Chicago to Ames
This page is part of Henry’s USA Rail Trip.
Friday August 29th 1958
Written at The Railway Station, Ames, Iowa
Have just had breakfast after arriving here overnight from Chicago.
The railway systems are in a bad way over here for passengers. Only two trains per day connect Ames with Chicago; I took the night train hoping to get a berth, but sleepers “used to be put on” and are no longer. A certain amount of shunting was done during the night, and I found at Ames there were only two passenger coaches in a long line of freight and mail cars. What with the air lines and road transport the trains find passengers few, on last night’s train there was perhaps a large bus load.
Must now move on to Iowa State College at Ames to meet a Dr. Frederick in the Agronomy Dept, life starts at 8 a.m. here (which to my mind is rather uncivilized). Have had to spend an extra unexpected hour here already, as Chicago is on daylight saving time whilst Ames isn’t.