Silver Meteor DLD to BAL

[Hanno]

I will be in FL in Jan and need to travel back to BAL on the 15th. I was just checking on reservations and prices on the Amtrak website. It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

 

[MrEd]

I would think that indicates service disruption for that day, maybe scheduled track work.

 

[GG-1]

I will be in FL in Jan and need to travel back to BAL on the 15th. I was just checking on reservations and prices on the Amtrak website. It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

Aloha

Is that when the school break ends? If so makes sence.

 

[AlanB]

I will be in FL in Jan and need to travel back to BAL on the 15th. I was just checking on reservations and prices on the Amtrak website. It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

Aloha

Is that when the school break ends? If so makes sence.

No, but I suspect that's Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

 

[Tony]

It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

Apparently, it is. However, the Silver Star is still available for that date.

 

[Hanno]

It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

Apparently, it is. However, the Silver Star is still available for that date.

Yes I noticed the Star was available and the Meteor is available the day before and after. It just seems strange that every seat and all sleepers would be sold out approx. 10 weeks ahead of time. I'll keep checking and maybe it will change!

 

[cpamtfan]

I will be in FL in Jan and need to travel back to BAL on the 15th. I was just checking on reservations and prices on the Amtrak website. It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

Apparently, it is. However, the Silver Star is still available for that date.

Yes I noticed the Star was available and the Meteor is available the day before and after. It just seems strange that every seat and all sleepers would be sold out approx. 10 weeks ahead of time. I'll keep checking and maybe it will change!

Haven't you heard, Amtrak is a hit now!

cpamtfan-Peter

 

[Hanno]

I will be in FL in Jan and need to travel back to BAL on the 15th. I was just checking on reservations and prices on the Amtrak website. It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

It states that the Silver Meteor is "Sold Out" on this date. Does that make sense that the entire train is sold out?

Apparently, it is. However, the Silver Star is still available for that date.

Yes I noticed the Star was available and the Meteor is available the day before and after. It just seems strange that every seat and all sleepers would be sold out approx. 10 weeks ahead of time. I'll keep checking and maybe it will change!

Haven't you heard, Amtrak is a hit now!

cpamtfan-Peter

At least for one particular train on one particular day!

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Remember, winter time is traditionally a heavy travel period on the Florida trains. The train could just be very popular for that date as a whole or a large group or two could be travevling. It is not uncommon to have groups traveling at that time. There may be folks in a group heading to or from a family reunion in the North or it could be something as simple as a large group of shool aged kids making a day trip within the state of Florida. In any event if they are traveling between a city pair that is boarding prior to yours at DLD, then that is why the seats are sold out. For sh**s and giggles, see if you can book yourself from say KIS or ORL to BAL and see if it will allow you to book. If so then you can go that route if they will let you, but it will be your responsiblity to notify the necessary folks at Amtrak a couple days before you travel of your intentions to board two stations up the line. If it were me, I would just take the "Star" and be done with it. It doesn't take it all that much longer. It just leaves DLD after dark and gets you to BAL at a crappy time of day (rush hour) IMHO.

OBS gone freight...

 

[keith9016]

I think this is because AMTRAK will be running the "West Palm Beach Safety Patrol Train" on certain dates in Jan/Feb (Jan 15 is one of them) utilizing regular runs of the Silver Meteor. The general public are not permitted to travel on the Silver Meteor on these dates so i guess this is why the train is being shown as sold out on the website. For further info see NARP Hotline News #577 (5th item from bottom of page).

 

[AlanB]

I think this is because AMTRAK will be running the "West Palm Beach Safety Patrol Train" on certain dates in Jan/Feb (Jan 15 is one of them) utilizing regular runs of the Silver Meteor. The general public are not permitted to travel on the Silver Meteor on these dates so i guess this is why the train is being shown as sold out on the website. For further info see NARP Hotline News #577 (5th item from bottom of page).

I had been thinking about the Safety Patrol thing as a reason for the sell out, but I discounted because I thought that it always happened in the spring.

