19 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

This thread is for last minute announcements and admonitions related to the upcoming summer RailFest.

First, I just e-mailed to all participants on the list:

• An updated Trains Chart
• The confidential Contact List
• A third message entitled Restaurants, from which Steve will send further information.

If you did not get all three of these late Sunday night/early Monday morning please let me know.

Next: Where to meet each day?

Monday 7/16: A number of us are taking the Lake Shore Limited together from New York, so obviously we meet in the Club Acela.
Tuesday 7/17: Fest officially begins with the departure of the Southwest Chief from Chicago. Meet in Metropolitan Lounge. Assuming we all arrive in town close to schedule, some may decide earlier to have lunch together.
Thursday 7/19: Our RailRunner day. Meet at Alvarado Transportation Center. We'll pick a spot when we arrive Wednesday. The majority of us are coming from the same direction walking from our hotels.
Friday 7/20: Meet at Alvarado Transportation Center (same place as previous day) in advance of our Southwest Chief departure. The train could arrive much earlier than scheduled, so there's a chance we might be able to board early too --- and get to the diner for lunch!!
Sunday 7/22: Day starts with CTA trips. Since we begin at 10:15 AM, I would suggest meeting at Union Station about 9:30 AM, then we can walk together to the Clinton/Congress at a proper time that will allow for a comfortable walk and to allow those who have not yet purchased their fare media to do so. Steve can clarify a good place to meet, but I expect it might be in the rotunda part of the station.
Monday 7/23: We have just one Metra trip, but I expect we will want to have lunch before that. Perhaps we meet in Union Station, same place we decide on for Sunday, at 11 AM so we can have time to eat & get back before the 12:35 PM departure. Those who want to can then just meet us at the gate for the Metra trip on the south side of the station.

Those heading back to eastern cities are doing so on a diverse number of trains and dates. So if anyone is travelling together it's up to you where you meet.

Let me say that we must stick to our itinerary as close as possible. I will not bow to pressure as I did in Atlanta and Memphis last year to start out early and from locations other than planned, because it ultimately resulted in one person being left behind in each city. Even if everybody has assembled and we could possibly catch an earlier train, we will still remain on schedule. We do get walk-ons sometimes, people who know about our Fest but don't expose their plans to join us until they show up. If anyone does know that somebody not on the list is planning to come, I'd like to know before the Fest begins, not at the last minute.

Keep in mind that Metra trains may not have restrooms, and those that do it may not be too pleasant. Consider allowing time to take care of this business while in stations that have restrooms, or in Chicago (and Canada) speak, wash rooms. If you do need to leave the group, please let me know, but understand that our ability to wait may be difficult due to our schedule.

Remember to dress appropriately for summer. We've encountered triple digit temperatures before in Texas and California, and they are entirely possible in both cities, especially Albuquerque but also Chicago as they found out this week. Keep yourself hydrated, but also be mindful of the result addressed in the above paragraph.

Whenver we have time available, particularly at an endpoint station between runs, let's take some group photos. Hopefully somebody will emerge this year to be a leader in taking the photos, remembering to have us pose for pictures, and sending those photos back to me so it can accompany the report. Often people wander off at these stations to explore, which means we don't get a picture of everybody who was on that trip. And when we do take photos, they should be done by one photographer at a time, so that as many people can get in the shot as possible.

We're out there to have fun, and also get an education as to how various rail systems run. Then there's our now iconic trips together on Amtrak, where we live in close confines for an extended period. We have a little bit of everything on this trip, from commuter rail to Amtrak to rapid transit to heritage streetcars. Hopefully everything works out for the best and we make new memories we can look back on in the years to come.

[steve4031]

I think the great hall with the wooden benches would be a good meeting place on Sunday. Sometimes this area is closed for an event. in that case we could meet in the area next to the metra ticket office. In riding metra with mike Hammond I've discovered that there is usually a bathroom available. Usually the sink does not have running water. While not great, it will do in an emergency. Metra conductors like to close some of the cars off so all passengers are in just a couple of cars.

[KevinKorell]

Remember that my own plan on Sunday after Kenosha is to return to my hotel in Evanston. Wow, would you look at that? Our train makes a stop there! So you won't see me make it all the way to Chicago OTC on that train; I'm off at Davis Street in Evanston. I think one other person is also staying in Evanston but at a different hotel, so he may be taking a different stop than Davis Street. What I lose I regain by using the same weekend pass on Saturday night and Sunday morning to & from Evanston, taking Metra as a much faster alternative to the Purple Line and then Red Line. The personal itinerary I mentioned elsewhere will get a few of these Chicago-Evanston and Evanston-Chicago trips. Based on schedules I will see what works best.


Update: I've added my Metra trips to & from Evanston on the weekend. And on Monday morning I'll jump on the Purple Line Express train right to Millemnnium Station to explore that area.

[steve4031]

The "untouchable steps" would be a great place for a group photo.

[KevinKorell]

The "untouchable steps" would be a great place for a group photo.

But if anyone touches them it really kills the name.

[KevinKorell]

As of Wednesday evening before the Fest, we have the following expected counts: Aboard #3: 8 Albuquerque: 9 Aboard #4: 8 (1 person different than on #3) Chicago: 13 Total throughout Fest: 15 We therefore have a large percentage making this a Chicago-only trip. But on our two long distance trips we have a nice even 8 people to take up 2 tables at mealtimes.

[steve4031]

But if anyone touches them it really kills the name.

Lol.

(Editing out Steve's nested repeated thread...... perseving his thought.)... KK

[AlanB]

But on our two long distance trips we have a nice even 8 people to take up 2 tables at mealtimes.

Not only is it nice in that there is no "odd man out", but 8 is a nice number when requesting that we all eat together at the same time from the LSA.

[amtrakwolverine]

Also for another group photo what about the Kenosha METRA station after we arrive before heading to the pizza place. Then another Photo monday at a place TBD.

Edited by amtrakwolverine, 11 July 2012 - 11:19 PM.

[KevinKorell]

Also for another group photo what about the Kenosha METRA station after we arrive before heading to the pizza place. Then another Photo monday at a place TBD.

Usually that will be at a station endpoint when we are not in a hurry. Should we all return from dinner and all be waiting at the station for departure, then yes this would be a good spot.