dewhit6959
December 2nd, 2004, 01:16 AM
Dear Friends, past, present & future;
I am going to share opinion, facts, observations and personal thought about our vacation that ended yesterday at 5:47pm. Being an intelligent group, I will allow you to make distinctions between fact and opinion. It may be short or long, I can't say yet. When I get tired of storytelling, I'll stop and pick up later.
As far as I know, our original limo driver is still in jail.
He was decent enough to have his sister or mother call me the day before his services were required and relay that bit of info.(Thank-you)
The new driver and car arrived late afternoon on Thursday, November 18th, loaded us and the kitchen sink and we began our vacation. The first leg of our trip would be from Atlanta, on the Amtrak Crescent to Washington, D.C. The train was due in Atlanta at 8:06 pm and according to the website, it was on time. My wife has never rode the rails and keen to try. When I go on holiday, I start the experience the minute I walk out the door. At 9:50pm, the Crescent came to a halt at the platform. Good thing too. I had already gone through my overcoat stash of Johny Walker mini's and was reviewing our dinner from the Kroger deli earlier. The once proud railroad past of Atlanta was now reduced to two soda machines for station dining. No crackers, no chips, no gum. Two soda machines, and one looked like a limo driver had possibly burgled it. One of the reasons Grant burnt Atlanta to the ground was because of the great railroad hub here. I doubt he would flick a cigarette butt at what remains these days. Of course, two bags were over the new enforcable limit of 50 lbs. I offered to pay the penalty. No go. They sell you a box for two dollars and you repack until you have corrected the problem. They tape the box and give you another luggage receipt.
((NOTE-Amtrak is actively enforcing baggage rules now. Some wag said a third of their payroll is out on disability))
We boarded our car and were shown to our deluxe sleeper cabin. This accomodation sleeps three who are related or friendly, but is best for two. The regular sleeper berths are best for newlyweds or short, small,thin persons who do not roll over while sleeping. Private toilet and shower are in the deluxe berths, along with a seven inch television for movies,which Phil said were not working.
((Why someone would watch tv on a train is beyond me, the best reality show in the world is out the window))
All sleepers are considered first class and meals are included in the fare. Remember code V570 for a 25% discount for Holland America Cruises.
((Code V571 is for Carnival cruisers who aren't using empty freight cars-Yes, that was uncalled for))
Our steward was Phil, a twenty year veteran of the railroad. Phil was tired, but pleasant. He had boarded in New Orleans, the originating station. He informed us that dinner was served until 8:30 pm and we had missed it. The Kroger sandwich wasn't that bad. We pulled out of Atlanta at 10:33 pm. My wife stayed awake through Gainesville, Ga. We saw the crossing near our home and I made note of all the junk piled behind businesses with side spurs. Phil returned, flipped this lever and that lever and made up a upper and lower bunk. My wife took the upper bunk and was out again. In the bottom bunk, I nursed a Jim Beam mini and counted yellow bug lights on back porches thru Clemson, S.C. ((Years ago,I remember my mother pitching a fit one time when my father suggested a yellow bug light for the front porch. She really had a coniption fit when I replaced all the "normal" lights in my room with black light bulbs))
I awoke on the far side of Danville, Va., shortly after sunrise. Phil came around and informed me that the coffee pot was not working in this car or the next, but might be working three cars back. Even though this was vacation, I knew a mini for breakfast was out of order, even if the missus was still asleep. When she awoke, we dressed and made our way to the dining car. Paulette took our breakfast order and we had a very good meal, even if the biscuits were lethal. No grits, but good potatos.No apple butter either.
On trains, you are directed to a table and will be seated with whom ever is next in line. This can be a blessing or a curse. Choose your questions carefully. One companion was going north to see her family for Thanksgiving. Another young man was sick of the south and everything else in life and was going back to New York City. He ate all his biscuits. I love trains.
