We pulled into Chicago Union Station around 5:30, and I dropped my luggage in the baggage storage area and went in search of something to eat. I didn’t wander too far. I still had sea legs from being in motion so long, and I didn’t want to topple over on the streets of Chicago with no one around who knew me to help me up. I’m not exactly known for my tremendous grace and coordination, so I didn’t take chances.
The restaurant in the station was closed, so I ended up with
another pretzel from Auntie Anne’s and an iced chai latte from Starbucks. I
went back to the Metropolitan Lounge to sit still for a little while and eat.
The Game Show Network was on the lounge TV, and I quietly challenged myself to
get a few right answers.
Around 7:45, I wandered into the main station and struck up a conversation with a couple of Amtrak police officers. Amtrak has its own police department, and they’re a visible presence in Union Station. I asked if the flowers on the ceiling, which looked like delicate rosettes, were painted on with shadowing or if they were actual pieces attached separately. One of the officers told me they were separate pieces. That fact alone made me wonder how they managed to keep the place so clean. Not a cobweb or dust mote in sight. That is not a job I’d want, even if I made a fortune in tips.
Union Station’s grand architectural centerpiece is the Great
Hall, with soaring ceilings and textured Roman columns. It’s truly a space
built to impress. The station has a unique double stub-end layout, with 10
tracks entering from the north and 14 from the south. Unlike most of Amtrak’s
major stations, every train at Union Station either begins or ends there. You
can’t just roll on through. If you’re passing through Chicago, you’re changing
trains.
And if you're me, you’re also eating a pretzel, counting ceiling flowers, and yelling Jeopardy! answers in your head while trying not to fall over.
