That BIG Silver Star Bargain for not having a Diner:

[user 1215]

As an engineer, I get the comparisons of value when comparing equal tier costs. As a consumer, all I see is: $208 for the Meteor, $208 for the Meteor with a meal and $201 for the Star just a few hours later without.

 

[WashingtonFlyer]

Interesting, family and I booked our first overnight train in probably 30 years for June (I'm almost exclusively a NEC rider). We were going to Orlando and opted to waste a bit of time and to the train (also since I had about 30,000 AGR points, I wanted to cash some in). The fare for the Silver Star versus the Silver Meteor was identical for the coach seat ($110) and the accommodations difference for a viewliner roomette was a total of $8. I'll take that rate in order to get at least two sit-down meals on board.

 

[dogbert617]

It probably also explains the loss of the Broadway Limited/Three Rivers and the truncating of the Palmetto (formerly Silver Palm) to Savannah.

How far south, did the Palmetto used to run to? I think it's too bad that train now only goes as far south, as Savannah.

 

[jis]

How far south, did the Palmetto used to run to? I think it's too bad that train now only goes as far south, as Savannah.

Palmetto in its second Amtrak incarnation ran to Tampa AFAIR with the name Silver Palm.

 

[dogbert617]

Palmetto in its second Amtrak incarnation ran to Tampa AFAIR with the name Silver Palm.

Ah, okay. That's too bad Palmetto(Silver Palm) no longer goes to Tampa, since Silver Meteor skips Tampa, and as it is today only 1 train goes to Tampa(Silver Star). I wonder why that train was cut back, to Savannah? Also, I think one of the Amtrak trains used to have a different FL route that's today only served by thruway buses, such as to Waldo, Ocala, and I think also Gainesville. But correct me if I'm wrong, about the towns/cities one of the Amtrak trains used to run through, where now that former Amtrak train route was reduced to just thruway buses serving those places in FL.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Ah, okay. That's too bad Palmetto(Silver Palm) no longer goes to Tampa, since Silver Meteor skips Tampa, and as it is today only 1 train goes to Tampa(Silver Star). I wonder why that train was cut back, to Savannah? Also, I think one of the Amtrak trains used to have a different FL route that's today only served by thruway buses, such as to Waldo, Ocala, and I think also Gainesville. But correct me if I'm wrong, about the towns/cities one of the Amtrak trains used to run through, where now that former Amtrak train route was reduced to just thruway buses serving those places in FL.

It was the Silver Palm that operated via Ocala. Also, it did not terminate in Tampa. The train backed in to Union Station and continued to Miami as the SS does now. At that time, the SS used the same route as the SM within Florida and did not serve Tampa, so Tampa still only had one round trip per day prior to the route shortening of the Silver Palm/Palmetto.

 

[dogbert617]

It was the Silver Palm that operated via Ocala. Also, it did not terminate in Tampa. The train backed in to Union Station and continued to Miami as the SS does now. At that time, the SS used the same route as the SM within Florida and did not serve Tampa, so Tampa still only had one round trip per day prior to the route shortening of the Silver Palm/Palmetto.

Interesting. So when Silver Palm/Palmetto was shortened to Savannah being its southern start/end point, Silver Star was rerouted to serve Tampa? But unlike Silver Palm/Palmetto, that Silver Star never served Ocala, Waldo, and other stations in that area?

 

[chrsjrcj]

When the Palmetto was cut back to Savannah in October or November 2004, service on the S-line was eliminated (Waldo, Ocala, Wildwood, Dade City).

When the Palmetto was extended to Tampa, it operated via the A-line (Orlando) to Tampa and the Silver Star’s Miami section operated via the S-line (but skipping Tampa, which was still served by a separate section that operated through Orlando). This was when the Meteor lost its Tampa section. When the Palmetto was brought back and extended to Miami, it changed routes to the S-line and was renamed the Silver Palm (also the name of a briefly state funded Miami to Tampa train that operated in the 80s). At that time, the Silver Star lost its Tampa section and operated via the A-line through Orlando to Miami. Once the Silver Palm lost its diner and sleepers in the early 00s (replaced by the business class car), it was renamed the

 

[Eric S]

Did the Palmetto terminate in Jacksonville for a period of time? (I could be mistaken, just something I seem to recall.)

 

[jis]

Did the Palmetto terminate in Jacksonville for a period of time? (I could be mistaken, just something I seem to recall.)

Yes, it did.

Amtrak service via Ocala ended as part of a deal that involved CSX transferring the segment between Deland and Poinciana to CFRC (SunRail), and gaining exclusive freight operations status for the Ocala route.

Defacto the route via Deland became almost exclusively passenger route, while the route via Ocala became exclusively freight route. This trend is further established with Amtrak taking over the segment between Palatka and Deland.

Now that CSX has increased its interchange with FEC in JAX, some speculate that it intends to downgrade its holdings in Florida and dispose off significant chunks of it. They are already trying to pawn off all their holdings around Miami so that they will own nothing south of West Palm Beach. Some speculate that Auburndale to West Palm Beach (Mangonia Park) is next, since they appear to have completely ceded the Port of Miami traffic to FECR, which of course FECR is delighted to lap up.

As an engineer, I get the comparisons of value when comparing equal tier costs. As a consumer, all I see is: $208 for the Meteor, $208 for the Meteor with a meal and $201 for the Star just a few hours later without.

Don't worry, that will get fixed in due course, possibly sooner rather than later.

 

[dogbert617]

Did the Palmetto terminate in Jacksonville for a period of time? (I could be mistaken, just something I seem to recall.)

On a different thread where funny enough I also asked this same question, that poster said this train(back when it used to be called the Silver Palm) used to start/end in Tampa. Then when it was cut back to Tampa, the Silver Star was rerouted to start going over to the Tampa Amtrak station, using a backup move on a 1 track portion for some distance to enter that station.

 

[jis]

The backup move is just outside of Tampa Station. The Silver Palm did that too. Tampa is today a stub end station. In the past the trains used to run through Tampa to St. Petersburg. That has been gone for a long time too.