Category: Computers

Riding Amtrak’s Silver Meteor from Savannah to New York City in a Private Roomette, April 2024

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

I decided to ride Amtrak back home after visiting my folks, because I dislike the indignity of traveling by air in the United States. I’ve had more than my fair share of “random bag checks,” and I disagree with the security theater at TSA checkpoints that does more to insult than protect.

While a train obviously takes longer than an airplane flight, it provides the individual with a dignified travel experience. You walk from the station to the tracks, board your train, and off you go.

I opted for a roomette aboard Amtrak’s Silver Meteor so that I could sleep more easily on the overnight train ride. The scheduled trip time was about 14 hours, but the actual trip time was closer to 17. For one-way travel, the cost was only a little more than a plane ticket.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience. Perhaps because the experience was new, I had trouble staying asleep. When I ride again, I might take a sleep aid like Melatonin to help with my sleep. Also, as others have remarked online, there were delays. My train’s delays meant that I missed the dinner service, and since the train was designated only with dinner and breakfast service, there was no lunch service despite arriving 3 hours late in NYC the next day. Thankfully, I had learned from other train travelers and came prepared with extra water and snacks to tide me over. However, I might pack an MRE for a meal next time to have something more substantial to eat if needed.

Below are some photos of my trip aboard the Silver Meteor and my roomette. I tried to capture the roomette’s features and amenities as well as demonstrate how much/little leg room there is if you are traveling with another person. Also, this train has a toilet in the roomette–something you would need to negotiate its use if traveling with someone else. Finally, I have some photos of the dining car and the early morning breakfast that I enjoyed (as the dining options are limited, the earlier you go to a meal, the more likely the option you want will still be available).

Savannah Amtrak Station

Train tracks at Savannah Amtrak Station
One of two murals painted inside the Savannah Amtrak Station.
Two of two murals painted inside the Savannah Amtrak Station.
Savannah Amtrak Station entrance as seen from train when leaving

Sleeping Car

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Sleeping Car, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Sleeping Car hallway, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Sleeping Car hallway, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

Roomette

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette door, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette right side seat, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette left side seat with toilet and sink, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

Roomette Toilet and Folding Sink

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette toilet seat, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette toilet seat up, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette sink folded down for use, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

Roomette Interior Door and Window to Hallway

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette sliding door and interior window with curtains pulled, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

Roomette Legroom

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette leg room when sitting straight, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette leg room legs crossed and relaxed, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

Roomette Folding Table

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette metal folding table, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette folding table supporting a 16" Lenovo ThinkPad P1, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

Roomette Bunk Bed

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Roomette bunk bed pulled down and made up for sleep, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

Dining Car

Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Dining car, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.
Amtrak Silver Meteor Train, Dining car breakfast, Savannah to Penn Station, NYC.

Passing Through Washington, DC

Jefferson Memorial and Washington Memorial seen from Amtrak passenger train
Capital Building seen from Amtrak passenger train

Passing Train

Side of passing Amtrak passenger train

Thinking About My Friend Chris Lee: Macintosh Aficionado, Music Guru, and Eidetic Memory Man for Movie Dialog

Chris hanging out in Brunswick. This was my second photo with my Sony Cybershot 2MP camera.

Recently, I was telling my City Tech colleague Kate Falvey about a habit of thought that I have when I encounter things that I would ordinarily want to share with a specific person who I think would be interested in that thing even though that person might have passed away. That kind of thought happens more often with my friend Chris Lee, who passed away in 2016. Our mutual interest in computers, pop culture, and video games was the currency of our friendship over many years that began when he saw me pull out my Apple Powerbook 145B in Mr. Norris’ Graphic Design class at Brunswick High School. Later, after we had a falling out around 2000, he mended the bridge and we became good friends again.

Me in a green hoodie and Chris in a blue jacket outdoors at night.

When we were younger, our great ambition was to open a computer repair shop and publicize it with a video of us marching through flames as Rammstein’s “Du Hast” blasts in the background. He pushed the limits of good sense by loading what I believe to be a record number of Control Panels and Extensions that would dance along the bottom of his Mac’s boot screen–at least three full lines of icons at 1024 x 768. He created archives of sound that surpassed mortal lifespans capable of listening to it all. He mastered anything released for the Nintendo GameCube. He had a phenomenal memory for movie dialog–a specialized eidetic memory that would have been a superpower at trivia night.

Chris Lee dancing in his parents' living room.

The last thing that we talked about was how much had gone on in our lives so far. I texted him, “Too bad we don’t have a time traveling DeLorean. We could stop by and blow our younger selves’ minds 😎.” His reply and last text to me was, “I wish I had a DeLorean.”

LEGO time travel DeLorean with the driver side door open and Doc Brown hanging out.

Not long after that, I got a call from our friend Kenny. Chris had died. He was back in Brunswick where our friendship had started. I couldn’t really write about it then, and even now, it’s difficult. I’m not able to say all that I feel and how I wish that I could share just a few things with Chris again.

Chris Lee's grave stone embossed with UGA's G logo and the Apple Computer apple with a bite taken out logo.

When I visit my parents, I try to visit Chris’s grave in Smyrna Cemetery, which is between Nahunta and Hortense. His grave marker highlights some of his life’s loves, including Apple Computer. Of course, I wish that Chris could hear when I talk, but I know that what I say is only heard by regret.

First Anniversary of My Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Pedagogy Bibliography and Resource List

Artificial intelligence in a giant room of computers. Image generated with Stable Diffusion.

Tomorrow is the first anniversary of the Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Pedagogy Bibliography and Resource List.

I first launched it on 13 April 2023 when I was directing the Professional and Technical Writing (PTW) Program at City Tech before going on my current research sabbatical.

The motivation for the resource was two fold: I wanted to learn all that I could about generative AI for my professional work as a teacher and scholar, and I needed to understand the changes taking place due to these new technologies for the benefit of my students who had already expressed concern and wonder about it.

I launched it with more than 150 MLA-formatted citations of books, collections, and articles related to AI and generative AI with an emphasis on teaching but also including useful background and area specific sources.

Now, it has over 550 citations! It also includes a growing list of online resources with direct links!

I’ll keep adding to it periodically, and if you have some sources that I haven’t included but should, drop me a line (my email address is in the sidebar to the right).