The station building at Galesburg, Illinois. The first fresh-air break on the westbound journey as we stopped to pick up passengers.
According to legend, the Marx Brothers received their nicknames here during a poker game in 1914.
This is my sleeper car. Usually the first car is reserved for the crew. On this trip I was assigned the first room on the train. The right-most window on the top row is my room. Right outside of my door is the only forward-facing window on the train aside from the locomotive, which will provide me with many exceptional views on this trip.
Numbers 16 and 81 will be my chariots for this trip. These two beasts will hurtle us across the plains, through two mountain ranges and along the San Francisco bay over the course of the next 2 days.
The end of the first day saw us racing through Illinois and Nebraska. During dinner, which for me consisted of a medium-rare Amtrak signature steak, baked potato and veggies, we experienced a rare and beautiful phenomenon: an electrical storm on the plains at night. I have to say it was one of the most beautiful and at the same time terrifying things I have ever seen! After dinner, a drink in the lounge and connecting with some of my fellow travelers. Then off to bed. Tomorrow: the Rocky Mountains!
By morning we had made it to Denver and the train backed into Denver Union Station for its first service stop. Union station had not yet undergone its conversion to a gigantic kite. On the right is Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team.
Fresh water is filled and "the tanks" are pumped out. Windows washed, food supply replenished. The monsters are refueled as well. Now we climb the front range into the Rocky Mountains.
This is my roomette. It is staggering to me how quickly one person can clutter this small space, but it's comfortable and quiet and it's home for the next 2 days. For those who've never been in one, it consists of two seats that face each other. A fold-down tray is in between them and each room has it's own full-size window. The seats fold down into a bed and there is a berth above that folds down as well. The shelves on the side of the seat become the steps that let you climb to the berth, if that is what you choose. I prefer to sleep on the lower bunk and stash my luggage in the upper one. There is a small closet to hang a coat and a few hooks for bags and backpacks. You have a reading light, temperature control, and an attendant call-button. Bring along some duct tape because these cars are pretty old and have a lot of rattles. Duct tape holds it all in place. In the middle of the car at the top of the stairs is the refreshment station where you can get coffee, hot water and usually fruit juice, as well as the usual accoutrements that go along with these things. There are usually a few bottles of water there as well. Some attendants will even have books of puzzles or activities for kids. There is a communal toilet there as well. On the lower level are 3 more communal toilets and a shower room, plus ample space to store your luggage if you don't have the luxury of a room to yourself.
The obligatory "down the corridor" photo.
You don't see this sort of thing on trains very often. This is the forward-looking window at the front of the lead sleeper. If you mess with the auto-focus you can make it look like the window is NOT caked with a thousand dead bugs!
We head north from Denver climbing noticeably uphill all the way. Ahead of us: some of the most amazing scenery that there is to be seen in the U.S.A.!
We climb the Big Ten Curve. The gondola cars are filled with dirt and rocks and are welded in place. They serve as a wind-break for the winds that blow down the mountain. They can be strong enough to blow a train off the tracks! We made it safely, I'm pleased to report. Watch this YouTube video of the train making the climb.
