Passenger Trains > Silver Meteor Trip Report

I believe this post may violate several rules of the passenger train board of Train Orders.  Please forgive me!  I simply don't have anything bad to say about Amtrak.  Pleasant, on time, trip from Fayetteville NC to Wilmington DE today, Monday 11/3/25.  No issues, no drama, no bitching or whining.  I'm sorry, I know there is no room for a post like this! 

The northbound Meteor pulled into Fayetteville a few minutes early on it's trip up from Miami.  Patronage was decent for a o dark thirty (1257AM) scheduled train - maybe 6-8 off, 20-25 on coach, and zero off, 3 on sleepers (me and a couple).  As I mentioned in an early post, I book Roomette 8 on the 9810 car but for some reason was upgraded to Bedroom A.  In video of train arriving in Fayetteville, you will notice that my room is brightly lite and ready.   Car attendant Sonny was on his game all trip, starting right out of the gate by greeting the 3 passengers on the platform by name and offering assistance with luggage.  Trip was uneventful and restful - I fell asleep pretty quickly and only woke up briefly at the Richmond VA stop and for good at the Alexandria stop.  Balance of trip was just as smooth.

Video is of train arriving in Fayetteville.  Pic is of my sleeper in Wilmington.  Car was clean inside and out, and everything works, but is in need of a refresh.  But I have to be 100% honest, I've been on a lot of Delta regional jets that appeared more tired than this car.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/25 14:28 by scraphauler.

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Here are interior pics of the car - my room A, Roomette 2, and the hallway.  Clean, functional, everything works.  

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WIndows.  The big bugaboo of Trainorders.  Dirty Windows.  These are shots out of the window in DC. No issues here.  Bonus shot of diner.

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That was quite a fast approach tge enginerr made approaching the platform.  He wasn't wasting any time!
Andy

To me that engineer was a pro. My own opinion...:):):)

Proving they never get anything all right, the nice dining car (photo) has the obligatory cardboard trash box plainly in view.  There is not a restaurant charging (coach pax) $25pp for lunch that does this.  But baby steps.  Maybe another few decades and well . . . 

Amtrak did an EXCELLENT job with these Viewliner II Diners. Classy setup and great double windows with good alignment with booths and windows etc. They are spectacular cars for eating and dining and lounging in. HARD STOP. 

What KILLS me though is if you are sitting next to the booth or in the booth facing the trash can so you can see everyone else's dinner being thrown into the trash cans! This SHOULD NOT be done and should actually be an FDA violation. There are built in trash cans at some areas in lounge and diners, but Amtrak REFUSES to use them, opting for the easy cardboard collection section that quite frankly - is gross, smells, and should NOT be. This is been going on for over 15 years now, if not longer! 

Great trip report though! 

Thank you for the narrative, photos & video.

Glad your experience was so positive.  I hope your return trip is just is good.

 

ssarcadia Wrote:
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> Proving they never get anything all right, the
> nice dining car (photo) has the obligatory
> cardboard trash box plainly in view.  There is
> not a restaurant charging (coach pax) $25pp for
> lunch that does this.  But baby steps.  Maybe
> another few decades and well . . . 

WOW, it took a whole 45 minutes for the negativity all Amtrak all wrong all the time crowd to crash the party.

We are glad, believe me, to get a positive trip report.   All trip reports should be like this. 

The amtk bashing only comes from just too many bad reports, and we all get frustrated at seemig inaction by the brass.
But thx for the good report and hope to see a lot more of them.

Admittedly, some ppl here are way too picky, like they are dreaming of being nobles travelling i  the gilded age. 

 

jp1822 Wrote:
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> This SHOULD NOT be done and
> should actually be an FDA violation.

ROFLMAO

"Should be an FDA violation"

Good one. Thanks for the laugh.

longliveSP

You are often one of the negative fans on here --
consistently bashing your fellow fans for simply
telling the truth about Amtrak failings.

Hearing about a great trip makes us all feel better--but,
we all know how inconsistent Amtrak can be.
(think--"Mechanical Assessments")







 

twropr Wrote:
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> That was quite a fast approach tge enginerr made
> approaching the platform.  He wasn't wasting any
> time!
> Andy

Indeed !!  When you get that feeling that the train is not going to stop for you.
Somebody taught that engineer the way to handle a passenger train.

Terrific station stop. Reminds me of the New York Central trains in Schenectady.

As a frequent Meteor rider, I have to say that the train represents Amtrak's best right now.  The trains run on time, they are consistent in quality of equipment and crews, have a real diner, etc.  I have found the sleeper attendants to be among the best in the country.  I do not post every trip, but my last few Meteor trips have been great.

I really do love that train.  I will be on board November 20.

Good report, like the dining room picture. Minus the garbage can would be nicer.

I've always found the cardboard garbage boxes to be very practical, but certainly not pretty.  I remember back in about 1968, Northern Pacific received complaints from witnesses at the Mainstreeter discontinuance hearings about covered garbage bins put really close to seats at two-person tables in the train's Economy Buffet car (the so-called "slops barrel" testimony).  Those were former North Coast Limited and Mainstreeter diners butchered for cafeteria service to save crew money.  NP ended up removing a two-person table and moving the three cans involved to the table's space opposite a condiment counter, which did get the cans away from the customers. Great Northern used a better garbage arrangement when it converted one of its Western Star diners for the same type of service on an experimental basis.  That experiment wasn't repeated.  Oh, NP lost that Mainstreeter discontinuance case.

IVagree with the previous posters, the engineer is pretty good with a brake valve. One compliant though, I was instructed by Notch 7's buddy , Mr. JJW Looney, that when stopping, release the brakes so everyone standing up won't be real polite and bow to the person next too them. I can assure that is a hard manuver for an engineer.If you brake short, you can't do it. This person is a right short braker.


Sam

longliveSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ssarcadia Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Proving they never get anything all right, the
> > nice dining car (photo) has the obligatory
> > cardboard trash box plainly in view.  There is
> > not a restaurant charging (coach pax) $25pp for
> > lunch that does this.  But baby steps.  Maybe
> > another few decades and well . . . 
>
> WOW, it took a whole 45 minutes for the negativity
> all Amtrak all wrong all the time crowd to crash
> the party.

I'm surprised it took that long...

Fine report , photos and video .  Seems there are always comments from the "peanut gallery "' even with a train in good shape , clean windows .  Glad you enjoyed your travels and more importantly for sharing them with us !