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We are traveling from Washington to Charleston on the Silver Meteor. No sleeping accomodations were available (sold out) but it's overnight. Any tips about sleeping, what to take with. Can we still use the showers? What hours are the dining service? Should we take good snacks with us so we don't have to eat the vending machine stuff if we get hungry during the night? Any chance that we could upgrade to a bedroom once we board the train? Any other tips for first-time travelers? We once took the American-European Express from WAS to Chicago but that was a VERY fancy train and of course we did have a bedroom. Other than that my only experience was on the old Chesapeake and Ohio in Michigan (little Chessie the kitty) (only day trips) and Amtrak from WAs to New York--only a few hours. Thanks for any advice!!
Posts: 3 | Registered: Dec 2001
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The showers are only available to First Class passengers, i.e., those with sleepers. I was just on the Silver Star on Friday and the Dining Car was open at 6:30am for breakfast, 12:45pm for lunch and dinner reservations were 5:00pm, 6:45pm and 8:15pm. There is also a lounge car which serves sandwiches and snacks until 11:30pm. You can bring your own snacks but you have to eat them at your seat. I didn't see any vending machines. I hoep this helps.
Posts: 57 | From: Huntersville, NC USA | Registered: Nov 2001
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I always bring food and water. You never know when the diner may run out of food, or be so crowded that you are not served until past 11:00PM. Boh of those situations have happened to me before.
I agree with Geoff S. Bring a blanket. I get cold on trains, even in the summer when it is hot outside.
Be prepared for the train to be late. It may be on time, and it may be several hours late.
------------------ Elias Valley Railroad (N-scale) www.geocities.com/evrr
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For sleeping tips, go back to the topic list and scroll down to the "Sleeping on Superliner coach seats?" thread. You will be on a single-level train, not a Superliner, but the same principles apply.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
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Well, we're back. Thank you to everyone for the advice. We were not able to get a sleeper for either leg of the trip. We were able to sort of lie crosswise of two seats on the way down, because the train was not as crowded. The train down was right on time, and the hotel in Charleston let us check in at 8:30 in the morning, so that really helped. On the way back, the train was two hours late leaving Charleston, was quite crowded, and the worst thing was NO HEAT all the way to Washington! We got in about 1.5 hours late. No extra seats to lie sideways. The blanket was a good idea, needless to say. The breakfast on the way back in the dining car was very good--kind of like a diner breakfast. We didn't eat any other meals. All in all it was okay--some difficult things were the hacking, snuffling, and sneezing of other passengers (we're not sick yet, though), and on the way back a young man was playing rap music all night. Also on the way down someone smoked in the bathroom. The glassed-in smoking lounge was very effective--even when walking right by it I couldn't smell anything. I found a great difference between the two conductors and attendants going down as opposed to coming back. The one on the way back was much more friendly and courteous, and seemed in a much better mood. I would do the train again but would MUCH prefer to get a sleeper for the overnight trip. Thank you again.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Dec 2001
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