I fabricated and welded every single frame for that new Amtrak line, I even built the prototypes(sleepers,diners,baggage and bagdorms). It was fun to build the frames and later on I helped finish the interiors. It's such an honor to have you like them and I love seeing them on the track in service. P.s if you look on the ends on the frame below the door posts there is a hand stamped serial number. I hand stamped every single frame.
I do have to say that this is the BEST video I have ever seen, and watching it from all angles, plus the "rail fan" video footage from the sides of the road (as the train passes and the snow blowing) was extremely cool. This is by far the best video I have ever seen (from a Rail Fan). Amazing stuff!
Genius !!! I wish I could have done that when I moved from Oregon to Florida on AmTrak ten years ago !!! Image having inside and outside photo montage of a cross continental trip.
This train goes bye my house, well within a mile. I have ridden it from Raleigh to NYC and back. Could have flown for cheaper and quicker; I did read an entire book over the two days.
You are one of the biggest reasons I took the train to New York in September of '21, along with my father's encouragement. I thouroughly thank you so much for this video, because the train trip added so much to my trip. Moynihan Hall was truly an experience to be in in general once I was leaving for home, after a week of being in NYC. Thank you so much, Simply Railways!
Florida is a lot bigger than most people realize. When I was in my 20s my girlfriend and I drove down to the Keys from Indianapolis one time. I remember crossing the state line into Florida and thinking “Wow we’re almost there!” Nope, we were barely halfway.
That is a problem for me as I live just North of the Keys. It takes all day to get out of this State so normally when driving we stayed over night near the GA/SC State line. As I had a CDL, legally I couldn't make a trip from here to Quincy in legal time in the State vehicle. And here to Jax was also cutting it close at times. To get to home in Ohio, it is a 17 hour drive. To get from here to Anniston, AL it is a 12 hour drive into our neighboring State. But from Ohio to Anniston thru WV, VA, TN, GA, AL is only a 10 hour drive.
Had a similar experience when I drove from my home in Southern San Diego County (I live about eight miles from the Mexico border) to Seattle...we didn’t actually LEAVE California and cross into Oregon until Day 3, more than 850 miles into the 1400 mile trip...if you drive Florida from Pensacola, near the Alabama border, to Key West, you have a similar 850 mile trek!
We drove from Fort Lauderdale to Houston, TX after getting off of our cruise (during 9/11, so no more flights). I got an education really fast how big Florida is....especially that westerly route! Mississippi and Alabama state lines were blips in comparison.
Great video. Love the subtitles instead of incessant talking, you can hear the ambient sounds. My grandparents always took the Silver Meteor to Florida back in the 1950s-60s pre-Amtrak. We used to see them off at Penn Station in NYC. Back then you could go on the train before it left to say good-bye. They always booked a sleeper but grandma usually stayed up all night playing cards in the club car with the other night owls. Wonderful memories.
Me and my family also. My hometown stop of Sellers, SC was between the Latta and Florence stations. Once they forgot my aunt was getting off in Sellers and when she got off in Florence, they gave her money and also had a Pennsylvania Railroad employee drive her back to Sellers. (The New York to Florida route was known as Pennsylvania Railroad until Amtrak to over in the beginning of 1970). This was wonderful because before then, you had to stand up or sit in the aisles all the way to your destination even if you had children or babies. Some seated passengers were kind enough to let the elderly or people with children sit for a while. Do you remember you could look up and hear the announcer when he announced train departures? Everyone my Harlem neighborhood and in the South were so proud that he was black. Once I stared at him so hard, he waved at me. I loved hearing how he pronounced the word "and". He would always say: "annnnnn ... ". Also the current departure gates were not East and West -- they were A and B and when he announced the gates, it was so poetic.
Me too, the wooden panels were great back then and still great now rather than the bright pastel colors and plastic that would have to be changed after a few years.
Nice to see the Amtrak Silver Meteor line still going. My father took the whole family on Silver Meteor from Miami to New York on vacation back in 1982. We returned to Miami on Silver Meteor also. We went in a first class room for 4 persons. It was my first experience on a train traveling. It was the best summer I had with my family.
I've taken that Amtrak train to Florida for 15 years at Easter with my kids, the fun began as soon as we got on board the train. We always booked coach seats and Philadelphia was the last pick up of passengers, if there were sleeping cars not used after that we always would upgrade to a sleeper car for about $30. What a deal, all the meals were included, the conducted told me about that little trick after our first trip to Florida, used it like a charm for the next 14 years. Worth asking for definitely!!!
@@kathyficarotta598 How did that 1 year go? Dealing with kids in coach for 24+ hours on Amtrak would change the value proposition of the other 14 years for me.
While I have no interest in trains myself (beyond a potential leisurely trip out West at some point), the geeky-in-a-good-way enthusiasm and pure joy of you getting so excited about the equipment, the routes, the updates, etc., is truly contagious and really makes for an enjoyable -- and information-rich -- video. In a way, I envy seeing people that passionate about their hobbies. So you just keep on ridin' and sharing!
When I was growing up, my dad would always take me to the station to meet my Granny coming in on the Silver Meteor! We lived in Raleigh, NC and she lived in Savannah, GA. We would see who could stand the closest to the rails when the train came in and loved the rumble it gave our chests! I was a little girl then, and I turn 64 this year. I have also had the pleasure of riding the Silver Meteor, too! One thing on my Bucket List is to take my husband (who has never been on a train) on a trip in a sleeper aboard the same train to remember my sweet Granny. Thank you for bringing back wonderful memories!
Thank you for leaving the subtitles up long enough for us to read them and then see what you are capturing at that moment. A lot of UA-camrs could learn something by watching this video.
Love the fact you allow for the background/track/train noise to be the audio on your videos, not not incessant talking (subtitles are best). Allows viewers to really experience the trip without any distractions. Cheers! (from a new subscriber)
I too agree 100%. I also love the pacing, giving us the time to see and understand everything, instead of quickly moving the camera all over the place.
I used to take the Auto-train from Virginia to Florida to visit my grandma in the 90's. As a small child, they used to put movies on for kids and I met kids my age. It was before everyone had cell phones so we used to bring board games and lanyard to keep ourselves busy. Very good memories.
I took the autotrain in 2019 when I moved back to PA from FL. At age 41 it was my first time, and I LOVED it! It was so much fun, and being rocked to sleep in my tiny little sleeper room while I watched a movie on my tablet was so nice. I’d love to do another sleeper car trip!
I'm a grandmother in NC, near Charlotte, and I thoroughly enjoyed your video. I don't enjoy traveling too far from home, even though I have several times, but I loved being able to travel and learn while in my own home. Good job !
This is the most proffesional in car, train trip video I've ever seen. Shooting is incredibly steady, moves are smooth as can be. No wandering, no lighting problems, audio is appropiate and right where it should be. Tracked the video right on. Editing superb, I am almost not noticing it. Love the details. I'm sure going to watch more of your work. Thanks so much for the fine story telling. Marty Jasper
I would love if you could elaborate on what this video brings to you. I'm struggling to understand what one gains from watching this. I enjoy keeping videos of front cab views of scenic places in the background while I work, but this is a little bit puzzling.
