greatcats
Engineer
:unsure:I've come into DC from Arizona - see my other post about the Southwest Chief and Cardinal - and made a sidetrip to visiti a friend to Greensboro. The trip went fairly well - nothing too exciting. I had a coach ticket on the Crescent. 4 coaches running very full. The coach attendant, Kevin, told me to take Seat 26, and I found an arrogant young lady sitting in my seat who refused to move. Not wanting to make too much of a scene, I went to the attendant and told him, and he told her to either move to another car where she had been told to sit and behave herself,or stay in Washington, as he knew she had had a few drinks. I then told her to have a pleasant evening and it had been nice meeting her, which was a little tongue in cheek. THis produced some laughter from other passengers. I was seated next to a a gentleman from Philadelphia going to visiti his brother in Spartanburg, SC. He decided to join me for dinner. Now I am somewhat overweight, but not huge. He was not enormous, but he was a big hefty guy. I offered him the window seat opposite a couple. Then I sat down. This was a nice refurbished looking Heritage diner, but those seats are narrow! The gentleman and I were crammed together, with me having one cheek hanging out in the aisle! Kind of humorous, but neither of us were very comfortable. However, we enjoyed the chicken dinner and the company of the other folks. The diner was very busy, and the crew tried hard to please, but they could have used a little more polish. Train 19 arrived Greensboro about 30 minutes late at 12:45 am and I walked the few short blocks to the Greensboro Biltmore Hotel, a landmark property that I can recommend. The location is much better than when I last took the train to and from Greensboro, at that small station out in the freight yard. The beautifully redone Southern station and bus facility are something of which to be proud.
Yesterday morning I returned on Train 80, the Carolinian, which is a longer route by over a hundred miles. The most notable feature of this trip was the Business Class car attendant, a young man named Michael Kunas, a class act. He only has five and a half months service with Amtrak, but has a background in customer service. He looked after his passengers and kept the restrooms clean. The extra $26.00 for business class was worth it - juice, newspaper, and pillow provided and more comfortable seats, but best of all, a crew member who paid attention to his job. We were held up for minor delays here and there and arrived Washington about 35 minutes late. All in all, a good value for my sidetip of 674 miles. I'm now back in DC until Monday, hoping to hear Dave Brubeck this weekend and a choir concert at National Cathedral, then back to Arizona on the Capitol and Southwest Chief, and then a little drive to Alaska following! Cheers.
Yesterday morning I returned on Train 80, the Carolinian, which is a longer route by over a hundred miles. The most notable feature of this trip was the Business Class car attendant, a young man named Michael Kunas, a class act. He only has five and a half months service with Amtrak, but has a background in customer service. He looked after his passengers and kept the restrooms clean. The extra $26.00 for business class was worth it - juice, newspaper, and pillow provided and more comfortable seats, but best of all, a crew member who paid attention to his job. We were held up for minor delays here and there and arrived Washington about 35 minutes late. All in all, a good value for my sidetip of 674 miles. I'm now back in DC until Monday, hoping to hear Dave Brubeck this weekend and a choir concert at National Cathedral, then back to Arizona on the Capitol and Southwest Chief, and then a little drive to Alaska following! Cheers.
