I will be embarking shortly on a cross-country trip. Here are the basics: Jan. 12 #449 WOR to ALB, #49 ALB to CHI Jan. 13 #3 CHI to LAX Jan. 15 #768 LAX to SAN Return trip: Jan. 27 #583 SAN to LAX, #4 LAX to CHI Jan. 29 #48 CHI to ALB Jan. 30 #448 ALB to WOR
If anyone on this forum plans to be on one of those trains, let me know and I will give you details regarding my roomette number, etc. It would be nice to get together for a chat.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
Guess I'll just have to be with you in spirit. . . Have fun!
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Winter, so far, has been horrendous in Worcester. Time to go visit grandchildren in San Diego! And what a wonderful way to get there!
Posted by ScottC4746 (Member # 3323) on :
Sounds like fun. While in LA Union Station be sure and walk all the way to the front of the station and before you go out the doors, look to your right and you will see the old ticket counters now no longer in use and the area roped off. I always stand at the ropes imagining the 40's and 50's ladies in their dresses, hats and gloves, and men in their suits and hats. Also when in the San Diego station stand in the middle of the room and face the Amtrak ticket counters. Turn right and you will face the travelers aid desk. Behind him either on the left or right side of his booth, I do not recall, is a doorway leading to the womans restroom. On the top frame of the doorway it says "womans waiting area" I wonder why this was? Could it be to separate single women traveling alone from the males who could prey on them? There is now an office in that room before you go to the ladies room.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Scott, there used to be women-and-children-only cars on many transcon trains way back then. That protected them from mustachioed Lotharios, footpads and cutpurses who haunted the vestibules and corridors, waiting for the Pullman porters and conductors to nod off before falling upon innocent damsels and plying their nefarious trades.
I DO get carried away sometimes. In those days a lot of women traveling alone just felt more comfortable in single-*** cars.
[The dirty word filter won't let in s e x .]
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
It appears Mr. Kisor, that "gender" is accepted by the filter.
Posted by Stephen W (Member # 6059) on :
I remember in the 60's and 70's when commuting back and forward to London that there were often Women Only carriages - usually at the back of the line. I never saw a Men Only one however.
In India there were still during this period Gentlemen and Ladies Retiring Rooms within stations, particularly in old colonial towns.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
GBN, just to encourage rampant thread-creep, I must respond that there is considerable difference between "s e x" and "gender":
A filter that won't let in "s e x" is s t u p i d and m i s g u i d e d.
Posted by cubzo (Member # 4700) on :
How does that old saw go? Words have gender people have s*x, or something like that.
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
You start a thread, you never know where it's going to go!
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Many stations had seperate Women's waiting rooms. Memphis Union Station had a relatively small one. In its brief reopening (for only two very lightly patronized trains) in about 1967, this room was the only waiting room in use. It had a couple of radiant electric heaters attached to the ceiling. By doing this, they did not have to use the Station's steam plant again. The rest of the building was not used at all.
For the train steam lines, there was a steam generator car, MUS 1, parked on one of the station track and hooked up to the train station steam line.
Beautiful station building, now long gone.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
When you travel on #448 and #449, will it be in Coach? I'm wondering if the through-sleeper has been added yet.
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
Smitty195
I'll be in coach. The Boston sleeper has not yet made its appearance.
Posted by RR4me (Member # 6052) on :
I hope to creep further without being a creep. It appears from Henry's definition link that single "gender" cars are quite appropriate terms for them - rather than separate based on biological differences, they were separate based on the supposed gender needs. But...no comment on whether or not the filter is stupid! And when push comes to shove, it's faster to type the s word than gender Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
We need Ira to sort this all out in a few lines of verse. Maybe he can rhyme "tender" (as in the locomotive appendage, just to keep this thread on track) with "gender" as well as "lender" and "provender" and so on. The sky's the limit.
Posted by ScottC4746 (Member # 3323) on :
Or type in Cockney rhyming slang
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Our station here in Santa Barbara (Built by the SP in 1905) also had a separate "Ladies Waiting Area".
Frank in soon to be very foggy SBA
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
Bob, If it is possible to upgrade to business class on the Boston-Albany shuttle, I recommend it. I'm not sure they have business class any more, though. Have a great trip!
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Many stations had separate Women's waiting rooms. Memphis Union Station had a relatively small one. In its brief reopening (for only two very lightly patronized trains) in about 1967, this room was the only waiting room in use. It had a couple of radiant electric heaters attached to the ceiling. By doing this, they did not have to use the Station's steam plant again. The rest of the building was not used at all. .
I like to think I am knowledgeable of 1960's passenger railroading affairs when i was "out riding' any chance I could get, but I have now learned from Mr. Harris that Memphis Union Station was reopened after it closed.
However, I'm not certain which trains returned to MUS and which stayed at Illinois Central Station. It would appear that the SRY pulled one of their "usual stunts" having their train (or what was left of it) use the Freight House out at the Yards, and possibly that is what resulted in MUS being reopened.
Incidentally I located this material regarding MUS.
