On Friday, 9/11/09, I arrived at the Orlando Amtrak Station by city bus about an hour early. The waiting room was fairly empty, but it contained a number of screaming children that are always found in Orlando train stations and airports.
I was looking forward to riding the Silver Star, since I have not ridden on that train in many years and not since its time change (leaving Orlando in the evening).
My SCA met me when I boarded the train and directed me towards my roomette number 7. He did not ask me if I was familiar with the room, nor did he ask if I had any questions. Maybe I just looked like I knew what I was doing. I proceeded to clean my roomette with clorox wipes. The room was not too dirty. Once the train left ORL (on time at 7:24pm even though it arrived in ORL a little late), my SCA collected my ticket and informed me that my dinner reservation was at 8pm.
I asked the SCA his name and he told me, but I am horrible with names and his name was foreign, so I will refer to him as SCA. He asked when I wanted my bed made up and I told him 10pm. (I guess he got busy because it was not made up until around 11pm when we left Jax - but I was ok with that).
As the train was traveling through Orlando, I listened to my scanner (with earphones) and did not hear anything interesting other than our location and track number. This was my first trip with a scanner and I was not sure I knew what I was doing.
I went to the diner at 8pm and was seated with a woman who was already eating her entrée. She was having the mahi mahi and said it was a bit bland and dry. Since I am allergic to garlic, bland and dry sounded good to me. The attendant confirmed that the fish did not contain garlic, and I, too, ordered it. I thought it was fine and maybe a bit dry, but not bland to me. My dinner companion boarded the train in Miami and was traveling to NYP. She ordered cheesecake to go for dessert. I ate my chocolate/raspberry brownie with herbal tea at the table. Dessert was yummy. My companion and I had a very nice conversation and she stayed at the table until I finished my dessert. The dining car appeared to be pretty old. I had not seen that type of door handles on a diner in a long time, however it has probably been over 10 years since I have ridden a Silver Star. I normally travel on the Meteor.
I brought my netbook with me on the trip, but was unable to get any free wireless connection.
Because I am used to being on the Meteor, it was very different “seeing” Florida in the dark. I do not think I have ever been on a train that traveled through Florida at night before. I liked the new experience.
We arrived in Jax a little early. I got off the train to look at the consist. I really did not know what I was looking for, but I pretended I did. There were 2 engines, a baggage car, 4 coaches, café car #28004, diner #8559 and 2 Viewliner sleepers. There did not seem to be very many people on the train, but it appeared that most of them were smokers. Before Jax, my sleeper was less than half full. One pax got on in Jax and I think a few of the crew are also in my sleeper.
The temperature in Jax was quite pleasant and a welcome change from 90 degrees in Orlando.
Although I was not in the very last car, I was near the end of the train, and was unhappy about how bumpy the ride was compared to being in the front of the train. I also missed hearing the whistle more often. I was told by an Orlando ticket agent that one reason the sleepers are in the rear now is because it is more convenient for the baggage handlers in NYP. I had not heard that reason before.
I slept fairly well considering that I was jolted awake several times due to rough track. I woke up around 6:30am in North Carolina. We were running just a few minutes late. I went to the dining car for breakfast around 6:45 and there was only one couple eating there. I was seated at a table by myself. The service was fabulous. I had an omelet, grits, bacon, biscuit, hot tea and diet pepsi. I ate like a pig. By the time I finished eating the mound of food, several sleeping car pax and coach pax came into the diner, but it was still not even ½ full.
After breakfast, I returned to my room and entertained myself by looking out the window at scenery that was new to me. I was lucky because the roomette across the hall from mine was empty and I could look out its window also.
Around 10am, I set out to explore the train. I walked to the rear first and looked out the back and then I started walking forward. I stopped in the café car and chatted with the attendant there who seemed to be bored. He thought the small number of passengers was a result of 9/11 and it was after labor day. The first 2 coaches after the café car were fairly full and very quiet. The next car was a little more than ½ full. The car closest to the baggage car was nearly empty. While walking, I noticed one coach pax drinking a beer at his seat (before 10am). I guess I am being judgmental. Sorry.
