Questions About Upcoming Trip on the Silver Meteor?

Hi, I hope I'm posting these questions in the correct forum. I will be taking the Silver Meteor from WPB to PVD in a couple of weeks. I’ve been looking forward to the trip for some time, and I have a few questions I hope I can get answers to:

I’m an amateur radio operator and I will have my dual band HT with me. I’d like to monitor communications between the crew on the train as well as the train to dispatchers. I’ve seen lists that have both road and dispatch frequencies for some areas, but I have yet to see a list that will cover the entire trip.

• Does anyone know where I can find a list for frequencies covering FL to PVD?
• Which frequency would I hear information about delays?

My reservation is for a Roomette, and I’d like to get a bedroom if I can successfully bid on one. How does the bidding process work?

• Will I have just one chance to bid, or is it like ebay, where I can enter multiple bids?
• I think I board the train at 9:45am…how far in advance does Amtrak email passengers with the opportunity to bid?
• If I bid $500 (and it’s the highest), and the bid closest to mine is $200, do they take my $500, or do they give it to me for a small amount over the $200?
• Unfair question, but how much should my bid be to give me a decent chance of getting a bedroom?

How much will I be able to regulate the temperature of my compartment? I have memories from over 15 years ago of the roomette being very cold at night.

Thank you in advance.

Croton-Harmon1 said:

If I bid $500 (and it’s the highest), and the bid closest to mine is $200, do they take my $500, or do they give it to me for a small amount over the $200?

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I'm pretty sure it's just like an auction. The highest bidder wins (and has to pay the highest bid).
Pricing is a complicated issue and people trying to get the best price should look at the threads on this subject concerning 'buckets'.
I believe they send out the bid invitations a week or two before departure. Some people have commented on some good deals, others mention they didn't bid enough. The demand for sleepers is pretty high these days.

Scanners are discussed here:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/scanners-radio-and-other-such-tech-inquiries

https://railforless.us/

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/bid-up-questions-and-experiences.80709/page-9#post-1044888

The temperature in your room seems to be regulated by the thermostat in somebody else's room At least some people seem to think so. Be prepared.

Croton-Harmon1 said:

My reservation is for a Roomette, and I’d like to get a bedroom if I can successfully bid on one. How does the bidding process work?

Click to expand...

Quite often, the bedrooms are sold out on the Silvers. If you really want a bedroom and there is one available now, I would call Amtrak and modify your reservation from roomette to bedroom.
If you bid $500 and your bid is accepted, the bedroom will cost you an additional $500 above the amount you paid for a roomette. I understand that bidup reservations are nonrefundable.

Here is a link to entire thread on the bidup process:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/bid-up-questions-and-experiences.80709/

I know of instances where people have been successful bidding up, but most have not. It appears that Amtrak accepts bids on rooms even when there may not be any available at that time.

I believe I have attached an "On Track On Line" list of Silver Meteor frequencies.

tgstubbs1 said:

I'm pretty sure it's just like an auction. The highest bidder wins (and has to pay the highest bid).
Pricing is a complicated issue and people trying to get the best price should look at the threads on this subject concerning 'buckets'.
I believe they send out the bid invitations a week or two before departure. Some people have commented on some good deals, others mention they didn't bid enough. The demand for sleepers is pretty high these days.

Scanners are discussed here:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/scanners-radio-and-other-such-tech-inquiries

https://railforless.us/

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/bid-up-questions-and-experiences.80709/page-9#post-1044888

The temperature in your room seems to be regulated by the thermostat in somebody else's room At least some people seem to think so. Be prepared.

Click to expand...

Thank you very much for the information! I really appreciate it.

pennyk said:

Quite often, the bedrooms are sold out on the Silvers. If you really want a bedroom and there is one available now, I would call Amtrak and modify your reservation from roomette to bedroom.
If you bid $500 and your bid is accepted, the bedroom will cost you an additional $500 above the amount you paid for a roomette. I understand that bidup reservations are nonrefundable.

Here is a link to entire thread on the bidup process:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/bid-up-questions-and-experiences.80709/

I know of instances where people have been successful bidding up, but most have not. It appears that Amtrak accepts bids on rooms even when there may not be any available at that time.

I believe I have attached an "On Track On Line" list of Silver Meteor frequencies.

Click to expand...

Sorry if this is a stupid question...The frequency list you attached goes as far north as DC. Do you know where I might find the frequencies between DC and NYP Also, do you know if the road or dispatch frequency would be more likely to have chat about delays,...?

Thank you again for all your help.

Croton-Harmon1 said:

Sorry if this is a stupid question...The frequency list you attached goes as far north as DC. Do you know where I might find the frequencies between DC and NYP Also, do you know if the road or dispatch frequency would be more likely to have chat about delays,...?

Thank you again for all your help.

Click to expand...

On Track on Line site contains the frequencies.
https://on-track-on-line.com/amtrak-freqs.shtml
Attached is a pdf of the Northeast Corridor frequencies.

pennyk said:

On Track on Line site contains the frequencies.
https://on-track-on-line.com/amtrak-freqs.shtml
Attached is a pdf of the Northeast Corridor frequencies.

Click to expand...

Note that On Track Online is crowd sourced and its information depends on field reports. It is pretty reliable but it isn't always completely up to date. Railroads change their road channel area assignments with some frequency.

Thank you; sorry for all the questions.