Initial Wrap Up
I will be doing a journal & review on IgoUgo in the coming week, but for now here's the readers' digest version . . .
The trip was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed my trip. We were delayed one hour into Whitefish last Tuesday night . . . and four hours home yesterday back into Milwaukee. Not sure why the delay westbound, but the eastbound delay was apparently equipment related due to an Amtrak engine that was down so they had to get a (slower) BNSF engine to replace it. They were late into Whitefish to pick me (and 100+ additional passengers) up. We continued to lose time heading east. Unfortunately my sister & nephew missed their Chicago connection to continue on to Washington, DC . . . so they got put up in a Chicago suburb about an hour away. Jury's still out on how they will be handled regarding the inconvenience as she will now miss a day of work and the train accommodations they were told they would have were not provided today when they returned to the station for their tickets. She was not a happy camper this morning!
I felt during the train trip, the staff throughout were outstanding . . . the sleeping car attendants, the conductors and the dining car folks. I also thought the food was better than average to excellent. I did have one marginal dining experience, but even that was far better than any airline food I have ever had. (Out of Whitefish, breakfast was obviously delayed due to the lateness of our departure . . . and the staff was rushed and the food on the lukewarm side.)
The delays throughout the trip also created food inventory availability issues as they had more passengers on the train than I would assume they'd normally expect. A good example would be Saturday's lunch. Had we arrived in Minneapolis as scheduled, that would have been 100+ fewer people around to eat lunch. Because we were so late, many did want to dine on the train, especially those in sleeper cars for whom meals are free.
Bottom line on the experience, I would do it again if the trip circumstances permitted it. Flexibility and "go with the flow" are essential to make the most of it without getting all worked up over delays and limited meal choices as things run out.
I was amazed at how folks slept on the train. Many slept in their seats, sitting more or less upright. A lot, however slept on the floor space in front or behind their seat. I also saw little kids with a "bed" made for them in adjoining seats folded down with a sheet and blanket made into a comfy bed.
The train out of Whitefish on Friday and again out of Minneapolis yesterday were very full with few open seats. When I did see folks with an open seat, the little folks (shorter than 5'8" and small frame) could make the most of the two seats, looking pretty comfortable.
The views were spectacular through the mountains after we left Whitefish. I will be posting more photos on my FB page, as well as the IgoUgo journal I'll be writing. I'll be sure to provide links to both when they're done.
Any questions . . . feel free to ask and I'll try to answer them!