Passenger Trains > Booked An Interesting Trip!

I booked my big Amtrak trip for this fall last night using a total of 43,403 AGR points (this is thanks to getting the new card last fall and getting the 20,000 point bonus that came with it!) and was able to book the entire trip online, all 11 trains!!!  This year's trip will be a record breaker for me as I have never rode 11 Amtrak trains before in a single trip!  It will also be a departure from my destinations which have generally had me somewhere on the west coast.  I wanted to try something different this year and cover some routes I haven't covered yet (as well as ride some roller coasters I haven't ridden yet!).  Here's the itinerary:  Departing Buffalo-Depew Station on #49 and riding in Coach to Sandusky, OH to go to Cedar Point Amusement Park (25th straight season going there, and this is my first destination every year on this trip).  After 3 days there, I'll take #49 to Chicago in Coach and weather permitting, go railfanning at Roosevelt Road again and I've been told Mike Ditka's restaurant in Chicago is a place to experience and I should have the time to do so as I won't be leaving Chicago until that evening on #59 as I'll be taking that train to New Orleans in a Roomette.  Once in New Orleans, I'll spend the night, then the following morning, take #20 from there to Charlotte, NC also in a Roomette where I'll be spending the next 5 days.  My plan so far is to pick up a rental car and drive to Spencer to the big museum there, then the next two days, ride more roller coasters at Carowinds Amusement Park (I'm a Platinum Passholder at Cedar Point and that pass is good at all of the parks they own including Carowinds!).  The next day, I plan a round trip to Raleigh and back covering the Piedmont (Train #74) and the Carolinian (Train #79 back).  I'll be in Coach as there was no other accomodation on #74 and in Business Class on #79.  Eventually, I'll be taking #80 in Business Class to Wilmington, DE and will spend the night there, then begin an "endurance test" at the end of the trip, taking #184 to Philly, then #43 to Pittsburgh (both in Business Class), then #29 to Cleveland and #48 back home (both in Coach as a Sleeper wasn't necessary for 2 trains that I'll only be riding about 3 hours each and no Business Class available on those routes).  So the end of the trip will feature 4 trains covering 705 miles in about 22 hours!!! 

Of course, this doesn't come without some questions so here goes:

​1.  Where are some good places in the Charlotte area to go railfanning???  Can any railfanning be done at the Amtrak Station there?  I want to get some photos of the North Carolina equipment specifically since I know it only runs on the Piedmont. 

​2.  What kind of public transit options are available in Charlotte?  I have a rental car but will be arriving at some crazy hour on #20 so my thought would be I'd have to take a cab to my hotel and also one back to the station when I leave since #80 leaves so early in the morning.

​3.  I know the museum in Spencer was the place where NS brought all the Heritage Units for a photo session a couple years ago.  Opinions on this museum?

4.  Anyone have opinions on Mike Ditka's restaurant??

​5.  Can I store my luggage in Pittsburgh's station?  I have a 4 hour layover before I leave on #29 and would like to go get dinner somewhere during that time, speaking of which, are there any decent restaurants near the Pittsburgh Station?

​6.  How is Club Acela in Philly?  I have a single-day pass from AGR and will use it there.  That should mean I've visited every Club Acela in the system!

 

In response to your fifth question, I recommend which is located at 10th Street and Liberty Avenue across from the Westin Convention Center Hotel (the Amtrak Station is located near 12th and Liberty).

Tonic

Just a couple blocks further away on Penn Avenue a bit west of 10th Street is Sienna Mercato.  If you like meatballs, this is a great place to go.  It has three levels of dining, with the top floor being open.

Sienna Mercato

If you like Thai food, I highly recommend Nicky's Thai Kitchen at Penn Avenue and 9th Street.

Nicky's Thai Kitchen

Enjoy your trip!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/16 11:12 by RuleG.

