1- How does it run on-time--? If it does get delayed, are we talking 6 hours or 30 minutes?
2- How is the food? How do they serve you? Is it a dining car? Are there snack bars, etc? Is the food any good? DO you dine in your cabin or in a dining car? What if I need food between mealtimes- can I get any and what kind? Does Amtrack have specail meals like the airlines? Anyone have any experience with their special meals???
3- How much motion is there in the train?(I do fine on the Metroliner-- but can't handle the Boston Undgerground)
4- What is the cabin like ( we reserved one with a private bath) Are we talking small, clean or dirty, etc? (It is hard to tell from the web site photos that AMtrack posts)
5- Does a cabin attendant make up the bed? Are you responsible for that? What type of experiences have folks had with the staff on this train?

By the way, it's Amtrak, (not Amtrack- there is no C) and rooms are called "Bedrooms" or "Compartments" (cabins are on ships).

I'll see if I can write the report today, and get it posted sometime this evening.

2. Dining car food is usually pretty good. Some of my best meals have been in the dining car while travelling. If you're in a sleeper, then meals are included in the price. The only thing you pay for is alcohol. There is also a snack car with a wide range of snacks, microwave meals, drinks, beers, etc. Depending on the train it's open roughly 6am to midnight with breaks for the attendant to have his meal. The sleeping car attendant can bring meals to your room if you require it. Sleeping cars also have a free mini snack section - usually coffee, soft drinks, ice, and maybe cookies/muffins/Danish. You can help yourself to it.

3. Can't remember on the east coast. It certainly shouldn't be as bad as any metro system.

4. Always clean, the private bath one sounds like a deluxe bedroom. There's quite a bit of room (in relative terms) in those rooms, not so in standard bedrooms.

5. Yes, unless you really want to do it yourself! There's an attendant call button in every cabin, just press it and they usually come within a couple of minutes as long as they're not busy elsewhere.

Personally, I'd say service isn't wonderful on the Silver Service. But I know others who have had a great service. All depends on who you get on the day. I try to keep the sleeping car attendants happy by tipping them $5 on the first night, which keeps their smile alive for a little longer!

Please note that you will be taking a single-level train, not the double-decker trains that run anywhere outside of the East. Some of the amenities are different on these cars, which use Viewliner sleepers. These sleepers are fairly new, and are very comfortable.

1- How does it run on-time--? If it does get delayed, are we talking 6 hours or 30 minutes?
It all depends. A train could be on time one day, 3 hours late the next, and 5 minutes early the next. Just like with flying, expect the delays. At least you will be far more comfortable on the train than on a plane...unless there is an extreme problem, you will be allowed to move around, use the bathroom, and get food or drink during a delay. To make things easier, don't make plans for connections or other events in the days you travel...you'll avoid a lot of stress that way!

2- How is the food? How do they serve you? Is it a dining car? Are there snack bars, etc?
Is the food any good? DO you dine in your cabin or in a dining car? What if I need food
between mealtimes- can I get any and what kind? Does Amtrack have specail meals like the airlines? Anyone have any experience with their special meals???

The dining car food is great. If you are in a sleeper, you do not pay out for your food, no matter how much it costs in the menu. I won't go into the menus, but there is a good variety of selections. It is mostly cooked on board. Your sleeper attendant will notify you when the mealtimes are, and will arrange your reservations.
The lounge car has a snack bar with a variety of selections, from candy and chips to little pizzas or wraps. The lounge car is usually open during non-mealtimes, up until late night. The lounge closes some time before your final destination.
Your sleeper car attendant will have some things available...it all depends. Some trips, there was just coffee, water, juice, and soda; other times there were cookies, fruit, and other snacks in addition. Of course, you can also bring your own stuff if you think you might get an attack of the munchies in the middle of the night!
You can be served in your room by your attendant, but do go to the dining car if you're able. With his/her other responsibilities, it might take your attendant a while to bring food to your room.
Call Amtrak to inquire about special meals.

3- How much motion is there in the train?(I do fine on the Metroliner-- but can't handle the Boston Undgerground)
Someone who had taken this route will have to answer it...the rides out to CHI aren't smooth, but you do get used to it.

4- What is the cabin like ( we reserved one with a private bath) Are we talking small, clean or dirty, etc? (It is hard to tell from the web site photos that AMtrack posts)
It's small, but comfortable. The Viewliners are designed so that many things are within easy reach (lights, vent control, video/music controls). You'll be amazed how much is in that little compartment! I always found them to be very clean.
Did you book a standard room or a deluxe room?

1. Does the Cardinal really have some of the worst track? I rode both the Cardinal and the Texas Eagle this year, and some of the trackage of the Eagle is terrible, especially in parts of Texas!

2. Are the 120v outlets safe for sensitive electronic equipment like camcorders and laptops? I've heard horror stories of people having their equipment fried by spikes in the supply, or does it only affect certain (older?) trainsets?

Geoff M.

The highlight of the Silver Palm is when it leaves Orlando for Lakeland and Tampa--it backs out of the yard and literally backs through the ninety minute trip to Tampa. It feels off when you have been traveling a certain direction, to suddenly go the other way, especially with the engine pushing the train.

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Originally posted by CHATTER:

The highlight of the Silver Palm is when it leaves Orlando for Lakeland and Tampa--it backs out of the yard and literally backs through the ninety minute trip to Tampa. It feels off when you have been traveling a certain direction, to suddenly go the other way, especially with the engine pushing the train.

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Hi there, ummmm the Silver Palm does not stop in Orlando, and it does NOT back all the way to Tampa. Dude, what are you smoking?

The last sentence is unncessary--don't know why you would think it is.

Don't count on Amtrak to be on time, but don't count on it being late, either.

Dining car food is generally good, but quality can vary somewhat depending on who is cooking that day. Snack bar food is OK. I haven't had the nerve to try their microwave hamburgers and pizzas yet.

Motion depends a lot on track condiditons. Most of the motion on a train is side to side. Up and down motion is what usually makes people seasick/carsick/airsick. I've never seen anyone get motionsick on a train.

One thing we find handy on a train is a toiletry kit that hangs from a coathook. It acts like a portable bathroom cabinet in those small rest rooms.

You are required to wear shoes when walking about the train, but you are free to kick them off in your room. For that reason I like to wear shoes with velcro fasteners for quick on and off.

Don't hide in your compartment. Take time to get out to the lounge and diner to meet people. Socially, a train is like small town on wheels. It is one of the few places left in this country where strangers actually talk to each other like civilized people.

Expect to have fun, but don't expect perfection. Amtrak has its quirks, but none of them are really serious enough to ruin a trip unless you make mountains out of molehills.

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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

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Originally posted by CHATTER:
Let me correct myself. The Silver Palm does not stop in Orlando--it stops in Lakeland, Wildwood and Dade City. (We Miamians have a tendency to call everything in inland Central Florida "Orlando.") The backward run is from Lakeland to Tampa.

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Well Chatter, you'd better correct yourself again, because the trip time, even with schedule padding, is nowhere close to 90 minutes between Lakeland and Tampa. At most, it is scheduled for 55 minutes.

It is indees scheduled for 55 minutes, but I have been on it several times this past year when it took ninety minutes--probably due to the CSX track maintenance.

quote:

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Originally posted by Konstantin:
20th Century Limited is rude quite often. Just ignore him. He is a "know it all" who does not know it all.

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Only to people who say rediculous things, konstantin, like you. Things like, "oh amtrak deserves to be shut down" and "let amtrak die". That's you Konstantin.