It was fun while it lasted. I'll miss seeing Ulysses, the regular sleeper attendant! Time to use up the guest rewards and find another "profitable" affinity credit card.

WHat Mr. Toy said.

It is not the loss of the sleeper as much as it is the convenient schedule. If I fly or drive from D.C. to Florence it takes a day. On the old Silver Meteor schedule I could travel overnight. This usually saved me from taking a day of paid vacation. On the return trip, I could stay all day Sunday instead of driving 8 hours on I-95. The travel times allowed me to attend church with the family, etc., then travel overnight and get home in time for work on monday morning. It was very convenient.

Sorry for the loss.

quote:

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Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman:
There are reports elsewhere that the schedule chasnge is temporary and has been done to accomodate the current double tracking project West Palm-Miami.

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I don't recall where but I too have seen reports that the Silver Meteor's schedule change is temporary due to trackwork and that it will regain a later southbound departure with the April timetable....possibly in a Carolina Association of Railroad Passengers newsletter, the NARP website, or the NC DOT rail division website. Unclear whether the 'later' southbound departure will be as late as the current departure or just later than 3:00pm.

Interestingly, the southbound Silver Star will be operating on a schedule nearly identical to when I first rode it Hamlet, NC - DeLand, FL in November 1975.

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David Pressley

As a veteran of coach seating, allow me to say, with some authority, that a coach seat can be very bearable, if you make the decision to reserve a lower level seat and also, take a prescription sleeping pill at bed time.

I have had the privilege to share coach seating with well-established journalists and also world-class musicians. These people do not have a lot of money to throw around and they are not snobs. They absolutely know what they like (they like trains) and they know a good deal when they see it.

Out here in the west, we don't have a lot of long distance trains to choose from. The Southwest Chief comes through Albuquerque twice a day. One goes east and one goes west. Thankfully, they both generally come through town during the daylight hours, but I swear I would take that train even if it meant waiting in the wee hours of the night. Thanks to Julie (the **** robotess on the Amtrak line who is full of information) I know exactly when Amtrak will arrive at the station.

For those of us who love trains, this is hardly the time to say "Bye Bye Amtrak." The current administration is certainly testing our loyalties and we should do everything within our powers to patronize our national railroad.

The bottom line is, from what I have read, is that the east coast is starting to feel a bit of what those of us in the southwest have felt for a long time.

I am sorry that Amtrak no longer accommodates your schedule, but it would seem to me that you might try a little harder to accommodate Amtrak's schedule. It's not the end of the world to stay overnight in a large metropolitan city. If I can do it (and I am a man of modest means), I'm sure you can do it as well.

Respectfully,

I certainly hope they restore your connection. I also hope the glory days of train travel will return.

But hoping alone can not make this happen.

When you are alone in your voting booth next Tuesday, please remember that John Kerry, if elected would "propose an expansion of our national rail service, Amtrak."

John Kerry told the National League of Cities, in response to their questionnaire, "I strongly support and will increase federal funding for Amtrak. I have been a vocal opponent of George Bush's proposal to gut the federal commitment to Amtrak [and] force cash-strapped state governments to pick up half of its operating cost."

Kindest regards,
Chuck Reuben