Today, Easter Sunday, 4/24/11, I decided to do one of my many points runs. I have previously done points runs on holidays because the crowds are a bit smaller and there is usually plenty of parking in the shade in Winter Park. I was partially correct today. I got a very shady parking spot in Winter Park.
The southbound Silver Meteor was 5 minutes early. I boarded with about 20 other people and the boarding procedure was efficient. The five mile/15 minute trip to Orlando was pleasant. I chatted with the folks sitting around me. There was woman in the row ahead of me who was on her first train trip and was given an aisle seat upon boarding. She asked the attendant if she could get a window seat. He pretty much said either no or not anytime soon (because of the number of people boarding in Orlando). Her seatmate, a middle aged? man offered to give her the window seat. She was very appreciative and all of us women sitting around them commented that it was nice to see a gentleman.
We arrived in Orlando a bit early. It looked like train 97 had 6 coaches, but it appeared that at least the last 2 were empty.
The Orlando waiting room was very noisy and crowded. It appeared that every family from the northeast had traveled to Orlando for spring break and they were all heading back today. :wacko:
I chose to sit outside on a fairly shady bench and eat my lunch (which I had carried with me from home). The temperature outside was in the low to mid-80's which was much more comfortable than the low 90's which we endured earlier this week.
Train 98 arrived a couple of minutes early and boarding was less than efficient due to the number of passengers getting on the train. I normally do not travel in coach, but it seemed like there were more passengers getting on than I had seen in the past. I am assuming well over 100 people boarded and most were families. A lot of the families were not able to sit together. They boarded the NYP passengers first, then then passengers going to WAS, BAL, WIL, PHL, Newark and Trenton. They boarded the passengers going to Virginia, Carolinas, GA and Florida last. I was among the last to board. I was in the first coach behind the cafe car. The temperature was fine - it was great to be in air conditioning. My seat mate was asleep, so I decided that talking to him would not be very considerate. I opened my book and read while we were sitting in Orlando.
I boarded the train around 1:50pm and I think there must have been a lot of folks in the car eating lunch at their seats. It smelled awful!!!
I am not sure what kind of food I smelled - I did not see any food being consumed, but it may have been french fries and onions. Yuck. I am very happy that I was only in that car for a short period of time. I was very happy to experience the fresh air in Winter Park (5 miles later).
Because the coaches are at the rear of the train, I did not hear the whistles. I enjoy hearing the whistles and feel like my train trip is incomplete if I do not hear them.
I have learned that Easter Sunday is NOT a slow day for northbound travel on the Silver Meteor from Orlando. Regardless, I enjoyed myself. A short, crowded, smelly train ride is better than no train ride at all (I think).
The southbound Silver Meteor was 5 minutes early. I boarded with about 20 other people and the boarding procedure was efficient. The five mile/15 minute trip to Orlando was pleasant. I chatted with the folks sitting around me. There was woman in the row ahead of me who was on her first train trip and was given an aisle seat upon boarding. She asked the attendant if she could get a window seat. He pretty much said either no or not anytime soon (because of the number of people boarding in Orlando). Her seatmate, a middle aged? man offered to give her the window seat. She was very appreciative and all of us women sitting around them commented that it was nice to see a gentleman.
We arrived in Orlando a bit early. It looked like train 97 had 6 coaches, but it appeared that at least the last 2 were empty.
The Orlando waiting room was very noisy and crowded. It appeared that every family from the northeast had traveled to Orlando for spring break and they were all heading back today. :wacko:
I chose to sit outside on a fairly shady bench and eat my lunch (which I had carried with me from home). The temperature outside was in the low to mid-80's which was much more comfortable than the low 90's which we endured earlier this week.
Train 98 arrived a couple of minutes early and boarding was less than efficient due to the number of passengers getting on the train. I normally do not travel in coach, but it seemed like there were more passengers getting on than I had seen in the past. I am assuming well over 100 people boarded and most were families. A lot of the families were not able to sit together. They boarded the NYP passengers first, then then passengers going to WAS, BAL, WIL, PHL, Newark and Trenton. They boarded the passengers going to Virginia, Carolinas, GA and Florida last. I was among the last to board. I was in the first coach behind the cafe car. The temperature was fine - it was great to be in air conditioning. My seat mate was asleep, so I decided that talking to him would not be very considerate. I opened my book and read while we were sitting in Orlando.
I boarded the train around 1:50pm and I think there must have been a lot of folks in the car eating lunch at their seats. It smelled awful!!!
I am not sure what kind of food I smelled - I did not see any food being consumed, but it may have been french fries and onions. Yuck. I am very happy that I was only in that car for a short period of time. I was very happy to experience the fresh air in Winter Park (5 miles later).Because the coaches are at the rear of the train, I did not hear the whistles. I enjoy hearing the whistles and feel like my train trip is incomplete if I do not hear them.
I have learned that Easter Sunday is NOT a slow day for northbound travel on the Silver Meteor from Orlando. Regardless, I enjoyed myself. A short, crowded, smelly train ride is better than no train ride at all (I think).
