Have you ever seen Silver Streak? I was flipping channels and saw the scene where Gene Wilder washes shoe polish off his face and thought of this thread. Does that mean I'm officially an FT addict?

As for other suggestions, keep your camera ready. I always loved sitting in the observation car and taking pictures.

Also, stack up on books and magazines. Keep sunglasses handy as it gets bright in the observation car. And bring flip flops for the shower - even though they've been cleaned, they always seemed a bit icky to me.

If you'll want a special meal, make sure you give Amtrak 72 hours notice. That said, I'm a strict vegetarian who eats eggs and dairy (no meat, chicken, fish, etc) and never had any trouble ordering off the menu.

Actually, I've always been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food in the dining car - not at all like airline food. Oh, but make your reservations as soon as you board as they tend to book up quickly.