NYC Trip-Part 3 The Train Ride Home 2016

This train ride was definitely full of drama. More than we anticipated there at the end. You will see. But, it was fun.  You will see!

Thursday June 9th
Started out at Penn Station early. We thought we were going to get to visit with a homeless friend but she did not make it so we ate at Fridays and then sat in the waiting area watching people. Near the time we were supposed to leave, they announced that the train was late due to "malfunction of equipment" and so we waited another hour before we were off. Some of the people waiting were not happy and restless!

RETURN TRAIN ADVENTURE #1. Sitting in Penn Station waiting on a delayed Amtrak to come from the Sunnyside, Queens yards. "Equipment malfunction". The people are becoming restless and it is only been 6 minutes since we were going to depart. Gonna be a fun trip, I just have a feeling. More to come.

Experience # 2. So much in so little time. SMH. We got on the train an hour later. Two women in the front of the car are bantering about where to sit. Another guy is talking about his weight saying, "I know I'm fat. A closed mouth don't get fat and mine is wide open all the time". Very funny and chatty guy. A woman is worried because an Amtrak guy is in the passenger seat, "aren't u supposed to be in the front of the train"? She ws NOT joking. He slyly chuckles. AND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BHAM!!!!!! LOL.So they are all settling in so far. I foresee naps for everyone. Sooooooo very glad we didn't get a sleeper car!!!!!!

 THREE. "I don't know what she thinking. I ain't carrying no lasagna on the train. She's crazy. She stayed up late cooking that mess and expected me to bring it on the train. She just crazy!" Overheard from woman in back of me with a VERY.COUNTRY.ACCENT.

FOUR. Lady who shall be called Blue Jacket or BJ from here on out, is clapping, dancing in her seat, talking and singing to herself and shaking. She is going to be very entertaining.
Oh and Russ and I are having a crossword contest while all this is going on. Will let you know who won.
 FIVE. Introducing Redhead....argues with Blue Jacket about which station is next. Blue Jacket won. And she made sure Red knew it.

 SIX     Uh oh. BJ and Red are getting into it over a suitcase. This is better than tv. There was a big red suitcase in the corner behind these bags and BJ was miffed over Red asking her to move it to her side. Now, Red has more room since Lady with Stripes came and sat down with Red. BJ is talking LOUDLY on the phone to her friend about what Red did. ROFL.

SEVEN Okay, Cologne Guy just sat down next to BJ. Men's cologne and the cold mac and cheese I'm eating for supper JUST DONT MIX. ‪#‎imabouttobarf‬
 
Rest of supper in the cafe car.

EIGHT The conductor just announced FOUR TIMES that "this is a non smoking train". Hmmmmmm. Who was she aiming that at? Are people REALLY that dense?

BJ has settled down a bit now that handsome older cologne guy sat next to her. Thank you sir!!!!!!!

NINE It's actually quiet in my corner of the train. Red and Lady in Stripes are in dining car. Cologne Guy is too. BJ is eating at her seat and behaving. Sun is setting in VA. People are napping. All is good.  By the way, BJ's ringtone is FREAK OUT. lol.

TEN. Russ is convinced BJ is THIS woman. BJ keeps saying "Hello. Hello. Can you hear me? Hello. " I guess she could be. The other lady was from Bham and BJ is going to Bham. LAUGHING OUT LOUD.

June 3 at 11:26pm · Cowpens, SC ·

Okay, not joking, there is a woman behind me who just got on, talking on her phone, in a moderately monotone voice saying Hello. Hello. Hello.Pause. Hello. Hello. Hello. Pause. Pause. Pause....wait for it......Hello. Now she is silent. 2 men are snoring, including my man, and Im wide awake....even with a sleep aide. This is the funniest experience I have had in a while. ‪#‎Ineedtogetoutmore‬ ‪#‎wehumansarejusfunny‬ Oh My goodness, she has started agaiin. Hello. Hello. Hello.