Your camerawork was steady! Wonderful! The Amtrak formerly rocked sideways enough to make me dizzy. Can other viewers give feedback on coach motion.Has Amtrak stabilized?
@@TickleMeTimbers Well for starters, people see how train travel is like. People like to know the best deals and if it is worth it. Also, this can count as a scenic video because we do see scenery along the way.
Excellent trip report, as usual. Thank you! Sorry if someone already mentioned this (I wasn't able to read through all the comments) but as you mentioned the new Moynihan Train Hall is located across 8th Avenue from Penn Station in part of the former Farley Post Office (btw, the post office facility is still operating, but has been reduced in size, obviously, and modernized). The reason the post office is on the western edge of Penn Station is because, when the Pennsylvania RR opened NY Penn Station in 1910 all intercity mail traveled by train, so when trains arrived in New York, passengers would disembark under Penn Station and mail was unloaded to the Farley postal facility. As you all know, the original Penn Station was one of the great architectural wonders of the New World and its demolition in 1963 and replacement with Madison Square Garden led to an overwhelming outcry that eventually led to New York City's landmark preservation laws. Until the completion of the Moynihan Train Hall, New York City was the only major city on the Northeast Corridor with a truly sub-par train station. This is definitely a step in the right direction, although, of course, the 1960's Penn Station under Madison Square Garden continues to operate.
We might add that after demolition of the original Penn Station, Grand Central Station was next to be demolished....but Jacqueline Kennedy waged a successful battle to save it, and in so doing got the Preservation movement in New York started.
Riding the train is relaxing. You get to see/discover the USA without having to be focused on driving :) It's a great way just to view our beautiful country
@@joelt00b Flying is incredibly safe, so saying it's less safe isn't a very big statement. That's like saying a blow torch is less hot than the sun; well, obviously.
I'm super-impressed with how quiet it was at night. I enjoy the unique sounds associated with train travel, but the gentle "white-noise" at night seemed delightfully restful..
I mean... Always, ALWAYS pack earplugs, though. I once met the world's loudest snorer grandma in a 4-person sleeper. Bonus: the other 2 places were occupied by a 2 parents and their cca. 2-3 year old son. The son could also not sleep from the SNORING, but he was totally quiet.
I traveled many trips in the Viewliner 1 sleepers, and enjoyed having the toilet in the roomette. What amazed me the most was the lack of odor! No foul odors, no chemical odor, no odor! To get up in the middle of the night to have a quick pee was so much easier than having to get dressed and go to a (usually dirty) toilet somewhere else. I'm firmly in the camp that will miss the toilets. Now living in the Superliner part of the US, I also believe they should have in-room toilets. I enjoy your videos!
I think the wood paneling looks great. Makes it feel more retro and old fashioned. Also, it seems more inviting than if it were just stainless steel or something.
@@jblkcns Because we don't need it! The average American flies or drives. What is the point in spending money on a nationwide high speed rail network? I would agree with you if this was the 1940s. But its not! Its just not worth it nationwide.
@@black10872people fly because the train is slow, people drive because its cheaper then the train. When I use to take it to south caralina most people i talk to said they take it becuase they were scared to fly and that they were scared of falling a sleep on the road. Its honestly faster too drive and cheaper to take a plane to nyc delaware then taking a train. It is very relaxing taking a train and the view once you leave the city area is nice.
Never had the urge to take a train trip until I saw this video 😬 Most times I don’t like people but seeing your railfans get footage at the platforms just renewed my hope in people ❤️
I don't think the in room toilets are a waste of space. I don't want to walk down the hall in the middle of night just to use a toilet. My wife and I always get a bedroom with the toilet in room now. I understand the lack of funds can leave you with no alternative but to get a roomette or coach seat. I did it a few times on overnight trains and it was the only bad part of taking the train. It's also nice to be able to take a shower without leaving your room.
Man, if you pay for basic you'll get basic. For instance, Czech Railway's WLABmz826 sleeper has full toilets only for first class coupes. The rest of the coach share's a communal one.
The Superliners don't have toilets in their roomettes and it has never been an issue. In fact, passengers prefer it that way. The Viewliner I roomette toilets have consistently been considered a nuisance in customer surveys.
I used to go to Miami from New York when I was a teenager. I am now 85 years old. We had a "Pullman" which, if I remember correctly, was two rooms and a private bathroom. It was a very exciting trip for my sister, me, my mother and father. We also enjoyed the dining car and couldn't get over how the waiters could carry and balance the trays full of food while the train was moving side to side and back and forth. Then, plane travel became popular, and you could get to Miami faster and cheaper. But, I miss those days on the Silver Meteor. One last comment, some years ago, I took the train to Florida by myself and had a Roomette that had a bathroom. Watching this video today, I can't imagine paying such a high price for a Roomette and having to walk down a public hall to use a bathroom or take a shower. For someone my age, this just wouldn't work!
I dk about the “old rattling sound” at night, but for me, the whole point of taking the train is to be able to hear the ‘chunk-chunk’ sound of the wheels on the track, such a comforting sound.
I'm so glad to see young people into American trains I've loved since childhood. I hear the European ones are far superior, but it we all support Amtrak and NARP and write our Congresspeople, hopefully Amtrak can continue to improve. Well done video!
Actually taxpayers shouldn't fund this hobby. It's a slow and inefficient transport system especially when the future of self driving cars will mean much faster point to point transport than is currently possible.
@Smitastic trains are supported by politicians. Airplanes are in demand by people but politicians do a lot to make air travel less convenient than it should be. 350 dollars for a seven hour train ride that can be done in 90 minutes on an airplane is nothing but DUMB
@Smitastic I do not confuse the engineering marvel of high speed trains with the inconsiderate burden of forcing taxpayers to subsidize it. I'm not selfish in wanting other people to finance what I consider "cool".
@Smitastic so because government takes our money we should support subsidies for trains?? Nice lack of logic. Better idea is keep train vanity projects unfunded while REDUCING subsidies for everything else including planes.
I took this trip in the early 1990s, when the Viewliner I’s were new. It was an awesome experience. I’m so happy to see this trip report, you brought back some great memories! I can’t wait to see the Moynihan Train Hall in person someday. 😀
This channel inspired me to take my first cross-country trip by sleeper train from NYC to LA. I had the best time during this pandemic. Keep up the good work.
Amazing video. Informative and conveyed the excitement I would expect were I actually there. Thank you. I am such a fan of trains. I hope this country builds more of this transportation infrastructure.
the new roomettes look NICE! I travel once or twice a year on Amtrak just for the fun of it and I always get a roomette. I haven't done the east coast yet though, this has inspired me!
I love train travel. Love it. This is as good as being on the train. Thank you! My immigrant grandfather was an engineer back in the early 1900s. My dad was an airline captain, my brother captains big boats. But for me, I love train travel. My little boy, back in 1985, and I took a sleeper from Yemassee SC to Ft. Lauderdale. It was so much fun. We usually took coach. Maybe one day I'll be able to hop aboard again. Thank you again for this travel diary.
