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Round Trip on the Silver Meteor and a Week in Florida
March 20-30, 2003 By Adam Reich
Part 3 of 3

 

Part 3- The ride home on the Silver Meteor #98
Day 10- Saturday March 29, 2003

On Saturday, I woke up at 5:45 a.m., showered and got dressed (wearing my Amtrak shirt of course). I also had a light breakfast before we left at 7:15. We arrived at the West Palm Beach Rail Station (formerly the Seaboard Air Line/Coast Line Station). We saw an SUV and a Sperry Rail Service car on the tracks as soon as we arrived. I saw a Tri-Rail train deadhead North to Magonia Park, then return south. The Silver Meteor #98 arrived a few minutes late, probably because of the Tri-Rail train. A different attendant (the one from 9812, we were in 9811), opened the door of car 9811 (the car was 62002- "Autumn View") there was Sean Gilliam, whom I had arranged to meet up with. We had to drag the bags up the stairs ourselves. After we waved goodbye to Poppy, we headed to the (non Temoinsa) "Refurbished" Diner for breakfast. I had eggs, coffee, potatoes and a croissant.

 

3-1 West Palm Beach Railroad Station

3-2 Sperry Rail Service Truck in West Palm Beach

3-3 Sperry Rail Service Vehicle In West Palm Beach

3-4 Tri-Rail Train with Bombardier Bi-Level Cab Car #509 leading, train is deadheading from West Palm Beach to the Magonia Park Station

3-5 Tri-Rail Locomotive #803 in Push Mode headed to Magonia Park

3-6 Tri-Rail Cab Car #509 stopped in West Palm Beach, train is now heading Southbound

3-7 P-42 #81 leads the Silver Meteor #98 into West Palm Beach, FL

3-8 Room “A” of Viewliner Sleeper #62002 “Autumn View” the room was unoccupied till Charleston

3-9 Interior of Heritage Diner #8502 “Silver Cuisine” Just After Breakfast

3-10 Interior of Heritage Baggage Car #1751 (ex Coach)

 

Our consist for Train #98 (MIA-NYP unless otherwise noted) was:
81- P-42 Diesel Locomotive, Phase V MIA-WAS
934- AEM-7-AC Electric Locomotive, Phase V/Acela Scheme WAS-NYP
1751- Heritage Baggage Car (ex-coach) Phase IV (former 1722)
2500- "Pine Brook"- Heritage Dorm Lounge Phase IV (also had been on our train #97, heading south a little over a week earlier, only car with smoking room.)

62030- "Patriot View" - Viewliner Sleeper Phase IV (Refurbished)
62002- "Autumn View"- Viewliner Sleeper Phase IV (As Built) <------------- I rode here
62028- "Palisades View"- Viewliner Sleeper Phase IV (As Built)
8502- Heritage Diner Phase IV (Non Temoinsa Refurbishment)
28004- "Albany Club" Amfleet II Lounge Phase IV (Concept 2000)
25028- Amfleet II Coach Phase IV (Concept 2000)
25073- Amfleet II Coach Phase VI (Concept 2000)
25088- Amfleet II Coach Phase IVB (Red Safety Stripe, Concept 2000)
25043- Amfleet II Coach Phase VI (Concept 2000, car not opened until ORL)
1229- Heritage Baggage Car Phase III WAS-NYP (Used to carry Mail)

Around MP 870 on Ridge Siding, south of Sebring, Sean and I headed to the rear (bottom) of the train, which was not open to passengers. He also gave me the consist, while we sat in the lounge. We of course, had to wait for #89 to pass us, the conductor for the coaches, stepped out for a smoke in the mean time. We left Winter Haven around 11:35. For Lunch, I had Pepsi, a Cheeseburger, and some ice cream. We finished at Kissimmee, which we left at 12:39. I caught up with Sean in the Dorm, and we watched the Silver Star #92 pass us. Once again the Vermonter Baggage Car #1800 passed me. I took a step off in Orlando, while Sean and the other Conductor handled the baggage. We left Orlando at 1:37 after a long stop with all of the passengers and baggage being loaded.

