Passenger Trains > Silver Star Trip Report

Here's a brief trip report on the Silver Star...aka Silver Starvation,  from Tampa to Richmond on October 16. Consist was 5 coaches, cafe for coach passengers, Diner (more about that later), two sleepers and full baggage. Sleepers on the rear as they should be. Trampa's Union station is beautiful. It was boarded up and abandoned last time I was there. The train arrived OT from Miami and stayed OT until just outside Richmond. Crew friendly and efficient. My car attendant Ray said it was his first trip back to work in months. Said he was afraid to work. My sleeper appeared to be clean and my room was in good working condition with duct tape not needed. Passenger load in sleepers appeared to be nearly full. I didn't walk the coaches but given the crowd boarding in Tampa, length of stops, and people off at smoke breaks, business appeared to be good. But the train is now only 3x per week over portions of it's route. Daily service is provided where the route overlaps with the Silver Meteor.

New diner "Boston" was lightly used. Most passengers ate in their rooms. I brought my own snacks. Having such a beautiful car used as a sleeper lounge is great. Even if we ever get normal dining services back, the car should still be open during non meal times. The double windows make for a light and open car. It's still a shame  its not used as intended. During the entire trip, there were never more than 4 people in the car at one time. Most of those came to eat and left. I was the only one hanging out there not eating enjoying the scenery while others were staying in their rooms. No announcement was ever made as to the car's use so most probably thought it was only open for meals. 

Arrival to Richmond was -1:45. All the time was lost due to CSX congestion just outside the station. 
 

Only eleven miles east of Tampa you passed
through the lovely town of Seffner.
I live about half mile north of the post office.
You should wave.

Uncle Joe

In terms of travel between Savannah and points north, at first we were told that the Palmetto would run on days when the Silver Meteor did not. But that's not how it worked out. So, even though there are three trains between Savannah and NY, none of them runs northbound on Thursdays. However, all three run northbound on Sundays. It's a headache. 

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's a brief trip report on the Silver
> Star...aka Silver Starvation,  from Tampa to
> Richmond on October 16. Consist was 5 coaches,
> cafe for coach passengers, Diner (more about that
> later), two sleepers and full baggage. Sleepers on
> the rear as they should be. Trampa's Union station
> is beautiful. It was boarded up and abandoned last
> time I was there. The train arrived OT from Miami
> and stayed OT until just outside Richmond. Crew
> friendly and efficient. My car attendant Ray said
> it was his first trip back to work in months. Said
> he was afraid to work. My sleeper appeared to be
> clean and my room was in good working condition
> with duct tape not needed. Passenger load in
> sleepers appeared to be nearly full. I didn't walk
> the coaches but given the crowd boarding in Tampa,
> length of stops, and people off at smoke breaks,
> business appeared to be good. But the train is now
> only 3x per week over portions of it's route.
> Daily service is provided where the route overlaps
> with the Silver Meteor.
>
> New diner "Boston" was lightly used. Most
> passengers ate in their rooms. I brought my own
> snacks. Having such a beautiful car used as a
> sleeper lounge is great. Even if we ever get
> normal dining services back, the car should still
> be open during non meal times. The double windows
> make for a light and open car. It's still a
> shame  its not used as intended. During the
> entire trip, there were never more than 4 people
> in the car at one time. Most of those came to eat
> and left. I was the only one hanging out there not
> eating enjoying the scenery while others were
> staying in their rooms. No announcement was ever
> made as to the car's use so most probably thought
> it was only open for meals. 
>
> Arrival to Richmond was -1:45. All the time was
> lost due to CSX congestion just outside the
> station. 
>  

Well it is a Dining Car. If it was supposed to be used as a Diner-Lounge they would probably label it as such.
Amtrak has done that in the past.

Whatever they call it diner or diner-lounge great it is on the train. Otherwise confined to sleeper or Cafe car with very limited space.

Posted from Android

I was on this same train! Boarded in KIS - rode to NYP. Just barely managed to connect to 146 for the last leg home to SPG which we literally followed up the corridor and were seconds behind heading into NYP. The crew was outstanding and helped me out by getting my checked baggage out of the baggage car before arrival at NYP (as I never would have made it if I had to wait for it at the baggage claim) and making sure I had a prime position at the door as we pulled in so I could make a dash for the other train.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/20 13:14 by lordsigma.

lordsigma Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was on this same train! Boarded in KIS - rode to
> NYP. Just barely managed to connect to 146 for the
> last leg home to SPG which we literally followed
> up the corridor and were seconds behind heading
> into NYP. The crew was outstanding and helped me
> out by getting my checked baggage out of the
> baggage car before arrival at NYP (as I never
> would have made it if I had to wait for it at the
> baggage claim) and making sure I had a prime
> position at the door as we pulled in so I could
> make a dash for the other train.