This was an excellent video. Very informative as well as entertaining. Great explanation of the differences and similarities between Viewliner I and II and Phase III and Phase VI as well. This trip brought back memories of my only trip by rail on the AutoTrain back in 2006. I am now seriously considering a trip on the Meteor with my lady and my sons. It was also cool seeing your railfans along the route. You are a great UA-camr. Looking forward to your next video. Much success to you. 🇫🇷
this is the best video for someone looking for what to expect. An I love how you stay silent allowing viewer to take in all details the others dont show much its like they love sound of their own voice they distracted away from what purpose of video is.
As much as I enjoy making fun of the us-trainsystem, this new station is so good looking (especially the clock hanging from the skylight)! What an amazing building.
We fly, almost no one takes a train. Why sit on a train for 31 hours when you can be there in 3? Unless the train it traveling the west, the Rocky Mountains or Deserts, there's nothing worth seeing.
@@TheBandit7613 100% agreed. If flying was expensive, it’d be different, but right now I can fly from NYC to Miami for under $100 round-trip (economy) or $240 in first class, so why would I spend $800 on an Amtrak roomette? Why would anyone, if they weren’t making money off the video?
I loved the train as a child, back in the 70’s we took the train from Ocala to Hollywood fla. back then it was true dining car that I remember being able to smell the food two or three cars away. And the club car had shag carpeting with a bar a console color tv. And even tho it wasn’t but 6hr trip my mom always got a cabin/pullman. I loved it. I miss it too.
I took the train from Miami to Philadelphia earlier this year, first time ever on Amtrak! Long trip but I really loved it, seeing the country! It took 26 hours and of course I slept a bit as well in the night hours but I really loved it! Great experience! Love travelling with Amtrak!! Would love to do it again and travel more in America and see more of that country!!😀
@@tasheaiyyawelch3249 to get a normal seat for a trip like that is round 160 USD. If you get a room, it's more like 1500 usd, but in exchange you get the room and three meals per day. For the train we're talking about (silver meteor) the meals are prepared in a kitchen. On most Amtrak trains, especially east of the Mississippi, the meals are prepared off site and just microwaved on the train. List of ones where the meal is prepared onboard: Sample Menus Get a taste of traditional dining selections by sampling each route menu: Auto Train Menu California Zephyr Menu Coast Starlight Menu Empire Builder Menu Silver Meteor Menu Silver Star Menu Southwest Chief Menu Sunset Limited Menu Texas Eagle Menu*
@@gravityslave6277 to get a normal seat for a trip like that is round 160 USD. If you get a room, it's more like 1500, but in exchange you get the room and three meals per day. For the train we're talking about (silver meteor) the meals are prepared in a kitchen. On most Amtrak trains, especially east of the Mississippi, the meals are prepared off site and just microwaved on the train. List of ones where the meal is prepared onboard: Sample Menus Get a taste of traditional dining selections by sampling each route menu: Auto Train Menu California Zephyr Menu Coast Starlight Menu Empire Builder Menu Silver Meteor Menu Silver Star Menu Southwest Chief Menu Sunset Limited Menu Texas Eagle Menu*
These videos are like a mini vacation for me in this era of COVID. Thank you for helping me add to my bucket list! (You know, I stay up all night watching these sometimes!)
A train trip is the best experience if your not in a hurry to get where your going go for it it’s the best experience I’ve been traveling by train since I was a kid and love it so take the chance if u like it u like it you’ll keep going places on it if u don’t you’ll never have to do it again i have never ever had a bad experience so give it a shot
Hey Cyndi. you and your daughter will have a ball. i did it with 4 friend's and it was the most memorable trip ever. If you are in the NY area and take it to Miami you will enjoy the train AND Miami. Invite a couple friends' whose company you don't mind too.
Those trips with American trains are so beautiful. Those big trains that feel like a proper train, the number of windows in the coaches and not only. Nice and cosy. It feels special to watch these trips. I love your special interaction with the fans and I like to see how your channel has grown over time. I am watching you for a while now It is great to see your work, passion, and knowledge every time. I say thank you for showing me and the rest of us your nice content from a train lover, and I am sure that you have amazing memories collected so far. I hope that you enjoy your trips! All the best to you, and stay safe!
Thanks, Packingten. There are toilets accessed from corridors that all can use, but the level of cleanliness is often not the best, and having to leave the roomette in pjs in the middle of the night and walk somewhere is an unwelcome alternative to having a commode right there beside you. A surprising number of people responding seem to feel Amtrak miscalculated by removing them, making you wonder who all these reportedly surveyed folks were who thought that was a good idea.
@@AVeryRandomPerson They cut out dining cars replaced with HIGH PRICED SOY BURGERS 5.75+275 CHIPS!, Want a coke??,try 2.75 So 11.50 We were lied to they said a din car wud be on trip Chicago to Tampa fl😡 LIARS!.
Great trip report video! Love the new Moynihan Train Hall and new Viewliner (especially the wooden framing in the halls)! I can’t believe that the consist is so LONG with a total of TWELVE CARS!!
@@emeyer6963 Amtrak ruined the day trips in Florida by their schedule changes. It used to be we would take a friend's private car as far as Winter Park and get off locking the car up for storage in Jax. We'd clean up from the trip that we would have just completed on the way north. With the old schedule, you could have a nice lunch and then catch the Meteor back to Miami. Then they changed the schedule. Now you do good to get to Winter Haven or if lucky, Kissimmee. We also used to be able to go from Miami to Tampa and have lunch and walk to the river. Then walk back and get back to Miami that night. Hopefully Brightline will make it better.
@@gravelydon7072 I did a Lakeland to Deerfield Beach trip to pick up a car about 10 years ago and it took forever to get down there but was an interesting way to travel for a change.
It’s very interesting to compare the US carriers to European operators. It seems here in Europe, we have what seems like style over substance in many ways, including in very stylish branding and general train design at cost to comfort and with hard seating and poor leg room. American operators eschew that, it seems, for focussing on passenger comfort. Microwaved pasta covid style during the pandemic is better than a naff snack boxes on UK all service catering both pre- and post covid. Thank you for bringing us these insights. It’s fascinating
Most European lines are a lot shorter so it does make some sense. Comfort really is less of a priority on a 3-hour ride than a 28-hour one. ;-) I just wish we could get more - and new! - sleeper trains.
