Readers of this column already know that Sherry and I sometimes do some really silly things, just for fun. For our recent trip to Chicago, we decided to mix things up and take the train home.  We had never slept on a train before.   This turned out to be a true experience, because like most adventures, it was not precisely the one we planned for.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Amtrak runs the #48 Lakeshore Limited train which leaves Chicago’s Union station at 9:30PM, and meanders by a couple of Great Lakes on its way to New York.  That timing was perfect for our trip, and we thought we might get to see some of the cool fall foliage.  However, the train to Penn station and back home would take more than 22 hours.  With some research, I discovered that the train also stops in Albany’s Rensselaer (ALB) station and we could cut 6 hours off the trip by driving the last two hours home from there.  Problem solved, and we splurged on some sleeper car tickets.

We began our journey by driving up to ALB and parking our car at the rail station.  We hired a taxi to take us to the Albany International Airport for our flight to Chicago.   The airport is small but getting nicer, undergoing some helpful improvements.   After clearing security and grabbing some food, we boarded our plane, taxied to the runway and took off to begin our trip.

An Unexpected (and Undesired) Twist

A few moments after we took off, I realized that I had not brought my jacket onto the plane.  It had my wallet, some medicine and all my cash in the pockets.  I immediately realized I had left it in the food court area.  Luckily, I still had my phone and Sherry had her credit cards, so we were not totally without money.   I did not have many options while we were in the air, so I registered for internet (AA charges $18 wow!)  and began to research who I could contact to help. 

We landed less than ninety minutes later, and I got on the phone with the helpful people at Albany Airport’s operations center.  They said they would send someone to look for the jacket.  When they called back a few minutes later to tell me the jacket was not found, I was devastated.  This was the jacket I had bought on our Morrocco trip (adventure #8) and I was not looking forward to replacing the credit cards, driver’s license and all the medical ID cards in the wallet.

A few minutes later, my phone rang.  A cleaning agent had found the jacket and the wallet was still there!   I was overjoyed and arranged to pick it up after we returned from our trip.

Getting Aboard

A few days later, when our visit to Chicago was finished, we checked into the recently refurbished waiting area at Union Station and boarded the train.

With the help of the crew we were able to find our room.  There are two types of sleepers on Amtrak: a “Roomette”, which is tiny, just big enough for a pair of small bunk beds, and a “Bedroom” which has a bit more room, as well as a private toilet and shower.  We opted for the full Bedroom which was set up as a couch when we arrived.   Despite being the bigger of the two options, it was still pretty tight, and we were challenged to find a place we could open our suitcases. 

Dining Car

After meeting our Porter, Rafael, and getting settled, we headed to the dining car for a light snack, some libations and a little celebration.  We were on our first overnight train experience and it felt exciting to be trying something new.  The dining car was spacious and nicely decorated and we enjoyed watching the lights and towns go by. 

Time for Bed

While we were in the dining car, Rafael repurposed our room for sleeping.  There was a larger bed (bigger than twin but smaller than full) on the bottom and a small bed above.    We got into our PJs and Sherry snuggled up in the bottom while I climbed the ladder above.  The beds were surprisingly comfortable.

Shaken AND Stirred

Over the years I have learned to sleep anywhere in almost any position, in hotels, sitting up on overnight plane trips and even on-board a boat rocking in choppy seas (see adventure #35 ).   I guess trains were just not made for sleeping.  We felt thumping every time the train went to a new section of track.  The very panels of the train compartment creak and moan at every turn and although we were near the rear of the train, we could clearly hear the whistle blowing at every surface crossing.  Even worse, when the train stops at a station, there is a severe backward motion (train aficionados call this “slack action”) jolting us awake.

Let’s just say, very little sleep that night.

Seemed Shorter Than Expected

Despite the lack of sleep, we enjoyed watching the scenery go by.  Upstate NY is a beautiful place.   Breakfast and lunch in the dining car were both really peaceful.   In all, the time went by much faster than I thought it would.  Although we were a little past the peak foliage season, the leaves began to look spectacular once we got closer to Albany.

I even tried out the shower in our room. It’s in the same room as the toilet (similar to a boat).  It was actually enjoyable, up until the “slack action” occurred when we stopped in Schenectady, which smashed me against the wall, soap suds and all!  Oh well.

A Happy Ending

I cannot say enough about the very nice people at Albany Airport operations center.  After we departed the train at ALB, we drove again to the airport.  Once I found the office, they ran upstairs to get my jacket – everything was still there, jacket, wallet, medicine and every single dollar.  It is amazing to find people so dedicated and nice.  I am so relieved.

Our ride home from Albany, along the Taconic State Parkway was simply beautiful, with the trees in full bloom.  A great completion for this adventure.