I rode BC on the Palmetto RVR-BAL on March 4 and was quite pleased with the BC car. You'll most likely have one of the refurbished ex-metroliner club/cafe cars with 2-1 seating and faux leather, super-reclining, calf-rest, foot-rest seats. I found the seats VERY comfortable and plush, and my wife is now insisting that this be our standard class of ticket for any non-overnight trip of more than 2 hours. The availability of two 120v plugs at each seat was also a nice amenity. The only negative from the trip was the availability (or lack thereof) of our car attendant, who seemed to want to hang out in the baggage car (!), for reasons I have yet to discern. The cafe car's line tends to get quite long on that train, it seems, so be prepared to wait in line if you want food.
Thanks! Once before we had the 1/2 BC / 1/2 cafe car and we really liked it (Twilight Shoreliner to NYC?). We plan to bring a cooler with some food, subs, etc..
I think you'll find the car to be in much better shape (cosmetically) than the car you were in on the TS.
Thanks!
Sounds too good... On the return I think our cooler will be empty so I'll plan on the Italian sandwich.
I have seen this done before, but it requires a good bit of coordination and luck - to have an on-time train and a delivery person willing to wait for a bit. Remember if you include the Conductor you will also need to include his/her assistant and the car attendant as well. Better order the Half-Pig size. Good Luck.
Yes - I think the bigger the order the better chance they go for it so - so yes, I agree.
On a couple of occasions I thought about having a pizza delievered to the train just for the heck of it. But it would be dicey to coordinate. You might make the delievery call hoping to time it just right. If they are late . . . no food. If you are late . . . the food is cold or they leave. Even if you call 20 miles out, something could go wrong to mess up your plans. So think twice about this one.
Thanks for all the input - Hope to post a few photos upon our return. I found this shot in the archives from a recent post. Great shot of the Palmetto - taken near Charleston.
And yes - we too always stop at Parkers when driving north from NC/SC. It's an American classic.
I suppose what we really need to find is a network of pizza joint owners who are railfans, keep a scanner in the shop, and show up with pizzas at the station when the train arrives.
I've noticed more than one person make this comment and I have to wonder if those making it have bumped into one of the 11 Horizon Club-Dinette cars. Personally I've never found the ride in the Amfleet Club-Dinette's to be rougher, after all they are Amfleet I's just like most of the rest of the single level fleet. Not to mention that these cars were once Amtrak's cream of the fleet, since they were the Metroliner First Class cars. If they weren't built exactly like the rest of the AMF I's; then I would expect them to be better, not worse, than the rest of the AMF fleet since they catered to Amtrak's premium NEC customers.
Actually I have high hopes that once more cars are converted to Diner-Lite, that Amtrak might employ such cars on routes like the Palmetto, where such cars would be ideally suited. Runs where the journey is too long for just a cafe car, but runs that don't go overnight or have sleepers. This car, Amtrak's attempt at mating a dining car with a cafe car, provides a service and food selection above that of the normal cafe car, but below that of the service one would have found on a dining car two years ago. At present there are 6 single level Diner-Lite cars available, but I understand that they are mainly found on the Silver Service trains at the moment.
Your Best bet when there is a extended Service Stop, because when I rode the Late International, my Dad and I and 2 other passengered orderd a Pizza, we did it as soon as the Train Cleared Customes and we still had over a hour, pizza made it with about 10 Minutes to Spare.
