When You’ve Come to the End of the Road

12 & 13 August, 2009

This is the story of the final journey, the final train to the final stop (technically, Hollywood is the penultimate stop, but you get the drift) on the final day of travel – the end of the road. Our train, the southbound Silver Meteor #97 departed Washington, DC on time, and the crew seems eager to throw us off the train at the end of the road (read West Palm to Miami, where the train stops only to disburse passengers) ON TIME.

This would be an exception for the trains I've ridden this trip. The only one that met or exceeded its ETA, IIRC, was the westbound Empire Builder – and I have it on the good authority of one of the engineer's wives out there that they have the schedule sufficiently padded to allow such a thing. Oh, I must not forget Train 4, the Southwest Chief, which is always early to Albuquerque because they have an extra 30 minutes built into the schedule to allow lots of time for refueling.

Other trains, though, have been anywhere from 15 minutes to up to two hours behind schedule when I got off. Nevertheless, this record represents a serious improvement for Amtrak trains system-wide, since most of the trains arrived within an hour of the scheduled time, and none so late that my connections were threatened. On previous occasions, I've been much more extensively delayed by late arrivals.

Another thing I've noticed about this trip so far is that it typifies the professional, pleasant and overall improved service I've seen on most trains throughout my trip. In fact, the only train where I didn't feel satisfied with the quality of service was, surprisingly, train 30. On this train attendants seemed confused; passengers in coaches were basically ignored; at one stop six passengers were unable to get off because the conductor did not appropriately announce which doors would open and his assistants never got a chance to aid passengers in disembarking before the train pulled off.

Other trains however, were run in an orderly fashion; attendants and conductors interacted politely and even jovially with passengers; information was disbursed in a timely and ear-catching fashion. It was also obvious that some attention was being paid to customer comfort. People rarely had to ask for pillows, and the restrooms on all the trains were not only functional but CLEAN and constantly well stocked with the needed supplies. On one train, the #6 California Zephyr, the attendant in our coach, Tim Noel, made a point of providing informational comments at interesting moments in the trip, and he kept a very full train of people feeling like he was dealing with each individual and group on a personal level.

The service in Amtrak diners is usually very good, but even the snack bars, where one can sometimes receive very indifferent service, were mostly efficiently and cheerfully run. I observed a more positive attitude generally among Amtrak workers, and very little in the way of the slatternly, indifferent or overwhelmed attitudes I have seen among the employees on some train sets in the past. Little things can mean a lot, and the little things this time around made my travel more enjoyable.

It's now shortly after three p.m. on Thursday 13^th August. My train, the southbound Silver Meteor, is actually approximating its name as we head south towards the Tri-County area. At this rate, we may even be early! We continued to run on time all night, when I got little sleep. I am beginning to think the lighting in the car is what is keeping me awake. I did much better when I was beside the window, and therefore not directly under the track lighting that helps people pass through the cars without tripping. Besides that, CSX seems to have the worst track quality of the four track owners whose tracks Amtrak makes use of to run its non" northeast corridor trains. All night long the train rattled and shuddered because the engineer was running the tracks at what is considered optimal safe speed.

Nevertheless I managed to doze off a few times, and as a result remember nothing between Fayetteville NC and Savannah GA. We were on time into Savannah and early into Jacksonville, which gave me a chance to stretch my legs and take a couple pictures of our train's engines. Later, as we neared Orlando, I had an opportunity to bid farewell to my friend, who was so excited to finally be at home, or almost there, that she nearly got off one stop too early. Sometime this afternoon she should get off a bus from Orlando to Port Charlotte.

While I may not be as eager as she was to get off, I'm looking forward to a warm shower and a real bed - and internet access - after more than three continuous days of train travel. But I admit the journey has been a lot of fun, a great adventure in some ways, if you will. I feel reenergized, despite the lack of sleep, and mentally I have found the travel and exposure to unfamiliar sights, experiences, and people to be stimulating.

As we head further south, approaching the orange grove town of Sebring, I notice the sky is becoming increasingly overcast. To the west it actually looks like it might be raining. I hope this is just a regular afternoon shower that will be gone by the time I get back to Fort Lauderdale, and not a lingering line of showers. Fortunately for me, aside from a brief shower through which the train rides without slowing, the threatening weather stays off to the west. Its only effect is to keep the evening sun from heating up the South Florida afternoon.

At about 6:15 or so, my train pulled into the Hollywood station. Once it pulled away, only those who were getting off at that final stop, Miami, were left on board. I gathered my things and went around to the other side of the station to wait for my ride. My trip was over, but I was looking forward to an evening of good food and conversation with friends, a warm shower and a comfortable bed, and within 48 hours, a brief flight that would bring me within sight of the glittering lights of my island home. Contentment personified, that's me.