Regarding Question #4 (Mike Ditka's). If you are big time into football, I guess it would be a good destination. Otherwise, I could probably suggest a dozen place that have more personality, and better food. I was at Ditka's a couple months ago and (not being a football fan) I would say it was just OK. AND they had run out of prime rib at lunch time. The service was so - so.

Sounds like a great trip. I keep trying to tell my wife and kids a vacation in Sandusky at Cedar Point would be fun, but they have not bitten. They keep coming up with beaches, mountains, and cruises to see first.

Have you had a chance to ride the roller coasters at Six Flags over Georgia? Goliath is one the best roller coasters I have ridden in a while.

Jay

While in Charlotte ride the light rail line and also the new streetcar line (which is free).

The Spencer Museum is fantastic and you will want to visit it for sure!


Chris

You won't be able to go to the Charlotte platforms without a ticket, but you can photograph Piedmont equipment from the parking lot as they sit in the station. I've also been able to check out the Carolinians and Crescents from the parking lot as well. Show up early for your Piedmont train; they close the gate a couple minutes prior departure and depart not a second late. Enjoy the extremely dated station with leaky passageways while you can, because a new one is being constructed closer to downtown in the near future.

Charlotte's bus #11 (link to CATS schedule) runs from downtown to Amtrak VERY frequently from 5 am till 1 am, and I've used it multiple times. Afraid it may not work for you given the time #20 arrives, but if it's early, you'll make the 1:43a bus. Ignore the 'Amtrak' slot there, that's for buses pulling into the parking lot. The regular stop towards downtown is out of the parking lot and across the street. The bus terminates at the Charlotte Transit Center in downtown, where the light-rail also serves. Downtown Charlotte is safe to explore. I'm not sure which hotel you're staying at, but I stayed near Woodlawn light-rail station and used the LRT and bus to connect with Piedmont and Carolinian trains to Spencer for the Streamliners event. It worked out flawlessly. Salisbury has a bus that operates a couple miles down to Spencer (I walked between Spencer and Salisbury most of the time), so if you take the train instead of driving to Spencer, you can ride (Salisbury Route 3) 

I'm not sure what traffic levels are like, but at one LRT stop past Woodlawn is Tyvola station, which sits between two NS lines and it seemed that for the short duration I stepped off there, trains were all over the place.

Some of my previous posts about Charlotte-- http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3442186

Enjoy Carowinds, fond memories there with a high school date in 2000. Note that some of the roller coasters there span across two states!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/16 01:03 by F40PHR231.

In reference to your number 4:

Chicago is a steak and ribs city.  IMHO, Ditka's is okay.  It has a club atmosphere and the food is good.  I went there once and never returned because of the service.  You can get better food for the same bucks elsewhere.  Carsons for ribs - is one choice. Smith and Wollensky, Chicago Chop House, and Gene and Georgetti, come to mind as solid steak choices.  Here are lists of some of the best in Chicago: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/November-2013/best-steak-houses/
https://www.thrillist.com/eat/chicago/best-steakhouses-in-chicago-by-occasion
One of the easiest to get to from CUS is Smith and Wollensky.

I would bring a doggy bag from lunch time, and include a few cold adult beverages on ice in a container, for late night snacking on CONO!  Chicago has one of the largest and best selections of carry out food for an Amtrak adventure.  I never eat in the dining car at night when leaving CUS eastbound or southbound, or when leaving Naperville westbound!

Have a super trip!

 

Are you trying to out-ride Mudrock??

Whatever you do when you are Cicago, don't go for pizza!!!  LOL.  Of course it is known for that.  the high end steak places come at a high end price, need reservations are not so neat by yourself
Bob

If you're old enough to remember the SNL "Cheeborger! Cheeborger! Cheeborger!" skits, you should try the real Billy Goats Tavern that was the basis of those skits.  They have several locations in Chicago, the original on Lower Wacker Dr.  The burgers are pretty good...but not great.  Billy Goat Tavern