Questions on Silver Meteor and Ft Lauderdale Station

[MDRailfan]

1. Are the SM sleepers or coaches next to engines
2. When booking SM, which sleepers car numbers are nearest the Sleeper Lounge(former dining car). I know there are 3 sleepers on the SM
3. Does the Ft Lauderdale station offer golf cart pickup for disable passengers like they do in DC(I can walk but have trouble walking distances beyond a couple of cars on the platform) or would I have to request a wheelchair which I really don't want to do
4. If SM is late beyond 6pm is the assistance not available since station hours is till 6pm

 

[Old MM]

The sleeper car numbers, the lower numbers are closer to the diner.
Ft. Lauderdale station is small. Short distance to walk to the building, and there is a driveway right alongside where you can be picked up by private car, cab or Uber/Lyft. I don't remember seeing an agent there (we might have been a few minutes late so after 6). I also can't recall if red cap service was present, maybe requesting the wheelchair isn't bad backup?

 

[pennyk]

The sleeper cars are in the rear of the train (coaches are next to the engines). The "10" car is closest to the sleeper lounge. The baggage car is behind the sleepers.
My guess is that if the train is late, the station will remain open. I am not sure if there is a golf cart to transport passengers. I seem to recall the last time I was there, the train stopped with the first sleeper extremely close to the station.

 

[MDRailfan]

The sleeper cars are in the rear of the train (coaches are next to the engines). The "10" car is closest to the sleeper lounge. The baggage car is behind the sleepers.
My guess is that if the train is late, the station will remain open. I am not sure if there is a golf cart to transport passengers. I seem to recall the last time I was there, the train stopped with the first sleeper extremely close to the station.

Another question..In BAL what kind of a walk to the zone where you board the sleepers esp car 10. Any golf carts there or would DC be better?

 

[pennyk]

I seem to recall walking downstairs to board in BAL, but I do not know the location of the sleeper cars in relation to the stairs.

I do know there are carts in WAS. I boarded the Silver Meteor in WAS on Saturday. It was a long walk to the sleepers, but I am a fast walker with no walking disabilities. A disabled passenger was driven to the train in a cart, leaving the lounge at the same time I was leaving. We arrived at the train at the same time. The cart does not take a direct route to the train.

Because WAS has an Acela Lounge, the wait for the train in WAS is more comfortable, in my opinion, than the wait in BAL.

Hopefully someone more familiar with BAL can give you more information regarding the walk to the train.

 

[Railroad Bill]

We took the SM to FTL last January as part of a cruise trip. The agents there were very friendly and stayed while there were still trains coming. That evening the Silver Star had been delayed and was actually behind our 97 SM by about an hour. Our luggage had been misplaced on the SS and thus we had to wait for SS to arrive. Plenty of cabs waiting and the cab drivers came up to the platform to carry luggage to their cabs.

 

[the_traveler]

In BAL, the platform is on the lower level. There are stairs, but there is also an elevator there. I’m not sure if there are Red Caps there.

If you have a choice, WAS would be a much better choice - especially since as a sleeping car passenger, you can utilize the Lounge!

The FTL station will remain open until the train arrives. (After all, someone has to unload the baggage.) If they don’t have a cart, they would probably use the cart from the luggage cart.

 

[MARC Rider]

In BAL, the platform is on the lower level. There are stairs, but there is also an elevator there. I’m not sure if there are Red Caps there.

Yes, there are redcaps, as well as the elevator to the platform.