I will soon be driving to Joliet, IL to board Amtrak 301 for a day trip to Springfield, IL to have a business meeting with a customer and thought I would attempt to do another live Amtrak trip report from the train while traveling (you may recall I did this over this past summer on a trip to and from LaCrosse, WI on Amtrak 7/8). My success will depend on how the internet broadband card performs on this train today. I will be returning tonight on the Ann Rutledge and will try again on the return leg of my trip. Stay tuned!
The platform at Joliet is one of the really great spots to watch trains … and riding into or out of Joliet by train is a great way to scope out areas of railfan interest that are next to impossible to get to by car. Have fun
I arrived Joliet Union Station early just in case and found a $1 per day parking space…hurray.
The station has a coffee shop which is very nice and opens at 4:45 a.m.
Number 301 left CUS on time and arrived JUS seven minutes before our scheduled departure time of 7:57…so far so good.
We are about twenty miles south of Joliet now and really moving…estimate of 70 mph plus in Southern Will County now. Riding car 54580 (Horizon?) which is clean and in pretty good shape. Very cold morning and windows and walls are cold. Heaters working well in this car. Each seat has power outlet which is good for using computer without battery going dead.
Ride quality of U.P. track is not nearly as good as Empire Builder trip this summer. Grade crossings are the worst part, we’ll see how the rest of the track south of here is. Sorry for any typinig errors and short cryptic sentances but a little tough to type while rocking and rolling on good old Uncle Pete’s trakage.
This train consists today of one Genesis unit (could not see the number when boarding) and six cars…five Horizon and one snack coach that appears like a Amfleet car.
The station agent at JUS told me only two to board today and light loads in Decmeber through February…two it was alright. This accounts for the $26 round trip fare to Springfield…significanatly less than driving my car which would be full tank of gas at about $35.
Lots of grade crossings as I hear the engineer blowing for each of them up front. Ride quality not improving much yet. Nice and sunny today but damn cold (about 19F right now) and we got some light snow last night that is blowing into the vestibules between the cars. The crew is putting some salt between cars to be sure nobody slips and hurts themselves.
We are coming up on Dwight, IL at 8:26 a.m. after leaving JUS at 7:57…wow we are really moving along. We are now paralelling Ingterstate Highway 55 and passing everything on the road. That is quite a accomplishment as I drive Hwy. 55 regularly and traffic on dry days does well over 70 per as a rule.
Slowing now to go through Dwight, but we will not be stopping…just passed am Amtrak billboard on I55 saying “Why not take the train for a change”…thanks Amtrak, that’s exactly what I am doing today.
Passing Dwight Amtrak station now without stopping. This train makes only one stop before Springfield, and that is Bloomington/Normal. I will return tonight on number 304 the northbound Ann Rudtledge which does stop in Dwight and about five or six other towns and takes a little longer over the same route as a result.
Another short break here but ride has improved a little bit but not much. Still passing everything on the road along I55.
Well, all good things must come to an end (perhaps)…just had P.A. announcement we are stopped at Odell, IL (mp 82.69) for a meet with a northbound train and we are about 45 minutes out of Bloomington/Normal.
We began moving again very slowly (about 5 mph or so) within four minutes and are still moving slowly. Hope Uncle Pete gives Amtrak their best dispatching today but I suspect we are meeting a freight…will let you know soon.
Well, no freight, it was a northbound Amtrak train (likely number 300 out of St. Louis at 4:35 a.m.) so I now don’t feel so bad for the delay. We are really starting to move again after about a ten minute slowdown delay and again overtaking I55 traffice which means we are doing about 70 mph or more.
Still moving but not as fast and actually slowing down quite a bit, stay tuned.
The seats in this ar are OK but not as comfortable as the Superliner seats on trains 7 and 8 this summer.
Still slowing and virtually stopped now…out in the cornfields for the time being…picking up speed after meet with a northbound UP freight (quite short actually, perhaps due to the cold weather).