But this strategy led European carriers to be more efficient, faster, possibly cheaper. Also, distances are usually much shorter, exept from some night trains
@@hypernewlapse "second-class" trains can be rather less fun to ride, thought. But that's arguably true everywhere. The big problem with the European rail network - IMHO - is that they're all in practice still national concerns. Lines are laid out based on what the most vocal group in each country wants, so traveling to another country, or worse traveling THROUGH a country, can be rather horrible. :-P And of course since the railways are national concerns it's not just a cost question to upgrade them to the same loading gauge/electrical power/signal&comm systems - everyone fights to keep their own "thing". :-(
Me at the beginning of this randomly recommended video: "Hahaha, this guy is such a nerd! What a silly nanny!" Me after sitting through the entire video: *googling Amtrak ticket prices and route options*
@@ceejae2349 why though? increasing public transport usage will eventually increase their funding. This can make it faster, cleaner, more efficient and sustainable. Honestly, I love public transport
Same! 😂😂😂😂 But I was surprised at how expensive it was compared to just getting there by plane. I was expecting this to be $150-$200 ....not * *gasp* * $500! Is this a flat fee per "room" or per person?! I see this cabin has 2 seats and 2 beds. Can you split the fee with another adult?! I could gladly pay $250 to travel with a friend....but $500 for just me I would never. Rather spend that on an experience (which the train trip is, I know) at my destination, than on a transportation method. [Edit: typos]
@@i.t.577 I agree. But you have to take two things into account: 1st: you usually start right away in the central station of your origin city, which means you can easily spend a whole day and then just go to the station 30minutes before. No security, no stress, no nothing. 2nd: You don't have to spend money on a hotel room that night which can easily be another 150-200$ for a single person in the US. And then obviously you arrive in your destination center again where you can spend the whole day well rested. So basically you earn 1,5 days and save one hotel room. It's still expensive, but then it's also something really nice to experience, so cozy, you might see a lot of countryside... Not sure if you can split the cost, but if you could, it would be really something. I'm still waiting for a business class like on planes, where you have your own lie flat seat but it's not as expensive as having your own room like here..
It snows in America?,I live in midwest the only snow I saw this yr was a cpl weeks ago it snowed maybe an inch gone shortly after it did. Like a cpl hrs.
That was a great ride. I rode Amtrak a few times during the pandemic. In 2019, 30 of my family members rode Amtrak from Raleigh NC to Miami for a cruise. Amtrak was able to put all of us in a coach car. We had a wonderful time. We fed all the people in our car. We are going on a cruise in July, but only 6 people are going by train.
I heard that NJT balked at sharing the cost of renovating Moynihan Train Hall with Amtrak and LIRR, so they weren't allowed to use the new hall. Not certain how true the report is, though.
Thank you so much for these great videos. I began traveling on the brand new Silver Meteor , from New York to Ft. Lauderdale, in 1972. Back then train stuardesses pampered the passengers, bingo, live entertainment and movies were scheduled in the lounge car, and the dinning was impeccable. Passengers played cards, or even played the piano in the lounge car. I booked full rooms and roomettes. Traveling by train was one of the best experiences my family and I ever had. Your videos are a treasure to me. Hopefully the old Amtrak catchphrase "Tracks are back" will someday return!
They wouldn't be so clean, especially in the very large cities, if it weren't for the rules about only ticket holders have access. The vagrant problem is out of control in some of America's large cities.
Ditto: it's a lovely touch, something I don't think we've had in US rolling stock since shortly after the Second World War. I had forgotten how much character the old British Rail compartment carriages had because of that; there they were manufacturing them with wood panelling through to about 1965 and while the compartment rolling stock was out of service by the mid 1980s, some of the open plan carriages with wood panelling were in service until more recently than that..
I'm with you when it comes to the dining car, it's a shame to do away with or stop serving meals prepared by a cook it was one of the highlights of a trip on these long distance trains in the east , and especially after we waited so long for new ones , I hope they find a way to bring it back
Very nice review. Well done; excellent camerawork. In 2016, my wife and I took the Silver Star from NYC to Miami (and back). Yes, we did Tampa with this trip. It was alot of fun for us both. The car attendants were wonderful people; they told my wife and I ahead of the stops where we'd be able to leave the train to stretch our legs for a bit and for how long. We had the bedroom and obviously it was of the 1990's vintage. By that time, from those years of service, the car was full of rattles; each bump in the tracks set off a symphony of the banging metal doors which separate two bedrooms. The new cars look much nicer (and sound even better) though I would probably not try to save money by getting a roomette since I prefer to have my own toilet. Regardless, it is good to see Amtrak finally start to replace the aging fleet with newer cars.
From postings in this thread, this video seems to have made believers of a fair number of rail travel skeptics! I"m one of them. I hate everything about air travel except the actual quiet when you're in the air. This video makes a good case for the marketability (and delight) of rail travel vs mere speed. Almost nothing about air travel is convenient, much less pleasant, anymore.
Just discovered this channel and man it makes me want to hop on a train and just go go go! Maybe one day that’ll happen. Cool to see the trip that I’d probably take out of NYC as well! Superb camera work and quality and beautiful detail in description with the text. So stoked for more!
I grew up in Winter Park, FL. It's a beautiful town with brick and cobblestone roads. We used to sit at the train station and watch the trains come and go. I hope you get to visit Winter Park one day!
Well this was a whole lot more fun of a lunch break than I had imagined - what an awesome video ! Thank you! Especially appreciate your great passion for the trains 🚂 making us all care about all those little details 👌🏻
I am so glad to see your videos, it's crazy how I used to view trains differently over two years ago. I did my first solo trip outside of the US in 2018 and I choose Japan, it changed my entire life. Now I love trains and hope the United States builds more to connect us all.
Traveled Amtrak from Hartford to California and back in the old roomette. We like the new look. Thanks for your video now considering a trip to Florida via the meteor😊 shower
You found them “disgusting” and “useless”? Your experience has indeed been different from mine! As an older woman who frequently needs to get up in the night, I was so glad not to have to go out in pajamas to a public facility. Also, what was disgusting about them I don’t grasp. The ones I have used were clean and had no smell.
look, i agree that in-room toilets, when properly implemented, is a great feature. such as the ones in the classic Budd roomettes found on the Canadian (Toronto-Vancouver). especially that I'm myself also go several times at night. also, evidently you did like them - so I totally sympathize with people who will be missing them now. but most people found those toilets disgusting and next to useless. they indeed were clean and had no smell. other than that... i actually don't even want to go into details. I'm happy they removed them.
As an older travel, I would be missing the in unit toilet. Yes it was a pain having to lift the bed, but it is better than having to wait in line to use the shared toilet in the middle of the night or morning.
The more I watch these long-distance train videos, the more I want to make rail travel part of my vacation plans in the future. Even with some of the simpler offerings of food and other amenities, the views along the way without the worry and potential hiccups of driving long-distance would be well worth the ride.
Train travel is great for those whom are not in a hurry. Long distance trains in the U.S. can be incredibly slow, boring, & unreliable. Please watch more videos from other UA-camr's perspectives. Youtuba is exceptional at explaining his rail journeys in great detail. There will be a huge outpour of folks getting out when it's safe to leave their homes.
