5.0
Pros: Lots of legroom, it was even possible to sleep! The food was very good on the Sunset and wasn't bad on the Crescent either. The views were fantastic, there were several states that I'd only driven through before, but I had to pay attention to the road, whereas on this trip I could just enjoy the natural beauty of our great country! Cons: There was way too much plastic in the food service area. We don't need to add to polluting our great country. Way back in the '80's, when I first rode Amtrak, the food was served on regular porcelain plates, with metal cutlery, just like you'd use at home... I'd like to see them go back to that... and don't invoke "too costly"... it's just that some costs are externalized to us- the taxpayer to clean up pollution after it's made us sick. Tips: Bring some good reading and be prepared for being late (we were early, but Amtrak is at the mercy of freight trains, so late is a frequent outcome). Chill and enjoy. BTW, there was working WiFi on the Crescent, but not the Sunset, though cell service was pretty steady except for a brief time just west of Alpine, TX. (The Yes/No question on WiFi below is inadequate).