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jis: Wow! I was fascinated by your reference and link to "The Seat Reservation Policy (PDF)" above. One would think that I as a graduate of The College of William and Mary would, at least, understand some of it--but I don't think I did. Back in my days of working part time for the C&O at the...

I got interested in this thread primarily due to the discussion of the 2x1 seating in the business class car. Reminds me of the old heritage "parlor" cars which I dearly loved. I don't suppose there is an easy way these days to determine which of the many business class service are using...

zephyr17: Thanks for that reply. Had almost forgot about my one and only VIA Rail trip. In the early 2000's my wife and I had the Drawing Room in the Park Car observation car on the Canadian Vancouver to Toronto. Yes, that too was a fabulous space. As a matter of curiosity, why should one...

Passengers who have been riding the trains as long as me probably dream of the old heritage roomettes (the old 10/6 Pullman sleepers). Roomettes then were a fabulous sleeper space. Viewliners began to replace heritage in late 1990's--I think my last trip in a heritage sleeper may have been in...

I, too, have always preferred and purchased a bedroom travelling as a single passenger. The only downside these days is the fare. Up until about the year 2020-2021 a bedroom fare was about 140% of the roomette fare. Nowadays it is well over double @ about 210%, i.e. my most frequent trip is...

Take it from a retired extra board flag on the Auto Train: a backup movement of ANY passenger train on the main is a complicated protocol. Add to that Auto Train consist of locomotives + Superliner passenger cars + numerous auto carriers (a fairly normal consist on the Auto Train is 200+...

I know that those of us who post occasionally or regularly on AU over the past months have often been quick to criticize Amtrak operations deficiency on a variety of issues, but if the many reports of irrational passenger behaviors during this week's Auto Train reroute due to the CSX freight...

cocojacoby: You have emphasized a point I have made on numerous previous posts. I think the "H" bedroom on the Viewliner 1 is the best Amtrak sleeper room that exists. I am a non-ADA passenger but will buy it or upgrade to it as available. Having that large bathroom-toilet-sink-shower room...

Although I am in some agreement with Palmland's assessments, one must realize and remember that the Auto Train is a somewhat unique movement as far as a passenger train. Its length, number of axles, and unique consist make it so. Add to that the detour that caused it to vary away from its...

Though I have not been there in several years, my favorite hotel not only in Chicago but in the entire free world has always been The Palmer House Hilton. I shudder to think what the price range for rooms may be these days. Started staying there in the early 1990's on a recommendation from a...

The obvious answer to this question is that, if you are in the que within the appointed time cutoff (much like a bank or other retail-type line), then it would be reasonable to expect you to be accommodated as on time. Having said that, I have NO first hand experience with this situation and...

My sympathies to any and all those rail passengers that may have their holiday travel plans disrupted. As a railfan, I had always wanted to a spend Christmas Eve and Day on board a train. My wife and I did this in 2015 on the Empire Builder 24-25-26 December CHI-SEA in a bedroom suite (D-E)...

I must say that I am gratified to read these past few positive posts on this thread after so many days, weeks, months, even a year of negative reporting. Makes this long time rail passenger since the 1960's feel somewhat positive toward the future of Amtrak operations and performance.

johnmiller: Just surfing the AU this morning. I probably would agree with your assessment of "dreamy" on Amtrak. I would, however, comment that--just before Amtrak--my closest to "dreamy" would be The Super Chief LAX-CHI in a Heritage drawing room sleeper in April 1971. What made the trip...

John: Thank you for that! Larry

Although some hurricane (name I can't quite remember) kept me from travelling from DLD by train to the grand opening of Washington DC Union Station in September, 1988, I started spending countless hours there over these past 35 years. My memory has again failed me. Did WAS at one time have a...

Your assessment is probably correct. Having said that, there are still some passengers--like me--who board in Anniston AL that would applaud the return of a diner and full service dining on the Crescent. I recognize I am only one passenger.

Trollopian: I was surfing this thread today I was reminded of this little bit of information. This service, of course, does not exist today, but back in the early 1970's AFTER the beginning of Amtrak but BEFORE the Southern Railway joined Amtrak there was a through sleeper LAX-NYP via NOL. One...

MARC Rider: Your challenge intrigues me. Here is my two cents worth. In 1997 after beating bladder cancer and using the four months chemo in planning this trip when I got well--17 days; 7963 miles; 06-22 April 1997 with connections but not duplicating a segment...

Even though I miss certain things about having lived in Daytona Beach in the 1970's 1980's and until 1998 before moving to Georgia, I am sure glad I don't have to spend my entire existence worrying about the potential of Florida panhandle service as I did until the Sunset started in 1993. I...