I ate lunch with David whose roomette was in the same car as mine. We had a very pleasant conversation and both ate hamburgers, diet pepsi, and dessert. Again, I had the chocolate option for dessert. We arrived in WAS pretty much on time. The instant we entered Union Station, we were bombarded by a sea of people, most of whom were carrying signs and wearing anti-government t-shirts. Apparently, there was a tea party march on Washington that day and the “festivities” had just ended. It was quite difficult making my way to the Acela Lounge and then down to the metro. I took the metro to Greenbelt where my sister picked me up and took me to her home in Columbia, Maryland. On 9/13, my sister and I drove to a family gathering in Westfield, New Jersey and then back to my sister’s house.
On the morning of Monday 9/14, my sister and I took the Metro from Greenbelt to Union Station to drop off my luggage, then to Arlington Cemetery to visit the Kennedy graves to the Pentagon to visit the 9/11 Memorial. I returned to Union Station and tried out the wi-fi in the Acela Lounge (it worked). We boarded train 91 Silver Star on time. Only 3 people were boarded on the train from the Acela Lounge.
My sleeping car attendant Eastlyn (sp?) introduced herself to me immediately and asked if I needed assistance with anything. She informed me that I had a 6:30 dinner reservation and asked if that was ok (and it was). I was in room B car 9110. I cleaned and examined my room and determined it was ok. It looked like an older car than the last bedroom I had on a Viewliner. It did not have a chair in the room. Although I did not need one, it would have been a good place for me to put my tote bag. The couch in the bedroom was facing the forward direction, so I was happy.
We left WAS on time (3pm) and I soon went to the lounge car for a beer and chips. The chips were from the Acela Lounge, but I paid for the beer with my AGR credit card to get double points. The lounge car was empty and I chatted for a while with the LSA. Soon it filled up with Amtrak staff and one pax. The LSA told me that this time of year is the slowest for Amtrak. I guess that is why I got the lowest bucket price for the bedroom. I stayed in the lounge for a while and followed our route on my netbook (with Microsoft Streets and Trips software).
Later, I noticed several coach pax walking by my room with luggage on their way to the
sleepers. My SCA later told me that all but one of the rooms in her car had been sold (most of them on board).
We arrived in Richmond a few minutes late. I went outside for a few minutes to get some air. The temperature was perfect. (when you are from Florida, anything below 90 degrees this time of year is wonderful).
At dinner, I was seated with a couple from Richmond. Shortly thereafter, a woman wearing a dress, heels and a lot of expensive looking jewelry was seated with us. The couple from Richmond was quite friendly. They were going to St. Pete to visit their son. The bejeweled woman sitting with us barely spoke a word. When asked if she was going to Florida, she said yes. When she left the table she said goodbye. During the approximate hour at the table, she spoke 2 words. I was very happy to have the Richmond couple at the table.
For dinner, I had the trout (no garlic). The other 2 women each had chicken and the man of the Richmond couple had flat iron “steak” that he said tasted like pot roast. All four of us had dessert. The dining car was full. I did not see any other pax coming into the dining car as we were finishing our meal. It is possible there was only one dinner seating.
I slept ok, however, I thought the room was a little warm. I, again, was awaken many times during the night because of rough track. I went to breakfast at 6:30 and was the first person in the diner. I sat by myself during breakfast which was ok with me. I had a book to read. By the time we arrived in Jax, there were several coach and sleeping car pax in the diner. We arrived in Jax early, and the LSA took a break off the train. Fortunately my breakfast was served prior to his break.
Three women were seated at a table next to me and were talking so loudly that I could not avoid hearing their conversation. They had been to DC for the tea party protest/march. They were talking about “fair tax” in one breath and in the next breath were talking about writing their congressmen about making improvements to Amtrak. In fact, while they were waiting for their food, they were making a written list of how they would improve Amtrak. They did not discuss where the money would come from to pay for those improvements. To remember their trip, that group took a couple of Amtrak plates and a fork. I shook my head to myself.
