After sleeping through most of Nebraska, I awake at 6:42 a.m. MT, as we quickly stop at Fort Morgan, CO. We have only lost seven minutes during the night and are 1:27 behind heading to Denver.

I take this as my cue, hustling downstairs to the bathroom and shower. Last night, a passenger said there was no hot water. Roy reset the breaker and I was hoping that solved the problem. Sure enough, the water was hot – very hot to be exact – and perfect for the shave I had neglected yesterday.

As I get dressed and update the blog, we go through Denver and then back into the station. We arrive at 8:10 and with the help of some schedule padding, gain back more than 30 minutes of lost time.

Not much to report Saturday afternoon/evening. We continue to lose time through, leaving Naperville 50 minutes behind schedule. After crossing the Mississippi, we leave Burlington at 6:10, which puts us 55 minutes back.

We have brought food on this trip – a collection of sandwiches, beef jerky and other snacks, along with wine and champagne – so we did not eat dinner or breakfast on the Capitol Limited. We decide to have dinner tonight, but instead of going to the dining car, we have Roy bring our meal to our room.

I’ve heard mixed things about the new Simplified Dining Service, but when we both get the chicken – our favorite on the old menu – we are pleasantly surprised. The chicken is as good or better than before. My mashed potatoes and her rice are also above average and the cheesecake is very good. I’ll have to give Amtrak a thumbs up on my first SDS experience. Of course, seeing all the cornfields out the windows, a couple of ears of corn would be nice!

We watch the sunset over the Iowa countryside before calling it a night shortly after we leave Creston at 9:51 p.m., 1:20 behind schedule.

The delays continue entering Chicago. After dropping the baggage cars, we sit on the track for 45 minutes before finally backing into the station. We finally arrive at the station at 1 p.m., which puts us 4 ½ hours late for the trip.

We check into the Metropolitan Lounge at 1:15 p.m. and are told to stay close by as boarding for California Zephyr 5 will be momentarily. This is just enough time to run upstairs to the food court and buy some brats and dogs for a late lunch.

Of course, after we make the mad dash for some food and get back to the lounge an announcement is made that the train is not yet ready to be boarded.

Around 2 p.m. we board the train and are greeted by our car attendant, Roy. While stowing my gear, I turn on the scanner and hear that the train is being delayed because there are no dinner plates, which need to be delivered from the commissary. While we wait for the dinner plates to make the train, we decide to eat.

California Zephyr 5 consist

1). Primary Engine 207
2). Secondary Engine 72
3). Baggage Car 1717
4). Transition Sleeper 32047 (Car 520)
5). Sleeper 32085 (Car 532) – We are in Car 2
6). Sleeper 32043
7). Dining Car 38007
8). Lounge Car 33032
9). Coach 34097 (Car 510)
10). Coach 34031 (Car 511)
11). Coach 31041 (Car 512)

We leave the station at 2:30 p.m., already 40 minutes behind schedule.

During my Amtrak trips, I hope and plan on delays that will make my experience last that much longer. This is especially the case on the Capitol Limited, which is scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 8:30 a.m., since I am not a morning person. However, my wish for a delay has been granted, but it may cost me a chance to get lunch at the Famous Billy Goat Tavern, which I documented in a previous trip post: (http://manypims.blogspot.com/2006/02/cheezborger-cheezborger-cheezborger.html)

After leaving South Bend at 10:47 a.m. (which puts us 3:24 behind schedule), we go about five miles before coming to a halt next to a large factory. An announcement is made that there are freight trains ahead of us and one may have mechanical difficulties. Two go past and we then move about 100 yards before stopping again. Finally, 40 minutes after leaving South Bend, we begin moving again, following Lakeshore Limited 49 (25) to Chicago.

I wake up at 7:45 a.m. thinking we are well into Indiana. However, when I turn on the computer and GPS, that is not the case. We are only approaching Toledo, which means we are three hours late – and counting. We approach the Toledo station, but Train No. 49 I in the station. We sit for about five minutes before pulling into the station at 8:03 a.m.

While in Toledo, I ask Lou the reason for the delay, assuming we were stuck behind a freight train. Lou says there was an accident last night east of Sandusky, Ohio with a fatality as a Norfolk Southern train hit a vehicle. We were delayed as they cleared the scene. We will file this under breaking railroad news. Our delay is now 3:15 as we leave Toledo.