Speeding up nicely now. Hope the on time departure from JUS not a bad omen for the rest of the trip…we’ll see if we get into Bloomington/Normal OT or not.
Back up to full track speed after about four minutes of slowdown and again passing cars and trucks on I55.
Well, we had another slowdown and this time (according to the train crew) it was due to UP signal problems. We are moving well now and just had a PA report we are coming into Bloomington in four minutes…we’ll see (kind of pessimistic of me, hey?).
Wheels stopped at Bloomington at 9:27…thirteen minutes late. Let’s see if we can make up the thirteen minutes between here and Springfield.
Wheels started again out of Bloomington at 9:29…FAST STATION STOP! No doubt we have an anxious crew today.
South of Bloomington now and really moving again. Conductor told me just as we left Bloomington we were about an hour from Springfield which would mean we will be in about fifteen minutes late…this seems to be how this train is performing lately. Not too aweful bad considering the slow orders due to signal problems (according to the crew). We passed another northbound Amtrak train just shouth of Bloomington (this time we had THEM in the hole).
Well, it’s 9:55 and we are about half way between Bloomington and Springfield by my estimation. We are due into Springfield at 10:15 with about forty miles to go…forty miles in twenty minutes…AINT GONNA HAPPEN.
While we are moving really fast now we are definetly gong to be late.
Just passed an old burned out GM&O freight house in Lincoln, IL…not as far from Springfield as I thought…29 miles in seventeen minutes?..not likely but not as bad as I had thought.
Please continue to stay tuned for final chapter in the southbound run. I will be estimating our arrival into Springfield as I need to pack the computer about five minutes or more prior to arrival and will report exact arrival time during our northbound trip later this afternoon.
Fun to read. Thanks. Although those who believe the conspiracy theory that NASA moon landings were staged here on Earth in a TV studio might also believe you are not riding the train – you’re sitting at your warm desk, sipping coffee and having fun scamming us. [:D]
What kind of Internet connection are you using? I would think unless you are connected for lengthy periods of time, you lose the connection and the ability to get the posting screen, yes? Is it in conjunction with a cellphone, or are you “borrowing” available networks along the route?
Twenty miles to go to Springfield according to the I55 road sign we just passed.
My last few entries on this southbound report will be made in the same post to save time so the time frame will be compressed and times reported as they come.
Alongside I55 again and still passing cars and semi trucks so I estimate we could be doing between 75 and 80 mph here to make up time. Just entered Sangamon County in which Springfield is located so we’re getting close.
I did not go into the snack car on this leg as I had breakfast before I left home…will possibly do so on the Ann Rutledge as I board about 5 p.m. and since we arrive JUS at about 7:30 I will likely eat something on the train to avoid a late supper at home and thus Rolaids or Tums for the heartburn caused by sleeping on a full stomach.
Just passed truck weigh station on I55, estimate about ten miles or less from Springfield with about four minutes to go on the scheduled arrival time. Likely not going to be as late as I had expected.
We’re in the far northern burbs of Springfield at 10:15 (our advertised arrival time) so about six miles to go to station stop or about ten minutes…likely just one or two more entries before I sign off until this afternoon’s return trip. Now going by UP yard in north of Springfield.
Waiting for announcement from Conductor of our pending arrival.
Well, will sign off now so I am not rushed getting off the train.
PZ, I am using a Verizon wireless broadband card in my laptop. Yes, I lose the connection from time to time especially when I am moving along like this morning on the train. The rest of your question I can’t answer.
I am currently sitting in the Amtrak station in Springfield waiting for my 4:57 p.m. departure. I will report as I am able during my return trip but likely not to the level of detail I did this morning.
Well, Jim kick back and enjoy the ride, if you can. I do not recommend Amtrak to fellow rail fans unless they have no better way to go where they are going. The accounts were interesting reading. It likely helped with what I call “trip boredom”, a pandemic of which is continuing amongst the youth and some adults of the world, including the US of A! Hit the food service car and have a cold beer during your return leg home, if you care to. It can’t hurt. [swg]