 

3-11 CSX Track South of Ridge Siding

3-12 Interior of Amfleet II Coach #25043, this car is empty, because it won’t be opened until the busy Orlando Stop  

3-13 3-14 480 Volt electrical locker of Amfleet II Coach #25043

3-14 Call box in Amfleet II Coach #25043

3-15 Ridge Siding, while we wait for the Southbound Palmetto #89 to leave Sebring and pass our train

3-16-19 The Southbound Palmetto #89 passes us (Northbound Silver Meteor #98) at Ridge Siding, with P-42 #135 at the lead and Amfleet II Lounge #28004

3-20 Orlando, Florida Rail Station

3-21 Viewliner Sleeper #62002 “Autumn View” in Orlando, Florida (my sleeper)

3-22 Double Leaf Vestibule doors of Viewliner Sleeper #62002 Autumn View

 

The next stop was Winter Park, where Sean and his mother got off, I of course said goodbye. We left there at 1:57. At 2:09 the coach conductor announced that the train was approx 1 hour and 20 minutes late, with an ETA of 5:55-6:05 p.m. into Jacksonville. At 2:36, we left Sanford. I saw the Auto Train, with 832 and 836 at the lead, which we passed after leaving the station, as well as other Superliners and Auto Carriers. When the room was getting a little warm, we had Bill, our attendant reset the compressor on the B end of the car. We left Palatka at approx 3:39 p.m. Because of several signals not functioning we were forced to go very slowly for several miles south of Jacksonville.

3-23 A look at the front of Train #98 at the Beaver Street Crossover, south of Jacksonville, FL.

 

We left Jacksonville at 5:37, while we were eating dinner. Fortunately, David woke up from a nap in time for our 5:15 dinner reservation. We sat with an older Gentleman, headed from Orlando to Savannah to meet up with his wife and grandchildren she was babysitting. I had Pepsi, and Filet Mingon with mashed potatoes, coffee and Ice Cream. I enjoyed the meal a lot. 8502 did have a slightly dangling ceiling panel.

We left Jesup at 7:08 p.m. At 8:05 we left Savannah, Georgia at 8:05 p.m. after a brief stop, where I stepped off. Around 8:30 p.m. we had Bill make up the beds. We left Yemassee, S.C. at 8:53 p.m. Yemassee is a shabby looking town. We went to bed around 9:30… or at least tried to. The last stop I remember was that we left Charleston at 9:45.

 

3-24 Room “B” in Viewliner Sleeper #62002 in Nighttime Configuration (this was our room)

Day 10- Saturday March 31, 2003

I woke up around 6:15 a.m. At 6:24 a.m., we passed the Twilight Shoreliner #67, just south of Washington D.C. At 6:30 we arrived at Washington D.C. where we'd switched from Diesel to Electric Engines. I stepped off for pictures and noticed that the baggage car had been added to the rear. Once the HEP came on, we headed for breakfast in the Diner. I had Coffee and French toast. We left D.C. at 7:05. I saw Corridor Clipper (Phase IV) in Ivy City and Beech Grove {Phase VI) in the Station. We finished breakfast before Baltimore. At 7:41 we left Baltimore, I saw several MARC trains parked there.

 

3-25 AEM-7-AC #925 in Washington D.C. Union Station

3-26 Switcher #798 in Washington after adding a baggage car (for mail) to the rear of Train #98

3-27 & 28 Viewliner Sleeper #62030 “Patriot View”

3-29 Viewliner Sleeper #62026 “Ocean View”

3-30 Heritage Diner #8502 “Silver Cuisine” in Washington

3-31 & 32 Amfleet II Lounge #28009 “Albany Club” in Washington

3-33 & 34 Amfleet II Coach #25073 in Washington

3-35 & 36 Amfleet II Coach #25028 in Washington

3-37 & 38 Amfleet II Coach #25043 in Washington

3-39 Heritage Baggage Car #1229 after being Added for Mail in Washington

3-40 There it is Again, Heritage Dorm Lounge #2500 “Pine Brook” in Washington

3-41 AEM-7-AC #941 being attached to The Silver Meteor #98 in Washington D.C. Union Station

3-42 AEM-7-AC #945 (Phase V Paint) with an AEM-7(-DC) in (Phase III Paint)

3-43 Portrait of Albany, New York inside Amfleet II #28009 “Albany Club”

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

I changed into clean clothes before Wilmington, which we left at 8:29. Amtrak's Consolidated National Operations Center was visible from the station. We passed the Wilmington Shops at 8:34. At 8:37, another southbound train passed up. At 9:00 a.m. we left Philadelphia after a Brief stop. At 9:11 a.m. another southbound train passed us, then another one plus a Septa at 9:14.

 

3-44-45 Passing Penn Coach Yards

3-46-47 Running Past Bridge South of Trenton

3-48 Septa Coach 2552 in Trenton

3-49 Septa Coach 2559 and AEM-7 #2304 in Trenton

3-50 Septa MU #217

 

                    

 

We left Trenton, New Jersey around 9:15-9:30, and got into Newark around 10:10 a.m. A Red Cap was actually there to help us (first time I've seen one in Newark). He helped us bring our bags to the car. There, Dad and Jeremy were waiting for us. The ride home was uneventful, I did however, see a New Jersey Transit MidTOWN DIRECT train at Newark Broad St. Station.