Silver Star/Silver Meteor combined train (Jan - Oct 2022)

[west point]

91's scheduled dep. @ WAS is exactly the same time as 92's sched. arr. It's impossible to arrive on 92 & leave on 91 the same day, unless 91 is running later than 92, which is not very common.

Of course, if you bought a RT ticket to RVR & were on time buy a RT to ALX from say RMT or PTB for example from RVR <> ALX. over phone. Reservation is on your phone and if necessary, get off before the meet with 91. Hopefully ALX or somewhere closer to RVR?

 

[jis]

Of course, if you bought a RT ticket to RVR & were on time buy a RT to ALX from say RMT or PTB for example from RVR <> ALX. over phone. Reservation is on your phone and if necessary, get off before the meet with 91. Hopefully ALX or somewhere closer to RVR?

On 92 you either get off at RVR or at ALX. There is no stop in between. 97/98 stops at FBG when they are running.

 

[jis]

So the Super Star 92(20) hit a tree on Friday between Savannah and Denmark, and finally arrived into New York a little after 11am on Sunday (5/22).

Normally that consist would have turned to 91(22). But apparently Sunnyside managed to scrounge together enough cars from the LSL 48(20) and Crescent 20(20) and reserves at Sunnyside to stitch together a 91 consist, so 91(22) left NY about 27 minutes late. Now they are probably furiously shunting cars to ready consists for 19(22) and 49(22) using cars that arrived in 92(20) and perhaps some additional protect cars. Interesting play of things.

92(20) did come in with two additional deadhead Viewliners too.

 

[pennyk]

91(21) was about 9 hours late into WPK today. This evening, I walked down to a crossing between WPK and ORL and watched it go by. The consist was its "usual" consist. FYI, it left ORL slightly less than 9 hours late.

 

[Old MM]

If buying a ticket today, on the SS, which are the old Viewliner cars, and which are the new?
We like the old roomettes with the in room toilets.

 

[pennyk]

If buying a ticket today, on the SS, which are the old Viewliner cars, and which are the new?
We like the old roomettes with the in room toilets.

The odd numbered sleeper cars are usually the old cars (11, 13) and the even cars (10, 12, 14) are usually the new V2 cars. However, there have been exceptions. I have noticed that most attendants like the older cars and the ones with seniority chose the V1 cars.

 

[Palmland]

I have noticed that most attendants like the older cars and the ones with seniority chose the V1 cars.

That’s a surprise- I’d think the newer cars would have fewer problems for the them to deal with as well as no possible toilet mess.

 

[pennyk]

That’s a surprise- I’d think the newer cars would have fewer problems for the them to deal with as well as no possible toilet mess.

The beds are heavier and more difficult to set up.

Also, the fact that there is no linen closet in the V2s is a major inconvenience for them.

 

[Palmland]

Interesting, you wonder if the equipment designers ever talk with the people that have to work with it.

 

[JP1822]

I’ll have to take a look at this next time I am on Viewliner II sleeper. I thought they flipped locations of the beverage station with that of the linen closet, but guess not.….. The beverage station is better where it presently is (away from shower and bathrooms). And with the public restrooms now at the rear of the car, there’s a definite need for a “closet“ of supplies. Perhaps it was to go in the attendant’s room, or since each consist was originally to have a bagg-dorm Viewliner, would have also made sense that it had the applicable storage capacity…….

Guess this was an “oops!” in designing. The Amfleet Diner Lite, with its seating and window arrangement was an absolute BLUNDER. No good architect would have released plans like that.

 

[jis]

A Roomette on Viewliner IIs is now blocked from the reservation system for use as the closet.

 

[jis]

Silver Meteor is now open for booking 98 the 12th of Sept onward, and 97 the 14th of Sept onward (2022).

The length of Silver Star will of course be diminished by the requisite number of cars that move over to the Meteor.

No word yet on any potential changes in Dining.

 

[IndyLions]

I’ll have to take a look at this next time I am on Viewliner II sleeper. I thought they flipped locations of the beverage station with that of the linen closet, but guess not.….. The beverage station is better where it presently is (away from shower and bathrooms). And with the public restrooms now at the rear of the car, there’s a definite need for a “closet“ of supplies. Perhaps it was to go in the attendant’s room, or since each consist was originally to have a bagg-dorm Viewliner, would have also made sense that it had the applicable storage capacity…….

Guess this was an “oops!” in designing. The Amfleet Diner Lite, with its seating and window arrangement was an absolute BLUNDER. No good architect would have released plans like that.

Others have speculated on this forum that the original plan was likely to have a crew dorm included on every VL2 route. There may be a linen closet in the crew dorm. If I ever get booked in one, I’ll check it out.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Silver Meteor is now open for booking 98 the 12th of Sept onward, and 97 the 14th of Sept onward (2022).

The length of Silver Star will of course be diminished by the requisite number of cars that move over to the Meteor.

No word yet on any potential changes in Dining.

Yep, let's hope they don't go back to the "Silver Starvation" days!

 

[west point]

not enough dorms only 10.

 

[bibty]

I was able to get tickets on the Silver Meteor for this winter! I'm so happy!

 

[Joe from PA]

I was able to get tickets on the Silver Meteor for this winter! I'm so happy!

So was I, for this past April. Then they changed their mind, and now it's Sept. I wish you well...but be prepared.