@@squalli1297 Would obviously wait until the pandemic is pretty much over, anyway. I've done a trip to DC and another with my dad to Baltimore (from the Providence, RI station), and part of why I took the train down is because I enjoy said sightseeing. Helps when the destinations I want to visit are on the East Coast, but would like to try a roomette at least once, if only to get a sense of what that experience is like. Even on my day trips, I've been delayed for various reasons - and remembered seeing another person's video saying they had an unfortunate incident that made them wait hours on an overnight - but have noticed Amtrak does its best to make up any time lost. Maybe it's in part because I was a Thomas the Tank Engine fan as a kid, but I've always had an affinity for trains and the railway. So many great destinations; maybe it'd involve me having to take a plane to some, but I'm aware of what I'd be getting into with Amtrak routes as a US citizen and resident.
@@BloomInTune I've been traveling by rail pre-Amtrak since I was 4. I am a Die Hard. I've missed connections on account of long delays. Although food service was almost non-existent on some long distance routes prior to Amtrak's takeover, I still rode the rails. I strongly suggest getting a room if riding overnight. You'll have the privacy, quiet, and extra space in order to enjoy your trip. Good luck.
I still miss the old heavy weights. Sure they would louder, and could be smellier, but... the beds and seats were thicker and wider and we could take our dogs with us. Oh, and the dining car? If it wasn't on the menu all you had to do was ask before the next station stop or when you got on the train and when you were planning on dinner. Panama Limited? Cheese burgers were never on the menu, unless me and the hounds were on board (they got plain hamburger grilled on the woodfired stove). Breakfast was always awesome, eggs, bacon and pancakes.
I am finding these no-talking (except for the occasional and fun meetings) strangely relaxing and mesmerizing. Thanks so much for highlight my latent lust for train travel! New sub here!
Was on one December 2021 from Baltimore to Florida. They are just beautiful and attendant’s and service above my expectations, especially after the substandard service that we received in 2020 in coach. Those attendants in coach obviously hate their jobs. They pass their frustrations into to their passengers. Paying the extra $$$ was well worth it. I will always get a private room on the Silver Meteor/Silver Star. Shout out to our attendant Preston. He is the finest attendant that Amtrak has. The other’s go over and above for you, but Preston made our trip extra special. I will never forget how many laughs we had with him. If you can afford a sleepette or full size sleeper, get one. You will it regret it.
I did this trip in 2019 and went on New River. This was an original viewliner that had been repainted. Personally, I found the toilets a bit strange, but also useful. The new rooms look great except for the horrible seat colour, they should have kept the blue. Keep up the good work.
I like the blue better too. Red, white, and blue logo but maroon seats? Minor complaint though. My beef is with the elimination of full dining car service.
10:01 The original Viewliners had shades on the interior windows and doors that you would pull down and push up, instead of curtains. They were much better than curtains at blocking out light. Supposedly they jammed ( though mine never did) and they were taken out.and replaced with curtains. Also, the original Viewliners did not have blue seats. They had lavender/purple/blue seats in the standard bedrooms, and green seats in the deluxe bedrooms. The coaches were beige. It looked really nice. So actually, these “maroon” seats (but they really lean towards a more purple hue) are not new, but going back towards what the original colors were. I think they are much nicer than the boring all blue that replaced the original colors. The Superliners at the time were overhauled and had the same color scheme. P.S. also, the original Viewliners also had small television screens in them (like on airplanes) that had a choice of a few movies, and tv shows. There was also a choice of music channels. There was a closet in the corner of the corridor after you made the left turn from the deluxe bedrooms where the video and audio players were located. The movies were on Video8 tapes.
As a proper Frenchman, you brought your own tablecloth 🤣🤣🤣 👍👌✌️
Lol
C'est magnifique 👌 🇫🇷
Wow! That's really hilarious! Who knew a tablecloth could be so funny!
[9th 99 9 Tree
and a bottle of lafite rothchild 1888 along with a bagette.
I fabricated and welded every single frame for that new Amtrak line, I even built the prototypes(sleepers,diners,baggage and bagdorms). It was fun to build the frames and later on I helped finish the interiors. It's such an honor to have you like them and I love seeing them on the track in service. P.s if you look on the ends on the frame below the door posts there is a hand stamped serial number. I hand stamped every single frame.
Hi. Nice work! Are the roomettes fabricated fully assembled and then placed into the rail car? Just wondered.
👏👏👏
You want a Blue peter badge for that?
Thank you for your service
That's Cool. Hope to take this train one day soon. Thank you.
Having rail fans film the train from the side of the road or a station really add to the experience of the video 👍🏼. What a community!
I do have to say that this is the BEST video I have ever seen, and watching it from all angles, plus the "rail fan" video footage from the sides of the road (as the train passes and the snow blowing) was extremely cool. This is by far the best video I have ever seen (from a Rail Fan). Amazing stuff!
Genius !!!
I wish I could have done that when I moved from Oregon to Florida on AmTrak ten years ago !!! Image having inside and outside photo montage of a cross continental trip.
@@markmalewski Àà
This train goes bye my house, well within a mile. I have ridden it from Raleigh to NYC and back. Could have flown for cheaper and quicker; I did read an entire book over the two days.
@@markmalewski yes it the best
No distracting music or commentary. Just the ambient sounds. Thumbs up!
Absolutely !
Unfortunately the shots were so short it was hard to take things in and read the text at the same time, I had to keep stopping it.
The Fortnite dance music is what makes these videos exciting and sexy.
@@capenjck and the pop-ups, but at least you can clear them and scroll back!
@@capenjck Thank you! I agree.
You are one of the biggest reasons I took the train to New York in September of '21, along with my father's encouragement. I thouroughly thank you so much for this video, because the train trip added so much to my trip. Moynihan Hall was truly an experience to be in in general once I was leaving for home, after a week of being in NYC.
Thank you so much, Simply Railways!
I might take this trip. I did NY Chicago once, hated it.
Florida is a lot bigger than most people realize. When I was in my 20s my girlfriend and I drove down to the Keys from Indianapolis one time. I remember crossing the state line into Florida and thinking “Wow we’re almost there!” Nope, we were barely halfway.
That is a problem for me as I live just North of the Keys. It takes all day to get out of this State so normally when driving we stayed over night near the GA/SC State line. As I had a CDL, legally I couldn't make a trip from here to Quincy in legal time in the State vehicle. And here to Jax was also cutting it close at times. To get to home in Ohio, it is a 17 hour drive. To get from here to Anniston, AL it is a 12 hour drive into our neighboring State. But from Ohio to Anniston thru WV, VA, TN, GA, AL is only a 10 hour drive.
Had a similar experience when I drove from my home in Southern San Diego County (I live about eight miles from the Mexico border) to Seattle...we didn’t actually LEAVE California and cross into Oregon until Day 3, more than 850 miles into the 1400 mile trip...if you drive Florida from Pensacola, near the Alabama border, to Key West, you have a similar 850 mile trek!
We drove from Fort Lauderdale to Houston, TX after getting off of our cruise (during 9/11, so no more flights). I got an education really fast how big Florida is....especially that westerly route! Mississippi and Alabama state lines were blips in comparison.
Driving through Georgia is a hell too
@@leethejuggler1486 there really should be a by-pass.
