In answer to some comments:
About toilet facilities on the Southwest Chief: there are sleeper bedrooms that do have en suite toilets; the roomettes do not.. If you have to go in the middle of the night, then you leave your little nest to visit one of the community toilets in your sleeper car. (You learn to hold it or perhaps concoct your own chamber pot scenario)
No, I didn’t research what might be best side of train for scenery. I know when you reserve on line, there is no opportunity to choose a particular roomette. Perhaps you can if you call customer (dis)service.
We did not cross the mighty Mississippi at La Crosse, WI. Wisconsin is not on the itinerary. We crossed from Fort Madison, Iowa to a pretty uninhabited part of Illinois (near Nauvoo)
Breakfast Sunday morning on the train was OK. I sat with a couple from Wisconsin. She promptly spilled a full cup of scalding coffee all over the table, but mostly on her husband. Amazingly, she missed me totally.
After arriving at Union Station just a few minutes late, I went to Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge that is reserved for first class and sleeper passengers. There I was able to check my bags, keeping just my nifty new Tom Bihn Ristretto messenger bag with my Surface Pro 3 and my camera safely tucked inside.
With six hours to kill between trains in Chicago, I had planned a little adventure for myself. I decided to go up the Willis Tower (born the Sears Tower) and visit the Sky Deck and the little glass (top to bottom) cubicle located 104 stories up. I booked in advance and splurged on a Fast Pass admission ticket (which puts you right to the front of the elevator line). The Willis Tower is just two blocks from Union Station.
The Fast Pass purchase proved wise – the wait to go up was 90 minutes without it. It costs $20 for normal admission. The Fast Pass was $45. Well worth the extra to me. I entered the Sky Deck lobby and within two minutes was on the elevator going up to floor 104. At the top they will graciously take your picture in the little glass cube and then, of course, charge you a minimum of $15 for a single print and digital image. I bought several. Again, worth it. I took a few pics of my own, and, fully satisfied with my little adventure, I headed down again to search out sustenance.
Picture Update: Well, to get the digital images of the pictures they took, I am following their arcane (i.e., stupid) procedure. The process is underway, and they will email me the links to the files within 72 hours. so, maybe you will get to see them next time.
Having skipped lunch on the train, I was hungry. Union Station has a food court with a wide range of fast food choices, but it was crowded and hectic. So I walked around the neighborhood searching for a place with food and wi-fi. Not so easy – everything seemed to be closed on Sunday. But I found Beggar’s Pizzeria & Bar that was open and had wi-fi. I hate Chicago deep dish pizza, so I ordered a small thin crust with pepperoni and a pint of Green Line pale ale. The pizza was going to take a half hour – no worries as I used the time to paste the previous blog entry that I had written on the train. The ale was delicious, and I ordered a second. And the pizza hit the spot.
Then it was back to Metropolitan Lounge to await the departure of the Lake Shore Limited at 9:30 pm. Incidentally, the Amtrak sleepers in the eastern US are single level – the taller cars of the West cannot fit through some eastern tunnels. And the roomettes DO have toilets, rather disgustingly located right next to one of the two seats in the room. Not a good design choice!
I boarded the Lake Shore Limited at 9:00 pm and met Eugene, my new sleeping car attendant. I had him convert my room for bed and promptly went to sleep shortly after departing Chicago at 9:30. Just 50 miles down the track, we entered the Eastern time zone. I slept well but was awake at 5:00 just as the train pulled into Cleveland. So I got up and was the first one in the shower down the hall.
At 6:30 I had breakfast in what was quickly a full dining car. I sat with a guy who as best I could tell has lived everywhere, been everywhere, and done everything. The other guy at my table was from Pasadena heading to Boston for two weeks with old college friends. Mostly we listened to Mr. Expert. The rest of the train ride to Albany passed quickly under clear blue skies. I skipped lunch on the train – just was not hungry – go figure.
In Albany I disembarked and quickly picked up my Enterprise rental car right in the station. I drove about an hour and found a Marriott Fairfield Inn for the night. Dinner was next door at Wendy’s. At dawn I will be on the road north to Alton, NH to visit my sister Sue and her husband Jeff. I will spend Tuesday night with them, and then early Wednesday morning I will be on the road to Saratoga, arriving well in time for the 1:00 PM post time.
Next likely post here will be on Thursday morning and will have pictures from my mini family reunion in Alton (and maybe the much anticipated “Joe over Chicago” pictures).
What a hoot, love the toilet pic! That’s some pretty early dining on the rails, omg even for us early risers. I would miss coffee in my room.
Great info in them there photos for those of us never in a roomette on a sleeping car. Architect from MIT must have designed that little commode mit sink. After that practice you are now ready for a prison stay.
I suspect Mr. Expert turned off your appetite.
Enjoy NH stay.
Joe, I admire your sense of adventure and energy. F