After several side tracks, to give the freight the right of way, we pulled into Union Station, Washington. Did we make up any lost time ? Silly question. We lost more time, but I could have cared less. We had two hours to claim bags and board Amtrak#94 to Newport News, Va. Union Station is jumping! Passengers and porters shouting, trains being broke, piles of luggage and more shops and restraunts than I care to list. The station is fairly clean and the architecture is stunning. Many people come to the station for lunch from all the federal office buildings near by. We wouldn't be running across the street to a Kroger here. The shops are all different and all the same, if you know what I mean. We even saw a stand with cheap Caribbean souvenirs for sale. We had lunch at J.Browns in the station. Not bad. You could make a meal of the fresh baked bread basket. I did. Wife had a stew and sandwich. She was happy. A little more walking and we boarded train 94. We had business class seats. They only cost a few dollars more, but the sound level is much lower, except for the sound of Mr. Big Shot, who has his headphones, boom microphone, laptop and dictaphone set up and is negotiating high finance and world peace between calls to various persons inquiring what they were doing at that moment. It would not have mattered to me at all, except he had to choose the seat directly in front of me, damn the the other forty empty seats. After his twenty third call to the emporor of Malaysia or his neighbor, I forget which, I loudly asked my wife to pass me my carry on bag so I could spend the free time sharpening my knives, he decided reception was better in another seat. I love trains. We spoke wih two women across the aisle who were returning to New York. They were both singers and actresses which I believe is mandatory for the city. They were returning from a dinner theatre gig in Birmingham and looking forward to seeing family. One of the women had sung a part of a song that was being used by PBS for one of their commercials. I am sure I have heard it and I am sure it was marvelous. They were very entertaining until the talk turned to fashion and shoes with the wife and I started looking for bug lights to count.
We pulled into Newport News around 9:00 pm. This station resembled the Atlanta station, but had more vending machines. No porters, just a couple of grocery carts. We each pushed our baggage to the James River Coach that would take us into Norfolk and continue to Virginia Beach. This must be the last run for the driver, who ran three red lights before I quit looking and began studying what ever was on the other side of the glass. I assume it was glass, just very dirty. We exited at bus stop 39. The driver said we could use one of the phones to call a cab. We had already programmed cab numbers into our cell phone and made calls for several others at the bus stop who didn't have change for the phones. The dispatcher recognized my voice on the third call and asked why I was requesting so many different cabs. So, I started telling her about the Kroger sandwich in Atlanta and she hung up. Our cab arrived and we asked to go to the Marriott Waterside after pointing out their large red sign visible for several miles to the driver who kept saying that the Radison was not on the Waterfront.
We arrived, checked in, dumped our luggage in the room and ate a late dinner downstairs at the Shula 437 or 374, I forget which. It doesn't matter, a Kroger sandwich would have been just as good and a lot cheaper.
to be continued....................
I am going to share opinion, facts, observations and personal thought about our vacation that ended yesterday at 5:47pm. Being an intelligent group, I will allow you to make distinctions between fact and opinion. It may be short or long, I can't say yet. When I get tired of storytelling, I'll stop and pick up later.
As far as I know, our original limo driver is still in jail.
He was decent enough to have his sister or mother call me the day before his services were required and relay that bit of info.(Thank-you)
The new driver and car arrived late afternoon on Thursday, November 18th, loaded us and the kitchen sink and we began our vacation. The first leg of our trip would be from Atlanta, on the Amtrak Crescent to Washington, D.C. The train was due in Atlanta at 8:06 pm and according to the website, it was on time. My wife has never rode the rails and keen to try. When I go on holiday, I start the experience the minute I walk out the door. At 9:50pm, the Crescent came to a halt at the platform. Good thing too. I had already gone through my overcoat stash of Johny Walker mini's and was reviewing our dinner from the Kroger deli earlier. The once proud railroad past of Atlanta was now reduced to two soda machines for station dining. No crackers, no chips, no gum. Two soda machines, and one looked like a limo driver had possibly burgled it. One of the reasons Grant burnt Atlanta to the ground was because of the great railroad hub here. I doubt he would flick a cigarette butt at what remains these days. Of course, two bags were over the new enforcable limit of 50 lbs. I offered to pay the penalty. No go. They sell you a box for two dollars and you repack until you have corrected the problem. They tape the box and give you another luggage receipt.
((NOTE-Amtrak is actively enforcing baggage rules now. Some wag said a third of their payroll is out on disability))
We boarded our car and were shown to our deluxe sleeper cabin. This accomodation sleeps three who are related or friendly, but is best for two. The regular sleeper berths are best for newlyweds or short, small,thin persons who do not roll over while sleeping. Private toilet and shower are in the deluxe berths, along with a seven inch television for movies,which Phil said were not working.
((Why someone would watch tv on a train is beyond me, the best reality show in the world is out the window))
All sleepers are considered first class and meals are included in the fare. Remember code V570 for a 25% discount for Holland America Cruises.