Great video. Love the subtitles instead of incessant talking, you can hear the ambient sounds. My grandparents always took the Silver Meteor to Florida back in the 1950s-60s pre-Amtrak. We used to see them off at Penn Station in NYC. Back then you could go on the train before it left to say good-bye. They always booked a sleeper but grandma usually stayed up all night playing cards in the club car with the other night owls. Wonderful memories.
Me and my family also. My hometown stop of Sellers, SC was between the Latta and Florence stations. Once they forgot my aunt was getting off in Sellers and when she got off in Florence, they gave her money and also had a Pennsylvania Railroad employee drive her back to Sellers. (The New York to Florida route was known as Pennsylvania Railroad until Amtrak to over in the beginning of 1970). This was wonderful because before then, you had to stand up or sit in the aisles all the way to your destination even if you had children or babies. Some seated passengers were kind enough to let the elderly or people with children sit for a while.
Do you remember you could look up and hear the announcer when he announced train departures? Everyone my Harlem neighborhood and in the South were so proud that he was black. Once I stared at him so hard, he waved at me. I loved hearing how he pronounced the word "and". He would always say: "annnnnn ... ". Also the current departure gates were not East and West -- they were A and B and when he announced the gates, it was so poetic.
I would much rather hear a spoken narration than subtitles.
most of the videos people talk, not subtitles , 99% of videos done with voice not subtitles, there is a reason why !!!!
@@alanef4127 Exactly! You don't need to glue your eyes to one spot to read it...
@@alanef4127 I agree. Voice over for me.
I personally like the wood paneling. It gives the interior just a hint of old world class and style.
If you can call the 70s old world. But I agree that it looks good. Midcentury modern. Will definitely age better than some short lived modern trend.
This seams to be a CAF thing
I think its a welcome change, the blue gets very old. I think it'd be nice touch to see all different colors like this and on the Cascadia
Me too, the wooden panels were great back then and still great now rather than the bright pastel colors and plastic that would have to be changed after a few years.
It certainly retains its charm over time! The rehabbed Type 7 trams in Boston look great.
Nice to see the Amtrak Silver Meteor line still going. My father took the whole family on Silver Meteor from Miami to New York on vacation back in 1982. We returned to Miami on Silver Meteor also. We went in a first class room for 4 persons. It was my first experience on a train traveling. It was the best summer I had with my family.
I've taken that Amtrak train to Florida for 15 years at Easter with my kids, the fun began as soon as we got on board the train. We always booked coach seats and Philadelphia was the last pick up of passengers, if there were sleeping cars not used after that we always would upgrade to a sleeper car for about $30. What a deal, all the meals were included, the conducted told me about that little trick after our first trip to Florida, used it like a charm for the next 14 years. Worth asking for definitely!!!
Wow, really? You were able to do that every time?
@@Rachel-rs7jn Every year but one for 14 years. Try it, you've got nothing to lose.
@@kathyficarotta598 That's awesome; thank you for the tip!
@@kathyficarotta598 How did that 1 year go? Dealing with kids in coach for 24+ hours on Amtrak would change the value proposition of the other 14 years for me.
Great tip! Thinking about going by rail to Florida, vs flying. May try this.
While I have no interest in trains myself (beyond a potential leisurely trip out West at some point), the geeky-in-a-good-way enthusiasm and pure joy of you getting so excited about the equipment, the routes, the updates, etc., is truly contagious and really makes for an enjoyable -- and information-rich -- video. In a way, I envy seeing people that passionate about their hobbies. So you just keep on ridin' and sharing!
Oh if you took a train you’d love it. There’s something about it
Loooove your comment!
Hurry up and ride out West. You can't imagine how fun it is!
When I was growing up, my dad would always take me to the station to meet my Granny coming in on the Silver Meteor! We lived in Raleigh, NC and she lived in Savannah, GA. We would see who could stand the closest to the rails when the train came in and loved the rumble it gave our chests! I was a little girl then, and I turn 64 this year. I have also had the pleasure of riding the Silver Meteor, too! One thing on my Bucket List is to take my husband (who has never been on a train) on a trip in a sleeper aboard the same train to remember my sweet Granny. Thank you for bringing back wonderful memories!
Hope it works for you. My wife and I have taken many trips both by sleeper and by coach. I'm 60.
Thank you for leaving the subtitles up long enough for us to read them and then see what you are capturing at that moment. A lot of UA-camrs could learn something by watching this video.
Love the fact you allow for the background/track/train noise to be the audio on your videos, not not incessant talking (subtitles are best). Allows viewers to really experience the trip without any distractions. Cheers! (from a new subscriber)
I 100% agree with this statement!!!
I agree. I actually like the click clack if the rails as I weirdly sleep better.
My Bebita Wife Maria tho... You can guess who'd win that one.
I too agree 100%. I also love the pacing, giving us the time to see and understand everything, instead of quickly moving the camera all over the place.
Agreed
I agree. These videos are perfect.
This isn't a review. This is a full on documentary. Good stuff! Thanks!
the culture of train trips is that you take your time and you smell the roses.
Agreed
I used to take the Auto-train from Virginia to Florida to visit my grandma in the 90's. As a small child, they used to put movies on for kids and I met kids my age. It was before everyone had cell phones so we used to bring board games and lanyard to keep ourselves busy. Very good memories.
I took the autotrain in 2019 when I moved back to PA from FL. At age 41 it was my first time, and I LOVED it! It was so much fun, and being rocked to sleep in my tiny little sleeper room while I watched a movie on my tablet was so nice. I’d love to do another sleeper car trip!
@@laurenk1766 I'm so happy to hear you had a good experience! Thanks for sharing!
I'm a grandmother in NC, near Charlotte, and I thoroughly enjoyed your video. I don't enjoy traveling too far from home, even though I have several times, but I loved being able to travel and learn while in my own home. Good job !
This is the most proffesional in car, train trip video I've ever seen. Shooting is incredibly steady, moves are smooth as can be. No wandering, no lighting problems, audio is appropiate and right where it should be. Tracked the video right on.
Editing superb, I am almost not noticing it. Love the details. I'm sure going to watch more of your work.
Thanks so much for the fine story telling.
Marty Jasper
I would love if you could elaborate on what this video brings to you. I'm struggling to understand what one gains from watching this. I enjoy keeping videos of front cab views of scenic places in the background while I work, but this is a little bit puzzling.
Your camerawork was steady! Wonderful! The Amtrak formerly rocked sideways
enough to make me dizzy. Can other viewers give feedback on coach motion.Has Amtrak stabilized?
@@TickleMeTimbers Well for starters, people see how train travel is like. People like to know the best deals and if it is worth it. Also, this can count as a scenic video because we do see scenery along the way.
It was nice to hear people thanking the crew. So many people these days are unthankful.
