Stranded

[days_unfolding]

Made the train with plenty of time to spare. The train is pretty empty so far.

 

Not anymore. The train is full. We've stopped about an hour and a half into the route, and they're looking at the engine. The A/C just came back on, so I hope that's a good sign. Now we're moving again. Now it's malfunctioning again. Sigh. We're moving again. It seems to be malfunctioning every half-hour or so. I have a feeling that I might miss the Lincoln train, but there's another one after that. Now they've got us stopped at Albion until management decides what to do. They're going to put us on buses, but they don't know when the buses will get here.  

 

I booked the last seat on the later Lincoln train. I hope that the buses will get here soon so that I won't miss THAT train. It's the time that the train was supposed to get to Chicago, and we're still in Albion. I attempted to cancel the earlier Lincoln reservation, but it wouldn't let me. Called Amtrak, and it wouldn't let the agent cancel the reservation either. What a clusterfuck. It looks like I'm going to miss the 7 PM train too.

 

Two buses showed up, and people pushed their way off of the train even though we were told to wait. Now they're saying that the next buses will be in 20 minutes to a half-hour. We got on the buses around 6:30 local time.

 

Called the travel insurance company, and I can file a claim when I get back, but they won't help me now. I just booked at the La Quinta Inn at a ridiculous price. (Oh, the joys of downtown Chicago.) 

I brought cold leftover pasta with me for lunch, and it was good. 

I seem to be fighting a cold. I'm sure that the other people on the train are thrilled.   

 

Finally got to Chicago. Amtrak put me in a hotel, so I didn't need the La Quinta reservation. La Quinta is charging me anyway. A costly mistake. I'm booked on the 7 PM train tomorrow.

 

I ate a delicious dinner of popcorn and cookies. Expensive popcorn and cookies. I was going to order a room service breakfast, but it's ridiculously expensive. I have some cookies left over, so I'll eat them in the morning, and have lunch at Union Station.