4 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Use this thread for reports on your travels to Chicago or wherever else you join the Fest group along the way.

[KevinKorell]

My travels west started Thursday 7/13 as I had planned a stop in Cincinnati on the way. It would entail taking the Capitol Limited west to Toledo, a Greyhound operated Thruway motorcoach to Cincinnati, and then in the wee hours of Saturday, the Cardinal from Cincinnati to Chicago.

Started out well enough. Bill met me in Cherry Hill and took a spin to Philadelphia with me. My Regional to Washington got me there in plenty of time for the Capitol Limited. The trip on 29 was a good trip with great attendant. It was an hour late into Toledo mostly due to heat related slow running. The bus was, well, a bus. Still, it got me to Cincinnati and I got to ride the new streetcar.

The big issue however is that something happened to 51 last night in West Virginia. After losing several hours, the crew outlawed in Charleston losing the train another 2 hours.

As I write this at 7:40 AM, I'm still in Cincinnati along with about 20 other passengers, some sleeping on the hard floor. Amtrak keeps sending revised estimates that get worse and worse.

I don't know if I will make Kansas City or not, but I will be open to alternate ground transportation to cut corners . For now the ETA for 51 is 1/2 hour after the scheduled departure of #3, so I don't know if it can be held that long in Chicago.

[KevinKorell]

51 left Cincinnati at 8:45 AM.   I was told that the reason for the initial delay was a dead engine.  CSX engine is at the helm of the train.  Subsequent delays were to await a CSX pilot and then the crew running out of time.

 

I spoke to the conductor who I realize won't be the conductor north of Indianapolis. He seemed sure of a 3 PM arrival, which would give a chance of a slight hold for #3. However watching projected arrival times into Chicago and getting periodic alerts they just keep getting worse.

 

I explored a few options including a bus to St. Louis or Kansas City.   However it gets to St. Louis an hour after the second and last Missouri River Runner. Going all the way to Kansas City from Indianapolis would take approximately 11 hours, not figuring in traffic delays. My body can't take that, not after the 5+ hour trip yesterday.  That also assumes this train gets to Indianapolis before 12:40. which at freight engine speed seems unlikely.   There is a Thruway bus between Indianapolis and Galesburg, but that too would be a close call at Indianapolis and an even closer call at Galesburg, like 5 minutes not factoring in traffic.

 

I was sitting in the Cincinnati station for 5 hours and welcome the roomette right now.  I will keep it to Chicago and whatever happens happens.

[KevinKorell]

The conductor who had promised me a 3 PM arrival was only off by 58 minutes.  #51 finally limped into Chicago at 3:58 PM, almost an hour after the Fest group departed on #3 for Kansas City. I'll miss the KC portion of the journey, but my alternate plan in connecting with everyone has me on my way right now to Springfield, IL on Lincoln Service #305, staying there tonight, and then tomorrow morning I take #301 to St. Louis where I will be presumably 9 hours before the group arrives on Missouri River Runner #316.   5 hours scheduled dwell wasn't enough, let's try 9.  I entertained notions of going out to Jefferson City on #313 to join the group on #316, but another bum engine could really ruin yet another day for me (that one is only 41 minutes).  

[saxman]

I flew Southwest Airlines non-stop from New Orleans straight to Kansas City. I beat everyone in the group and just relaxed at my hotel for the afternoon and evening. I wondered around a little bit.