Friday – Day 70 – 10/10/08

Today we travel towards home on the via Amtrak train! Barb and I drove to Middlebury, VT a small New England college town to return the rental car. We located a small diner and had a great breakfast before returning the car. We were then treated to a color filled 45 minute drive through the country side to the train station in Port Henry, NY to wait and then wait some more for the train that was to leave at 1412 pm. Actually the wait was a lot of fun as the station is managed by a group of seniors that take care of the building and open it up for the passengers of the two trains that stop each day! They log the arrival times and number of passengers that get on and off. For their services the Canadian Pacific allows them the use of the building for all of their activities as well as meals on wheels is served there. It’s small and well run operation. The seniors take their job serious and it’s become their center piece of social life!

The train got there an hour and a half late but whose keeping track. The interesting part of the first leg of the train trip was when they announced that we had arrived in Schenectady, NY and we were to get off the train and transfer to a different train to Chicago the car we were in was locked! Not sure how everything got mixed up but we were locked in and we couldn’t get out! The passengers were pounding on the windows to get someone’s attention but to no avail! Once the train departed and I calmed Barb down by explaining that she would really enjoy New York City. A conductor showed up and apologized many times as it was he that messed up! Within an hour we were in a different city (Albany, NY) but on the correct train! When it was all over we actually came out on top of the whole debacle by not having to wait outside for two hours waiting for the train we were put on and had first choice for seating!