My son goes to college (go Leathernecks!, (the only college in the US of A that can use that name (according to the school))) in a town roughly 180 miles from his home.

Oddly enough, his college town is served by a state funded Amtrak service, which is great for his parents because we don't have to spend 3 hours times 2 trips picking him up/returning him to campus. Instead, we can pick him up at a small rural station about 30 minutes from our home(s).

So, yesterday (Saturday) he came home for Turkey day, and I picked him up at the small rural station.

Some idle thoughts...

1. The parents, and the son, all agree that Amtrak is the greatest thing since the invention of oatmeal. It is true that the train fare is perhaps double the cost of gas, but, the convenience pay back is worth it.

1a. The parents, and son, are worried because rumor has it, his station stop is to be eliminated. Despite that decision, on holidays, students returning home (and returning to campus) fill the trains to capacity. My son will be returning to campus a day early (and taking a cut in pay at his because the Sunday train is booked solid.

2. The small rural station still uses the original Purington brick pavers for the platform, and platform canopies, which seem to be left over from the days when the station was originally used by the CB&Q. This also applies to the rest rooms, which use the stalls, wainscoting and floor tiles from the 20's, if not earlier. I think the porcelain components are updated.

3. The Amtrak station at this small rural town is now shared with the town's city hall.

3. Amtrak has a problem with station maintenance, as half the station lighting was non functional. The paver platform is not conducive for easy access by wheelchair travelers. Don't start on station signage, cripes, does anybody think when they plop down the signs! And fencing!!! Why are sidewalks blocked off by chainlink fence?

4. A sign in the station window indicates that the station is open on a split shift, morning and evening, ie train times; yet, last night (Saturday) the 6 PM to 9 PM station opening was not observed. Fair enough, I suppose, since at that time, there was no one at the small rural station boarding a train to its last stop.

5. My son bought his ticket on line, with the expectation that he would be able to get his ticket at the station prior to boarding. Guess what, he showed up 45 minutes before train departure and the station was closed! He boarded the train anyway, and had to buy another ticket on the train! Now my son has to convince Amtrak that he didn't use the first ticket because the station was closed, and thereby get a credit/refund for its purchase.

6. I arrived at the small rural station a tad early, with the expectation of doing a little trainspotting prior to my son's train's arrival. Very little happened in the hour + that I waited. Only one mainline train shot through the station in the hour or so I was killing...
a west bound mixed freight went through town at 50+mph, lead unit was a BSNF, second unit was an ATSF unit in it's "old" paint scheme. Pretty cool, for all that!