Hey, what about me?
I just so happened to get on #98 on Friday the 31st. Southbound #91 came in Kissimee first, several hours late. Since Kissimmee, FL has only a single track (with a small stub ended siding for track equipment storage), that meant doing the dance with the other trains scheduled to roll around 1:00PM, namely #97 and #98.
So, after #91 came and went, dispatchers had to decide how to dispatch the other two on time trains awaiting their turn. The decision was made to get southbound #97 out of the way, because northbound #98 was already running a a half hour late, and would get a little later because a handicapped passenger requiring a portable lift-elevator to reach the sleeper was amongst the passengers. That handicapped passenger was my mother. Both going down and returning back, Amtrak's staff did an amazing job, and I'd like to write a letter commending them, but I did not write their names. If anyone from Amtrak has the names of the sleeper, diner, and station staff name from Kissimee and NY Penn, #97, May 13 -14 ,and #98, 30 - 31, please "pm" me. Or if anyone recommends just sending a letter of praise overall for everyone on board in general. I can provide management with ticket, sleeper car, and room numbers.
Anyway, they decided to let the on time southbound #97 stay on time, and the already late #98 hold for clearance. This rendered the first time I saw three trains in Kissimmee on the same day ever.
Incidentally, we #98 left an hour late, and ended up making up the time, arriving into NY Penn about 10 minutes early.