((Code V571 is for Carnival cruisers who aren't using empty freight cars-Yes, that was uncalled for))
Our steward was Phil, a twenty year veteran of the railroad. Phil was tired, but pleasant. He had boarded in New Orleans, the originating station. He informed us that dinner was served until 8:30 pm and we had missed it. The Kroger sandwich wasn't that bad. We pulled out of Atlanta at 10:33 pm. My wife stayed awake through Gainesville, Ga. We saw the crossing near our home and I made note of all the junk piled behind businesses with side spurs. Phil returned, flipped this lever and that lever and made up a upper and lower bunk. My wife took the upper bunk and was out again. In the bottom bunk, I nursed a Jim Beam mini and counted yellow bug lights on back porches thru Clemson, S.C. ((Years ago,I remember my mother pitching a fit one time when my father suggested a yellow bug light for the front porch. She really had a coniption fit when I replaced all the "normal" lights in my room with black light bulbs))
I awoke on the far side of Danville, Va., shortly after sunrise. Phil came around and informed me that the coffee pot was not working in this car or the next, but might be working three cars back. Even though this was vacation, I knew a mini for breakfast was out of order, even if the missus was still asleep. When she awoke, we dressed and made our way to the dining car. Paulette took our breakfast order and we had a very good meal, even if the biscuits were lethal. No grits, but good potatos.No apple butter either.
On trains, you are directed to a table and will be seated with whom ever is next in line. This can be a blessing or a curse. Choose your questions carefully. One companion was going north to see her family for Thanksgiving. Another young man was sick of the south and everything else in life and was going back to New York City. He ate all his biscuits. I love trains.
After several side tracks, to give the freight the right of way, we pulled into Union Station, Washington. Did we make up any lost time ? Silly question. We lost more time, but I could have cared less. We had two hours to claim bags and board Amtrak#94 to Newport News, Va. Union Station is jumping! Passengers and porters shouting, trains being broke, piles of luggage and more shops and restraunts than I care to list. The station is fairly clean and the architecture is stunning. Many people come to the station for lunch from all the federal office buildings near by. We wouldn't be running across the street to a Kroger here. The shops are all different and all the same, if you know what I mean. We even saw a stand with cheap Caribbean souvenirs for sale. We had lunch at J.Browns in the station. Not bad. You could make a meal of the fresh baked bread basket. I did. Wife had a stew and sandwich. She was happy. A little more walking and we boarded train 94. We had business class seats. They only cost a few dollars more, but the sound level is much lower, except for the sound of Mr. Big Shot, who has his headphones, boom microphone, laptop and dictaphone set up and is negotiating high finance and world peace between calls to various persons inquiring what they were doing at that moment. It would not have mattered to me at all, except he had to choose the seat directly in front of me, damn the the other forty empty seats. After his twenty third call to the emporor of Malaysia or his neighbor, I forget which, I loudly asked my wife to pass me my carry on bag so I could spend the free time sharpening my knives, he decided reception was better in another seat. I love trains. We spoke wih two women across the aisle who were returning to New York. They were both singers and actresses which I believe is mandatory for the city. They were returning from a dinner theatre gig in Birmingham and looking forward to seeing family. One of the women had sung a part of a song that was being used by PBS for one of their commercials. I am sure I have heard it and I am sure it was marvelous. They were very entertaining until the talk turned to fashion and shoes with the wife and I started looking for bug lights to count.
We pulled into Newport News around 9:00 pm. This station resembled the Atlanta station, but had more vending machines. No porters, just a couple of grocery carts. We each pushed our baggage to the James River Coach that would take us into Norfolk and continue to Virginia Beach. This must be the last run for the driver, who ran three red lights before I quit looking and began studying what ever was on the other side of the glass. I assume it was glass, just very dirty. We exited at bus stop 39. The driver said we could use one of the phones to call a cab. We had already programmed cab numbers into our cell phone and made calls for several others at the bus stop who didn't have change for the phones. The dispatcher recognized my voice on the third call and asked why I was requesting so many different cabs. So, I started telling her about the Kroger sandwich in Atlanta and she hung up. Our cab arrived and we asked to go to the Marriott Waterside after pointing out their large red sign visible for several miles to the driver who kept saying that the Radison was not on the Waterfront.
We arrived, checked in, dumped our luggage in the room and ate a late dinner downstairs at the Shula 437 or 374, I forget which. It doesn't matter, a Kroger sandwich would have been just as good and a lot cheaper.
to be continued....................