Amtrak to Boston

 This morning, I said goodbye to New Jersey and New York. The best western at Newark airport is nice, and comfortable, but it takes a little bit of doing to get from the hotel to the train station.

I chatted with a group of Polish businessman on the way to the train.   The clouds look a little threatening, but it never did rain.

I took the Amtrak Northeast regional from Penn Station to Boston. The cars are newer and better shape than the sunset limited, but the sunset limited has a whole lot more legroom.

When I got to Boston, I discovered if there’s construction on the MTA redline but several very nice people helped me get onto the right bus and get off at the right stop to get to my hotel. I am staying between the Kennedy library and the Adams museum, and now discovered that my hotel offers a shuttle to the train station at Harvard .   

Chris has already sung the Kingston Trio, song MTA to me over the phone, But after my dinner across the parking lot at a brewery, pub attached to a bowling alley, I think the big Lebowski would be appropriate.    I didn’t feel like going anywhere and the hotel desk clerk said this little pub makes an excellent hamburger, and it was! This months feature is a truffle burger with truffle aïoli.    Sam Adams Oktoberfest beer on tap.   

Tomorrow I will go to the JFK presidential library and I may try to take a tour of downtown Boston.

Planning the Next Trip

 I now have firm plans and commitments for my Boston trip, September 17-Ocober 1.  I tell you something I really miss from the old days - travel agents!  I am supposed to do all of my planning at the computer.   The planning takes far longer than the trip itself.

I will take Amtrak to Boston.   Amtrak's "Julie" says the way to get to Boston is to take a bus to Longview, take the Texas Eagle to Chicago, and then take another train to Boston.   Sounds like how Southwest wants to route me home!   I found a better way.    Amtrak's Sunset Limited (Coach, it's cheaper) to New Orleans, overnight in a hotel on St Charles, take the Crescent to New York, stay a few days in Newark and then take the Acela to Boston.   Trying to book this on line, with a credit from my last voyage, and a few other variables was very frustrating.    I finally jumped in my Kia and drove downtown to the Amtrak station, where a very pleasant human being helped me with my tickets in short order.   Very satisfying.

Here is where i need your feedback.   I am doing this set of blogs from my phone and iPad, as the laptop takes up weight and space in my baggage.  Please comment, below as to whether you can view the video and any images.   

The little AMTRAK n scale train is a faithful model of the Sunset Limited.  The second car behind the engines is the sleeper.  I had a lower berth there to Los Angeles last month.   The last car in the consist is the coach, with airline-like seating.  I will ride it to New Orleans on September 17.

My credit cards have paid for trains to Boston, My hotels are booked thru Friday, September 27.   My Southwest flight from Hartford to Houston is also booked.   My hope is to pay off the credit cards now and by the end of my trip.  Just about done.

I was channel surfing during the Olympics and came across an episode of NOVA, on PBS.    They were talking about the longest wooden covered bridge in America, located in New York, not far from Albany, and also not far from Cooperstown, so now I will add a couple of bridges and some baseball to my final weekend.   I also hope to look at the Eastern terminus of the Erie Canal.

I am dictating this paragraph. This is a whole lot easier than typing on the iPad! Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Here is a shot of my layout.   The two modules were built in the 80s     I recently brought them out.  They and the other trackwork occupy a 9 x 5 area of my living room

Please comment below.   I think this works

Dan

Amtrak Part 2

 I am jumping around, as I think of something, and also as I can wrest pictures out of my phone and computer.

Efron was our porter on the Sunset Limited.   As such, he catered to my whims and converted my little roomette from two-seated compartment, to a closet with bed.

Esther says with that shirt, I look like a tourist.    I am a tourist!  But I finally downloaded something from my phone.   This is me outside my car.

Crossing the Rio Grande just outside El Paso.    Also note this recent ugly structure!

The Sunset Limited arrived early to LA.  Rather than schlep my luggage to the hotel and then walk back to the station, I went to baggage claim to ask about leaving pieces with them.   I discovered that as a first class passenger (I had a closet for a room!) I could go down the hall to the First Class Lounge, have complimentary coffee, a snack, type some, and leave my stuff with them.   So, I did,

Took Amtrak to Simi Valley.   Used my Uber App for the first time!   It worked.   Took Uber to the Ronald Reagan Library, on a hilltop in the western Simi Valley.   Interestingly, my driver had no idea what the Reagan Library was, nor where it was!    But she followed her GPS.

Probably the most remarkable thing about the Reagan, is the view!   Southern California has these things called "Hills" and they are everywhere!    There is one across the way with orchards, and you can just enjoy seeing so much from the library.

