Silver Star Equipment

[Hans627]

Working on a FL trip and will be taking the Silver Star from DLD to BAL. Does the Star use the new sleeper cars (I think they are called Viewliner II)?

Thanks!

 

[PVD]

partially. someone with a better memory will remind us which of the silvers has one and which gets 2 of them....

 

[pennyk]

Currently the Silver Star has one V-1 (10 car) and one V-2 car (11 car).

 

[Hans627]

Thanks. Is it possible to select a specific car? And is there any noticeable difference with the bedroom between V1 and V@?

 

[PVD]

Other than condition VL1 being a bit shopworn at times, and the VL2 being new, there are small differences in things like lighting, shape of the table, and stuff like that, the main difference is the in roomette toilet on a VL1 2 toilets down the hall on a VL2. Opinions vary widely on that subject, it has been the topic of (seemingly) endless debate.

 

[pennyk]

Thanks. Is it possible to select a specific car? And is there any noticeable difference with the bedroom between V1 and V@?

Yes, you can phone and request a specific car. There are only 4 bedrooms on the train, so you may not have a choice. I prefer Bedroom B over A because the couch generally is facing forward.

The mattress in the V2 is thicker than in the V1. There is no storage space for the ladder in the V2, so the ladder is stored leaning again the sliding door. (at least it was the 4 times I was in a V2 bedroom).

The bedrooms are located over the toilet tank so every time the toilet flushes, you can hear it. I never noticed in V1 bedrooms, but I did not travel in them that often. Because in the V2, the roomette toilets are public toilets, they are flushed more often (such as in the middle of the night whereas when one had their own toilet in the roomette, they usually waited to flush until morning). It is worse on the Silver Meteor 10 car. The Meteor has 2 V-2s. The 10 car and the 12 car. Turns out that many of the V-1 passengers in the 11 car walk forward to use the public restrooms in the 10 rather than use the toilet in their roomette, thus adding to the flushing noise. I bring a white noise machine with me to try to drown out the flushing noise. In spite of the flushing, I would rather be in a bedroom than in a roomette.

I think the crew likes the V-1 bedrooms better. The beds are easier to make and not as heavy.

 

[joelkfla]

Yes, you can phone and request a specific car. There are only 4 bedrooms on the train, so you may not have a choice. I prefer Bedroom B over A because the couch generally is facing forward.

Others have reported that the phone agents don't know which cars are V2 or V1, so asking for a V2 probably won't get you anywhere. But you can ask to be placed in car 11, which @pennyk says will likely be a V2.

 

[RebelRider]

Public Service Advisory

When changing rooms, Arrow will reprice the reservation to the current fare, which is often more than originally paid. Most Amtrak agents will insist on charging the higher fare. Do not let them. They have to manually reprice the reservation to the original fare, but it should be done. If you aren't changing dates of travel, train number or origin/destination the fare remains the same. If they protest, offer the analogy of changing a Business Class seat assignment. Is there a charge for changing a seat assignment? No. Why would changing a room assignment be any different? Escalate to a supervisor if necessary.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Public Service Advisory

When changing rooms, Arrow will reprice the reservation to the current fare, which is often more than originally paid. Most Amtrak agents will insist on charging the higher fare. Do not let them. They have to manually reprice the reservation to the original fare, but it should be done. If you aren't changing dates of travel, train number or origin/destination the fare remains the same. If they protest, offer the analogy of changing a Business Class seat assignment. Is there a charge for changing a seat assignment? No. Why would changing a room assignment be any different? Escalate to a supervisor if necessary.

Several years ago I had to escalate to the supervisor. The supervisor showed the agent how to do it and the agent thanked me because she had not known how to do it.

 

[edolan]

As the meteor has VLIIs in 10 & 12 and the star has them in 11 — I would assume they would come to the 11 position on 48/49 too... would that be the best room to book for a trip a couple months out?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

No new sleepers (Viewliner 2) assigned to the Lake Shore Limited at this time. Reports of break in issues so there keeping them close to Miami for repairs.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

I am on the Silver Star right now (9/12/21). Just left NY Penn. Both sleepers are VL-1. I may add that there is only one (1) SCA for the entire train due to staff shortages.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

Other than condition VL1 being a bit shopworn at times, and the VL2 being new, there are small differences in things like lighting, shape of the table, and stuff like that, the main difference is the in roomette toilet on a VL1 2 toilets down the hall on a VL2. Opinions vary widely on that subject, it has been the topic of (seemingly) endless debate.

“Shopworn” equipment is putting it mildly.
I am on Train 91 (Silver Star) in Bedroom B. The room is in pretty sad shape. There are scuffmarks on the panels beneath the sink. The top of the pull out table is damaged. But, it’s clean and I have to give props to the lone SCA (Kumar) tending to the two sleeper cars today. He is working really hard and still smiling!

 

[jis]

“Shopworn” equipment is putting it mildly.
I am on Train 91 (Silver Star) in Bedroom B. The room is in pretty sad shape. There are scuffmarks on the panels beneath the sink. The top of the pull out table is damaged. But, it’s clean and I have to give props to the lone SCA (Kumar) tending to the two sleeper cars today. He is working really hard and still smiling!

I have had Kumar a couple of times on the Silvers. He is a real good guy in my experience.

 

[pennyk]

“Shopworn” equipment is putting it mildly.
I am on Train 91 (Silver Star) in Bedroom B. The room is in pretty sad shape. There are scuffmarks on the panels beneath the sink. The top of the pull out table is damaged. But, it’s clean and I have to give props to the lone SCA (Kumar) tending to the two sleeper cars today. He is working really hard and still smiling!

I had Kumar last time I was on 91 and he was great.

 

[pennyk]

I am on the Silver Star right now (9/12/21). Just left NY Penn. Both sleepers are VL-1. I may add that there is only one (1) SCA for the entire train due to staff shortages.

I just saw the Silver Star 92 pass through Orlando. The 10 car was a V1 and the 11 car was a V2 (as best as I could see).