Coming Up: Lots of Training.


 
The Rail Passengers Association will be meeting later this month in Miami and I’m looking forward to it as much and maybe even more than the many I’ve attended in the past.
 
On Friday evening, October 20th, a “Fireside Chat” has been scheduled and is not to be missed. Why? Because participants include former Amtrak president Joe Boardman, former Amtrak president David Gunn, former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis, and TRAINS magazine columnist Fred Frailey.
 
Gunn, Dukakis and Frailey will be participating by television connection.
 
Also appearing as guest speaker at a luncheon on Saturday, the 20th, will be Amtrak’s Executive Vice President Stephen Gardner. This should be extremely interesting because, among Amtrak’s top executives, Gardner is supposedly the leading advocate for eliminating Amtrak’s long distance trains.
 
I’ll fly from here to the West Coast, of course, but exclusively by train from there: the Sunset Limited from Los Angeles to New Orleans; the Crescent to Alexandria, Virginia; the Silver Star from there to Miami. I am not looking forward to the no-diner-Star `and, yes, there will be a report and photos.
 
I’ll also have an opportunity to experience the service offered by Brightline (photo above) by taking one of their trains from Miami up the coast to West Palm Beach.
 
Then, after what will be a delightful visit with my sister and her husband near Deland, I’ll catch the Silver Meteor overnight to New York City followed by the Maple Leaf to Toronto. Then, as I reported here 10 days or so ago, it will be my eighth time aboard VIA Rail’s premier train, the Canadian, all the way across to Vancouver.
 
Reports all along the way—time, internet connections, and other circumstances permitting.