Grandma B
Train Attendant
On the way into NYP on Nov 18th, we heard that Amtrak wasn't running in or out of NYP due to wires down on the Jersey side. The was just the beginning of a very LONG trip! Once everyone was given the OK to board, we were on our way. Our sleeper attendant was Vic in the Colonial View. He truly is a credit to Amtrak. Friendly, personable and very helpful. We were in the 3rd Viewliner, right in front of the Dining car. Shortly after boarding we were asked what time we would prefer to eat dinner. The colors in the Dining car were aqua/pink. We had paper tablecloths, real silverware and Amtrak plastic dinner plates. We ordered the roast chicken the first night which was very hot and tasty. Krystle in the Dining car served us, always with a smile. Everything was running smoothly until around 5 AM. We came to a complete stop in the middle of nowhere (Kingstree, NC?)! We found out why when we went for breakfast. A rail was broken ahead of the #97 and CSX was fixing it. At 10 AM we were on our way again. Breakfast was a huge portion of french toast and pork sausage. Lunch we had the Angus burger.....bigger than the bun. Dinner was braised beef...delicious (they had to pick up more food in Jacksonville to feed us dinner, since we were running so late, so we ended up eating two dinners instead of just one). Vic kept us up to the minute of how late we would be getting into WPB. The #97 should have arrived in WPB at 4:54 PM, instead it finally made it by 10:30 PM....5 1/2 hours late. On our return trip to NYP on Nov 25 on the #98, we had a wonderful sleeper attendant named Phred in the Atlantic View. Breakfast was being served when we boarded. This time our Dining car was done in blue/white. We ate the same foods again. They did however, offer Turkey with all the fixings. Our server was Bruce...another credit to Amtrak. We arrived in NYP 7 minutes late, which was OK with us. The reclining chair in the sleeper does not recline! On our southbound trip, this chair's stuffing was falling out of the arms and the seat. The northbound trip chair was in one piece. Gotta say, the tracks down south are horrendous! 
Don't know how anyone can sleep with the banging, rocking, bouncing motion. :unsure: It's definitely "whiplash" country down there. All in all, we had a wonderful trip and will always have something to talk about. The #97 consist: GE P42C #139 & #9, baggage car, 3 Viewliners, Dining car, Cafe car and 4 coaches. The #98 consist: GE P42C #138 & #16 with the rest of the consist being the same.
Don't know how anyone can sleep with the banging, rocking, bouncing motion. :unsure: It's definitely "whiplash" country down there. All in all, we had a wonderful trip and will always have something to talk about. The #97 consist: GE P42C #139 & #9, baggage car, 3 Viewliners, Dining car, Cafe car and 4 coaches. The #98 consist: GE P42C #138 & #16 with the rest of the consist being the same.
