We're off to Chicago! Due to the snow storm and her dislike of airplanes, Ursula chose to take the slow train to Chicago. We left New York yesterday at 4pm heading into heavy snow and 20 hours later we are still on the rails somewhere west of Cleveland. While you never know whether or not Apartment Therapy will make a big splash or a tiny one tomorrow at the taping of the Oprah Show, we will definitely be there as guests.
What is even more interesting is the super cool sleeper cabin that we have been living in since yesterday. Measuring a mere 48 square feet, this mini home is a vintage marvel complete with full bathroom, shower, 2 beds, overhead storage compartment with ladder, and an independent thermostat...
crossed fingers here that you will arrive your destination safely guys and will have an awesome appearance in the show. Good Luck!
Ditto!!
That is so cute. I did a trip from DC to Chicago and arrived HOURS late. I demanded a refund oon the return portion and took a flight back to DC instead. Never ever will I take a train again.
But my seat wasn't anywhere near as cozy as your cabin looks.
Get here soon, well and warm.
What a fabulous way to travel! You can stretch out or snuggle up while the flakes fly. Can't wait to see pics of the train car... have a safe journey and tell O. we say "hey!"
but what day are you on Oprah?
ooh, I love the train, it's so relaxing.
I haven't had the luxury of the sleeper car though, looks great! Especially the cuddle bed with Ursula. We usually take Cleveland- Chicago- St. Louis route, so enjoy the ride, it's very familiar to me:)
Also, stay warm- I'm south of Cleveland, stuck at home in almost 2 feet of snow today- so watch the snow go by and crank up your personal thermostat... hopefully you'll get some free stuff from Oprah too and enjoy the beautiful city of Chicago!
I love trains but 20+ hours - ouch! Good luck we are very much snowed in here in Toronto, Canada so I am sure Chicago will be the same.
yeah, the delays aren't great... but after the last delay in Chicago my plane-phobic-train-loving mom complained to Amtrak and got a credit/ free Amtrak pass for the next weekend shopping trip to Chicago... must depend on who you complain to.
i think train travel is so romantic...i've never done a trip that long but would love to sometime, especially with a private cabin with shower.
will look forward to seeing you on the show. : )
I did Amtrak NYC to Chicago, though not in a sleeper. It was surprisingly comfortable--plenty of leg room and the chairs tilt back and have a little footrest. People who take the train tend to be chatty and I had fabulous conversations in the dining room and lounge. Enjoy the trip!
I took that NY-CHI train trip once. Just once. We were hours, practically days late.
And the cabins are SO expensive. Don't get me started on Amtrak. I think it's a national disgrace that we can't figure out affordable, reliable short-run train travel and affordable long-run travel for family vacations. When my husband wants to get my blood boiling he just whispers "amtrak" into my ear.
Look at it this way - how many people can say that their train car was almost 20% the size of their home!
I agree with the others, this looks like such a delightful way to travel through the snow. I hope you arrive safely and have fun on your Oprah appearance - can't wait to see it!
Yay for the Oprah appearance, and here is MY train travel dream - only $6500 per person! Check out the "Life on Board" section...
http://www.orient-express.com/web/luxury/luxury_travel.jsp
I definitely prefer the zippy trains of Europe (especially the French TGV) and the Japanese bullet trains to the misery of Amtrak. You have my sympathy; hope the trip goes well for you. Enjoy your big day on Oprah; I'll even tape that show (an Oprah makes me gag!).
We, too, took a sleeper once, many years ago, with visions of the Orient Express and the Palace on Wheels dancing in our heads. Certainly, the sleeper surcharge ($275 in those days, on top of the price of our tickets) and the Amtrak description -- private bathroom, two beds, armchair, valet service -- encouraged fantasies of a romantic trip.
The cabin was all stainless steel -- countertop, walls, everything. The sink was in the room. The bathroom was a 4' X 4' cubicle, that combined the toilet with an overhead shower. As if to confirm that this was how it was meant to be used, the toilet paper was sodden.
Where's the armchair?, I asked the attendant. He dragged out a rickety, folding contraption from under the bed/seat and placed it in the only free spot -- in front of the bathroom door. One arm had caught in the springs under the bed, and stuffing was hanging out.
The only good thing about this not being the Orient express was that a dozen people did not come and stab us at night.
Kinda sucks how this lovely, sweet, idyllic post prompted train horror stories... but ANYwho...
I'd give anything to be on a snowy train right now...
I took the train to Rhode Island not too long ago. It was a breeze, and only about 20 bucks more to upgrade to business class. Enjoy this very exciting trip!
when does the show actually air? gotta set the vcr (old skul!)
