I was just at the National Restaurant Assoc Food Show in Chicago. I stayed with an old friend; even though we planned decently well, I did not book my airline tickets with adequate advance notice, which made an excellent excuse to try and alternative mode of transport! Travel by rail. How old fashioned and fun.
Here are two little videos I shot from my phone as the train was en route to Chicago as we passed a HUGE freight train, and one as we were leaving Union Station in Chicago.
The dining car is interesting. The observation car is really cool. And the people are — different.
Over all I think it is definitely worth it to at least try train travel. I liked it immensely. I had a great time on the return trip at dinner. I was seated at a table with a couple that had been married for 40 years and they were traveling from Nevada to Tonganoxie, KS. They did not know where it was, for their daughter and son –in –law’s 25th wedding anniversary. Their kids had booked their travel from Winnemucca, Nevada to Chicago and then a change of trains, and to Lawrence where they would be picked up. They were loving it. They had never been on a train either. Next to me was a woman who travelled frequently from Iowa to New Mexico on the train. I thought the food was passable, but the conversation was enlightening. The married woman collected glass bottles and vases, and was going to save the single serving wine bottle she got with their baked chicken (shared!) because she had never seen such a small bottle. It was very touching. We got to hear about her collection.
At the food show the theme this year was gelato. Everyone was selling gelato machines, gelato recipes, gelato coolers, and gelato ideas. Last year was coffee and espresso. If the Italian theme continues I wonder what next year will be.
As NuWay does not do gelato, I did not see much of interest. I was looking for coffee again. And décor for the new store at 21st St and Amidon. There are plenty of great local places to have gelato in Wichita. I will touch on that in a later post. As well as great local coffee. For now, some pictures and video from the train.
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