Woke up in Indianapolis just as two cars were coupled on the the back of our train. Referred to as the Hoosier State, these two cars run on their own one day a week and are tacked onto the back of the Cardinal three days a week. I headed into the diner for breakfast just in time as I was followed in by a bunch of rowdy middle age Indianapolis businessmen going to Chicago for a Cubs game. They took all the rest of the seats in the diner. Turns out it was a customer appreciation thing paid for by a shipping company. Several of them started breakfast with a Bloody Mary. Train was a little late into Chicago but not too bad.
Chicago
With plenty of time to wait, I checked my luggage and settled down to use the free wifi in the first class lounge. No luck. I had a good signal and no request for a password or anything, it just wouldn't work. The ladies at the reception desk knew nothing and were no help at all. So, no blog up date. I ventured out on the streets of Chicago long enough to find some supplies for the next two days and settled down in a comfy chair with my book. I checked on the wifi a couple of times and consulted with some fellow passengers but never got on.
Chicago to Los Angeles
Train 3, The Southewest Chief left on time and we headed through the suburbs of Chicago and out into the farm land of Illinois. This is the third train I've never ridden before. Not much to say about the farm land of Illinois except there's lots of it and the farmers are very neat.
Crossed the Mississippi River from Illinois to Fort Madison, Iowa at 7:30 pm. Iowa farm land was pretty much like Illinois land. It got dark so nothing else to see.