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Last Friday I rode the Pennsylvanian from New York City to Greensburg.  It was a good experience. I had a business class seat.  It was comfortable and, equally important, the car was clean as a whistle when I boarded the train at PennsylvaniaStation. We departed right on time.  And so as to not keep anyone in suspense, we arrived in Greensburg on time.  The boarding process at Pennsylvania Station is a bit strained.  People begin to line up near the annunciator board about 30 minutes before the track is posted, which is usually 10 - 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time.  Then there is a mad rush, at least on the part of the coach passengers, to get to the gate and on to the train.  Amtrak could improve this process by adopting a procdure similar to the one used by Southwest Airlines - passengers get a boarding pass by group and board in groups. From New York to Philadephia passengers ride backwards.  No big deal for me, but several people found it a bit disconcerting.  The reason is because when the train arrived at 30th Street Station, the electric locomotive is taken off the front of the train, i.e. as defined when it leaves NYC, and a P42 is put on the back of the train, which then becomes the front of the train. The crew on the train was pleasant, helpful, and courteous.  The conductor went out of her way in Lancaster to help several older folks off the train. Equally cheerful and helpful was the cafe car attendant.  He greeted everyone who came into the car, at  least on the three occasions that I was there, and served them promptly.  For the most part he is on his feet from New York to Pittsburgh.  He must be tired when he gets to Pittsburgh. I had a turkey and cheese sandwich.  It was very good.  It was better than anything that I have gotten in the full service dining cars on the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited. I also had a small bottle of red wine.  The sandwich was $8.50 and the wine was $6.50.   Having been reared in Altoona, one of the best parts of the trip was going around the Horseshoe Curve.  It was a thrill when I was young, and it is still a thrill.   The ride was smooth as glass most of the way.  The track west of Harrisburg, which is owned and maintained by the Norfolk Southern, appears to be in top notch condition.
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