How can you leave NY and 20 hours late be just west of Cleveland? Isn't that just right past the halfway mark?
I've driven to Chicago several time before and it takes about 12 hrs. Can the train really take more than 3x as long?
that's a lotta creamer!
Violet: I imagine the snow has something to do with the slow progress. But Amtrak does follow its own sense of time. You can drive from Santa Barbara to San Francisco in about 5 hours. Amtrak officially takes nearly 10 -- and adds a footnote to the schedule saying that due to track congestion, passengers should expect delays of 2 to 4 hours. Since there's only one train per day on this route, the congestion bit baffles me.
I love trains, myself, and take them whenever possible. I think that Ursula and her companions are probably having a lovely time on this snow-bound trip. But Amtrak leaves a lot to be desired. Anybody who has taken a train in Europe or, say, India knows this.
Have a safe trip and enjoy being on Oprah. Many blessings to you and your family. Look forward to seeing you on the show.
Wow this is super exciting news. I love that you went by rail, somewhat romantic... We all have fingers and toes crossed for you guys. Have a wonderful journey!
Holly
Design Dabbler--
Passenger trains very often share tracks with freight trains, of which there are considerable continued and profitable use countrywide.
Good for you! How cozy and romantic. Thanks for the peek.
Your cabin looks cozy! I love train rides. I did one many moons ago, from Toronto to Vancouver and back.
The view was just breath-taking.
why is amtrak such a national disgrace? do you really think that the big 3 auto companies want you to take lovely efficient train service all over the country? no! of course they don't. that's why (documented facts here) gm systematically dismantled streetcar systems in multiple cities starting in the 20's. that power extends to governmental influence today. amtrak is ridiculously underfunded by the government and doesn't have right of way on most of the tracks that they use. so when a freight train comes along your amtrak train is forced to wait because it's not top banana.
it really is a shame because train travel is a lovely way to get around. high speed train service ought to be running all over this country by now, but i doubt that'll happen for a long time, if ever.
I'm looking forward to more photos and also the airing of the O show, whenever that might be.
Trains, Planes, and Automobiles.......Some good, some not so good in each...it depends on what you make of it. They seem to be having a good time. Let it be. It's an adventure.
Maybe I'm the only one who regularly enjoys an Amtrak experience, but it sure beats driving. A weekday trip from Lansing, MI to Chicago runs about $21, and takes about 4 hours. Its been a pretty sweet way to travel this winter, since it means I don't have to fight with lake effect snow and the semi-regular closing down of I-94 in Indiana.
Either way, can't wait to catch the AT Oprah.
Train travel has its own romance and rhythm. But sleeping accommodations on Amtrak are unbelievably expensive, so I guess Oprah must be paying.
When I was in college I used to take Southern Railways from NYC to S. Carolina. They had sleeping accommodations for one person called a slumbercoach, very cozy and nice with a small surcharge. I don't think Amtrak kept those cars when they took over Southern. Those were the days!
That's a lovely story and pix and makes me want to be on that cozy train with the snow flying by too. And what IS up with all those creamers?
Amtrak is notorious for being late. The west coast line-the one that goes from Seattle to Los Angeles is infamous in fact. I think it was once 2 days late or something like that. The good thing is that you really get time to think. You just can't plan on arriving at any particular time. My longest trip several years ago was Kansas City to New York by way of Chicago and took 36 hours door to door. Ironically, I think we were only a couple of hours late. I wish I'd gotten a sleeper car on the Chicago - NYC segment because I had a really bad cold.
Long train trips (even in sleeper cars) are NOT romantic. Perhaps they were in yesteryear, but not anymore. I have taken the train between NY and Cleveland many times and have never gotten in earlier than 4 hours late. Also, once on a whim my (now ex-)husband and I took the California Zephyr (the new Amtrak line, not the historic one) from Chicago to San Francisco ... those were two of the worst days of my life. It is a horribly rough ride (I was thrown out of the upper berth of our compartment once, my husband twice), there are long delays with no announcements (and sometimes no power.) Also, a great deal of the US (that is visible from the train tracks) is incredibly boring - not scenic at all. In fact, the only part of the trip that was attractive at all, was from Denver on ... while the train ran along the Colorado River. They even have a tour guide calling out points of interest during that leg. On this particular day, we even saw the infamous Mustang Ranch being raided by cops!
Anyway, congrats on O! Hopefully the long trip will be worth it.
I think the whole adventure sounds VERY exciting, and I just hope I can get someone to Tivo this for me.