62 Hours On Amtrak From Palm Springs to Chicago

When my friend from China told me he wanted to see more of America during his recent visit,  I thought about it and since he doesn't drive gave him three choices:

  

   1. Fly to New York City and stay a few days

   2. Fly to Boston, see the sights then rent a car and drive up through New England to see the fall colors

   3. Take the train from Palm Springs and go to Chicago, stay a few days and fly back

   When I discovered though that the train trip was a 60 hour trip told him we would need to discuss this a little more.

   Trust me, I was surprised he picked the train, a trip I have always wanted to take to say Detroit, also buy a new car and then leisurely drive home on Route 66! However, in China the trains are pretty special and fast, something I stressed to him he would not find in America. He noted you don't see much from a plane and so I dug into the train trip, ordered tickets, made hotel reservations, booked our flight home and, well, considered it would be an adventure. It was without a doubt! Would I do it again! Ya betcha!!!

Other than sand and sagebrush
this is about all there is!

   A trip to the local AAA office said that I would have to make my own Amtrak reservations. They didn't do that anymore. They could arrange the flight home and hotel reservations. I figured I could do that. After a call to Amtrak and getting the information on the cost of a coach seat vs. a sleeper decided that I needed a bed. 60 hours is a long time in a seat and while comfortable is not a bed. He agreed and I booked the berth.

   While freight trains chug by it seems almost hourly passenger trains don't. I wanted to leave September 26th but was told the next train would be the 28th, leaving at 12:35 am. Really?

   On a hunch I drove out to the Palm Springs station to just see where it was. People talked about it but only roll their eyes when I talked about leaving from there. If you ever saw Clint Eastwood in "High Plains Drifter" there could be no better description of the station or its location. I gasped and wondered how will it know to stop? When I sent him a photo of the station all the people in his office looked at it and asked, "Where is the station?" Its that desolate and forlorn.

Yup! The Palm Springs Amtrak station. Luckily there

were several other customers waiting on this bleak platform. 

The weather was lovely so ... we waited for the train.

   I panicked and called Amtrak and said, "there's nothing there! Only a tiny locked building and I guess a platform. How does it know to stop? DO I need to wave a flashlight standing on the tracks? And, how will I get there?" She patiently explained the train will stop, and they have an arrangement with Lyft. Download the App and you will be all set. Luckily I called at around the time we would have to leave and noted that there were far more drivers for Lyft near midnight than I ever imagined. And, as a new customer I got a $5.00 discount on my first ride!

   My friend arrived taking the Fly-A-Way bus from LAX to Union Station and we drove home from there. He was excited about the upcoming trip to Las Vegas, and after returning leaving a day later on the train. Luckily we arrived in Vegas a week before the shooting.

    On the appointed evening, after a hectic day of preparation including me taking the written driving test again before my 72nd birthday in a few days, we texted Lyft and within minutes he was here to pick us up. The Lyft driver was great. He was a night owl and liked driving at night. We were there in under 15 minutes but it the dark of night we might as well have been heading to the moon. It is, yes, DARK! Luckily more people arrived to board the train.

   As we waited, several of the riders were getting text messages that the train was delayed. Again, And yet again! Finally, an hour late the train arrived and I thought, OMG, its only 100 miles. I just drove it. At this pace we won't get into Chicago until Monday, if then? One of the riders explained that the tracks are owned by the freight companies and passenger trains must wait for freight trains. We learned later that is exactly what happened. 

   We didn't have time to think about it as the conductor looked around and said, Alan? I waved and he told us to follow him. He led us to the last car and to our berth ... the beds already made up and we, squeezing out of our clothes, crawled into our berth / bunk beds. It is very cozy but soon we were roaring along and it rocked us to sleep. I was exhausted.

Our menu. And YES,  the food is that good! 

   The next morning we struggled back into our clothes ... intimate doesn't describe the close quarters, but we got ready and went to the dining car. It turns out when you book a berth you also get your meals included, something I didn't know. That turned out to be a great perk...one that we enjoyed!

   We had worried about food and you don't stop long at any station on the way. So they seat you with others and when they gave us the menu explained we could pick anything we wanted as it was included in our fare.

   Breakfast was delicious. ALL the meals were excellent. They had just included mussels in the menu (the waitress said we were the first) and my friend ordered them. When he gave me one I was, to tell the truth, stunned. They were that good. The salmon was delicious, the steak done perfectly. We did not suffer. Even the desserts were good and we could get all we wanted. Everything is included except beer and wine. They had Stone IPA for me and Coke for my travel companion so we were happy campers ... not such an unusual analogy either.

At a stop from the berth car.

   In the dining car you meet a variety of travelers and one couple had been on all four of the routes from the west coast to Chicago. There never was cross country train travel in the United States. It was done one time only. Passengers had to disembark either in Chicago or at the Mississippi and change trains and stations. Two leave from Los Angeles taking different routes, one leaves from San Francisco and the final and, we were told, the prettiest route leaves from Seattle on the northern route.

Our 62 hour home ... away from home!

