Amtrak's California Zephyr 2021, Part 1 [Chicago -Galesburg -Ottumwa -Omaha] Westbound train 5

#amtraktrains #amtrak #CaliforniaZephyr (Episode 6/17 of our 2021 adventure) Our adventure continues in the wonderful La-Quinta Inns & Suites in Downtown, the walk to Union Station, where we will board the California Zephyr for Glenwood Springs. From flocks of birds flying formation to a wonderful sunset, our fast train carries us top to speeds of 79 mph across the prairies of Illinois, Iowa & Nebraska to Omaha . Video Contents. 0:00:00 Prelude. 0:00:10 Dedication. 0:00:14 Introduction and opening scenes. 0:01:44 We support the Rail Passengers Association, and you can too. Enjoy a discount on Amtrak travel and other benefits too! Visit https://www.railpassengers.org for more information. 0:04:00 Tuesday, Adventure Day 3 begins at the LaQuinta Inn & Suites in Downtown. 0:05:08 Saying goodbye to the wonderful people at LaQuinta. 0:04:46 Walking among the skyscrapers of downtown. 0:10:13 Arriving Chicago Union Station. 0:11:11 Arrival in the great room, then great hall. 0:12:00 Arrival at the Metropolitan lounge. 0:12:27 Saying goodbye to Another wonderful Amtrak employee, Chris. 0:13:55 Departing for the train in style, with some humor along the way. 0:15:08 Arriving at the the sleeping cars. 0:15:38 Boarding and meeting our S.C.A., Karen. She is helpful and good at her job. 0:16:12 Notice the Red-cap carry our bags on the train. We are in car 0531, roomette 0:17:25 Cindy says 'hi' 0:17:36 We depart Chicago. 0:18:53 We exit the station into daylight, and pass part of Amtrak's coach yard before turning West. 0:20:15 Passing Amtrak's engine maintenance facility and some new Horizon cars, and a private car 'Patrick Henry" in the yards. 020:42 Notice the train wash...! 0:22:10 Humor. We admit we love Cindy already. :) 0:22:45 First stop to pick up passengers is Naperville, IL. 0:23:11 Robert arrives with some cookies, and we chat about dinner at 8 p.m. 0:26:58 The California Zephyr with the storm clouds in the background. 0:29:49 Passing thru a small mid-western town. (no stop). 0:32:37 Karen finally arrives to officially introduce herself. (A Superliner sleeper can theoretically hold up to 50 people). 0:34:35 Kelsie from the dining-car confirms our dinner time. 0:35:48 The storm is getting closer. 0:42:22 Chuck returns from a visit with Robert & Wendy, and indicates they want to go to the Sightseer-lounge car soon. 0:43:59 It's a fairly smooth ride across the prairies. 0:44:39 The rain has begun. Good music with it. 0:46:40 We pass a large wind-turbine. 0:48:54 Walk thru a coach car to de-train during the Galesburg, IL stretch stop. 0:50:18 All Aboard! 0:52:00 We arrive back in our roomette. 0:53:41 As a note of interest, our train is the first daily California Zephyr train since October of 2020. (Amtrak chose to cut the frequency during the height of the pandemic). 0:56:10 Calling all 5pm dinner reservations... 0:58:32 Crossing the mighty Mississippi river. No speedboats, but plenty of big birds. 1:10:25 Chuck learns what a 'no-neck' is. 1:01:05 Departing Burlington, IA. 1:01:24 Cindy "entertains' Chuck as he prepares for our party in the Sightseer-lounge car. 1:02:50 Cindy prepares her roomette and joins us. 1:03:25 Passing Robert & Wendy's roomette. 1:04:00 Thru the dining-car 1:04:30 Arrival in the Sightseer-lounge car. 1:07:45 A toast to Chucks (upcoming) 60th birthday. 1:10:43 Our first thunderstorm in the Sightseer-lounge car, of all of our journeys! 1:14:30 Walk thru a coach, to de-train for a stretch stop in Ottumwa, IA. 1:16:26 All Aboard! 1:20:40 We cross a railroad diamond. 1:22:30 Calling all 7 p.m. dinner reservations. 1:22:40 Can you see the silhouette of Sasquatch? 1:22:37 Calling all 8 p.m. dinner reservations. That's us. 1:24:40 The bounce in the train is just a preview of what happens during the night. 1:35:40 Sitting the the dining car. Flex dining. (Back to full-service today!*) *on this train. 1:26:30 A first glimpse of the sunset. It will slowly deepen. :) 1:28:11 The California Zephyr passes a grain silo. 1:34:15 Creston, IA, brief stop. The sunset continues. 1:35:15 The moon is easily visible in the Southern sky (opposite side of the train). 1:36:53 The sunset deepens. :) 1:39:59 Walk back to our roomettes. 1:42:47 Arriving the finally finished Omaha, NE platform and stretch stop. 1:43:53 Going to get Robert & Wendy; I loaned out portable fan to them since the air-conditioning in their car was frozen up. 1:44:17 You can hear crickets chirping (outside) from upstairs! We are on-time. 1:48:48 Chuck is lost for a moment, saying goodnight to Robert & Wendy. 1:50:00 Saying goodnight to Cindy. 1:51:01 Ending scenes, recap. The California Zephyr at Sunrise. 1:53:11 In memory of Lilly Louise (Bolton) Adkins, 1941-2022, with a beautiful sunset. 1:55:35 Humor. Again. 1:56:13 Thanks for watching The Chucks Great Train Journeys! (Featuring an Amtrak 40th Anniversary engine). [Our 2021 adventure continues in Amtrak's California Zephyr 2021, Part 2 [Omaha-Denver-Winter Park]