Trip Report: New York Penn to Tampa, Florida, Feb 4 5, 2011.
One of my wifes favorite aunts was seriously ill in Tallahassee, Florida, so we decided to visit her in the hospital and also visit two of my college roommates who have moved to Florida. The weather forecast for Northern New Jersey and New York City was more snow and ice, so we went to the city the day before our journey and spent the night in a hotel near Penn Station.
We checked our luggage the day before departure at the Amtrak baggage counter.
We walked from our hotel to Penn Station and went to the Acela Lounge. The Silver Star departure was on time. We were in Bedroom A in Car 9111. Walter was our SCA.
About one hour out of New York, I received a telephone call on my cell phone advising
us that my wifes aunt has passed away during the night, so we had to change our
plans to attend the funeral. After several phone calls, we rearranged our itinerary.
The trip was uneventful. We had lunch and dinner in the dining car. Both were good and we had very good service. I also had time to play with my new netbook computer. My eyes and fingers had to adjust to a smaller screen and keyboard.
We arrived in Orlando on schedule and we stepped off the train. It was warm there but
again, not hot. I looked around for our Pennyk but she was not there!! We proceeded
onto Tampa arriving slightly behind schedule after backing into the station. The
Tampa station has been refurbished and is very good looking.
We took a taxi to the airport to get our rental car, then drove to Sarasota and to our hotel.
After our travels throughout Florida, we returned to Tampa and checked our luggage for the trip home. We arrived at the station at 5:00pm for a scheduled 5:42pm departure. At 5:30, the station agent announced the train would be late due to CSX track work and our new departure time would be 6:00pm. The train arrived at 6:35pm. There were nearly 100 passengers waiting to board, and we were all asked to check in with the Conductor at the station gate and then go to the boarding platform to board the train when it arrived. There were only five of us who boarded the sleepers and the rest were coach passengers.
Our SCA, Bianca, told us to go to the dining car for our dinner. I chose a shrimp scampi, which was not to my liking and my wife chose chicken. After dinner, we returned to our bedroom for the night.
I awoke at 6:18am after a good night's sleep. I went for breakfast as my wife continued to sleep. She later joined me in the diner. We continued to be one hour behind schedule. The train was moving fast. The trip was pleasant and we met most of the people from the sleepers in the dining car. The Dining Car Attendant came to our room shortly after 3:00pm asking if we wanted a light dinner. We were called to the diner after departing Baltimore and we were finished at Philadelphia. We arrived in New York Penn Station at 8:00pm, about 45 minutes behind schedule. Overall, the trip was enjoyable.
One of my wifes favorite aunts was seriously ill in Tallahassee, Florida, so we decided to visit her in the hospital and also visit two of my college roommates who have moved to Florida. The weather forecast for Northern New Jersey and New York City was more snow and ice, so we went to the city the day before our journey and spent the night in a hotel near Penn Station.
We checked our luggage the day before departure at the Amtrak baggage counter.
We walked from our hotel to Penn Station and went to the Acela Lounge. The Silver Star departure was on time. We were in Bedroom A in Car 9111. Walter was our SCA.
About one hour out of New York, I received a telephone call on my cell phone advising
us that my wifes aunt has passed away during the night, so we had to change our
plans to attend the funeral. After several phone calls, we rearranged our itinerary.
The trip was uneventful. We had lunch and dinner in the dining car. Both were good and we had very good service. I also had time to play with my new netbook computer. My eyes and fingers had to adjust to a smaller screen and keyboard.
We arrived in Orlando on schedule and we stepped off the train. It was warm there but
again, not hot. I looked around for our Pennyk but she was not there!! We proceeded
onto Tampa arriving slightly behind schedule after backing into the station. The
Tampa station has been refurbished and is very good looking.
We took a taxi to the airport to get our rental car, then drove to Sarasota and to our hotel.
After our travels throughout Florida, we returned to Tampa and checked our luggage for the trip home. We arrived at the station at 5:00pm for a scheduled 5:42pm departure. At 5:30, the station agent announced the train would be late due to CSX track work and our new departure time would be 6:00pm. The train arrived at 6:35pm. There were nearly 100 passengers waiting to board, and we were all asked to check in with the Conductor at the station gate and then go to the boarding platform to board the train when it arrived. There were only five of us who boarded the sleepers and the rest were coach passengers.
Our SCA, Bianca, told us to go to the dining car for our dinner. I chose a shrimp scampi, which was not to my liking and my wife chose chicken. After dinner, we returned to our bedroom for the night.
I awoke at 6:18am after a good night's sleep. I went for breakfast as my wife continued to sleep. She later joined me in the diner. We continued to be one hour behind schedule. The train was moving fast. The trip was pleasant and we met most of the people from the sleepers in the dining car. The Dining Car Attendant came to our room shortly after 3:00pm asking if we wanted a light dinner. We were called to the diner after departing Baltimore and we were finished at Philadelphia. We arrived in New York Penn Station at 8:00pm, about 45 minutes behind schedule. Overall, the trip was enjoyable.
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