Once Reagan became a well-known movie star, he became quite a spokesman for General Electric, hosting it's TV show for years, and touring the country, visiting GE plants everywhere,   He got great insights from the workers and incredible exposure.   This part of the tour was very interesting.

At the other end of the Library is Air Force One!    The Boing 707 is inside the building!    This magnificent bird seems to float in the middle of the hanger.   We tourists came in at the third level, so were were on level with the wing and fuselage.    Only by walking around to the other side does the elevator and ramp to the plane became visible.   The entire front of the hanger is glass, showing that wonderful view of the hills.  Reagan used this plane more than the other presidents.

I took a wrong turn and found myself outside, unable to get back in.   I walked back around to the entrance and presented myself to the nice security man (Coach) who had checked my backpack upon my entrance.    He walked me back around to a side door and let me back into the exhibits.   Good thing, as the second half of the tour was the best.

Lots of info about Reagan vs Communism.   Somewhat propaganda, but he was a driving force in the 80s.   Reagan and Gorbachev clicked like no other US/USSR leaders before or since.   Lots of the Berlin Wall. 

The current temporary exhibit is "Star Wars".   The children were getting their pictures taken holding light sabers in the Millennium Falcon.   Lots of culture on this epic movie, but then they tied it to Reagan and his Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) which has always been called Star Wars.   Cool!

I think I actually came for the gift shop.   I made it my habit to try to limit myself to a coffee mug and fridge magnet.   Good personal policy, as the Presidential Christmas ornaments are only getting more and more expensive!    I also looked at a Star Wars Advent Calendar since Susie and I have often sent our son Advent calendars, but I didn't think it was $40.00 worth of cute!

Metrolink back to Union Station where no fewer than two Amtrak ladies fussed at me about my plan to walk to the hotel with three bags.   Everyone has a mother, I seem to have hundred!   I caved in and took Uber a whole half mile up the street!

I almost joined up with a Japanese tour group at the hotel, but they were not impressed with my wit, so I went my own way.

Just up the way from the hotel is the Angel Flight Railway.   This is an old funicular that climbs up the hill.   Very touristy, and also a piece of railroad trivia.  It claims to be the shortest incorporated railroad in the world, at about 350 feet! $1.00 each way!  This area has much culture, including art museums and the Walt Disney Center.    They are building a food court of chains, but the interesting one is the food court of local dives that looks like something out of the third world!

I keep getting confused by the time zones.   My body is still on Central Time, but my schedule and my iPhone are on Pacific Time.   My laptop, however, is still in Houston (time-wise) and it startles me when I think I may be late to my next train.

OK, I think I have made friends with moving images from phone to email to blogspot.   I'm sure there is a better way, but this way works!

I am on my way to the Nixon Library.   I have my Amtrak tickets, and know to get off at Fullerton, and take bus 26 to Yorba Linda.    Should be quite a bit cheaper than Uber!  

By the way, blogging is supposed to be social media, so be sociable!   Leave comments below.   At least let me know this thing is being read.

Riding Amtrak West from Houston

 I am finally on my way!   Chris took me to the Houston Amtrak Station, located on Washington Ave, just West of the Gulf Freeway and just South of I-10.  Chris did not know it existed.   Not much there, but it did the job.

The Sunset Limited, Amtrak train # 1, consists of two engines, a baggage car, a sleeper (my new home!) the dining car (meals come with my roomette), an observation lounge, and a coach car.

Next stop (I hope) is San Antonio.   Here we will pick up a few cars from the Texas Eagle, inbound from Chicago.

When I rebooked this trip, I was unable to get a roomette on the upper level of the sleeper.   The view downstairs is not as good, but I just got a voucher for about $250.00!    Guess I will be spending more time in the observation lounge with its super wide windows and wonderful view.   Good or bad, that also means I will be meeting new people, some of whom may actually talk more than me!

My roomette is very small, but I am finding that it makes me a first class passenger!

The train was an hour earlyWe spent 3 1/2 hours in San Antonio!   2 !/2 was on the schedule.   Good news, we were on time.   Bad news, is I can't sleep.

I'm going to jump around, because I want to go catch a metro train to Simi Valley.   The train was an hour early into LA.   When I asked about storing my bags while being a tourist, the nice lady pointed out that as an Amtrak passenger with a roomette, I am first class, and can avail myself of the upstairs lounge (where I sit right now!) which includes the priviledge of storing bags for the day!   Did not know that.

So, I will tell you more about the ride later, and also about the Reagan Library.   For now, I am off to see the world!