From PGH to STL via Chicago

I'm going out of my way to take Pittsburgh to St. Louis by train this summer instead of by bus or airplane.

Saving $22 off the retail Greyhound price (though losing a bit if I could catch a bus special) and saving a lot by not trying to find airports and flying.

The trip will take about an hour longer than the bus route despite diverting to Chicago. However there is a 7 to 10 hour layover in CHI, depending on which Amtrak connection to STL I catch. What's there to do walking distance of CHI train station? Has anyone here made the trip before despite the layover? Thoughts/suggestions?

The Sears Tower, Ride Metra, Lots of railfanning, Michigan Ave. etc.

thank you, AmtrakFan. too bad it won't be baseball season by the time I go else I'd see Wrigley too. these attractions will be very good though.

Check out the other 3 terminals in town, two of which are a short walk from Union Station: LaSalle St. and the Olgivie Transportation Center. But don't hold you're breath: they don't have the character that Union has.
Randolph St. station is a hike, but too bad a bus ride.
It's been redone recently, so I can't tell you what it's like.

The "new" Randolph Street station has absolutely none of the character of Union Station, but it does feature an attractive, modern motif.

Also within a moderately long walk or a relatively short bus ride are three of Chicago's world-renowned museums in the Roosevelt Road Museum Campus -- the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History. All highly recommended.

Or, walk west from Union Station a few blocks to Halsted Street and enjoy a meal and shopping in Greektown.