Today has been quite interesting. I took the Meteor from RVR to NYP (which allowed me both a couple of hours of sleep and a decent breakfast). In a fun twist, I got to sample a bedroom because my roomette got reallocated to a group, and the process of transitioning my reservation to a different car got garbled. Rather than waking up a second SCA, the Conductor just stashed me in Bedroom A of car 9810.
Also interesting was that I had an SCA (Leo) who I've had (in some capacity) before...it's kinda scary: He was roused from his sleep (thinking my reservation had been shifted to a different car thus letting him lay in), and he recognized me right off the bat (quite literally, "Oh, I know you..."). Once we got through Trenton, he actually swung by my room to chat until we got through Newark. I know I stick out as a young guy (24) in the sleepers, but I think the sheer volume of my rides on the Silver Meteor is starting to add up. Also of note, I recognized another "regular" commuting into Washington who I'd chatted with before.
On the "free bedroom test", I think I prefer a roomette...but it's mainly the direction of the bed which determines that. The bigger bed was nice (even if I couldn't get it quite all the way down), but...meh. Not worth the extra cost, especially with the variation in the rocking dynamic (rocking my body length-wise vs. width-wise...at least there's not an innovation involving the Z-axis yet!) meaning it's not quite what I'm used to. Still, a full private restroom was a nice twist.
In other news, I managed to take care of another diner (#8509; that's seven down...here's hoping I can snag #8 this evening). Breakfast was normal (pretty solid; I got my standard order, and it was what I've come to expect).
And finally, there's the random burning smell in the lounge...as I noted elsewhere, the CA got cleared because of an odd burning smell. I've got to say, that was the single most calm and surreal fire-related evacuation I think I've ever seen (pick up your stuff, head for the door...oh, and things are moving slowly enough that grabbing a soda on the way out wasn't an issue). Still awaiting word on what went wrong; I'll try and check that before I have to run to my train (in about 90 minutes).
Also interesting was that I had an SCA (Leo) who I've had (in some capacity) before...it's kinda scary: He was roused from his sleep (thinking my reservation had been shifted to a different car thus letting him lay in), and he recognized me right off the bat (quite literally, "Oh, I know you..."). Once we got through Trenton, he actually swung by my room to chat until we got through Newark. I know I stick out as a young guy (24) in the sleepers, but I think the sheer volume of my rides on the Silver Meteor is starting to add up. Also of note, I recognized another "regular" commuting into Washington who I'd chatted with before.
On the "free bedroom test", I think I prefer a roomette...but it's mainly the direction of the bed which determines that. The bigger bed was nice (even if I couldn't get it quite all the way down), but...meh. Not worth the extra cost, especially with the variation in the rocking dynamic (rocking my body length-wise vs. width-wise...at least there's not an innovation involving the Z-axis yet!) meaning it's not quite what I'm used to. Still, a full private restroom was a nice twist.
In other news, I managed to take care of another diner (#8509; that's seven down...here's hoping I can snag #8 this evening). Breakfast was normal (pretty solid; I got my standard order, and it was what I've come to expect).
And finally, there's the random burning smell in the lounge...as I noted elsewhere, the CA got cleared because of an odd burning smell. I've got to say, that was the single most calm and surreal fire-related evacuation I think I've ever seen (pick up your stuff, head for the door...oh, and things are moving slowly enough that grabbing a soda on the way out wasn't an issue). Still awaiting word on what went wrong; I'll try and check that before I have to run to my train (in about 90 minutes).
