Passenger Trains > Safety Patrol Special from FL

Yesterday, SILVER METEOR #98's revenue service was canceled and replaced by charter service for school children, an event that has occurred during the last few Januarys.  The children were picked up in Magonia Park, FL and discharged in Washington.  The train had 15 cars and should return from WAS on Sunday.
There were reports that last year's train was the last and that transportation to future safety patrol conferences would be by air or bus.  Wonder what happened to change this and to alter Anderson's policy of no more charter trains?
Andy

That would explain why Tuesday's 97 had 6 coaches, corralling equipment to Florida. It is well past Xmas time.

That’s great news

Posted from iPhone

Wondering why any school group (or anybody else for that matter) would want to go to Washington DC at this point?

79mph Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wondering why any school group (or anybody else for that matter) would want to go to Washington DC at this point?

Easy to get around without all those federal workers clogging up traffic?  :-)

After all the editorial comments about how last year was the last year by train (too exepsnive, too long of a trip, too much of a hassle etc. etc.) - stunning to see reversal by either Amtrak or Safety Patrol group. Not surprised to see Silver Meteor service canceled this day for regular passengers.....Do they just run the Meteor like the Auto Train on this date - massive pickup/drop off in either a few Florida stations then EXPRESS to/from Union Station at Washington DC? 

Mangonia Park is a Tri-Rail station in the northern West Palm Beach suburbs. Amtrak stops there for the Safety Patrol, but rarely for anyone else.

Posted from Android

They are going to get snowed in.
Enjoy several days trapped in a snow-bound hotel with the power out and no food?

79mph Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They are going to get snowed in.
> Enjoy several days trapped in a snow-bound hotel
> with the power out and no food?

1-3" of snow isn't going to shut DC down, and can't see power going out for a small storm like this.  Now Amtrak may still cancel trains the way they have been, so yes they may get stuck in DC after all, but they could always charter a bus or two to get home...

 

DC is already shut down, has been for 3 weeks (maybe longer than that, depending on who you ask).
But the KC Chiefs game will go on as planned.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/19 11:13 by 79mph.

Saddest for the kids on the trip is that all of the Smithsonian-run museums are shut down as is the National Zoo.  Especially sad because it is all so unnecessary.

Gordon

79mph Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DC is already shut down, has been for 3 weeks
> (maybe longer than that, depending on who you
> ask)....


Most people didn't notice.

Duna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 79mph Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > DC is already shut down, has been for 3 weeks
> > (maybe longer than that, depending on who you
> > ask)....
>
>
> Most people didn't notice.

For anyone who watched the news over the last 3 weeks, they noticed.

Posted from Android

I thought, last year was last, as parents wanted to fly the kids, as it was too hard to handle the kids on the train !   In other words, they were lazy.

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought, last year was last, as parents wanted
> to fly the kids, as it was too hard to handle the
> kids on the train !   In other words, they were
> lazy.

One problem was finding chaperones for a trip of this length.

Posted from Android

So why did they have 2nd thought and take Amtrak ?
I never liked the idea of a publicly subsidized carrier banning a the general public from a train entirely.   

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So why did they have 2nd thought and take Amtrak
> ?
> I never liked the idea of a publicly subsidized
> carrier banning a the general public from a train
> entirely.   

I believe that individual towns made the decision to fly versus take the train. Last year, it was down to 3 or 4 towns in the whole county.

Posted from Android

Sounds like they made the arrangements prior to knowing about the weather and the shut down of all of the "attractions" that the kids would normally want to see.
After this "never again" trip, it will not happen again.
Regrettably, this time it is not the fault of Amtrak in any way (at least so far), but Amtrak will still get the blame.

They got a memorable train ride experience out of it. Had they flown, nothing remarkable or memorable. An airplane is just a flying Greyhound with tight seats.  

Saw a SB Amtrak train today
AMTK engines 206 & 201
with 15 cars at Sanford,FL
3:00PM. Was this the
Safety Patrol train
returning?

Posted from Android