J
jim-o
Guest
I just returned from the following trip: Pacific Surfliner to Southwest Chief to Lake Shore Limited (BOS). Acela Express BOS to BWI. Capitol Limited (WAS Union Sta) to CHI. Southwest Chief to LA, Surfliner back to SAN.
All in all, I enjoyed the trip and plan to travel again. I got underway with no expectations or urgent arrival times. All trains were late, but I did not miss any connections. The list of things in the cars that do not work or don't work right is astounding!. Pressure in the showers ranged from dribble to full blast, depending on the train. None of the lavatories has anything to show whether or not occupied. Viewliners have video screen in room, but it's dead! In the Superliner rooms, there is a control marked music, but alas! Silence. On one car, the lever to lay the seat down for bed was broke. Etc. Etc. Etc. Maybe I was naive to expect more!\
But as I said, the trip accomplished exactly my goal which was time to relax, rest, sleep, read, .....no worries, mate!
Food is good. Crews were cordial in varying degrees, but I am not hard to please so all was well. Although nothing happened this time, I had accounted in my travel plans for events such as missed connections, or the delay apparently experienced by the 3 and 4 today (10/17) due to rerouting around a derailment in the midwest. I arrived home 10/16 so just dodged that bullet!
I planned for shortages of TP, food, water, towels since I had read about these things on this forum. Fortunatley all these preparations were unnecessary!
Scenery interesting. I got some excellent results with my little Olympus Stylus (film) camera through the windows.
I'm ready to go again!
All in all, I enjoyed the trip and plan to travel again. I got underway with no expectations or urgent arrival times. All trains were late, but I did not miss any connections. The list of things in the cars that do not work or don't work right is astounding!. Pressure in the showers ranged from dribble to full blast, depending on the train. None of the lavatories has anything to show whether or not occupied. Viewliners have video screen in room, but it's dead! In the Superliner rooms, there is a control marked music, but alas! Silence. On one car, the lever to lay the seat down for bed was broke. Etc. Etc. Etc. Maybe I was naive to expect more!\
But as I said, the trip accomplished exactly my goal which was time to relax, rest, sleep, read, .....no worries, mate!
Food is good. Crews were cordial in varying degrees, but I am not hard to please so all was well. Although nothing happened this time, I had accounted in my travel plans for events such as missed connections, or the delay apparently experienced by the 3 and 4 today (10/17) due to rerouting around a derailment in the midwest. I arrived home 10/16 so just dodged that bullet!
I planned for shortages of TP, food, water, towels since I had read about these things on this forum. Fortunatley all these preparations were unnecessary!
Scenery interesting. I got some excellent results with my little Olympus Stylus (film) camera through the windows.
I'm ready to go again!
