Still Day 3

Now we're just sitting - conductor just made an announcement - by Federal law conductors can only work 12 hours - he got on at 5:00 A.M. in Omaha - it is now 5:30 p.m. We have to wait half an hour for another conductor to come to the train to take us into Chicago. I am definitely ging to miss the connection to DC, which is due to leave Chicago NOW! Fun!

Much later...

Sitting on a bus in Chicago waiting to be transported to a hotel. We were very late and trains to DC and other places had already left. Amtrak loses lots of money on this one. Some people were put on various buses to their destinations and the rest of us are going to Homewood Hotel in Homewood, IL. We were given a hotel voucher and $23 cash for food. They do take care of us.

We'll be picked up at the hotel at 11:00 A.M. and my train to DC leaves at 5:35 P.M. Supposedly my checked baggage will be on it. Maybe I'll get in a bit of sightseeing. My wish to stay in a Chicago hotel is being fulfilled sooner than I would have imagined.

There is a guy in front of me, on the bus, who says he is a retired railroad worker. He heard that the train that left Emeryville yesterday, the train I had originally planned to be on, is already twelve hours late due to a landslide somewhere - I presume in the mountains.

We are waiting for people from another train. The women in the offices were very upset that so many of us had "messed up" travel plans and were so good at trying to help all of us.