And we're legally obligated to do so, why? Who the fuck are you, the courtesy police, mind your own damn business 🖕
Excellent trip report, as usual. Thank you! Sorry if someone already mentioned this (I wasn't able to read through all the comments) but as you mentioned the new Moynihan Train Hall is located across 8th Avenue from Penn Station in part of the former Farley Post Office (btw, the post office facility is still operating, but has been reduced in size, obviously, and modernized). The reason the post office is on the western edge of Penn Station is because, when the Pennsylvania RR opened NY Penn Station in 1910 all intercity mail traveled by train, so when trains arrived in New York, passengers would disembark under Penn Station and mail was unloaded to the Farley postal facility. As you all know, the original Penn Station was one of the great architectural wonders of the New World and its demolition in 1963 and replacement with Madison Square Garden led to an overwhelming outcry that eventually led to New York City's landmark preservation laws. Until the completion of the Moynihan Train Hall, New York City was the only major city on the Northeast Corridor with a truly sub-par train station. This is definitely a step in the right direction, although, of course, the 1960's Penn Station under Madison Square Garden continues to operate.
We might add that after demolition of the original Penn Station, Grand Central Station was next to be demolished....but Jacqueline Kennedy waged a successful battle to save it, and in so doing got the Preservation movement in New York started.
#RebuildPennStation mirite?
www.rebuildpennstation.org/
Anyone?
Amtrak went all in on that Viewliner set. Major props to them!
If they would just make full use of those expensive dining/kitchen cars they purchased. *roll eyes*
The lounge in Moynihan Hall is a HUGE improvement over the cramped, depressing lounge in the older part of Penn Station
@@tminusnyc2915 so is Moynihan Hall. What's your point genius?
Riding the train is relaxing.
You get to see/discover the USA without having to be focused on driving :)
It's a great way just to view our beautiful country
Granted, thats a benefit of most trains.
Add more trains then build HSR and regional rail networks in cities
Many anericans havent experience pleasure of train journey...
Less safe than flying but I guess if im going to die I might as well be comfortable
@@joelt00b Flying is incredibly safe, so saying it's less safe isn't a very big statement.
That's like saying a blow torch is less hot than the sun; well, obviously.
I'm super-impressed with how quiet it was at night. I enjoy the unique sounds associated with train travel, but the gentle "white-noise" at night seemed delightfully restful..
When I went from NYC to Chicago, some of the best sleep I ever had surprisingly was in a Viewliner II roomette.
I mean... Always, ALWAYS pack earplugs, though. I once met the world's loudest snorer grandma in a 4-person sleeper. Bonus: the other 2 places were occupied by a 2 parents and their cca. 2-3 year old son. The son could also not sleep from the SNORING, but he was totally quiet.
Does it stop in many places or direct to Miami?
Nothing beats train travel imo. I simply love it to death! Thank you for sharing!
Right! If only we could build bridges and tracks across oceans! I'd take a train from New York to London lol.
@@faa1412 Absolutely!
You right about that ...... Had the passenger train experience of traveling on a Amtrak with my Sister from Rockymount, NC 🚅🚈🚉New York.
I don't even want to go anywhere in particular, I just wanna ride that train.
Same
Sameeee 😄
Same mate
Huh??
And you'll be sorry!.
I traveled many trips in the Viewliner 1 sleepers, and enjoyed having the toilet in the roomette. What amazed me the most was the lack of odor! No foul odors, no chemical odor, no odor! To get up in the middle of the night to have a quick pee was so much easier than having to get dressed and go to a (usually dirty) toilet somewhere else. I'm firmly in the camp that will miss the toilets. Now living in the Superliner part of the US, I also believe they should have in-room toilets. I enjoy your videos!
most people - including myself - strongly dislike those in-room toilets. they weren't suitable for any kind of regularly sized adult person.
The Superliners ran millions of miles without roomette toilets for over four decades. It's time for the Viewliners to do the same.
@@leob5675 I'm regular size and have no problem with them. I'd rather have them.
My Wife was sleeping I went to a pub toilet it was FILLLL-THEE!. The car with seats smelled like a bouquet of buttholes,Serious reeked of body odor!.
The en suite toilet is huge advantage for us frequent urinators. Def' will be missed.
I think the wood paneling looks great. Makes it feel more retro and old fashioned. Also, it seems more inviting than if it were just stainless steel or something.
It bizarre why we haven’t any high speed networks across this fine nation!!! 🚂
Plane? car? Give me a train every time!!
We could, but Congress won't let us. We don't get to have nice things.
@@jblkcns Because we don't need it! The average American flies or drives. What is the point in spending money on a nationwide high speed rail network? I would agree with you if this was the 1940s. But its not! Its just not worth it nationwide.
@@black10872people fly because the train is slow, people drive because its cheaper then the train. When I use to take it to south caralina most people i talk to said they take it becuase they were scared to fly and that they were scared of falling a sleep on the road. Its honestly faster too drive and cheaper to take a plane to nyc delaware then taking a train. It is very relaxing taking a train and the view once you leave the city area is nice.
@@fatcatpeople I took Amtrak once to Virginia.
distance between regions and lack of density in most of those regions
"No trip on Amtrak is complete without a good old delay thanks to the host railroad" - I love that sense of humor!
😂😂🤣🤣
Can't be further from the truth.
Oh yes, and on the meteor/star, you will have plenty
yeah, as though the host railroads had not established a lot of their trackage and right of way with government subsidies.
@@tracyavent-costanza346 this is interesting
Never had the urge to take a train trip until I saw this video 😬 Most times I don’t like people but seeing your railfans get footage at the platforms just renewed my hope in people ❤️
I don't think the in room toilets are a waste of space. I don't want to walk down the hall in the middle of night just to use a toilet. My wife and I always get a bedroom with the toilet in room now. I understand the lack of funds can leave you with no alternative but to get a roomette or coach seat. I did it a few times on overnight trains and it was the only bad part of taking the train. It's also nice to be able to take a shower without leaving your room.
Man, if you pay for basic you'll get basic. For instance, Czech Railway's WLABmz826 sleeper has full toilets only for first class coupes. The rest of the coach share's a communal one.
The Superliners don't have toilets in their roomettes and it has never been an issue. In fact, passengers prefer it that way. The Viewliner I roomette toilets have consistently been considered a nuisance in customer surveys.
@@dynasty0019 Why? For 500 bucks I want my own toilet.
@@saratemp790 Obviously most passengers don't want them that's why it's gone.
I used to go to Miami from New York when I was a teenager. I am now 85 years old. We had a "Pullman" which, if I remember correctly, was two rooms and a private bathroom. It was a very exciting trip for my sister, me, my mother and father. We also enjoyed the dining car and couldn't get over how the waiters could carry and balance the trays full of food while the train was moving side to side and back and forth. Then, plane travel became popular, and you could get to Miami faster and cheaper. But, I miss those days on the Silver Meteor. One last comment, some years ago, I took the train to Florida by myself and had a Roomette that had a bathroom. Watching this video today, I can't imagine paying such a high price for a Roomette and having to walk down a public hall to use a bathroom or take a shower. For someone my age, this just wouldn't work!
