Adventurers in the Appalachia
My First trip on the Southwest Chief going to
the 2018 NRHS Convention in Cumberland, Maryland
Chapter Five
Newark to Roanoke with a stop on
Broadway
Northeast Regional Train 171
July 26, 2018
Thursday
by
Robin Bowers
Text and Photos by Author
The
author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed
without the author's consent.
Comments are appreciated at...yr.mmxx@gmail.com
We
awoke today after both having a restful sleep. We later learned
that the Hotel Riviera has played a big part in the history and
Black culture of Newark. It was a good place for a night's stop
in our journey. Today would be a great day for Chris. When we
step off the train in Roanoke he will have finished another
completion of the Amtrak System. Congrats Chris and do a few
more. Hope there isn't a marching band or fireworks when we
arrive at the platform. We took a taxi back to Newark Penn
Station and got to see the city in daylight which took about 15
minutes in the hilly neighborhood. After arriving at Penn
Station we bought our tickets to Penn station in Manhattan. I
spent a grand total of $2.45 for a one way ride on the New
Jersey Transit. Then we found out that our train would come in
on Track 2. We did a little railroad photography while we waited
for our train in Newark this morning.
Amtrak 645 pulled the Northeast Regional 185 train into the Newark
station on Track 3 with Acela Express 2164 came into Newark.
Acela Express 2164 doing its station work at Newark.
Our train to Manhattan.
The train came in with Chris
and I boarding the rear cab car which was the quiet car on this
train from Trenton. The train trip to Secaucus was slow as we
were following trains but sped up after that.
Part of Manhattan skyline.
The train took us through the
Hudson River Tunnel and into Penn Station New York. We detrained
and went to the Amtrak waiting area to wait. Chris went to shop
for a new bag while I waited with the bags. He returned with new
luggage. As we had about a ninety-minute layover and while Chris
switched bags I went on a sightseeing tour. This was only my
second time in Manhattan and I wanted to see how much I could
see walking near Penn Station in one hour's time. I left the
underground bowels of the station and went up the stairs to
daylight and the street scene. Although I had planned to take
some photos, I ended up with a boat load of them. As this visit
and my first to the Big Apple were during daylight hopefully a
future visit will be at night so I can see all the lights
lighting the buildings and the city.
Where we wanted to stay last night. Built by the Pennsylvania
Railroad conveniently located across the street from their
station.
Former site of the Penn Station building.
An other side of the Square Garden.
Empire State Building.
Yep, In the lobby.
A spinoff of the streets in Amsterdam?
Sardis, the famous deli with pictures of stars on the walls.
Times Square.
Back to Madison Square Garden.
Going down under ground to waiting room and the tracks.
I went down to the Amtrak
waiting area and met up with Chris. It was like a zoo there with
conflicting announcements of changing platforms, arrival and
departure times . Then add several hundred people wandering
around dazed and confused. Not a good place if you are
claustrophobic, but great for spelunkers. When our track number
was announced we all gathered at the down escalator but the
problem was it was still running up for the arriving passengers.
When it was finally reversed and going down it was a gonzo
stampede and I got separated from Chris and he was out of sight
when I arrived on the platform. I entered the first open car and
started walking through several cars before I found an empty
place for my bag on the luggage rack which was priority one.
Next was to find an empty seat. Not a easy task on this nearly
sold out train coming from Boston. I did find a lone empty one
but had no idea where Chris was located, but I was on the
correct train and moving.
Northeast Regional 171
The train left about 15
minutes late and headed west into the Hudson River Tunnel on the
way to Secaucus and then on to Newark for my second visit today.
Chris found me after Newark but I stayed where I was as the
train was still full. We stopped at Newark Airport then next at
Trenton. After that we were in Philadelphia, and next going by
the Amtrak Wilmington Shops which we will be visiting in several
days. We crossed the Susquehanna River where it empties into
Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace. We stopped at BWI station
which I have used before and then on to New Carroliton station
which I have visited before when I made my many visits to my
Aunt who lives in Annapolis. We would drive to here, park and
take the Metro into DC. From here we went straight to
Washington, DC with a layover while they switch engines.
Engine switch in DC from electric to diesel for the rest of the
trip south.
Engine 622 pulled our train down from Manhattan.
Stairs up to Union Station.
Our new engine to take us to Roanoke, VA.
At 5:22pm the power was
restored after the engine connections were made. We left
Washington Union Station at 5:27pm and headed into the Capital
Tunnel then headed to the crossing of the Potomac River.
L'enfant Metro stop in DC.
Crossing the Potomac River.
We crossed the river into the state of Virginia to our next
station of Alexandria. After that the next stop is Burke Center.
The next stop was in Manassas followed by Culpeper and then
Charlottesville. I then joined Chris.
From Lynchburg it was on to our final and last stop.
As the train came a stop in Roanoke I got off so able to take a
picture of Chris stepping off the train.
Chris Guenzler stepping off the train after just completing the
Amtrak System once more.
We started to leave when Chris saw
the Hotel Roanoke van and asked if we could get a ride which the
driver said yes. He drove over to the Hotel Roanoke and we
checked into this nice hotel for the night. Walking into the
lobby you could just feel the posh. After we checked in, we went
up to our very nice room. You did good, Chris in choosing this
place to stay. Last night we slept in New Jersey and tonight in
Virginia.
Thanks
for reading.
Text and Photos by Author
The
author retains all rights. No reproductions are
allowed without the author's consent.
