Train Travel for Business

Just got back from a short 2-day trip up to Boston for business. Visiting a technology vendor for an “executive” briefing… basically, a chance for me to challenge their technical folks and get answers to help craft the technology strategy for the company I currently work for. All in all, a pretty straightforward trip, save for the 3am wake-up call yesterday to get to Newark and catch the Amtrak train. This is my second round-trip on Amtrak… did the same trip back in September for the MIS IT GRC Conference, and experiencing this gem…

Amtrak Diesel hooking up to electric engine due to power outage!

That’s right folks – it’s a diesel engine coming to hook up to the front of our electric engine and tow the whole train (actually our Northeast Regional plus 2 other Acela trainloads of people that were bused down to meet us in New Haven, CT) into New York City where there was power. What a mess and turned a 4-hour return trip into a 9-hour frustrating night.

Thankfully, this trip was much better, with none of the craziness from the first time. I also got to spend the night in the Boston Harbor Hotel, with a pretty sweet view out of my 16th floor window. Aside from the fact that it was 18 degrees and windy out, I had a nice time. Picked up a wicked headache due to not sleeping, but dinner at Legal Seafoods and some strategically taken Tylenol knocked that out. I really do enjoy Boston, and wish I had more time to check out the city. Perhaps in a few months when I’m back up there for a conference.