Amtrak Snapshots From Chicago To New York

Who would endure riding a choo-choo train chugging down the track for 20 hours from Chicago to New York City (NYC)? And why?

Well, I would and I did, for a couple of reasons. First, I’m scared of flying. If there is any sound alternative like a ship, bus or train - probably anything not up in the air and seemingly suspended ad infinitum – I’d grab hands down. Second, plane rides yield the same experience more or less: take off, in-flight with mostly no scenery but blindingly white clouds or turbulence-inducing dark clouds at 30,000++ feet, then touchdown.

A train ride definitely offers much more.

Here are snapshots from my first Amtrak experience via Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to NYC. 

Departing Station. Boarded the train at Chicago’s Union Station which is quite clean and clutter-free. Train promptly left the station from its assigned track at 9:30 PM.

Inside Chicago's Union Station

So clean one can lie down on the floor and have a good sleep. 

Arriving Station. The ride terminated at NYC’s Penn Station adjacent to Madison Square Garden along 7^th Avenue. With its frenetic atmosphere, the Penn Station is a total contrast to Chicago’s Union Station.  Upon arrival at 6:30 PM the following day, people I saw at the terminal looked more anxious than excited, staring intently at the electronic board monitoring various departure and arrival schedules and the trains’ track assignments.

Inside New York City's Penn Station 

The Train. It was decent and comfy even if I was just seated on one of its regular coach seats. This experience was better than my first long train ride of 12 hours from Beijing to Xi’an in freezing winter on a sleeper cabin (or sleeping car). 

And by the way, Amtrak has strict rules on luggage allowance and dimensions: 2 free check-in luggage only per passenger not exceeding 50 lbs. each and within the 28”x22”x14” specs. Whereas Amtrak does not charge for the 2 check-in luggage, the domestic airline I previously took (United Air in particular) charged USD50 for my 2 check-in luggage. So there goes the USD50, it flies away with the plane too.

 Enough leg room for riding comfort

L: Each seat comes with a small table that one can pull down and stow 

after use. R: Aside from adequate leg room, the train also has a wide 

overhead space for carry-ons.

The dining car - food is pricey, nothing to rave about. 

Those in sleeping cars however get complimentary breakfast.

The scenery. I remember the train cutting through several states: Illinois, Michigan, Ohio then New York State. Half of the ride is at night time and the other half, day time. Most of the photos shown here were randomly taken somewhere in New York State when I was already wide awake and while the train was rolling along. Speaking of New York State, the train captain emphatically announced during a quick stop at Albany that it is New York State’s capital and not NYC. He said that a lot of people think of NYC as New York State’s capital. Well, I thought so too. But he said no, it’s Albany. I said oh . . . ok. I think it was my most valuable learning for that day.

As the train was passing by the Hudson River, I took a picture

of what seems to be an islet right smack in the middle. This must

be a light house though; who would like to live in the middle 

of a big river that flows both ways?

This is just one of the many marinas by the Hudson.

Could be a millionaire's row up there. 

Huge mansions nestled in expansive lush greenery.

Please give me a yacht or a speedboat plus a fat bank account 

and I can live on interest here. I can have my own fun living 

my own brand of high life.

Could those two domes on the right belong to a 

nuclear power plant?

There is a big settlement over there. I'm pretty sure they 

still get enough view of the river and the surrounding greenery.

Subsequently, I also took Amtrak trains from NYC to Katharine Hepburn’s Old Saybrook in Connecticut via Northeast Regional, which is a breeze in 2 hours. Then much later, from NYC to Chicago and finally from Chicago to San Francisco via Amtrak’s California Zephyr for 2 days-2 nights. 

Except for California Zephyr which is a double-decker, the rest of the trains are single-decked. As I write this, only the NYC-Old Saybrook-NYC train from among the trains I've boarded has wi-fi. But wi-fi deployment for other train routes is on-going. Will blog about the other rides separately.