We did not have fancy seats here--and having been spoiled by Business Class to DC and sleeper to Chicago, I was worried that the eight-hour trip might be uncomfortable or too noisy.  The coach class seats on this train, though, are up on the upper deck of the cars, so you have good views out the windows.  There are also only two seats per side in the rows, and they are large, so you don't feel squashed like a sardine.  There was also a lounge car available to us, where you could set in comfortable armchairs and look out though the observation windows (which go right up into the ceiling).  Our seats (assigned) were on the western side of the train, so we had sun coming through, and it was hot, so we spent the first half of the trip in the lounge car where we could sit on the other side of the train.

No wifi on this train, either, so my big plans to work on the curriculum project I have to do for IB went by the wayside.  (I can do some without Internet, but it is set up for online posting and whatnot, so I can only get so far. )  Too bad:  IB will have to wait!

This train does have sit-down service dinner for people in sleepers, but peons like us have to settle for the limited fast-food style choices in the lounge car.  We ate hot dogs.  Possibly not the best idea ever, as we're at a drive-in tomorrow night, and might have to eat hot dogs again!

This train was on time for most of the trip, but ran into freight train delays toward the end, and ultimately we were about 10 minutes late just after 10:15 p.m. By the time we got in, I was more than ready.  I was sick to death of the mask (which was not in an already hot train), in part because it turns out I can't sleep with it on: whatever happens to my mouth and airway when I sleep, I can't get enough air in through the mask.  The air vent didn't work on the train either, so the car was hot all the way to the end.  I was happy to get off!

Announcement that we were coming into the station was ridiculously early, so everyone got up and got their luggage about 12 minutes too early.  We were not extremely impressed with Amtrak this trip--between the attendant forgetting to get dinner order, food being mediocre, ridiculous line to check bags at Chicago, hapless boarding system (also at Chicago), and poor management of announcements, the trip was okay, but not as pleasant as we have found Amtrak to be on past trips.  They will have a chance to redeem themselves next week when we go home.

Sign said we would have to wait for bags for 30 minutes, but we actually only waited about 15 minutes.  The walk to the hotel was all of about 3 minutes--great location!  

Tomorrow we pick up the rental car and start touring--if you've read about any of our past trips, you will not be amazed to discover that we have a slate of National Park sites, drive-in movie theaters, and a baseball game.