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Hi, I'm back home after a fairly brief trip to FL, with a stop in Raleigh to see the capitol. (I had initially planned a stop in Columbia as well but decided to save that for next year.)
I caught the Empire Service down to NYC and the Silver Star to Raleigh, going coach for this leg of the journey. The train was on time to Raleigh. Coach seats were pretty roomy and comfy, and we were given a pillow even though it was daytime. The coach part of the train was busy but not completely full till Alexandria, I had the seat to myself until then and then again after Petersburg VA, when my seatmate detrained, so that was great. Toilet facilities not too grungy for coach. Only problem on this trip was that, because the train was so busy, the dining car could not accommodate Raleigh coach passengers for dinner--they took reservations only from the sleeper passengers and overnight coach passengers--although, a Raleigh-bound passenger wanting dinner could get it brought back by car attendant for eating in one's coach seat. Having gotten a nice big and interesting salad combo and delicious cookies from Whole Foods in NYC before my train left (the one in Chelsea wasn't too busy in the morning when I went there; it's less than 10 blocks from Penn Station), and having also had time to go out at Union Station DC for a Chocolate Therapy Ben n Jerry's, I opted to skip dinner for obvious reasons.
Raleigh was quite pleasant, spring setting in, with the magnolias just beginning to bloom. I enjoyed the capitol, the NC State History Museum, also saw the modern Legislative Building, walked around the City Market area and a historic district with fine mansions, saw the oldest home in Raleigh (founder's home, I forget his name), ate at Cooper BBQ (recommended by David P!)and 42nd St Oyster Bar, and stayed at Clarion (also recommended here). . . . really, a very nice stop.
Having left my luggage at the Clarion on checking out, I returned after dinner, checking out their computer room until it was time to taxi over to the Amtrak station. I was taking the Silver Star again, this time with a sleeper, and again it was on time! This train had even nicer staff, and the sleeper was fine. We lost some time in Georgia but made it up in Jacksonville, lost a little more on the Tampa run but made some of it up soon after, or the schedule is maybe a little padded between Okeechobee and West Palm Beach stops; anyway, I was pretty much on time there, maybe 15-20 minutes late . . . great again!
My time with family (and also saw some friends) in the WPB area was pleasant, though I didn't do much of anything. Highlight was a visit to Juno Beach Pier and lunch at the Crabhouse in Jupiter, near the lighthouse.
My return trip was on the Silver Meteor, the "fast" train. Once again, a very busy train--by Orlando every sleeper was full, and there were 3 cars of them! (Note that a few sleepers were used by Amtrak staff, as there is no extra car for them.) The staff was fine, esp well run busy dining car. We were running just about 40 minutes late until near Richmond, when a freight train broke down in front of us; it made us 2 hours late getting in Richmond. However, we picked up some time in the DC area and wound up getting into NYP just about an hour late, so I went to the ACELA lounge in NYC, where everyone was very nice. I used a Red Cap to put me on my Empire Service train, which left right on time. As we headed north the nice weather disappeared, but the train was still moving fine. . . . All in all, another pleasant trip on Amtrak.
Oh, and I forgot to mention one of the scenic (or do I mean comic?) highlights of the trip for me, the big sign on some guy's lawn, out the right side of the train, heading north, just south of Winter Haven, FL, which said: CSX SUCKS.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Sojourner, I love your reports.. I always feel as if I am right there with you . Thanks
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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David P: This is the trip report I posted some days ago, which you apparently missed. Wish I were still in Raleigh; I've had plenty of snow up here since my return!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by sojourner: David P: This is the trip report I posted some days ago, which you apparently missed. Wish I were still in Raleigh; I've had plenty of snow up here since my return!
Hey Sojourner,
Thanks for the bump......I had less time than usual as last week was a difficult one. Their were a pair of 14 hour days at work, followed by a family birthday (my sister's 50th), and concluded with the retirement of my office's secretary after 30 years (that's right....30 years) on the job. All of us just relied on Judy so much that her last day, Friday, was like a wake in spite of our best efforts to be festive.
I anticipate more time to browse the forum in coming days!
NEXT time you'll need to ride the Piedmont and check out the restored train stations in Greensboro and High Point.....plus have more BBQ!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Yes, David, I'd like to do the Piedmont some time. But I have to do Columbia and Richmond first! Not to mention Tallahassee--no idea how I'm gonna get there with no Sunset Ltd. Bus I suppose (boohoo).. . .
I forgot to mention another highlight of sorts: While in FL, I saw on one of the HBO stations a 1930s film called The Palm Beach Story, in which Carole Lombard takes the train down to FL from NYC. She has no money, so she finagles her way onto some private cars on which a gun & hunt club is partying. She is given a private room for sleeping there, but the men drink too much, so she leaves for the main train and finagles her way into an empty sleeping compartment there (this is the kind with curtains). Meanwhile some of the gun club begin taking pot shots in their private car and start galumphing through the main train--it's a very funny scene. Of course, this being a film from the 1930s, the African American porters are portrayed in those no longer comical stereotypes, but I still enjoyed seeing this old chestnut, esp after catching training down to FL myself.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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