   Your berth is converted into a cabin during the day and you can sit and watch the world go by. Our original porter was excellent in helping us make the transition but from Austin on we were on our own. When this got boring, we could go to the observation car and really see the world go by. As we discovered Friday, there is a lot of Texas out there and it was cloudy and rainy the whole day. The excitement of that day was when someone was caught smoking pot on the train five minutes after we had made a 

You get a great view of the world and
a ring side seat for drug busts!

stop where smokers could get out and well, smoke. So at the next town the cops rolled up to the stopped train and two K-9 dogs were brought onboard. California might have shrugged at it but Texas is not a place to try such stunts.

Sunset on the Texas Eagle

   The view though is oftentimes breathtaking! We saw amazing clouds and some beautiful sunsets.
   On one dark night looking out my berth window at night in bed, I could clearly see Orion in the pitch black sky.

   Saturday dawned clear and sunny. I was able to see the arch in St. Louis and my final shot showed the state capital clearly through the arch that even cast a shadow on the capital. Of course the mid-west is so different than the Palm Springs desert and we were surprised to see so many puddles of rain that had come and gone by the time we arrived. Texas was not dry this year. 

   The weather was supposed to be nice in Chicago and was in fact warmer than we expected. We had traveled in sweatpants and a variety of shirts.
   The other big surprise was that there was a shower. Now that, WAS an adventure. You are luckily in a small cubicle so you can't fall far as you literally rock back and forth trying to scrub yourself. As one wag described this to us, coal, wheat or soybeans don't care if the track is bumpy. In any event the views can be breathtaking! For me, it certainly was better than having to drive.

View from our berth as we traveled through Texas

    Another pleasure is that you get to meet people, especially in the dining car. One couple had taken all the routes to Chicago and was considering routes east of the Mississippi. A single woman was a frequent traveler on the train and had traveled just about the whole system. We all agreed that if you are not in a hurry it s a wonderful way to relax and see the country. Cities are not so pretty but once out the countryside takes on a beauty of its own.

The St. Louis arch and state capital

   Our last day dawned clear and sunny and around breakfast time we reached St. Louis. We came around a bend to find the arch there gleaming in the sun. Watching it as we continued past it I was able to capture an amazing photo of the state capital seen beneath the arch. It made for a wonderful photo and was until Chicago an amazing view.
   While the trains are slow during the day, often held up by freight trains, they roar at night. You are swayed as the dark world flashes by. Unable to sleep a bit after a potty trip, I looked out the window of our berth and saw a pitch black sky filled with stars. Orion shown in all its glory over us as we rocked along. If you have never done it, there is something soothing listening to the clackety clack of the wheels roaring over the track.

Entering Union Station with Chicago in the background

  Soon we were in Springfield, IL and we knew our time was short. So was lunch. You could get a sandwich, hot dog or macaroni and cheese. The macaroni, a comfort food for the Boomers seemed fitting. Soon the city of Chicago appeared and shortly after that we reached Union Station, a few hours late but we were in no rush.

At Chicago's Union Station!

  Would I do it again? Oh YES! However, as my traveling friend pointed out, its much faster in China and the tracks are not so bumpy.
   Traveling by train also has many perks. Usually you land in the city center so no long trips from the airport. You get to carry two pieces of luggage, two personal items and no one weighs them or sniffs them either. We could bring snacks, drinks and as we discovered, until he was caught, pot! Coach seats are cozy, recline, you have electric plugs, trays and lots of leg room. While a bit bumpy at times it was relatively easy to move around and there were places to go and not just be stuck in a seat. Berths offer even more including a bed. It may not be like the one at home but you can stretch and sleep comfortably We arrived relaxed and ready to take on the city. As we were to discover we needed that relaxation more than we ever dreamed!
   In case you are wondering, I consider planning a trip as much a kind of design as painting. Every aspect, just like writing, painting, creating music, needs to be planned and hopefully worked on just like a great piece of art. However, just like creating, you also must be prepared for the variations you didn't plan for along the way. Often, its these "variations" that make travel even more exciting!

P.S. February 2, 2019

Since this has remained one of my frequently read blogs I thought I might add that as fun as this was, and it WAS fun, the state of our technology and that of today's China is vastly different.

The distance from Palm Springs, CA to Chicago, IL is about 1,664 miles more or less (I could not find an accurate rail milage). This trip took 62 hours and definitely needed a berth though I have friends that brave coach. In comparison, the new "Fast Train" from Beijing to Hong Kong that opened last September travels 1, 538 miles in 9 hours. They don't even offer a berth. Not only do they not need it, the seats recline nearly flat and unlike the cattle car tracks that AmTrack leases, there is little or no motion on Chinese "Fast Trains" at all. This something that America needs to think about.

Thank you for reading my blog. I invite you to take the time to read earlier blogs where the emphasis is to explore the ways art and design affects our daily lives ... and always has. I share with you what inspires me with the hope that it will inspire you as well. Comments are always welcomed! Be sure to check my re-opened ETSY store ... KrugsStudio.etsy.com. Many of the items talked about here are for sale there!