Sunday 8/10 Crescent got in ATL 6 min early. A good sign. Left 4 min. late due to minor medical emergency. Had good steak dinner. Ate excellent french toast and sausage next morning with a nice lady from Boston who travels twice a year to visit family in Georgia. Arrived WAS 16 min. early. Visited Postal Museum next door. Has an old RPO(mail car)on display I recommend that to anybody. Had use of Club Acela, which I always enjoy.

Left o.t. 1 p. m. on Acela#2166 to BOS. Most thrilled I have been in years by a train interior. Nicer than expected. Shakier than I expected but you had to realize that is up to 150 mph as opposed to 79 mph, so it is quite smooth considering. Had reasonably good service from my first class attendants. Had delicious hot pork sandwich for lunch, veal chop for dinner,served at my seat. O.T. into BOS. Took Red Line to Omni Parker House Hotel(which claims, along with the Palmer House in Chicago, to be the oldest hotel in the country). It is a classy, well kept property. Got good on-line price for it.

Next day, walked to North Station, which I had not seen in about 30 years, and took Downeaster #1681 to Portland. Arrived 15min. late. Took $1 city bus into town. Trendy, lively, upbeat city and waterfront. Also impressed with intermodel bus and train terminal. Had good sandwich northbound. came back on #686, o.t. Took business class each direction, was one of only two passengers each way. Coach almost full, n.b. not so full s.b.

Wed, Aug. 13, Took Red Line to and from JFK Museum at Univ. of Mass. Came back on Acela #2167, business class. Had reasonably good angus burger. Conducter ran into me in the bistro lounge and had a problem with me taking pictures. Ask why I was doing that. Told him I was a railfan. Asked how could I prove it. Told him about my first trip at age 3, and told him start-up date of Amtrak. He said, "You're ok". Got to NYP 15min. down.

Thursday, met in lobby of Hotel Pennsylvania(across form Penn Station) with AlanB, one of our esteemed moderators.He was to be my host. We took LIRR to Port Washington. I was impressed with the quaint little stub end terminal(of course they are bi-directional trains).Had a donut break. Took LIRR back to Flushing.We took #7 back to Times Square, walked around a corner and picked up the "A" train to Far Rockaway. Good to see distant views of the Atlantic Ocean(got just a glimpse of that the day before near Portland).Ate lunch at a White Castle ( which is similar to what we call "Krystals" in the south) took LIRR back to Jamaica, and to Penn.

That afternoon I was in Times Square when the blackout hit. I first noticed it by waiters standing outside restaurants....like....why so many? Then I saw businesses were dark inside. Walked 12 blocks back to my hotel. It had very little auxiliary power, managed to climb 13 floors in near dark. At least I had a room...hot room, no water,phone ,TV anything (but it is an old hotel and the windows opened, thank God). Slept very little. Very spooky...heard voices in the pitch black hall, etc.

Next morning(Friday) auxillary power was completely gone. I had to make the decision whether to walk down the 13 floors in the pitch dark(aside from some people having flashlights). I have a dizziness problem. It is good I did,though, since I found some phones that worked so I called my sister in Austin, TX, some people at work in Atlanta and, later, Alan. I had had no food and nothing to drink but a bottled water and a diet cola. I drank them sparingly since I had no idea how long they would have to last. When I went out it was about 11.m., I ate lunch in Times Square(power was being restored gradually, mostly north to south) made calls as mentioned and did not return south to my hot room until about 4. Suddenly power came back on at my location at 4.50. Alan called 5 min. later to tell me computer updates about Amtrak's doings. Things were looking very good. He called me a final time(of several) at 9.05 in my room to say without doubt all service ok. That was good news. Many thanks to Alan.

Sat. a.m. I visited Ground Zero.Went to Club Acela about 1.30. I did not realize until then that both the Lake Shore Limited and the Crescent left at the same time, 2: 50 p.m. which can cause kind of a jam, I suppose, even in Club Acela. My Crescent left 5 min. late at 2.55. Never enjoyed stepping into a deluxe room so much. Good cold air, real ice for my diet drinks. Kicked my shoes off. Took a shower that night with both hot and cold water. Asked to be served in my room, something I seldom do, but felt I sort of "deserved" it this time. (The air never got cold at my hotel, nor the water hot after power came on) These things worked well on the train.Ate good breakfast next morning, train 18 minutes late into ATL. There had been a tree on the tracks when had to be removed the night before.

A great trip, one I will NEVER forget, for many reasons.

Great 2003 Northeast Blackout Trip
August 10-16, 2003 By Bill Haithcoat

Photos from this trip coming soon.

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