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The final part of our Capitol Ltd./ Zephyr trip included a two-day stay in Chicago, I decided not to tempt that connection, and that turned out to be a good idea! We got to our hotel at about 7:30 pm, time for dinner at one of the outdoor restaurants off Michigan Ave.
I planned the next day to be spent at the Field Museum of Science and Industry, neither my son or I had ever done that Museum. According to our tickets and the brochure, the word "Field" is gone from its name.
Not being familiar with the Chicago commuter rail system, I searched online before our trip and found that we needed to board at the newly renovated Randolph Street Station and take the Metra Electric Line to 57th Street for $ 2.15 one way.
The entrance to Randolph Street Station wasn't apprarent to an out-of-towner, but once we figured it out, Wow! What a beautiful station. Our train departed after only waiting about 10 minutes, and we were at 57th Street in a short time. I was surprised at the conductor and ticket-punching, seemed a little old fashioned.
The Museum is a short walk from that Station and we spent the entire day there exploring each and every exhibit. I particularly enjoyed the coal mine exhibit and the WW II submarine, moved to its inside display in 2004 I believe. We had just enough time to see the Pioneer Zephyr before the Museum closed at 5:30.
There was a large crowd outside waiting for the bus back to the downtown, we seemed to be the only people strolling back to the Metra. Both trips we were going "against the commuter crowd" so the trains were nearly empty.
Returning to Randolph Street Station, we evidentally exited out of the opposite end and walked the underground streets of Chicago, stepping over the homeless and around dumpsters to emerge on the Chicago River at Michigan Ave.
The next day was Shedd Aquarium day, so we first took our luggage to the Union Station Metropolitan Lounge for storage so we would be ready for the 5:35 departure on the Capitol Ltd. The Lounge had just opened about 8:30 am, and the staff was still discussing the scheduling mess with the flooding in the east (It is June 30) and the re-scheduling of passengers.
We strolled around the downtown and through Grant Park where the Taste-of-Chicago would begin later in the day. The Shedd Aquarium was also enjoyed by both of us, and occupied 5 hours of our time. We took the Harbor Taxi to the Navy Pier and the River Taxi back to Union Station.
About 4:45 we entered the Lounge, and asked if we could re-claim our bags, and the Attendant said, "Sure, avoid the rush in a few minutes!" Wow that is a change with the Lounge renovation. They started a little early preparing passengers for the Capitol Ltd., they said it was completely sold out accommodating Lake Shore passengers. We were boarded out the "back door" of the lounge, then to the south and across the tracks to the Capitol Ltd. We had an unrefurbished sleeper, and the announcement was made on the train that all luggage had to be stored, every seat would be in use. The Lounge was being used to seat people until South Bend.
Our Sleeping Car Attendant took dinner reservations in our car, and disappeared to do the other sleeper. We departed on time, and entered a stop-and-start routine that took us down by 2 hours after South Bend. We had 6:30 dinner reservations and were seated with a gentleman from Australia and a man living in Virginia who refuses to fly. Both had the country-fried steak and said it was wonderful (Hmm, well...) It was a nice meal and our companions were very chatty. The Australian had been in the U.S. for about 3 weeks on and off trains, and wondered why us Americans seem so concerned about lower taxes while our "infrastructure is which a wreck" and we are paying for a war.
We asked him further, and he was observing closed factories, deteriorating cities, and the rail system. He seemed particularly shocked by our recent passing through Gary, Indiana and seeing the rusty factories against the casinoes. That was too much to explain over dinner, but we tried.
By Waterloo, Ind., we were still down by 2 hours, and shortly after departing a trackside detector reported "one defect" which meant we had to stop and check the train. A drooping cable was found and fixed and as we started to move the Engineer mentioned that he was going to "go dead" unless we were at Toledo before 11:43 pm. My watch said 11:05, and what appeared to be a dispatcher in Toledo said he would "clear and line" and we could do it.
Of course, that is a straight stretch of track and we appeared to be at the 79 MPH according to one more detector I caught on my scanner. We pulled to a stop at Toledo Passenger Terminal and the radio crackled, "90 seconds to spare."
We made up some time, and arrived at 5:45 am in Pittsburgh, where some departed to switch to the Pennsylvanian that departs at 7:20 am, the other way to New York without the Lake Shore.
The Pittsburgh Station is a real jam with this passenger transfer, and the lack of parking with the loss of the surface lot, and the loss of the Greyhound Parking Garage across the street -- now an empty lot to be rebuilt anew.
I was sad, as I am at the end of any train trip, but knowing that these Father-Son trips may be ending as Shawn prepares for college in another year. Life as a teenager has a more complex schedule than adults!
Posts: 76 | From: Steubenville, OH | Registered: Oct 2004
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Mr. Hall unless things have changed drasticly the reason the Field name was taken out of your ticket is because you were at the Museum of Science and Industry not the Field Museum which is a totally different museum. Both are wonderful museums and it sound like you had a wonderful trip. You managed a lot in 2 days. I was interested in the Australian's comments. That is one of the "perks" of train travel. You get to meet and talk to so many different types of people.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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90 seconds to spare before the engineer "went dead" - that's impressive! CSX? IIRC the "law" allows tying down the train beyond the hours of law - or, in this case, a swap to the next engineer?
Nice report - I do like to read the technical aspects (as above) particularly.
Geoff M.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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quote:Originally posted by train lady: Mr. Hall unless things have changed drasticly the reason the Field name was taken out of your ticket is because you were at the Museum of Science and Industry not the Field Museum which is a totally different museum. Both are wonderful museums and it sound like you had a wonderful trip. You managed a lot in 2 days. I was interested in the Australian's comments. That is one of the "perks" of train travel. You get to meet and talk to so many different types of people.
Thanks for the clarification Train Lady. I was beginning to wonder why I wasn't reading about dinosaurs and mummies......which are highlights of the other museum. My wife and I spent a cold January day there once while waiting to leave town for Louisville, KY on the short-lived 'Kentucky Cardinal'.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Great report, Mr. Hall. I took one of the CTA trains and then a bus to get to the museum. Metra would have been much easier. I'll file that away for next time. Did you have time to do the "ride" on the Zephyr? I was the only "passenger" when I did it!
Looking forward to my next LD ride.
Frank in still sunny SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Sorry for my error about the "Field" Museum. Last summer we visited the real "Field" Museum and I guess I thought they were both prefaced with "Field."
Are it becoming a Macy Museum now? (I know it is not!)
Our local Kaufmann's Store becomes Macy's September 1.
Yes, we got a fast tour of the Zephyr, beautiful restoration.
Posts: 76 | From: Steubenville, OH | Registered: Oct 2004
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