I visited MUS once in this life during Sep 1962 arriving aboard the Cincinnati-Memphis Humming Bird (in a heavyweight Pullman no less). I was really unimpressed with the facility (it was in definite disrepair), and for that matter, Memphis itself (when I last had occasion to be there during Aug 2003, the sooner I was in a taxicab after #59 arrived en route to Breakfast with friends staying out at a hotel near the airport, the happier I was). However, I distinctly recall the 28 passenger GMC bus used for a transfer from Union to Central Station (I had baggage as I was en route back to college) where it was early to bed in #6 Panama's "pick up" sleeper (I didn't even feel the switch move).
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
Sojourner:
I would have taken Business Class, but they no longer offer it. Guest Rewards is paying for my whole westbound trip (in roomettes) so they would have automatically given me Business Class, as they did on the Surfliner.
I suppose Business Class was discontinued because the Boston sleeper was intended to be added. Well, that was a classic example of a premature announcement!!
On my last trip, in late October, there were numerous seats available when I boarded in Worcester, so I'm hoping that will be the case this time. I'll be leaving on a weekday in what should be the off-season. Anyway, it's only a four hours or so ride to Albany.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman:
quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Many stations had separate Women's waiting rooms. Memphis Union Station had a relatively small one. In its brief reopening (for only two very lightly patronized trains) in about 1967, this room was the only waiting room in use. It had a couple of radiant electric heaters attached to the ceiling. By doing this, they did not have to use the Station's steam plant again. The rest of the building was not used at all. .
I like to think I am knowledgeable of 1960's passenger railroading affairs when i was "out riding' any chance I could get, but I have now learned from Mr. Harris that Memphis Union Station was reopened after it closed.
However, I'm not certain which trains returned to MUS and which stayed at Illinois Central Station. It would appear that the SRY pulled one of their "usual stunts" having their train (or what was left of it) use the Freight House out at the Yards, and possibly that is what resulted in MUS being reopened.
Incidentally I located this material regarding MUS.
If you are at all interested in Memphis area railroading, Mr. Condren's web site is wonderful.
MUS closed someting like 1963, with the trains being 1 or 2 MpPac's to Little Rock, with cars to Texas, 2 L&N trains to Cincinatti, 1 L&N (ex NC&StL) train to Nashville, and 2 Southern trains, one to Chattanooga, the other the Tennessean to Washington DC.
By that time Union Station was virtually a dinosauer, a ghost of its former self in patronage. The building and its condition was always much nicer than the ICRR owned Central Station. Maybe Central Station is the decrepit facility you were thinking about. I think MoPac discontinuance of one of their two remaining trains was the incident leading to closure. It could also be that the original agreements between the Union Station Company and their tenants were at their end, or close to it.
L&N took their trains to Central Station, joining CRIP, ICRR, and Frisco. MoPac took their one remaining train to a station of their own that was about 2 blocks toward the River from Central Station on Calhoun. Southern took their trains to their pre-Union Station passenger station, which was as you say at their freight house area. Can't remember the street address at this point. It was one of the very few pre-War (War Between the States, that is) buildings still standing. Southern spent some money on fixing the building up. It was not really bad, and quite appropriate to the passenger loadings they had. I rode into and out of it several times.
A lengthy period of litigation ensued. A lot of political posturing was also involved, and of course the idea of any public money going to a railroad facility was anathema at that time. The Memphis mayor was an embarassing nut case in many areas, not just this one. One of his famous statements, when the airport started construction on a new terminal with the ability to handle jets in the mid to late 50's was, "There will never be jet plane service to Memphis."
At the end, the railroads still having passenger service were forced to return to MUS. Don't recall the date. By that time the service in Union Station was down to one L&N train to Cincinatti and one Southern train, which may have been only to Chattanooga. At the end of their Memphis service, the remnant of the Tennessean ran only to Chattanooga and was scheduled to connect with the Pelican, leaving Memphis at about 11:00pm and returning about 2:00am. When these trains were discontinued, and only ICRR service through Memphis lasted until Amtrak, Union Station was demolished and the area occupied by the station tracks sold to the Post Office for a sort center.
Posted by DeeCT (Member # 3241) on :
Bob -
4 hours and a lovely winter scene to watch all the way from Worcester to Albany. I have made this trip (from Springfield actually) many times at all times of the year. By far I think Winter with its snow and the trackside brooks partly iced over is by far the nicest.
Do enjoy your trip!!! I envy you your time at your destination. Certainly an immense improvement from what we have experienced the last few weeks here in New England.
Weekdays are usually less crowded on the Boston to Albany trip. Friday through Monday are crowded due to the college crowd. (Last I checked Amtrak was still cheaper than Peter Pan Bus.)
Enjoy,
Dee
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
I noticed there was no business class when I checked for next fall, when we might do it just Boston to Albany. I think it's more likely an equipment shortage or lack of snack bar person or something than because of anticipated sleepers.
I found the business class they used to have very comfortable, though!
I think SAN is likely to have nicer weather than BOS (if those are the abbreviations; I often get very mixed up). I am getting very tired of this winter and cannot wait to leave for Sunny Fla shortly. Not that I am a big Fla Fan, but I do like some sun!
Posted by DeeCT (Member # 3241) on :
Sun ????
I seem to have a have a vague memory of said same ---
At this point I am very tempted to ride coach both ways to Florida and back just to escape this winter weather for a week.(Matter of fact am headed for the Amtrak site to check the price.)
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