Had tickets for Valentine's Day (my wife's birthday) WPK-WTH on 91 and returning on 92. 91 was running three hours late, so the WPK station agent called and asked if we'd rather take 97, which wasn't as late. Sure, why not. It would be the same route anyway that day, since 91 was bypassing Lakeland and Tampa - CSX was doing track work there. Ate lunch in the diner on 97, very good, not too expensive, not even very busy - just walked in and immediately got a table. Got into WTH in good time, and 92 was expected in at 4:09. Then found out there were brush fires between OKE and SBG, 91(it went through WTH some time after we got there on 97) was stuck north of the fires and 92 was stuck south of them. When they finally were able to move again it was nearly 7 pm when 92 got to WTH. And since the CSX track work had knocked off for the day, 92 was taking the full run, West through Lakeland, turn around at the Tampa wye, back into the station, change conductor and engineer crews, unload and load pax, and then head through Lakeland and over and through the Kissimmee-Orlando-Winter Park-Deland Central Florida corridor and on up to Jax and North from there. Ate dinner in 92's diner leaving WTH, finished up just before arriving Tampa. Food was great (my wife had the herbed half-chicken on rice, I had the Pasta with Veggies), and then cheescake (97 was nearly at the end of it's run from New York and had sold out of that, but 92, having recently departed Miami, had plenty of everything). Got to WPK roughly 2.5 hours late, but a great trip, great way to spend Valentine's Day. On-board staff were amiable and hard-working, wait staff in the Diner were attentive. Very pleasant trip, if a bit late getting home.
Valentine's Day - 91-92 WPK-WTH-TPA-WPK
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Not bad. Wished I was there.
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