I am posting this from Amtrak's Club Acela in New York. I am on the final leg of my North America Rail Tour, and I thought it would be of interest to post my experiences on the Sunset. Would you believe that instead of arriving in Winter Park Florida at 5:15 pm as scheduled on the 31st of Dec, the passengers were kicked of the train in Sanford (one stop away)when the train arrived over 10 hours late at 3:15 am on the 1st of Jan (happy new year from Amtrak). Most passengers were bussed to Orlando and points south, and the Winter Park passengers were sent in a van to their destination. We departed L.A. on time, and we were late everywhere else. Engine problems in New Orleans, and being constantly sidetracked by Union Pacific and CSX by their many freights were the reasons given for this appalling timekeeping. As far as the train itself, everything worked and the food and service were reasonably good.
I just arrived in New York on the Silver Meteor 30 minutes early!! No Union Pacific to contend with. I am departing N.Y on this afternon's Lakeshore Ltd. for Buffalo and connecting in Niagara Falls with Via's General Brock. I'm not too hopeful that #49 will repeat the Meteor's great timekeeping.
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
Sounds like a fun trip
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Posted by jmarch (Member # 2953) on :
OMG! I was on that same train with my 4 year old son Ben(we were in seat numbers 3 and 4 right in front of the first coach car next to the sightseer car). I couldn't believe that they dumped us off in Sanford like that, but Ben was excited to ride the bus too.