Dynamic Subspace

Tag: Amtrak

  • Amtrak’s 97 Silver Meteor from NYP to JSP in June 2025

    roomette side shot

    A few weeks ago, I rode Amtrak’s Silver Meteor 97 train from New York City to Jesup, Georgia. As I’ve reported before here and here, it was an enjoyable experience and recommended.

    I used this overnight journey to catch up on writing several letters, which I mailed from the Jesup post office after I arrived. I also made use of the on-board power to run my laptop to watch some shows and do some light Internet work. One problem on this trip was unreliable WiFi, so I relied on my phone’s limited data plan.

    The roomette was much quieter than on my last trip, which made my sleep much more restful. There was a delay at some point during the night, which made us almost three hours late (we were still on time when I had gone to bed around 1:00am). I’ve learned that delays should be expected.

    Since I was traveling alone, I asked my car’s steward if I could have dinner service in my room. I ordered the steak dinner with chocolate cake and a Heineken beer (one alcoholic beverage is included with the meal service).

    This particular car was like one that I had ridden on before with the roomette having a sink in the room, but the toilet was located at the end of the hallway by the exit. My roomette’s sink worked very well with the hot and cold water dispensing properly when I needed to wash my hands or face.

    Here are some pictures from inside my train car and roomette on this trip.

    interior hallway of a roomette train car
    interior hallway of a roomette train car
    train roomette doorway
    roomette sink and steps for the upper bunk
    right side seat with bags
    left side seat
    table folded out holding a writing tablet, pen, and laptop computer, train tracks are seen outside the window
    in-car dinner service, dinner packages are wrapped in foil and plastic
    beer in plastic cup and salad
    steak dinner with mashed potatoes, green beans, and carrots,

  • There and Back Again on Amtrak

    railroad tracks extending to the horizon

    Before we knew about Hurricane Helene, I had planned to visit my folks for two weeks to help out after my dad got out of the hospital for a back ailment. I took Amtrak’s 97 Silver Meteor from NYC to Jesup, Georgia (Sept. 24-25, 2024), and returned via the 98 Silver Meteor from Jesup to NYC (Oct. 8-9, 2024). Here are some pictures of the trains, sleeper car rooms, and meals.

    97 Silver Meteor (NYP to JSP)

    steel trusses holding up the glass roof over a floor with escalators going down

    The 97 Silver Meteor sleeper cars didn’t have a toilet in the room as my previous Amtrak ride from JSP to NYC. Otherwise, the car seemed of newer construction. However, the room door rattled constantly. I should have asked for something to wedge into the door to eliminate that noise (and sleep better as a result). I liked how the in-car sink had turn knobs, which work much better than the push button faucets (either too little water or an explosion of water). Because the dining car was full, I asked for dinner in my room. It came with all the trimmings and was delicious! The worst part of the trip was someone in my car was going to bridge between cars to smoke. They left the door open, smoke entered the car, and set off the smoke alarms in unoccupied rooms and mine when I went to investigate. The culprit did not reveal him or herself.

    amtrak train roomette with seat and sink
    amtrak train roomette with seat occupied by two bags and a pillow
    two seats inside amtrak train roomette
    amtrak train roomette sink folded down for use
    amtrak dinner service white plastic bag
    amtrak dinner service white plastic bag interior with plates wrapped with foil and plastic cup of red wine
    amtrak dinner service on foldout table in roomette--steak, potatoes, vegetables, salad, chocolate cake, roll, and red wine in plastic cup

    98 Silver Meteor (JSP to NYP)

    greetings from jesup georgia mural painted on a brick wall

    The Silver Meteor from JSP to NYP was much like my previous ride from SAV to NYP. The roomette was very similar–toilet in the room, push-button sink controls, older construction, and less vibration noise. I had breakfast in the dining car close to 7:00am. The omelet and fixings hit the spot! The downsides to this ride was that the water pressure was far too high on the sink faucet and the air conditioning was warm despite changing the thermostat.

    welcome to jesup georgia arch and fountain in front of train tracks
    amtrak train station in jesup georgia--a long brick building with a low ranch roof
    two sets of train tracks extended to the horizon and going under an roadway overpass
    a passenger amtrak train approaching the station in jesup georgia
    amtrak roomette seat
    amtrak roomette seat filled with bags, laptop open on foldout table, toilet and sink on the left
    amtrak roomette bunk bed made
    amtrak roomette sink mirror with towels and soap and drinking cups
    amtrak roomette sink with push-button faucet
    amtrak dining car breakfast of omelette, bacon, potatoes, and biscuit on a table with white tablecloth
    view of downtown manhattan skyline from new jersey

  • 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