After I returned from breakfast, again, my SCA attendant asked if I needed anything and asked when I wanted my bed made. She then made my bed and adjusted the a/c compressor.
I then showered in the “bathroom” of my bedroom and had no problems with the equipment. I am small enough to fit in the tiny room comfortably.
We lost a little time after Jax, but only arrived a few minutes late in Palatka and about 15 minutes late in DeLand. We arrived in Orlando about 3 minutes late.
I tipped Eastlyn double what I tipped the previous SCA. I am trying to figure out the reason the second attendant was so much better than the first. It is possible that Eastlyn is just much better than the man whose name I did not remember; or that women are better attendants than men; or that passengers in bedrooms get better service than passengers in roomettes (or a combination of all 3). Whatever, the reason, I was extremely impressed with Eastlyn.
During the southbound trip, I did not have an opportunity to walk the outside of the entire train, however, in Raleigh, I did go outside and tried to count the cars. The consist on 91 looked pretty much the same as 92. I did not get off the train during the smoking break in Jax, since I was eating breakfast (over-eating breakfast).
Although the trip was short, I enjoyed the experience of my first Amtrak trip since becoming an AU member, traveling with a netbook, traveling with a scanner and traveling with duct tape. I did not use the duct tape, but I thought about it since the bathroom door in my bedroom B did not close properly and it jiggled. But I thought it would be more trouble than it was worth to tape/untape every time I used the bathroom. The cabinets below the sink in the bedroom were secured by duct tape (placed there before I boarded the train).
I was curious to determine how many Amtrak miles I have traveled in my lifetime and I tried to add them up. I am sure I missed some trips and some trips were pre-Amtrak (Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Coast Line). My total was approximately 38,000 miles (including this trip). In 2008, I made 7 Amtrak trips. If I were an AU member then, I would still be typing. I apologize for making a short story very long. I am a bit wordy.
I was looking forward to riding the Silver Star, since I have not ridden on that train in many years and not since its time change (leaving Orlando in the evening).
My SCA met me when I boarded the train and directed me towards my roomette number 7. He did not ask me if I was familiar with the room, nor did he ask if I had any questions. Maybe I just looked like I knew what I was doing. I proceeded to clean my roomette with clorox wipes. The room was not too dirty. Once the train left ORL (on time at 7:24pm even though it arrived in ORL a little late), my SCA collected my ticket and informed me that my dinner reservation was at 8pm.
I asked the SCA his name and he told me, but I am horrible with names and his name was foreign, so I will refer to him as SCA. He asked when I wanted my bed made up and I told him 10pm. (I guess he got busy because it was not made up until around 11pm when we left Jax - but I was ok with that).
As the train was traveling through Orlando, I listened to my scanner (with earphones) and did not hear anything interesting other than our location and track number. This was my first trip with a scanner and I was not sure I knew what I was doing.
I went to the diner at 8pm and was seated with a woman who was already eating her entrée. She was having the mahi mahi and said it was a bit bland and dry. Since I am allergic to garlic, bland and dry sounded good to me. The attendant confirmed that the fish did not contain garlic, and I, too, ordered it. I thought it was fine and maybe a bit dry, but not bland to me. My dinner companion boarded the train in Miami and was traveling to NYP. She ordered cheesecake to go for dessert. I ate my chocolate/raspberry brownie with herbal tea at the table. Dessert was yummy. My companion and I had a very nice conversation and she stayed at the table until I finished my dessert. The dining car appeared to be pretty old. I had not seen that type of door handles on a diner in a long time, however it has probably been over 10 years since I have ridden a Silver Star. I normally travel on the Meteor.
I brought my netbook with me on the trip, but was unable to get any free wireless connection.
