Sleeping Car Virtual Tour now at www.amtrak.com

Likely as good as anywhere to add this thought, but over at another site (freebie), there is a report that the Florida Grand Luxe consist will be seven cars; four Sleepers, Diner, Lounge, and Dorm. Note absence of their Great Dome and for that matter their Century Obs-Lng.

Col. Perkowski's point regarding no shorts (why must I ride to Miami, arrive in dead of night at a station located deep in bad guy country when my destination is Boca?) is casuing a rethink regarding my annual Florida journey.

I don't quite understand this. Is this Washington-Miami train going to be one seperate luxary train or is this going to be a few cars attached to the Silver Meteor? If this is attached to the Silver Meteor then what's this stuff I am hearing about people not being able to get off at certain stations? Please clear this up for me.

Mr. Murjax, the cars will be attached to the rear of 97 and 98.

The normal Meteor consist is ten cars; add the seven Grand Luxe's and we are talking at least a seventeen car train. That will overhang the platforms and a double spot would be needed if GL were to handle shorts.

They will have to double spot anyway at JAX in order to water the cars. At MIA, the cars will simply be set over on another track for alighting.

Otherwise someone at Amtrak or CSX must have vetoed any consideration of handling shorts.

Regarding no obs, likely here Amtrak wants to keep open the ability to offer PV operators a spot on the rear. Possibly Amtrak said in negotiating that if you want your obs, you will pay us the same tariff for that car as would a PV. Even if GL chose to operate their Century obs and warned all passengers that there might not always be a view, somebody would conveniently forget the caveat and complain anyway. Regarding no Dome? who cares; as I've often noted "if youv'e seen one Pine Tree, you've seen 'em all".

The more I think about it, I'm afraid it will be a "thanks but no thanks' so far as I'm concerned. They should offer a West Palm stop or simply had there the end of the line with passengers making their "own arrangements' (be such Tri Rail or a car service) onward. Tri- Rail has a yard there complete with a switcher. I'm sure if "the price is right", they could have serviced the equipment , From 97 SB, it would simply be a "pull the pin and go".