December 3rd, 2006

THE EMPIRE BUILDER PASCO TO CHICAGO

The Empire Builder pulled into Pasco at 9:00 pm only 15 minutes behind schedule, which I consider ahead of time for Amtrak.

We got on board and settled in for the night. Unfortunately we missed most of the Rocky Mountain scenery as we rode through the night. At least it was late enough that the kids had settled down for the night, and were not running up and down the isle.

Somewhere around daylight we passed through the (mule yard) the place they house the emergency snow crews ans mule engines that pushed the heavy freights up over the Great Divide. There is a hotel there called the Issac Walton, if you are a train buff you would love the place. The entire staff of the hotel plus quests came out on the porch to wave at us as we went through. Kind of a tradition I heard.

Three or four hours later we came down on the upper plains of North Dakota etc. A long barren stretch of corn fields and wheat fields stretching as far as you could see. Way off in the distance you could see the grain silos, which are about three stories high, with tracks running to them off the main line. Not much to see as there were no human inhabitants to be seen.

Many people sat and read a book. I went to the observation car as I can always go to the library, but can't always have a captive audience to exchange stories with. Met many wonderful people there and learned about their lifestyle, work and so on.

They have changed the eating format somewhat. They used to come through taking reservations, now they just say the diner is open and you can go down anytime to eat. I was not concerned with that as I had my food with me.

Once we turned south at Fargo you started to see more activity and it became more interesting to look out the window. It was raining when we pulled into Chicago. To late to catch the Wolverine into Mich. I knew I would miss connections so I had booked a hostel bed in Chicago. So I took a cab to my hostel.

I had a printout of the place with address. It was the Chicago International Hostel. The cabbie said he knew the place but that wasn't the correct address, and sure enough he took me to the Chicago International Hostel. The bottom floor is a bank or insurance office. You take the elevator up to the second floor which is where the hostel is. Surprisingly they did not have my reservation and said it would be $35.00 for a bed for the night. You might know the other International Hostel across town did have my reservation. They charged my credit card as a no show, another $35.00

It was late and I had to be up at 5:00 am to catch the Wolverine into Pontiac Mi. So I went for it never thinking about the no show rule. It was too late to go out and get something to eat, especially in the rain, so I ate out of my stash.
The place was neat and clean and relatively quiet. There was a troop of Boy Scouts two floors up, but management kept them under control.

When I came down at 5:00 am the clerk was stretched out on the floor sleeping. I told him I was sorry for interrupting his nap, but I needed to check out and get a cab to Union Station. He checked me out and called a cab and helped me downstairs with my luggage. He stayed with me, the streets were deserted, till the cab showed up. and I was off to Union Station.

THE END OF MY HOBO DAYS

I guess everything has to end sometime.

Coming across the Empire Builder Line I remembered those grain silos. As I said in the TEXAS EAGLE segment, Bill and I worked the grain harvest out of Texas clear up to North Dakota. When all the grain was in the silos we worked filling the "grainers" as we called them. The rail cars which took the grain into Minneapolis-St Paul for refining.

They would back 6 or 8 cars, however many were needed, in on those spurs to the silos. There were 8 of us, 4 loaders and 4 tie downers. They would turn on the augers and the grain would come out at about a bushel a minute. We would set on the top of the car wall with our shovels. When the grain was almost to the top we would jump in and level it of so the load was full. We mounded it up in the middle like a loaf of bread. Then they moved the car forward and began filling another one, Meanwhile the tie downers pulled a tarp over the filled car and tied it down for the trip. The whole process took about a day to empty the silos. They swept the floor of the silo in with the grain and we were done.

I always wondered how they got the dirt and chaff from the grain before they ground it into flour. I understand they have a vacuum at the mill that does it, but it never saw it done. Cause Bill and I would catch a night freight into the Willamette valley looking for work.

Well after Bill left my heart kind of went out of it. It just wasn't the same without Bill. I wintered in Chicago that winter, hoping to see him, but didn't.

While wandering around town I came across Cicero Raceway and having always liked horses went in to look around. A trainer noticed how well I got along with horses and offered me a job working on two horses, cleaning stalls, harness, washing down the horse after his run, walking the horse till he cooled off, and working him through his races. $50.00 a week and I could sleep in the barn. Sounded good to me so I took the job.

I went where the horses went all over the country to race meets. Riding in the truck with the horses so I could let the driver know if one of the horses were in trouble. They liked me doing it as I was young and dependable and a good worker. Most of the other guys were drunks or winos and would pass out before we got on the road and stay smashed till we got there.

So my hobo days ended and a new phase began. I did that until I joined the USMC in Nov 1952.

THE WOLVERINE-CHICAGO TO PONTIAC MI.

The WOLVERINE left out at 9:00 am for the 6 hour run to Pontiac Mi.

It was an older single level train, but it gets you from point A to point B pretty much on time. Mostly businessmen going to Detroit or Pontiac on business. Working away on their lap tops and cell phones. Kind of a quiet, non-talkative bunch.

I believe there is a snack car on the train, but I don't really remember. I had picked up a roll and coffee at Union Station so I was set for the ride.

Saw a lot of back yards and junk yards on the way but nothing spectacular. We stopped at Detroit station just long enough to unload passengers and were off again. We turned north toward Pontiac and traveled up the back side of the suburbs.

We arrived in Pontiac on time at 3:00 pm where my daughter met me. I spent several wonderful days with her and the grand kids. Then back on the WOLVERINE to finish the last leg of my journey,

I took the train to Detroit where I had a 4 hour layover waiting for the Thruway bus to Toledo to connect with the CAPITAL LIMITED for the trip back home to Washington DC.

The Detroit Station is in kind of a seedy part of town. However it sets all alone on its own little spot . I would consider it very safe and secure. The staff was alert and protective. A panhandler came in but they sent him out immediately. There was one young man who opened doors for you and helped with your luggage for tips as he was not a railroad employee. There was a White Castle Hamburger place across the street and he would even run and get you some burgers and fries. I wondered when people gave him money if we would ever see him again, but he always returned, change and all.

The Thruway bus showed up on time at 9:00 pm and we loaded up to go to Toledo. The CAPITAL LIMITED came through Toledo at 11:00 pm and we were off to DC.

When I woke up we were just about to pull into Union Station in Washington DC. We had lost some time with the switching of cars in Cleveland, but I slept through it.

I called my son-in-law to pick me up and I was home.

All in all it was an extremely enjoyable journey. Met a lot of good people and it brought up a lot of memories.

That's the end of my tale, hope you enjoy reading it.