Because I am used to being on the Meteor, it was very different “seeing” Florida in the dark. I do not think I have ever been on a train that traveled through Florida at night before. I liked the new experience.
We arrived in Jax a little early. I got off the train to look at the consist. I really did not know what I was looking for, but I pretended I did. There were 2 engines, a baggage car, 4 coaches, café car #28004, diner #8559 and 2 Viewliner sleepers. There did not seem to be very many people on the train, but it appeared that most of them were smokers. Before Jax, my sleeper was less than half full. One pax got on in Jax and I think a few of the crew are also in my sleeper.
The temperature in Jax was quite pleasant and a welcome change from 90 degrees in Orlando.
Although I was not in the very last car, I was near the end of the train, and was unhappy about how bumpy the ride was compared to being in the front of the train. I also missed hearing the whistle more often. I was told by an Orlando ticket agent that one reason the sleepers are in the rear now is because it is more convenient for the baggage handlers in NYP. I had not heard that reason before.
I slept fairly well considering that I was jolted awake several times due to rough track. I woke up around 6:30am in North Carolina. We were running just a few minutes late. I went to the dining car for breakfast around 6:45 and there was only one couple eating there. I was seated at a table by myself. The service was fabulous. I had an omelet, grits, bacon, biscuit, hot tea and diet pepsi. I ate like a pig. By the time I finished eating the mound of food, several sleeping car pax and coach pax came into the diner, but it was still not even ½ full.
After breakfast, I returned to my room and entertained myself by looking out the window at scenery that was new to me. I was lucky because the roomette across the hall from mine was empty and I could look out its window also.
Around 10am, I set out to explore the train. I walked to the rear first and looked out the back and then I started walking forward. I stopped in the café car and chatted with the attendant there who seemed to be bored. He thought the small number of passengers was a result of 9/11 and it was after labor day. The first 2 coaches after the café car were fairly full and very quiet. The next car was a little more than ½ full. The car closest to the baggage car was nearly empty. While walking, I noticed one coach pax drinking a beer at his seat (before 10am). I guess I am being judgmental. Sorry.
I ate lunch with David whose roomette was in the same car as mine. We had a very pleasant conversation and both ate hamburgers, diet pepsi, and dessert. Again, I had the chocolate option for dessert. We arrived in WAS pretty much on time. The instant we entered Union Station, we were bombarded by a sea of people, most of whom were carrying signs and wearing anti-government t-shirts. Apparently, there was a tea party march on Washington that day and the “festivities” had just ended. It was quite difficult making my way to the Acela Lounge and then down to the metro. I took the metro to Greenbelt where my sister picked me up and took me to her home in Columbia, Maryland. On 9/13, my sister and I drove to a family gathering in Westfield, New Jersey and then back to my sister’s house.
On the morning of Monday 9/14, my sister and I took the Metro from Greenbelt to Union Station to drop off my luggage, then to Arlington Cemetery to visit the Kennedy graves to the Pentagon to visit the 9/11 Memorial. I returned to Union Station and tried out the wi-fi in the Acela Lounge (it worked). We boarded train 91 Silver Star on time. Only 3 people were boarded on the train from the Acela Lounge.
My sleeping car attendant Eastlyn (sp?) introduced herself to me immediately and asked if I needed assistance with anything. She informed me that I had a 6:30 dinner reservation and asked if that was ok (and it was). I was in room B car 9110. I cleaned and examined my room and determined it was ok. It looked like an older car than the last bedroom I had on a Viewliner. It did not have a chair in the room. Although I did not need one, it would have been a good place for me to put my tote bag. The couch in the bedroom was facing the forward direction, so I was happy.
We left WAS on time (3pm) and I soon went to the lounge car for a beer and chips. The chips were from the Acela Lounge, but I paid for the beer with my AGR credit card to get double points. The lounge car was empty and I chatted for a while with the LSA. Soon it filled up with Amtrak staff and one pax. The LSA told me that this time of year is the slowest for Amtrak. I guess that is why I got the lowest bucket price for the bedroom. I stayed in the lounge for a while and followed our route on my netbook (with Microsoft Streets and Trips software).
