Among all the doom and gloom regarding the new service, I can't help but think it was designed specifically for me. I live in Illinois and snowbird in the Tampa Bay area; and this makes it so much easier.
Prior to #40, there wasn't even a train connection from Tampa to Chicago. The Star is scheduled to arrive in WAS at 3:04PM; and the Cap Ltd depart WAS at 4:05PM, a 1:01 layover, therefore not a legal connection. To make the trip, you would have to take a thruway bus to Orlando, then Silver Meteor arriving in WAS at 7:25AM. Now to my way of thinking getting up showering, having breakfast, and getting ready do de-train by 7:25 is not my idea of a civilized way to travel.
Granted, you could take the bus to Orlando, the Meteor to NYP, and the LSL to Chicago. I've done this several times. But still not an all train itinerary.
Now if one can throw their bike under the thruway bus from TPA to Clearwater/STP, I'm all set.