# Amtrak trip to Chicago



## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Susie and I traveled to Chicago July 14-18, 2008. We went from Newton, KS to Chicago and returned using the Amtrak SouthWest Chief [Flyer]. This video is of only the train trip. A later video will be posted with our experiences in Chicago. 
*Lots of Railfanning.* 

URL = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA_UOPyIqSw 
The trip was a joy for us. 
JimC.


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Jim that looks like a great trip--don't forget the Zephyr shots when you post part II and if there are any shots of the HO layout at the museum that would be great too.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt, 
Thanks for the nice words. There will be pictures of the Zephyr and HO layout at the Museum of Science and Industry, as well as many others. 

JimC.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Great vid Jim. But what's the Southwest Flyer? /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif 

Couldn't tell from the vid, unless I missed something, but what car were you on (3?)? Coach or Sleeper? Are you familiar enough with Amtrak to tell if it was a Superliner I or II, or if it was a refurbished car or not? Looks like you had a nice trip. 

I love the Southwest Chief, my favorite train. Been on it so many times I've lost count. My last trip was June 25-26 from Albuquerque, NM to Fullerton, CA. Very late out of ABQ (9:30 PM) due to the flooding in the midwest. Actually my train was the first one routed from Chicago without the bus bridge they used from CHI-Kansas City during the flooding. They went back to the bus bridge shortly after my trip and didn't end it again until shortly before your trip. 

I'll be on it again August 1-2 from Fullerton, CA to Lamy, NM. Looking forward to it.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

SJ, 
1. The SW Flyer is the SW Chief. That is what the station agent in Chicago called it. 
2. The station personnel also refered to the Eastbound train as Car03, and the Westbound as car04 [whole train]. I don't remember our specific coach car number. It was in the 3xxx, something range. 
3. We chose to ride in coach. Considering that since the last time we rode on Amtrack, they had added electrical outlets at every seat, opposed to one/car the previous trip, I suspect we were on a referbished car. The car also seemed more quiet than I remember from before. The general condition of the coaches, observation, and diner were better on the Eastbound trip than on the Westbound trip. Crews were very professional. 
4. Eastbound, we were exactly on time. Westbound, we were 1hr-35min late arriving. 
The bus bridge had only been ended for about a week before our trip. It was easy to tell where the floodwaters had been, and where the track had probably been underwater. 
I'm glad you enjoyed the vid. There were obviously RailFanning opportunities along the way. 
JimC.


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank you for shareing that video . Refreashed memories of our trip .


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

*Nice editing on the first video.. Looked like you and Susie had a great trip.. Waiting for the 2nd half.. 
Where you started your trip there in Newton, Ks. Thats is where my Dad was born.. 
Tks for sharing.. Noel & Jane *


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

*Part 2 of Chicago Trip:* 
Museum of Science and Industry, & Chicago Transit Auth. experiences. 
Featured: Pioneer Zephyr-record holder, NYC999-American loco-record holder, early steam and large HO layout. 

Or at Youtube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5HpQAdIG10 
Enjoy, 
JimC. 
Sorry there weren't more pictures of the U-505 and other exhibits. As I said in the narrative, I had trouble with the camera battery. I didn't get to take any pics inside the U-505 
The display halls were also very darkly lighted. 
Here is more info from the Science & Industry Museum about the U-505. 
http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/u-505/ 
and to the Wikipedia site... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterseeboot-505 
There will be two more videos from the trip. Part 3 will include the Chicago Botanic Gardens GR exhibit. 
JimC.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't watch many you-tubes, but this one was worth the time. Thanks for putting it together. Glad that your unnerving moments of separation worked out.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for posting!


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## Rayman4449 (Jan 2, 2008)

Great video, thanks for posting! Ahhh Jerry B is the only one of us here that has a Zephyr! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif Lucky dog. 


Raymond


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Jim, 

Great video. The Museum of Science and Industry is one of my favorite places and I used to go there often as I grew up there. 

Regards, 

Jerry


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Jim, 

Thank you for posting the video--I soooo want to go back, I too grew up there. What changes to the Museum of Science and Industry!! Both the U-505 and the Zephyr were outside in the "back yard" when I was a kid and the train layout was O scale. 

I am glad you found each other--ode to cell phones, and you both were clever enough to go above ground to contact each other. You mentioned transfering at Howard Street--did you take the Skokie Swift (at least thats what they called it when we dropped my dad at the station in the 70's). 

I am going to take my kids soon--too bad there are no good deals on flights anymore (gas prices I guess). Trip down childhood memory lane for me--again thanks. 

Matt


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Jim, glad you had a good time! One of my customers in Lansing IL has a museum quality collection of WW 2 stuff in his Jewelry business basement, I love WW 2 history so I had to go down there and see it, he has the German guy who pulled the plug, and the American guy who plugged it back up on on DVD, that submarine movie was made a couple of years ago, cannot remember name of it, the American guy lived in South Holland IL( my former hometown) and the German guy settled and lived in Wisconsin, they lived within 125 miles of each other and did not know it till later, they met and both told there story. 

tom h


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Tom, 
I think that was U 529--great movie, but not as good as Das Boot. 

They used to have a movie at the museum of science about the U 505 and its capture. Not sure if they still show it--Jim could probably tell us. 

Matt


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Part 3 of our trip video is now posted on YouTube. The video is of pictures taken at the Paul Busse Garden RR display at the Chicago - Botanic Gardens and views from the roof of the Sears Tower. Several of the RR pictures show slight movement. We were there from 6:30-8:00PM and stormy overcast skies made it darker than usual. 

YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMQu8gZzfyo 
Part 4 will be pictures from the Chicago Museum Distric, Naval Pier, Boat Tours, and the Grosse Point Lighthouse. 
Enjoy, 
JimC. 

JimC writes to Tom Ruby on 7/18: 
Tom, 
A while back, you posted many great pictures of the Garden RR at the Botanic. Could you post the link to that thread, please? 
JimC. 

On 7/19, Tom Replies: 
There's this one: 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/15/postid/35545/view/topic/Default.aspx 
and this one: 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/4/tpage/1/view/topic/postid/32710/Default.aspx#32710


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Very, very nicely done, Jim. I enjoyed the videos a great deal....... 

Thanks for all your work putting them together.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Part 4 - Not trains. 

The Carter family vacationed to Chicago area by Amtrak from July 14-48,2008. Part 4 visits the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Navy Pier, and Grosse Point Lighthouse on North Shore. 



URL = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v2ei3PS1lc 

Part 5 - also not trains - will be of archetecture shots of Chicago from boat [on the river] and land. 
[soon to be posted] 

Enjoy, 

JimC.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Jim..... In the opening shot of the Ancient America's, I see that they found one of the pre-histortic inhabitants dressed in the clothing of those times. 
A blue shirt and a white floppy hat.. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif 

Another great production... Thanks


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Part 5 [Last part] Not garden trains, but some real trains. 
Scenes from Downtown Chicago and the Chicago Transit Authority are shown. 

YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOe6iwfv9DA 
Enjoy, 
JimC.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

_I left an hour early to be an hour late. 
Oh, to trust the CTA with my fate. 
Ignore Iran and buy a van. 
God "bless" the CTA!_ 

(It's a work in progress.)


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