Author Topic: Trip to Chicago - a crash  (Read 12718 times)

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2009, 05:29:49 am »
Del, I'm sorry to hear about this.  I was in San Diego recently, where there were many of those places where you have to cross the train tracks while driving along.  I hate crossing train tracks.

I recognize that big white building - it's the Baha'i Temple in Wilmette, isn't it?  I used to pass it on the train many years ago.  It's beautiful.


Offline delalluvia

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2009, 08:21:36 am »
Del, I'm sorry to hear about this.  I was in San Diego recently, where there were many of those places where you have to cross the train tracks while driving along.  I hate crossing train tracks.

I recognize that big white building - it's the Baha'i Temple in Wilmette, isn't it?  I used to pass it on the train many years ago.  It's beautiful.

I hate crossing train tracks too.  I grew up near a railroad and my parents instilled in me a mighty respect for them, so I'm extra careful crossing them.

Yes, it's the Baha'i Temple.  I'm guessing you're right about where it's at.  I'm not sure.   ;D  My friend was driving.  We were going to visit her alma mater of Northwestern and she had been roommates with the granddaughter of one of the founders of the Baha'i religion and so was very familiar with the building and the religion and thought I'd like to see it.

Yes, it's amazingly beautiful place.  Looks airy, frothy, like being inside a wedding cake.  You don't feel any weight above you like you do in the great basilicas in Europe, but you still have a massive dome.  I was extremely impressed with the temple and the religion.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2009, 08:48:37 am »
Yes, it's the Baha'i Temple.  I'm guessing you're right about where it's at.  I'm not sure.   ;D  My friend was driving.  We were going to visit her alma mater of Northwestern and she had been roommates with the granddaughter of one of the founders of the Baha'i religion and so was very familiar with the building and the religion and thought I'd like to see it.

Yes, it's amazingly beautiful place.  Looks airy, frothy, like being inside a wedding cake.  You don't feel any weight above you like you do in the great basilicas in Europe, but you still have a massive dome.  I was extremely impressed with the temple and the religion.

I was wondering about that building, too. It's beautiful!

After getting off to such a shocking start, I sure hope the rest of your trip is a lot of fun, Del.  :)
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline mariez

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2009, 01:24:09 pm »
OMG, what an awful experience.  I'm a bit paranoid about crossing train tracks, and I'll sometimes go out of my way to avoid them. 

And then the Washington D.C. story on top of this ..... :(
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Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2009, 02:11:02 pm »

So sorry to hear about this experience.  I'm certainly glad you're OK.  {{del}}

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Offline SFEnnisSF

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #15 on: June 24, 2009, 11:19:51 pm »
Yes it's been an excitin' week out on the rails for sure.  Things happen in three's, so hopefully this is the end of it for now.

But I do want to tell ya'all that it's unfortunate, but folks get hit by trains quite often.  There is about one accident a week in the USA on the rails.  Most of the time it is people not paying attention and just walking or driving right into the trains path.  People have forgotten "STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN" these days.  Other times, they are deliberate suicides.

In all my time of riding Amtrak, I have only been on a train that has hit someone only once.  So the odds of it happening are quite low.  And no, as a passenger, you don't feel anything.  But the delay to your train is very unfortunate.  Expect a two hour minimum delay if it does happen.  But hey, there's the snack car and at least they sell cocktails and beer.

And I don't mean to sound insensitive.  But I mean, trains have been around since the early 1800's.  And these days people are so pre-occupied with their Ipod's or texting on their phone, and they're in such a hurry, that a lot of folks are just not paying attention.  It's unfortunate.  And the suicides.  What a selfish thing to do as it is.  And then delay all of these passengers because of your selfishness... Grrrr!

But Del, I think it's great you were riding the Texas Eagle.  How exciting! Where did you board the train at?

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #16 on: June 24, 2009, 11:40:12 pm »
In all my time of riding Amtrak, I have only been on a train that has hit someone only once.  So the odds of it happening are quite low.

True, but what are the odds of it happening on the very first U.S. train ride of my adult life?   :P

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But hey, there's the snack car and at least they sell cocktails and beer.

We were 30 minutes from Chicago - and restocking. i.e. they were out of food/drinks and had closed the snack bar and dining car.  After about an hour and half, they offered free bottled water and snack packs - which they ran out of after about 20 minutes.  There were 250 of us on the train and we waited for 5 hours.  We started to wonder when the toilets would start to overflow and if this would become the Amtrak version of the BlueJet incident.

I had expected to get to town by 2 pm and have a late lunch with my friend and so didn't take the lunch offered on the train.  With the accident, it turned out that it was nearly 10 pm before I was able to get something to eat.

I had noticed their weird practices earlier and thought it bizarre that a train that offered a dining car and snack bar would not stock itself completely.  They actually ran out of food.  They'd offer reservations for dinner and by the late dinner, they were out of all but a few items.  They'd make announcements for first come first serve breakfast and lunch, then call a cut-off time because they were out of food.

Is Amtrak subsidized by the government or what?

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And I don't mean to sound insensitive.  But I mean, trains have been around since the early 1800's.  And these days people are so pre-occupied with their Ipod's or texting on their phone, and they're in such a hurry, that a lot of folks are just not paying attention.  It's unfortunate.  And the suicides.  What a selfish thing to do as it is.  And then delay all of these passengers because of your selfishness... Grrrr!

I feel so badly for the family of the victims, but you're right, I forgot about the conductors/engineers/drivers whatever they call them.  It can't be pleasant to know that someone was killed while you were driving, but there wasn't anything you could do about it.

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But Del, I think it's great you were riding the Texas Eagle.  How exciting! Where did you board the train at?

In Texas, it was a 22.5 hour ride to Chicago, stopping in every 1 John Deere tractor town between Texas and St. Louis...

Offline SFEnnisSF

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #17 on: June 24, 2009, 11:56:49 pm »

Is Amtrak subsidized by the government or what?



BINGO!!  You win.  How could you tell, really??

Yes, the service on Amtrak is atrocious!!  It's especially bad on the Texas Eagle unfortunately.  And it runs out of food because they only get stocked with food in Chicago for the whole trip to San Antonio and back to Chicago.

I am a hard core railfan and I love riding trains, and I can't even handle riding Long Distance Amtrak trains anymore.  Which is such a shame!  :-\



I feel so badly for the family of the victims, but you're right, I forgot about the conductors/engineers/drivers whatever they call them.  It can't be pleasant to know that someone was killed while you were driving, but there wasn't anything you could do about it. 

Yes, it can be very unpleasant for the Engineer and Conductor to have to deal with.  I've heard it said that if you become an Engineer on the RR, it is expected that you will hit and kill at least one person in your career.



In Texas, it was a 22.5 hour ride to Chicago, stopping in every 1 John Deere tractor town between Texas and St. Louis...



There are some changes coming to the Texas Eagle.  It will soon be a daily through train from Los Angeles to Chicago (and vice versa) with full service.  I'm hoping service will improve on the train when this happens.  But I ain't holdin' my breath unfortunately.  :-\

Offline SFEnnisSF

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #18 on: June 25, 2009, 12:03:56 am »
 :laugh:

I especially love the ebonics wine tasting.  :laugh:



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Offline Kelda

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #19 on: June 25, 2009, 04:49:22 am »
My dad was a tueb driver in the London underground for about 15 years I believe (we're not close so not sure fo exact timescales and he took early retirement about a year ago)

He had 2 jumpers in his time - but he knew of one who had had 9.  :o

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