I just looked at the new schedules. Amtrak has shifted the Silver Meteor to an earlier departure from Washington, DC. This eliminates the option for our usual late night departure and early a.m. arrival in Florence, SC. Now I cannot "save" a day of travel time and hence, a day of leave to go visit the granddkids. With the only alternate being a full day in coach, I'd rather drive.
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.
Wesley
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
Make sure you send that message to David Gunn.
------------------ Decisions are made by those who show up. VOTE on Nov 2! The Del Monte Club Car
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
HAHAHAHAH
WHat Mr. Toy said.
------------------ --Anton L. pillsbury09@excite.com AIM: pillsburyMN
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
All that over the loss of a sleeper? I've never been in a Sleeper, EVER, and I've Taken the South West Cheif, and The Coast Starlight, is it that big a deal?
The older you get, the more "creature comforts" you require. Yes... it is that important to some of us...
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
There are reports elsewhere that the schedule chasnge is temporary and has been done to accomodate the current double tracking project West Palm-Miami.
Lastly, JONATHON, ride Sleeper and you'll never ride overnight Coach again.
Posted by dcfan (Member # 2311) on :
Jonathan,
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.
Wesley
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
I get it now...I think people were thinking you mean BYE BYE AMKTRAK in a different way and not just for your personal needs.
Sorry for the loss.
------------------ --Anton L. pillsbury09@excite.com AIM: pillsburyMN
Posted by CHATTER (Member # 1185) on :
I agree with Mr. Norman. One sleeper trip will change one's attitude, especially if the person is over thirty.
Posted by CHATTER (Member # 1185) on :
By the way, Mr. Norman, I am unable to access another forum, of which you are the moderator. My attempts to contact help from the site have been repeatedly frustrated by ineffective links. Would you be able to assist me? CHATTER163@aol.com. Thanks.
Posted by Capltd29 (Member # 3292) on :
Be thankful that you didn't lose service totally like those folks along the three rivers' route in Ohio and Indiana.
Posted by JONATHON (Member # 2899) on :
But there soooo exspensive, I dont have that kind of money
You are missing the point, Jonathon, which is that once you do ride sleeper, you will not go back to coach, if you can help it. Earlier in this thread you asked if it were "that big a deal?" The response here from those who have so ridden is that yes, it IS that big a deal, as you, too will find out one day.
No one is saying that you must go out and so ride tomorrow. We were all young and in your situation once upon a time. What we are saying is that when you eventually have the experience, you will likely feel the same way, so be not astonished now.
Posted by 20th Century (Member # 2196) on :
Very well said gentlemen. However, Jonothan enjoy your train rides which I am sure you are doing. In your future years I hope you will enjoy the comforts of a sleeper.
Posted by snake (Member # 2430) on :
It's been over 40 years since I took my first long distance train trip, the Phoebe Snow and the El Capitan from New Jersey to Arizona.
Based on the changes I've seen, I am sad to say, there probably won't be any sleepers or coach seats either when Jonathon is my age.
Posted by jp1822 (Member # 2596) on :
I too am affected by the Silver Meteor's schedule change and will not be a rider. Used this train regularly, as I had clients in Savannah and Charleston and it was convenient to leave NYP at 7 p.m. and arrive the next morning in these cities (vice versa coming home). I don't have the luxury of giving up a day to travel on the Palmetto. Adding on top of this the Three Rivers saga, my train travel options are getting mighty depressing!
However, I have heard (via the NARP website) that the Silver Meteor's schedule change is only temporary, and it will revert to a later departure out of NYP (after 3:00 p.m.) in the next timetable change (April 2005). My guess is it will leave depart NYP between 3 and 4:30 p.m. I am not going to hold my breath on seeing it return to the 7:00 p.m. departure - b/c once a long distance train loses its late night departure slot out of NY, it doesn't get it back these days. Not sure if they will also adjust the north bound schedule in the April 2005 timetable - but I really hope so. The mid-morning arrival into NYP was more appealing for me. As I mentioned in other posts, the Silver Meteor and Silver Star operate too close to each other in the timetable effective Nov 1.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
quote: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.
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.
------------------ David Pressley
[This message has been edited by notelvis (edited 10-19-2004).]
Posted by Jim (Member # 65) on :
The Silver Meteor's time change is stupid. It new means that anyone living west of Albany can no longer connect to a Florida train, since 48 (Lake Shore Limited) is the earliest train of the day and it now arrives AFTER 97 departs. (Schenectady, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo.) Common sense would dictate that maximizing connections would maximize possible customers, and therefore, revenue. Every time I rode 97, there were people from cities in Western NY. All of these will now be lost. IMO, they not only need to resore 48-97, but also 48-19 (Crescent) and 48-69/71 in Schenectady (Adirondack.) If they change 97 to a 3:30 or 4:00 departure, it still doesn't solve the problem of connection with 48. I hate using the word, but this is a STUPID move on Amtrak's part. And I feel sorry for the people who made plans to take Amtrak from these cities to FL over Thanksgiving or Christmas... to find out at the 11th hour that your plans have been ruined won't go over well.
Posted by Charles Reuben (Member # 2263) on :
I have read the thread of this posting with great interest. As many of the regulars know, I live in Albuquerque and often take the Southwest Chief to visit friends and family in Chicago and Los Angeles. I am 47 years old and have never reserved a sleeper, but I plan to do it for the first time, in January. Furthermore, I gave up flying over seven years ago and feel I have paid my dues to cross country driving marathons.
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.
Amtrak is a business - not a charity. I already make numerous accomodations for Amtrak - driving two hours to the closest city with an Amtrak ticket office to get tickets (or get tickets re-issued after they change the schedule), waking up in the middle of the night to get on/off the train, carrying my luggage and the luggage of four others (I have a family with three small children; my wife's hands are needed to keep them close)... am I not already accomodating the realities of passenger travel? Amtrak's revenue comes from seats being sold, so even if I was willing to make the additional sacrifice of an extra day of travel and the added expense of two hotel rooms for the family, I sincerely doubt the rest of the traveling public will be as accomodating, especially those with families.
It's a poor business decision on their part. Hopefully the spring schedule will restore the connection.
Posted by Charles Reuben (Member # 2263) on :
Jim,
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
[This message has been edited by Chucky (edited 10-27-2004).]
Posted by CG96 (Member # 1408) on :
It also should be pointed out that the final say on the US Federal budget is held by the House of Representatives. IMO, when it comes to matters of Amtrak, this selection matters as well. It isn't enough to have a pro-passenger rail president. One must vote for pro-passenger rail Congress members as well. The Congress can over-rule the President when it comes to a lot of issues. Before you think that voting for a pro-passenger rail presidential candidate means anything special, you should recall that even George Bush was somewhat pro-passenger rail when he was governor of TX.
Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :
Be happy there still is an Amtrak! Now that the Republicans have been re-elected, God help Amtrak! Questions over the temporary schedule changes on the Silver Meteor are petty as compared to the removal of the all coach Silver Palm train altogether in Florida! Service to Tampa and Miami has been diminished.