 Since BJ is quiet, Russ and I are going to try and sleep. Night all.

ELEVEN   Rise and shine! Well, Cologne Man and Lady in Stripes got off at Charlotte in the middle of the night. So that just leaves Red and Blue Jacket(BJ). They are still snoozing so it's quiet right now.

MORNING RANT #2(no pun intended): WHAT IS IT about public toilets and nasty care? Do these people act like this at home? Seriously, most of these people SEEM clean and decent on the outside. Why is it when they go into a toilet, they become ANIMALS? I had a RUDE awakening when I went to the restroom just now after half sleeping all night. Paper towels ALL OVER THE FLOOR. Water everywhere......no flushing. What a horrible thing to wake up to. Anyhoo....PLEASE, WHEN YOU GO TO A PUBLIC RESTROOM.....CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. Its a sad day when one of the constant announcements is...."ladies and gentlemen, please leave the restrooms the way you would want to walk into one". Well, I guess we all know what they like walking into. NASTY. 

On another note, just passed through lovely Toccoa Falls. Need to go back there someday. Just gorgeous.

BJ just woke up to her phone alarm of "I'm Too Sexy". It's gonna be a fun 5 more hours.
                                        Red is still stretched out all over her seat, as you can see.

TWELVE So Red just got through telling me her life story after I asked her if the train was on time. So here's the scoop. Married 3 times, once to a NJ Gambino Mafia family member, once to a Texan who took everything she owned and now to Big John, a rancher. Note to self: Only ask if the train will be on time to a conductor. lol.
BJ has made approximately 36 calls on her cell since yesterday.. conversation mostly been.....Hello. Hello. Hello. Can you hear me? She is now talking to herself about something. She is apparently still mad at Red because Red offered her a compliment and BJ ignored her. We may never see a friendship between them.

The National Park volunteers are on the train again telling lots of great facts. Maybe I can do that when I retire.


OH GOODNESS.,. BJ has now said 5 times in a row.." I left my comb not my phone". Russ says to me, If she left her phone, she wouldn't be talking to the person! Duh!!!! Oh my gosh, I'm laughing so hard, I can't type. Tears are rolling down my cheeks.

THIRTEEN So this morning, in Atlanta, we added a new character, a conductor, Anal Anna. Remember the luggage from yesterday all piled up? (SEE BELOW)
Well, AA came though like a tornado and made Red move everything off the floor....chop chop...move it now! She then came back and placed this sign on the wall. It says "keep all luggage off the floor" basically. Now she is vacumming the floors really fast and spraying so much Lysol, its choking us all.
Not joking, my eyes are burning.
Someone had a LITTLE too much coffee this a.m.

 S.....M.....H...Phone call # 41. Hello. Hello. Hello. Boo, where u been? Hello. Hello. Did you get those shots in your booty butt yet? IM NOT MAKING THIS UP!

FOURTEEN
We just hit a car or a person. We may be in Anniston for a while. Pray.
It was a person. BJ is freaking out. The whole car is freaking out, speculating what went down.

SIDENOTE:  Okay, BJ, no joke, is talking to an Amtrak agent to see if she can get credit for time spent waiting because of the accident. I AM NOT JOKING. We may have to have a come to Jesus meeting.

Of course everyone is anticipating what happened and calling everyone they know to call. One guy in the back keeps saying: " Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!"  He was all out of sorts. It seems a man was trying to run across the tracks and did not make it. Very sad. We sat on the train for about an hour. And then everyone was silent the rest of the weay.

 Sad news. The guy hit by our train died this afternoon. Thanks everyone who helped get info. Pray for the family and the Amtrak staff.  Here is the link to the story:

      Man Who Got Hit By Our Train 

We got into Birmingham and everyone got off the train in silence and we all just went our own way. Humbled all of us and it sure goes to show that in a moments notice....we are gone. 

Overall, this was a great trip. We can't wait to do it again! Thanks for following along with us! 

Russ and Lisa