Later, I noticed several coach pax walking by my room with luggage on their way to the
sleepers. My SCA later told me that all but one of the rooms in her car had been sold (most of them on board).
We arrived in Richmond a few minutes late. I went outside for a few minutes to get some air. The temperature was perfect. (when you are from Florida, anything below 90 degrees this time of year is wonderful).
At dinner, I was seated with a couple from Richmond. Shortly thereafter, a woman wearing a dress, heels and a lot of expensive looking jewelry was seated with us. The couple from Richmond was quite friendly. They were going to St. Pete to visit their son. The bejeweled woman sitting with us barely spoke a word. When asked if she was going to Florida, she said yes. When she left the table she said goodbye. During the approximate hour at the table, she spoke 2 words. I was very happy to have the Richmond couple at the table.
For dinner, I had the trout (no garlic). The other 2 women each had chicken and the man of the Richmond couple had flat iron “steak” that he said tasted like pot roast. All four of us had dessert. The dining car was full. I did not see any other pax coming into the dining car as we were finishing our meal. It is possible there was only one dinner seating.
I slept ok, however, I thought the room was a little warm. I, again, was awaken many times during the night because of rough track. I went to breakfast at 6:30 and was the first person in the diner. I sat by myself during breakfast which was ok with me. I had a book to read. By the time we arrived in Jax, there were several coach and sleeping car pax in the diner. We arrived in Jax early, and the LSA took a break off the train. Fortunately my breakfast was served prior to his break.
Three women were seated at a table next to me and were talking so loudly that I could not avoid hearing their conversation. They had been to DC for the tea party protest/march. They were talking about “fair tax” in one breath and in the next breath were talking about writing their congressmen about making improvements to Amtrak. In fact, while they were waiting for their food, they were making a written list of how they would improve Amtrak. They did not discuss where the money would come from to pay for those improvements. To remember their trip, that group took a couple of Amtrak plates and a fork. I shook my head to myself.
After I returned from breakfast, again, my SCA attendant asked if I needed anything and asked when I wanted my bed made. She then made my bed and adjusted the a/c compressor.
I then showered in the “bathroom” of my bedroom and had no problems with the equipment. I am small enough to fit in the tiny room comfortably.
We lost a little time after Jax, but only arrived a few minutes late in Palatka and about 15 minutes late in DeLand. We arrived in Orlando about 3 minutes late.
I tipped Eastlyn double what I tipped the previous SCA. I am trying to figure out the reason the second attendant was so much better than the first. It is possible that Eastlyn is just much better than the man whose name I did not remember; or that women are better attendants than men; or that passengers in bedrooms get better service than passengers in roomettes (or a combination of all 3). Whatever, the reason, I was extremely impressed with Eastlyn.
During the southbound trip, I did not have an opportunity to walk the outside of the entire train, however, in Raleigh, I did go outside and tried to count the cars. The consist on 91 looked pretty much the same as 92. I did not get off the train during the smoking break in Jax, since I was eating breakfast (over-eating breakfast).
Although the trip was short, I enjoyed the experience of my first Amtrak trip since becoming an AU member, traveling with a netbook, traveling with a scanner and traveling with duct tape. I did not use the duct tape, but I thought about it since the bathroom door in my bedroom B did not close properly and it jiggled. But I thought it would be more trouble than it was worth to tape/untape every time I used the bathroom. The cabinets below the sink in the bedroom were secured by duct tape (placed there before I boarded the train).
I was curious to determine how many Amtrak miles I have traveled in my lifetime and I tried to add them up. I am sure I missed some trips and some trips were pre-Amtrak (Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Coast Line). My total was approximately 38,000 miles (including this trip). In 2008, I made 7 Amtrak trips. If I were an AU member then, I would still be typing. I apologize for making a short story very long. I am a bit wordy.
