What do I not want to miss? Silver Meteor

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After the pony change in Washington, you'll have a spectacular view of the Capital City on the right side of the train. Granted it'll be at night, but you should still be able to see plenty. Moving south in the Carolina's there's not as much, but the scenery is still pretty good. After leaving JAX you'll pass through Beaver Street (CSX Moncrief and NS Simpson Yards) which is one of the most heavily used rail yard areas in the country. South of Sanford you'll really start to see Central Florida as you pass through Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, and Winter Park. There's a nice little park on the left side of the train at the Winter Park station (although it's not quite the same since the hurricanes came through). You'll pass Florida Hospital, then on the right will be Lake Ivanhoe, once you come around the curve at the Radisson Hotel, Downtown Orlando will be on your left. After leaving the Orlando Station its a pretty quick 18 minute ride to Kissimmee.
 
South of JAX you will cross a few bridges over the St. Johns river, at least one with a beautiful view off in the distance (east - left side of southbound train) of the Jax skyline. The St. Johns is, I think, the only river in the U.S. that flows north, and the Star and Meteor cross it several times on the way down to Orlando. The last time is maybe three or four miles before you arrive at the Sanford station. You pass a power plant (on your right) just before you cross the river. RIght now the St. Johns is at/near/above flood stage most of the way along it's entire path, thanks to the three hurricanes we've had in just under two months, and should be really something to see. Also, between Palatka and Deland you will sporadically see some of the greenhouses where a significant percentage of the nation's ferns (used by florists) are grown. About 6 minutes north of Winter Park, you will go around a curve to the right, go under a highway overpass, and then about 1/2 mile south of there, on the left, you will go past the church I work at, at the A783 Milepost. Most of the train engineers, passenger and freight, wave at the kids in our preschool's playground, and once or twice a year our preschool does a field trip, busing the kids to Sanford and putting them on the Star southbound to WPK, with waves and horn toots when they pass the church on the way. The kids love it. With the schedule change I guess now they'll use the Meteor.

Have fun!!!
 
AmtrakWPK said:
The St. Johns is, I think, the only river in the U.S. that flows north, and the Star and Meteor cross it several times on the way down to Orlando.
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The Ausable River in NY State also flows north, and I think, but I'm not sure, that there are a few other rivers that flows north in the US. :)
 
yep, you're right. I just researched it and at least one site shows the St. Johns, the Monongahela, and the Willamette primarily. Then it went on with several others: NEW RIVER, YOUGHIOGHENY, CHEAT, SHENANDOAH, YELLOWSTONE, TENNESSEE, and then another list: Big Horn (WY and MT), near which General Custer met his doom

Big Sandy (KY and WV)

Carson (NV)

Cuyahoga (OH) -- starts flowing SW but makes a U-turn to flow north into Lake Erie at Cleveland; its source is farther north than its mouth!

Deschutes (OR) -- just west of and straighter than the Willamette

Gallatin (WY)

Genessee (PA and NY) -- Its headwaters in northcentral Pennsylvania are just a few miles from those of the Allegheny, northeast of Coudersport, Pa. Pine Creek, a major tributary of the Susquehanna River, also starts nearby. (One of my sisters lives in that area, which is how I knew about this.) The Genessee flows north to Lake Ontario; the Allegheny soon detours north briefly into New York State, then flows primarily south and southwest to Pittsburgh, where it merges with the Monongahela to form the Ohio; but Pine Creek flows south and southeast toward Chesapeake Bay.

John Day (OR)

Jordan (UT) -- flows N from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake (its namesake in the Holy Land, however, flows south)

Licking (KY)

Madison (WY)

Medicine Bow (WY)

Onionagon (WI)

Oswego (NY)

Owyhee (ID and OR) -- winds around a lot but the general direction is more N than anything else; named for 3 Hawaiians who wanted to see more of the world only to be killed by Indians while part of an expedition to explore the Snake River in 1819.

Powder (WY and MT) -- begins flowing E but then goes N or NNE to the Yellowstone.

Sandusky (OH)

Smoky Hill (KS)

Snake (ID, OR and WA)

Vermilion (OH)

Walker (NV)

White River of South Dakota

Withlacoochee River (FL)

Of course, how many of these are primarily north flowing, I dunno. A tired Sunday night just wasn't the time to go look. All water under the bridge anyway :-} (or over the dam?)

So (I should have known better anyway) don't take somebody's word for something general without researching it. Another point was that if global warming ever starts melting stuff in Antarctica, they would ALL be north-flowing rivers. :lol:
 
hifidigital said:
Thanks all! I can't wait. I've printed out the must see's.
Time to head home and get my stuff together!
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Hope you enjoy your trip on our "Meatball Express!" Let us all here in the forums know how it went. :lol: :D
 
Well, the trip went well. I upgraded to a sleeper after the crew change in Washington. I finally got situated sometime after midnight.

This was my first long distance trip and was pretty excited. I used the top bunk in room 11. The strangest thing was that I imagined the ride to be smoother somehow. I was tossed about quite a bit overnight. I did finally get some sleep and woke up around 8 am.

Breakfast was good, but whats up with the hash browns? They're awful.

I spent some time hanging around the louge car, chatting a bit.

I had a decent cheeseburger for lunch, then watched a movie back in my room.

The train was about 3 hours late into Kississimee, but it was the start of my vacation and appreciated the extra time to relax before 7 days of running around DisneyWorld.

Why do you call this the Meatball Express?
 
Meteor - Meatball, similar enough I guess . . . either that or they call it that because it some times uses "Swedish Meatball" locomotives sometimes between New York and Washington (AEM-7s) :D
 
P40Power said:
"Swedish Meatball" locomotives sometimes between New York and Washington (AEM-7s) :D
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Aloha

I don't know, thought most thought the AEM-7 was well liked, I just remember when they were introduced the G's put them to shame even at 50 years of age, check out an article in "Trains"{sorry don't know issue}
 
The G's were the best built, but the AEM comes pretty damn close to beating them out. With a smaller 4 axle design, and much better looks, I'd take one anyday.
 
The AEM-7 is a great unit from what I hear aside from the occasional fire (due to overuse not enough maintence most likely). They are intresting looking units, Ive seen many in pictures and never one in person. ( I hope to someday though, I did get to see an Acela Express this summer!).
 

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