You get to interact with them a bit, and they do stay right in character. When I was 8 years old, I attended a similar mystery dinner theater in New York's Village Barn with my parents, and when the master of ceremonies asked me whodunit, I told him. Now, a half century later, I missed by a mile. Sic transit gloria. The dining car is a fine old coach, with figured wooden window trim, overhead ceiling fans, red velvet drapes, patterned carpet and upholstered chairs, fine china and silver, a bud vase on the linen tablecloths - all very much in the spirit of 1915.
Service is swift and utilitarian, carried out by amiable young folks.
They are not trying too hard, or too little, and not putting on airs. I enjoyed their service very much. This being the Wine Train, I expected a good wine list and got a good one, albeit not a great one. The 45 selections are all Napa Valley - or the Napa part of Carneros. There's also a reserve list of aged and better bottles if you ask for it.