Hi Linda - Usually the coaches are on the back of this train, unless there is a private car back there. The lounge car is in the middle of the train behind the diner. I assume you are in a sleeper. I would not be too concerned about your belongings, but I would conceal valuables or keep them on your person. No Wifi, with no cell signal in some locations. I don't think they hand out route guides anymore on the trains, but I think you can still download them off the Amtrak website. Timetables usually available at the station, but these days I would print those out beforehand. The food has been a subject of much discussion. I prefer good cuisine, and have been less than thrilled with some of my meals recently, and it also depends on who is doing the cooking. The salads are a poor excuse for a tossed salad - iceberg, with one or two cherry tomatoes and the vegetables are usually blah. I dislike that corn and pepper combination, especially when they put it in an omelette. Having said that, the breakfast are usually good and tasty, the lunches usually acceptable. Most of the steaks with mushroom sauce for dinner have been very good and the maui maui fish I have had mixed results with - sometimes tasty and sometimes blah and dry. I have not eaten in an Amtrak diner since February, so am not sure what some of the selections are these days. The Lamb Shank was being well received and the chicken pretty good. Maybe I am being a pain in the neck, fussy, retired citizen, but I take a dim view of wine being served in a plastic cup. The menu gives glowing descriptions of wine combinations with the menu, which is basically diner food as others have mentioned, making it sound like a high class place, which it isn't anymore. Fairly decent dining, yes, but not high class, which maybe isn't called for, but I have been disgusted with their stupid nickel and dime cuts and told them the last diner I was on in Feb. on the SWC looks like a cheap coffee shop. Having said all this, if things go reasonably well, it is still an interesting ride and a great way to cross our country.