 

[Tony]

If the Meteor is sold out, one would think that the Star would be close enough to being sold out too, and therefore, be at its highest bucket pricing already. However, I doesn't appear to be.

 

[Tony]

We need to form the AUD Forum Safety Patrol, and have exclusive use of what ever train we want.

We could travel the US, looking for safety problems (coffee too hot!) on our private trains.

 

[AlanB]

If the Meteor is sold out, one would think that the Star would be close enough to being sold out too, and therefore, be at its highest bucket pricing already. However, I doesn't appear to be.

Not if the entire Silver Meteor is blanked because of the safety patrol, that would have no affect on the Star's buckets.

 

[Hanno]

I think this is because AMTRAK will be running the "West Palm Beach Safety Patrol Train" on certain dates in Jan/Feb (Jan 15 is one of them) utilizing regular runs of the Silver Meteor. The general public are not permitted to travel on the Silver Meteor on these dates so i guess this is why the train is being shown as sold out on the website. For further info see NARP Hotline News #577 (5th item from bottom of page).

This makes sense as to why the entire train is "Sold Out". I'll either have to change the date or take the Star although I prefer the timetable on the Meteor!

For my education what purpose does a Safety Patrol Train serve?

 

[AlanB]

For my education what purpose does a Safety Patrol Train serve?

The quick answer is, this is a long standing tradition whereby grade school kids who become part of the Safety Patrol program (basically they act as crossing guards at minor streets near schools that serve Kindergarten and up), get to come to Washington DC by train for a weekend IIRC. They get to see some sights, have some fun, and hand out awards IIRC.

As search here should turn up several threads which may give further details.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

I think this is because AMTRAK will be running the "West Palm Beach Safety Patrol Train" on certain dates in Jan/Feb (Jan 15 is one of them) utilizing regular runs of the Silver Meteor. The general public are not permitted to travel on the Silver Meteor on these dates so i guess this is why the train is being shown as sold out on the website. For further info see NARP Hotline News #577 (5th item from bottom of page).

Oh that's right. I forgot all about them. That would definitely be the reason why #98 would be sold out for that day. It is probably a Thurs isn't it? On the following Sun out of WAS the #97 will show sold out if indeed this is the case.

OBS gone freight...

 

[Hanno]

For my education what purpose does a Safety Patrol Train serve?

The quick answer is, this is a long standing tradition whereby grade school kids who become part of the Safety Patrol program (basically they act as crossing guards at minor streets near schools that serve Kindergarten and up), get to come to Washington DC by train for a weekend IIRC. They get to see some sights, have some fun, and hand out awards IIRC.

As search here should turn up several threads which may give further details.

Thanks for the information. Many, many years ago when I was a "Safety" we got to go to a Phillies baseball game at Connie Mack Stadium. I hate to think of how long ago that was!

 

[Crescent Mark]

Does Amtrak still do this train?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6qY1Dk3eHY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYEH8iVH8Q8

"During the month of January, Amtrak operates a student train that travels between South Florida to Washington D.C. The train operates 4 times Northbound and 4 times Southbound. (Thursdays Northbound 92 & Sundays 97) This is the train as it travels at speed through the Winter Park, Florida Station on January 17, 2006. The trains size can sometimes go as high as 25 cars. "

 

[JAChooChoo]

Does Amtrak still do this train?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6qY1Dk3eHY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYEH8iVH8Q8

"During the month of January, Amtrak operates a student train that travels between South Florida to Washington D.C. The train operates 4 times Northbound and 4 times Southbound. (Thursdays Northbound 92 & Sundays 97) This is the train as it travels at speed through the Winter Park, Florida Station on January 17, 2006. The trains size can sometimes go as high as 25 cars. "

Yes, that is the current operation. Up until a few years ago, Amtrak operated special trains, often with 17 Superliners. However a combination of diminishing car supply and CSX's unwillingness to open a slot for the specials lead to using the existing slots and equipment of 92 & 97 with the addition of extra Amfleet or Horizon high capacity coaches..