 

[amy1277]

Hi friends! I realize nobody knows for sure, but is it pretty definite that the Silver Meteor will return September 14th as planned?
I’m new to the realization that this is currently out of service, and a Google search showed me that it was originally scheduled to return in May (and obviously didn’t). I guess I’m just wondering if this is a comeback that they keep scheduling and then postponing, or if the September date is pretty solid. I haven’t been following so I thought someone here might have more factual information (or at least a more educated guess, ha) than I do.
I’m booked in a bedroom on September 17th, but if confidence is low in the Meteor’s return I may cancel and switch to the Silver Star vs risking Amtrak canceling a couple of weeks out and being left with nothing.
Thank you!

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Anyone’s guess what September will bring Amtrak. Only Amtrak’s management knows what they want and have planned and they are keeping silent for the most part. Less than 90 days out they should know what’s in the training/hiring pipeline if that is 100 percent of the issue. September isn’t that far away.

Maybe it’s time to offer $5000 sign on bonuses paid half at 6 months; half at 12 months. Amtrak has the money and looses that much with 2 or 3 sleeper cancelations.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Anyone’s guess what September will bring Amtrak. Only Amtrak’s management knows what they have planned and they are keeping silent for the most part.

Maybe they're "silent" because they don't know, yet, if they'll have the needed staffing to restart the Meteor in September.

 

[joelkfla]

Hi friends! I realize nobody knows for sure, but is it pretty definite that the Silver Meteor will return September 14th as planned?
I’m new to the realization that this is currently out of service, and a Google search showed me that it was originally scheduled to return in May (and obviously didn’t). I guess I’m just wondering if this is a comeback that they keep scheduling and then postponing, or if the September date is pretty solid. I haven’t been following so I thought someone here might have more factual information (or at least a more educated guess, ha) than I do.
I’m booked in a bedroom on September 17th, but if confidence is low in the Meteor’s return I may cancel and switch to the Silver Star vs risking Amtrak canceling a couple of weeks out and being left with nothing.
Thank you!

Nothing in the future is definite, and that's especially true with Amtrak, and doubly so with their current state of staffing and equipment availability. The resumption of Silver Meteor service has already been pushed back at least twice this year.

 

[pennyk]

I’m booked in a bedroom on September 17th, but if confidence is low in the Meteor’s return I may cancel and switch to the Silver Star vs risking Amtrak canceling a couple of weeks out and being left with nothing.
Thank you!

I, too, am booked for a future (early October) trip on the Meteor. I am assuming that if the Meteor is not brought back, those booked on the Meteor would be automatically booked on the Star for that day. However, since the Star does not connect with trains going west, one would have to travel a day earlier and spend the night in either DC or NYC. I am planning to travel west after my Meteor trip, so I hope I am able to book at day earlier if I learn that the Meteor will not start running in September.

I do not think anyone knows for sure, but a lot of us are sure hoping that Meteor starts running again in September.

 

[amy1277]

I, too, am booked for a future (early October) trip on the Meteor. I am assuming that if the Meteor is not brought back, those booked on the Meteor would be automatically booked on the Star for that day. However, since the Star does not connect with trains going west, one would have to travel a day earlier and spend the night in either DC or NYC. I am planning to travel west after my Meteor trip, so I hope I am able to book at day earlier if I learn that the Meteor will not start running in September.

I do not think anyone knows for sure, but a lot of us are sure hoping that Meteor starts running again in September.

Thank you for this! Before my post was moved to this thread I didn’t really know much about the delays, but I have since done my research and read all 11 pages of conversation!
It does seem that people are automatically moved over to the Star if their trips on the Meteor are canceled, so I will just sit tight for now and not do anything proactively.
From Rhode Island, I luckily have two options to choose from when I leave out of Kingston. My current trip (that I’ve done a few times in the past) is Northeast Regional later in the morning to NYP, and then continuing on Meteor to Orlando. Or I leave earlier in the morning to DC and then jump on the Star.
I much prefer the first route for many reasons!
Fingers are crossed for us all!

 

[Chatter163]

Thank you for this! Before my post was moved to this thread I didn’t really know much about the delays, but I have since done my research and read all 11 pages of conversation!
It does seem that people are automatically moved over to the Star if their trips on the Meteor are canceled, so I will just sit tight for now and not do anything proactively.
From Rhode Island, I luckily have two options to choose from when I leave out of Kingston. My current trip (that I’ve done a few times in the past) is Northeast Regional later in the morning to NYP, and then continuing on Meteor to Orlando. Or I leave earlier in the morning to DC and then jump on the Star.
I much prefer the first route for many reasons!
Fingers are crossed for us all!

I would definitely be proactive, and make the changes you desire now, leaving nothing to chance.

 

[jruff001]

Nothing in the future is definite, and that's especially true with Amtrak, and doubly so with their current state of staffing and equipment availability. The resumption of Silver Meteor service has already been pushed back at least twice this year.

I would assume no Meteor until it actually starts running again or there is some sort of official announcement from Amtrak.

I did hear a very loud LSA on the Star the other day complaining to my SCA about some seniority issue with her transferring to a Chef position which made me think at least real dining cars are coming back soon. I was going to ask what they knew of the plans for traditional dining and the Meteor, but it didn't feel like I was welcome to join the conversation so I just mumbled "Excuse me" to get by since they were blocking my access to the shower (on the Viewliner II; at least that was nice!).