A day in the life of Riverwind
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2003 11:42 am
Riverwind was here at Eunuch Central for about 2 weeks visiting and helping out while my roommate Gemm is in the hospital. He was driven up and was suppose to drive back last week, but when his family came here to pick him up Gemm took a turn for the worse so Riverwind decided to stay on a week. I suggested Amtrak for his return and we discovered that they offered a $78 fare from Minneapolis to his home in St.Louis which is really quite good so we booked his passage on the Empire Builder.
While here he wanted to build a computer because we have a very good computer parts store here in the Twin Cities and along with that came a wonderful set of Altec-Lansing speakers guaranteed to knock the windows out of any home.
Last night we started packing his stuff up for the early morning train departure only to find out that he would be toting 4 boxes, one suitcase on wheels, and a strapped carry-on bag. No problems, if Amtrak won't take the excess, I'll UPS the stuff. If they will take it there are little carts at the Chicago station he can use while he waits for his connection to St.Louis.
This morning we got to the train station 45 mins early only to find a huge line at the ticket counter and one agent. Two of the train conductors were inside the station checking people's tickets and telling them which car to get on (as the train was already here-early, and has a 35 min refueling wait). They were laughing with each other but it was rather obvious they were not too happy with station personnel. At 15 mins to departure another ticket agent came out which split the line in half. 8 mins to departure Riverwind makes it to the ticket counter to get his already paid for ticket where he is informed they won't check his baggage because it has to be there 1/2 hour before departure time. Riverwind informed him we got into line 37 mins previously and got only a shrug.
While shlepping his stuff up to the conductors who had already shouted "All Aboard" a baggage handler noticed our plight and offered to check his stuff as the doors to the baggage car were still open. At departure time -1 min the baggage handler, Riverwind, and both conductors were frantically taping check tags to his stuff when the tape gun got wound up in itself. A knife was produced and the foursome completed thier job.
Riverwind, his baggage, and a few stragglers where loaded on the train and at DT+6 mins it disappeared over the horizon (with a brief "toot toot" before it started rolling).
I stopped on the way home to visit Gemm at the hospital where I had breakfast, he cleaned up, and we played a game of chess.
Got home and the first thing was to check the Amtrak site for the status of that train. It was running 1 hour 43 mins late, then the phone rang. It was Riverwind using his cellphone.
Turns out the brakes blew in Winona, MN and they were dead smack-dab in the middle of the mainline and nothing was moving until they did. During our conversation the dining steward made an annoucement that lunch would be served as soon as they had the electricity to serve it (train not moving, on batteries). He thanked me kindly for suggesting Amtrak.
An hour later he calls me up again wanting me to check the status of his train on the internet. Running 2 hours 43 mins late.
Just checked now, 2 hours 53 mins late into Chicago and since he had a connection to St.Louis, he has missed that. In compensation they offered to put him on a bus, but that isn't what he signed up for.
Sounds like his family is going to drive from St.Louis to Union Station in Chicago to pick him up. Of course, this is purely an accident with the brakes and not Amtrak's fault, but I feel sorry for the poor bastard.
tal
While here he wanted to build a computer because we have a very good computer parts store here in the Twin Cities and along with that came a wonderful set of Altec-Lansing speakers guaranteed to knock the windows out of any home.
Last night we started packing his stuff up for the early morning train departure only to find out that he would be toting 4 boxes, one suitcase on wheels, and a strapped carry-on bag. No problems, if Amtrak won't take the excess, I'll UPS the stuff. If they will take it there are little carts at the Chicago station he can use while he waits for his connection to St.Louis.
This morning we got to the train station 45 mins early only to find a huge line at the ticket counter and one agent. Two of the train conductors were inside the station checking people's tickets and telling them which car to get on (as the train was already here-early, and has a 35 min refueling wait). They were laughing with each other but it was rather obvious they were not too happy with station personnel. At 15 mins to departure another ticket agent came out which split the line in half. 8 mins to departure Riverwind makes it to the ticket counter to get his already paid for ticket where he is informed they won't check his baggage because it has to be there 1/2 hour before departure time. Riverwind informed him we got into line 37 mins previously and got only a shrug.
While shlepping his stuff up to the conductors who had already shouted "All Aboard" a baggage handler noticed our plight and offered to check his stuff as the doors to the baggage car were still open. At departure time -1 min the baggage handler, Riverwind, and both conductors were frantically taping check tags to his stuff when the tape gun got wound up in itself. A knife was produced and the foursome completed thier job.
Riverwind, his baggage, and a few stragglers where loaded on the train and at DT+6 mins it disappeared over the horizon (with a brief "toot toot" before it started rolling).
I stopped on the way home to visit Gemm at the hospital where I had breakfast, he cleaned up, and we played a game of chess.
Got home and the first thing was to check the Amtrak site for the status of that train. It was running 1 hour 43 mins late, then the phone rang. It was Riverwind using his cellphone.
Turns out the brakes blew in Winona, MN and they were dead smack-dab in the middle of the mainline and nothing was moving until they did. During our conversation the dining steward made an annoucement that lunch would be served as soon as they had the electricity to serve it (train not moving, on batteries). He thanked me kindly for suggesting Amtrak.
An hour later he calls me up again wanting me to check the status of his train on the internet. Running 2 hours 43 mins late.
Just checked now, 2 hours 53 mins late into Chicago and since he had a connection to St.Louis, he has missed that. In compensation they offered to put him on a bus, but that isn't what he signed up for.
Sounds like his family is going to drive from St.Louis to Union Station in Chicago to pick him up. Of course, this is purely an accident with the brakes and not Amtrak's fault, but I feel sorry for the poor bastard.
tal
