Passenger Trains > #98 north from Savannah

Last evening I boarded the Silver Meteor for NYC and my connection to Springfield.  The train arrived just short of an hour late.  We lost more time on the way to Charleston, but by Alexandria we were on time.  The crew was amazing, both at the station and on board.  Station boarding is different right now due to the track construction.  They told me that it should be all done next week and things will go back to normal.  However, the locomotives stop short of the walkway crossing right now, and it is a trip down to the last sleeper, where I am located.  So they took our bags for us and the sleeping car folks rode down in a cart.  It was very professional and while I like to walk, I did appreciate the ride.

I skipped dinner last night in the diner, but did get the chocolate cake as dessert with a bourbon.  This morning was the omelette, which was very good.  The dining server was fine, and things ran well.  Sleep came abut 11 pm, and it was restful.  I had a BidUp succeed and I was in a bedroom, excited for the larger bed and morning shower.  

So all good, right?  No.

The exterior of this train is awful.  Bleeping awful.  I have been riding trains off and on since the mid-80s, and I have NEVER seen windows this dirty on a train that I was riding.  Never.  Last night as I sipped a drink before bed, it was if the entire world was foggy.  Today, with the sun, seeing out is nearly impossible from time to time.  

Further, I tried the shower in my room.  It did not get hot.  I asked the attendant about it, and he said hot water is a real issue on these new cars.  I tried the shower down the hall.  Same result, and I waited awhile.  So I popped into a Viewliner I and had a great, hot shower.  

Here I am, having paid for an upgrade on a train that I cannot see out of with a shower that does not work.  The private shower is one reason I like a bedroom.  Honestly, I never should have done the BidUp, but who knew?

So Amtrak will hear from me.  I want my upgrade cost back.  It is that simple.  I paid for it, and the things I most wanted from the upgrade were not available.  I will let you know what happens.

As of now, we are running early, should be in NYC just after 11.  Other than the shower and windows, it has been a good trip.  But, to me, both of those things matter as a part of the service that I bought from Amtrak.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/25 06:05 by Chessie1963.

As an aside, while waiting for the train outside in Savannah, a gentleman started talking with me.  He was excited that he was able to BidUp from a coach seat to a roomette.  I said, "Let me guess, car 9812, room 2?"  

"Yes."

"That was my room before I BidUp.  You're welcome."

It is just absolutely baffling to me as to why the dirty windows persist, as this has got to be costing Amtrak a TON in refunds, as people are definitely complaining about it, and wanting a refund........Unbelievable. It's pretty persistent across the network. And don't tell me that Amtrak could not have figured out some sort of interim train washing while ALL the car washers seem to be undergoing maintenance. Get the car washers and squeegees back at Minot, Denver, Albuquerque, San Antonio, NYC, etc. 

Glad you had a good trip, Chessie. Not good to hear about the windows. I have a trip coming up in May and although I can wash the windows myself on the Viewliner, the Superliners are a bit more challenging. This is part of the whole experience. Money saved from the automatic car washer - use that for manual car washers. UGH! Absolutely infuriating after we keep hearing that the washers will "be fixed soon." Well I say BS. And have said BS on that. 

Chessie1963

Loved the description of your filthy train as "Bleeping Awful".  My term was "Mud Trains".

Unless you personally experience it -- as we have -- you can't understand the degree of
filth we are talking about.  Unwashed trains are an insult to paying passengers who ride them (like you).

To borrow your term "Bleeping Awful"---it is Bleeping Awful that Gardner never corrects the situation,
or says a word about it.

Here is a pic from this morning.

Remember, phone cameras try to clear things a bit.  

For whatever reason, the pic is upside down.  This happens every time I try to upload a pic.  If I flip it in "photos," it does the same thing.  You get the picture though.

---

Does the Floridian (41) also have dirty windows?  Both 41 and 97/98 are serviced in Miami.

It would be wonderful if Amtrak had a squeegee person in Washington DC who does nothing other than clean the windows of incoming through trains

"It is just absolutely baffling to me as to why the dirty windows persist, as this has got to be costing Amtrak a TON in refunds, as people are definitely complaining about it, and wanting a refund..."


> We are unfortunately unable to comply with your request, as under budgetary restrictions we must conserve our cash resources for executive bonuses.

We were a bit early into NYC, and I was able to grab the last seat in the business class section of the Vermonter, rather than ride 86/486 from NYC to Springfield.  The train was on time, and it is clean on both the inside and the outside.

My guess is that the DC washer is working.  But if your train does not originate or terminate there, at least in the east, your train will be dirty.  Boston washes sometimes, NYC has lost their wash rack, and Chicago has four guys operating theirs, but they are not accepting trains until further notice, due to late release of inbound equipment...  


 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/25 08:38 by Chessie1963.

There  goes  my  faith  they  wash in Florida!!

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does the Floridian (41) also have dirty windows? 
> Both 41 and 97/98 are serviced in Miami.
>
> It would be wonderful if Amtrak had a squeegee
> person in Washington DC who does nothing other
> than clean the windows of incoming through trains

It would NOT be that hard to have at least the windows cleaned in Washington DC as ALL the single level LD trains now pass through the lower platforms of Washington DC. Do it while they are changing the motive power. So ridiculous!

Chessie1963

Do you know why NYC lost it's wash rack?

Was Sunnyside Yard bombed when we were not looking?

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chessie1963
>
> Do you know why NYC lost it's wash rack?
>
> Was Sunnyside Yard bombed when we were not
> looking?

I assume LIRR East Side Access construction and it got in the way. 

Maybe next time you should BidDown!
Chessie, everything is upside down in Amtrakland.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ronald321 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Chessie1963
> >
> > Do you know why NYC lost it's wash rack?
> >
> > Was Sunnyside Yard bombed when we were not
> > looking?
>
> I assume LIRR East Side Access construction and it
> got in the way. 

But that was known to have been at play all the way back to when it was first started and planned when Gunn was President of Amtrak. UGH!

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> But that was known to have been at play all the
> way back to when it was first started and planned
> when Gunn was President of Amtrak. UGH!

Sort of like the surprise every year at the first snowfall in Chicago shops.  Like it never happened before and there's no planning for it.