Passenger Trains > Silver Star "vs" Silver Meteror

Hello everybody,

We're planning a trip from New York City to Orlando.  Any advice between taking the Silver Star or the Silver Meteror?  I am aware the Silver Star has no Dining car.  Thanks. 

Meteor.

Meteor x2.  Star is longer trip and the no diner is terrible for a long trip like that.  Star is only good for intermediate travel, or for a location the Meteor doesn't serve.

Star runs on relatively rough track in much of NC and SC. 

what time are you available to leave?

what time would you like to arrive in ORL? 

If you have no time expectations, then another consideration is cost -- will you spend more than about $60 a person in AMFOOD? if so, Meteor - If not, then Star. 

No other considerations, I would take the Meteor.  

 

If going to Miami or Orlando by train. My choice would be the Silver Meteor.
I used to go to Miami Beach 2-3 times per year. I only took the Silver Star
once. That was just to see what that part of the state looked like. However,
after smoking was banned completely on the trains. I switched to flying.
I can get there quicker and for far less money, 3 hours versus 24.
 

Either train is fine, as long as you understand the limitations of the Star's food service.  I don't agree that the trackage is rough in NC and SC.  I've slept fine on both trains  The sleeper fares are anywhere from $60-200 cheaper on the Star than on the Meteor, due primarily to the lack of a diner.  I find the sandwiches and drinks on the Star to be fine, and I usually eat in my room.  To me, it matters more about what time you want to leave and arrive.  There's really nothing much to see on either route, so I wouldn't let that influence my decision.

On the day we're planing to go, the bedroom in the Star is $410 less ($695 compared to $1,105)
than the Meteror.  No way the 2 of us can eat $410. worth of Amtrak food in a 24 hour ride.  I only wish the Viewlier II sleepers were running.  I wonder what's taking CAF so long to build & deliver?



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/16 18:16 by amtrakin.

amtrakin Wrote:
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> On the day we're planing to go, the bedroom in the
> Star is $410 less ($695 compared to $1,105)
> than the Meteror.  No way the 2 of us can eat
> $410. worth of Amtrak food in a 24 hour ride.  I
> only wish the Viewlier II sleepers were running. 
> I wonder what's taking CAF so long to build &
> deliver?

That 410 dollars you talking about not about the food, Its about room, the beds your using at night, privacy in your counts too. It not about all the food you eat in Diner that 410 dollars, also different route too.

Er...from context, the OP is saying it's the same bedroom, same beds, same darkness at night, same privacy, same origin and destination, same date, and (per someone else's post) pretty much the same scenery.   Conclusion: all you're getting for the $410 additional fare is several servings of Amtrak food.  A fare difference that big suggests that demand for rooms on the Meteor has pushed the price into a higher bucket and therefore the gap likely isn't solely attributable to the Star's lack of a diner, but whatever the cause is I can't imagine there's much case to be made for paying a $410 premium simply for the culinary privilege of meals in an Amtrak dining car. 

yorknl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Er...from context, the OP is saying it's the same
> bedroom, same beds, same darkness at night, same
> privacy, same origin and destination, same date,
> and (per someone else's post) pretty much the same
> scenery.   Conclusion: all you're getting for the
> $410 additional fare is several servings of Amtrak
> food.  A fare difference that big suggests that
> demand for rooms on the Meteor has pushed the
> price into a higher bucket and therefore the gap
> likely isn't solely attributable to the Star's
> lack of a diner, but whatever the cause is I can't
> imagine there's much case to be made for paying a
> $410 premium simply for the culinary privilege of
> meals in an Amtrak dining car. 

That's precisely the point that many people feared when this "experiment" was proposed.  You don't want the results of a successful test confronting an argument.

There's no way that a dining car can ever make money on its own. Even the most ardent defenders acknowledge that, I think. The costs of good staff,   long paid shifts, good benefits, tiny kitchen, logistics etc make it impossible.

But as part of a luxury package, it fits in fine, and may be even be necessary. Carve out one part of the luxury, and the rest of it crumbles.

Not a lot different than passenger trains in the 1950s and US mail services.  As long as mail and express went mostly by rail, the passenger service did fine on many routes.  As soon as the USPO combined higher airmail rates into the base rail rates, that game was over. More and more mail went by air or truck.

Railcity,  The $410 difference is about the food. The rooms are the same.  I know they take different routes.   I was quoted $695 for a Viewliner Bedroom on the Star and $1,105 for a Viewliner Bedroom on the Meteror for the same day, departing NY Penn. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/16 08:20 by amtrakin.

Yorknl,  Exactly!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/16 08:18 by amtrakin.

The argument for Meteor over Star works in favor of Meteor if going to WPB - MIA as there is no extra time for Tampa and its reverse move.   Let's face it the food is just plain lousy regardless of which train you choose.
​I chose at random a Nov 15 S. bound trip for two seniors, here is the pricing:
​91 Bedroom $701.90, Roomette $428.90

97 Bedroom $946.00, Roomette $559.90

​Minimum difference for 97 over 91 with Roomette is $131.00
Minimum difference for 97 over 91 with Bedroom is $244.10

​97 is faster, mostly on straight runs, no Tampa reverse move, dining car if you stand it.

​I chose SR's for comparison because that covers most of the 1st class passengers.

I don't know what the buckets are for room fares between NY and Miami, but they can be significant.  On the AutoTrain, the most expensive coach bucket is about $450 more than the least expensive bucket.  If Meteor is already in the highest bucket, and Star is still on a lower bucket, that could skew your results.

For those of us that travel to Tampa, this sucks, and we get screwed. When the Meteor was a decent train (20+ years ago), it still had a Tampa section and made thing easier.
If you're going to Orlando, take the Meteor.


 

Would the market support a Star to Tampa (only) and returning to Jacksonville and NY?

Or as a day train from Richmond VA to Tampa? Is there enough market there?

> don't agree that the trackage is rough in NC and SC. I've slept fine on both trains

Reminds me of the old joke: "There are only three ways to sleep on this train: dead tired, dead drunk, or dead."

I've hit spots on this segment of the Star so rough that I thought a filling would fall out of my teeth. This is FRA Class 3 trackage, the same segment that FRA suddenly imposed numerous 10 mph slow orders on some years ago. North of Cary, NC or south of Fairfax, SC, it's just as good as the A-line used by the Meteor.

ctillnc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > don't agree that the trackage is rough in NC
> and SC. I've slept fine on both trains
>
> Reminds me of the old joke: "There are only three
> ways to sleep on this train: dead tired, dead
> drunk, or dead."
>
> I've hit spots on this segment of the Star so
> rough that I thought a filling would fall out of
> my teeth. This is FRA Class 3 trackage, the same
> segment that FRA suddenly imposed numerous 10 mph
> slow orders on some years ago. North of Cary, NC
> or south of Fairfax, SC, it's just as good as the
> A-line used by the Meteor.

I wanted to get to Chicago in the worst way.  So, I took the Erie.

da-dum

New York to Miami on the Silver Star, especially in amtube coach, is martyrdom!
Who in their right mind would drive to Tampa as a way to get to Miami?  Ridiculous!
The train route is already circuitous and slow and then you drag people all the way
over to Tampa and back.  Probably the most miserable train and worst track, I have ridden in many years!
It's a shame what has happened to Florida service.