RAILforum: What's up with the Florida trains this summer?

This is topic What's up with the Florida trains this summer? in forum Amtrak at RAILforum.

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Posted by JoeR (Member # 2633) on :

Anyone planning on taking the Silver Star or Meteor to or from Florida this Summer? Looking at Amtrak's newest timetable, there's a note on the bottom that these trains are operating on a different schedule to accomodate track work. However, when going into Amtrak's website, it looks like the Silver Meteor isn't operating at all at least in some days in June. Take for example June 19, the day I'm taking the Silver Star north; it shows the Star operating 2 hours earlier with the Silver Meteor not operating at all. The Palmetto is on its regular schedule. Check amtrak.com to see what I mean. Anyone have any additional info on this?

Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :

The Silver Meteor has been annulled account major trackwork being done by CSX over its regular route (via Charleston).

The Silver Star (via Raliegh and Columbia) has had cars added to its consist to accomodate the additional passengers. Also its, schedule has been changed providing for a NY departure some two hours earlier than previously scheduled.

Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :

Mr. Norman is correct.

A press release and modified schedule for trains 91/92 appear on the North Carolina DOT Rail Division website. The address is <www.bytrain.org>

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David Pressley

Posted by JoeR (Member # 2633) on :

So, extra cars eh?

Maybe Amtrak will make a seperate coach and sleeper dining and lounge section, since technically this should free up an extra dining and lounge car.
Wait a minute, what am I thinking? It's Amtrak we're talking about here!

Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :

quote:
Originally posted by JoeR:
So, extra cars eh?
Maybe Amtrak will make a seperate coach and sleeper dining and lounge section, since technically this should free up an extra dining and lounge car.
Wait a minute, what am I thinking? It's Amtrak we're talking about here!

The consist I've heard talked about is 4 sleepers, 2 diners, a lounge, and 6 coaches or something of that sort. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the Palmetto get a diner and a sleeper back. That train, I understand, doesn't warrant a sleeper because it doesn't serve Orlando.

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David Pressley

Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :

As I've noted before, Mr. Presley, while the Palmetto does not serve Orlando, it does "serve" a very "underserved" area. Naturally, that it does away from people hours makes it nothing short of an equipment move between two daytime markets; namely NY-
Savannah and Tampa-Miami.

The Seaboard serves college town of Gainesville through Waldo; I realize most do, but not quite every kid at school has an auto. Back in my day, Freshmen and those of academic probation could not have such, but I guess that is an "all bets off" point nowadays.

Ocala is one of the fastest growing MSA's anywhere in Florida and deserves a "people hours" service.

Next down the line about 15 miles N. of Wildwood is the retirement community of The Villages. On A-Day, this was home to 10,000 head of beef cattle. Today it is home to 100,000 folks that are of train riding age - and they all came from somewhere.

Even Orlando could be served, and especially the attractions such the big one, Disneyland, that are to the West of Orlando, with a bus connection quite convenient to the Florida Turnpike at Wildwood.

I sincerely believe that to serve this area at people hours would bring rewards, and I further believe this would represent a better use of scarce resources than would expansion over the FEC, where to the East of such, only the sharks do roam.

Posted by JonA (Member # 2690) on :

go here for the explanation.
http://www.amtrak.com/trains/silverservice.html

Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman:
"As I've noted before, Mr. Presley, while the Palmetto does not serve Orlando, it does "serve" a very "underserved" area. Naturally, that it does away from people hours makes it nothing short of an equipment move between two daytime markets; namely NY-
Savannah and Tampa-Miami."
"Ocala is one of the fastest growing MSA's anywhere in Florida and deserves a "people hours" service."
"I sincerely believe that to serve this area at people hours would bring rewards, and I further believe this would represent a better use of scarce resources than would expansion over the FEC, where to the East of such, only the sharks do roam."

Hi Mr. Norman,

I agree with you. I didn't mean to imply that the Palmetto route wasn't worthy of more and better service. I wish that the Palmetto carried a sleeper and a diner all the time. I would like to see a section of the Silver Meteor operate through Ocala from Jacksonville to Tampa.

I really like your observation that the Palmetto is essentially a shuttle between two daytime markets. I hadn't thought of it as such before.

Perhaps.....and I'm only speculating on my own tangent now....Amtrak didn't want to move the Silver Meteor's first class cars to the Palmetto because their computers are no longer set to sell sleeping car space to Ocala, Wildwood, and Tampa.

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David Pressley

[This message has been edited by notelvis (edited 05-09-2004).]