the Clinton Station and immediately they announced on the train there was a bus bridge between Lake and Western. We would have to leave the train at Lake, go upstairs and board buses which would stop at every Subway and El stop until we reached Western. Packed in like sardines and the AC wasn't working well, either. At least I had a seat. But it added almost 1.25 hours to the trip out to ORD.

Now, they would be doing this on Sunday, too, and I could see myself with a suitcase, laptop case, and camera case doing all those stairs and on and off the bus trying to get back to CUS. What to do became the question. What I did will be explained in Part Two of the report which follows soon.