Kudos to the crew.  We don't hear praise often enough.

Thanks for the good report, Bruce.  Sure wish there was a Canadian train ridevto be had!!!!

I have raised this concern/issue about the Viewliner II Diner's in their role as "Sleeper Lounges" since they debuted as such. Beautiful cars, should be used more by passengers, passengers have no clue what the car really is, great place to take in scenery and do work or read, etc. 

That's still not going to stop Amtrak, it seems from overhauling these Viewliner II's to make them the "single food service car" - combining efforts of the Amfleet Cafe/Lounge (Diner Lite) and Sleeper Lounge that now exists, into ONE car (this car). There's a prototype in the works now to try and perfect said modifications and combination. I would imagine that Amtrak is trying to modify the kitchen/galley area so as to add more counter space to serve with a cafe. Think Superliner Cross Country Cafe (combined food service car now for sleeper and coach passengers). Sleeper passengers can at least use the one side of the Superliner Cross Country Cafe as a Lounge (the table/booth seating). The Viewliner Diner - functioning as a "Sleeper Lounge - It may not seem like much of a lounge, but it's comfortable and not that bad, and again, double row of windows with open air environment works! There's at least 12 booths for seating in, 6 at this time in use with social distancing. 

I had dinner in the Sleeper Lounge of the Lake Shore Limited heading westbound, and stayed there to finish up my work day till about 11 pm. Gave me a lot of room to spread out on with the tables and yes, it was dark out, but the double row of windows gave me some nice scenery. Eastbound on the Capitol Limited. I sat at a table in the Cross Country Cafe (1 of 10 tables that were on this side of the car, only five could be used). Breakfast through the Appalachian Mountains and on into Cumberland, with enjoying the scenery and doing a few hours of morning work at the same time. Went back to my sleeper at Martinsburg. 

But hardly ANYONE is using the "Sleeper Lounges" - be it the Viewliner II Diner or the Superliner Cross Country Cafe (on the Capitol Limited, Texas Eagle etc.). It's solvable by better educating the travelling public and those in sleepers as to what to expect here. On the eastbound Capitol Limited now though (again, just four cars in operation), they now want you to eat your dinner meal in your room. Not many people were even choosing to have the flex meal dining option, so not sure why passengers couldn't use the Sleeper Lounge if they wanted to and eat there.......

I actually like and am in favor of what Amtrak did to create this "Sleeper Lounge" with the Viewliner II Diners and Superliner Cross Country Cafe Cars. But if people don't start "using them" - there will be changes. And the change is already basically in prototype production - combining all food service to this one car (e.g. removal of the Superliner Sightseer Lounge, and removal of the single level cafe/lounge or Diner Lite car). The Cardinal and all single level long distance trains should have VIewliner II Diners as a Sleeper Lounge. I believe only the Cardinal does not have this option at this time. 

Before COVID even hit, and before the Tri-weekly service went into play, I also advocated that the Viewliner II Diners be used in other ways - again, perhaps as just a "lounge" on the long distance day trains that are operating (e.g. Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Maple Leaf, etc.). Tough to try to do any convincing with the present COVID effects. 

But Sleeper Lounges, Viewliner II Diners (operating as Sleeper Lounges), completely under utilized. I am not a fan of seeing the Superliner Cross Country Cafe being used (as the single food service car), and then Amtrak sidelining the Superliner Sightseer Lounges. This is what's been done on the Capitol Limited already, and I think the City of New Orleans, and Texas Eagle as well. There's 17 of the Superliner Cross Country Cafes to go around. I believe. This actually may be a close number to outfit all Superliner equipped long distance trains.

I hope the Superliner Sightseer Lounge on at least the Sunset Limited, Southwest Chief, CA Zephyr, Empire Builder, and Coast Starlight really need to remain at minimum.   

I agree using lounge but many people seem to prefer their coach seat or room.  I spend hurs and see people come and go in short order.

Bob