I dk about the “old rattling sound” at night, but for me, the whole point of taking the train is to be able to hear the ‘chunk-chunk’ sound of the wheels on the track, such a comforting sound.
I'm so glad to see young people into American trains I've loved since childhood. I hear the European ones are far superior, but it we all support Amtrak and NARP and write our Congresspeople, hopefully Amtrak can continue to improve. Well done video!
Actually taxpayers shouldn't fund this hobby. It's a slow and inefficient transport system especially when the future of self driving cars will mean much faster point to point transport than is currently possible.
@Smitastic trains are supported by politicians. Airplanes are in demand by people but politicians do a lot to make air travel less convenient than it should be. 350 dollars for a seven hour train ride that can be done in 90 minutes on an airplane is nothing but DUMB
@@smitastic7030 Airlines should have been allowed to go bankrupt. And so should train boondoggles.
@Smitastic I do not confuse the engineering marvel of high speed trains with the inconsiderate burden of forcing taxpayers to subsidize it. I'm not selfish in wanting other people to finance what I consider "cool".
@Smitastic so because government takes our money we should support subsidies for trains?? Nice lack of logic. Better idea is keep train vanity projects unfunded while REDUCING subsidies for everything else including planes.
I took this trip in the early 1990s, when the Viewliner I’s were new. It was an awesome experience. I’m so happy to see this trip report, you brought back some great memories! I can’t wait to see the Moynihan Train Hall in person someday. 😀
It's great that you had collaborators along the way to contribute footage of your train on the move!!!
When I moved from NJ 45 years ago I went twice a year back by train, I loved ie. Me and my young daughter. Still miss it. Happy travelers
I don't know how this video got to be recommended but I am glad I watched. I feel like taking a train trip now.
My mom was a nurse on the ny to miami train in 1963. She loved it! Had an apartment in both cities; shared with other nurses.
isn't 1963 before Amtrak was established?
It was at the time she must have either worked for seaboard airline railroad or Atlantic coast line railroad
You couldn't get a bandaid on a train now!.
Not even a cup of coffee,Was supposed to have din car,we paid extra
AMTRAK LIES!.
That is very cool that your friends filmed you and that you edited the video to include it. Good job.
Wonderful video. I love your enthusiasm & love for trains, it's contagious. Thank you so very much. Safe travels young man!! !!
This channel inspired me to take my first cross-country trip by sleeper train from NYC to LA. I had the best time during this pandemic. Keep up the good work.
Excellent video , thorough and made with passion
Lies again? After Dark X Ezlink Card
Amazing video. Informative and conveyed the excitement I would expect were I actually there. Thank you. I am such a fan of trains. I hope this country builds more of this transportation infrastructure.
Agreed but they have to be careful to not go cross country. Keep the high speed trains running down the coasts no more.
the new roomettes look NICE! I travel once or twice a year on Amtrak just for the fun of it and I always get a roomette. I haven't done the east coast yet though, this has inspired me!
I love train travel. Love it. This is as good as being on the train. Thank you! My immigrant grandfather was an engineer back in the early 1900s. My dad was an airline captain, my brother captains big boats. But for me, I love train travel. My little boy, back in 1985, and I took a sleeper from Yemassee SC to Ft. Lauderdale. It was so much fun. We usually took coach. Maybe one day I'll be able to hop aboard again.
Thank you again for this travel diary.
This was an excellent video. Very informative as well as entertaining. Great explanation of the differences and similarities between Viewliner I and II and Phase III and Phase VI as well. This trip brought back memories of my only trip by rail on the AutoTrain back in 2006. I am now seriously considering a trip on the Meteor with my lady and my sons. It was also cool seeing your railfans along the route. You are a great UA-camr. Looking forward to your next video. Much success to you. 🇫🇷
OK, that's really cool that you got train fans to record you going by. Dedicated!
this is the best video for someone looking for what to expect. An I love how you stay silent allowing viewer to take in all details the others dont show much its like they love sound of their own voice they distracted away from what purpose of video is.
As much as I enjoy making fun of the us-trainsystem, this new station is so good looking (especially the clock hanging from the skylight)! What an amazing building.
That clock reminds me of the one at Glasgow Central Station
The rail system in the New York metro area is pretty comparable to Europe, probably the only place in America that is.
We fly, almost no one takes a train. Why sit on a train for 31 hours when you can be there in 3? Unless the train it traveling the west, the Rocky Mountains or Deserts, there's nothing worth seeing.
@@TheBandit7613 100% agreed. If flying was expensive, it’d be different, but right now I can fly from NYC to Miami for under $100 round-trip (economy) or $240 in first class, so why would I spend $800 on an Amtrak roomette? Why would anyone, if they weren’t making money off the video?
I loved the train as a child, back in the 70’s we took the train from Ocala to Hollywood fla. back then it was true dining car that I remember being able to smell the food two or three cars away. And the club car had shag carpeting with a bar a console color tv. And even tho it wasn’t but 6hr trip my mom always got a cabin/pullman. I loved it. I miss it too.
I took the train from Miami to Philadelphia earlier this year, first time ever on Amtrak! Long trip but I really loved it, seeing the country! It took 26 hours and of course I slept a bit as well in the night hours but I really loved it! Great experience! Love travelling with Amtrak!! Would love to do it again and travel more in America and see more of that country!!😀
How much was the trip if you don't mind sharing it on here or you can email me. Was it a roundtrip
What did you pay? What accommodations did you get?
@@tasheaiyyawelch3249 to get a normal seat for a trip like that is round 160 USD. If you get a room, it's more like 1500 usd, but in exchange you get the room and three meals per day. For the train we're talking about (silver meteor) the meals are prepared in a kitchen. On most Amtrak trains, especially east of the Mississippi, the meals are prepared off site and just microwaved on the train.
List of ones where the meal is prepared onboard:
Sample Menus
Get a taste of traditional dining selections by sampling each route menu:
Auto Train Menu
California Zephyr Menu
Coast Starlight Menu
Empire Builder Menu
Silver Meteor Menu
Silver Star Menu
Southwest Chief Menu
Sunset Limited Menu
Texas Eagle Menu*
@@gravityslave6277
to get a normal seat for a trip like that is round 160 USD. If you get a room, it's more like 1500, but in exchange you get the room and three meals per day. For the train we're talking about (silver meteor) the meals are prepared in a kitchen. On most Amtrak trains, especially east of the Mississippi, the meals are prepared off site and just microwaved on the train.
List of ones where the meal is prepared onboard:
Sample Menus
Get a taste of traditional dining selections by sampling each route menu:
Auto Train Menu
California Zephyr Menu
Coast Starlight Menu
Empire Builder Menu
Silver Meteor Menu
Silver Star Menu
Southwest Chief Menu
Sunset Limited Menu
Texas Eagle Menu*
Great video. Actually makes me want to go by train again. Haven’t been on a train in 40 years.
These videos are like a mini vacation for me in this era of COVID. Thank you for helping me add to my bucket list! (You know, I stay up all night watching these sometimes!)
This popped up in my feed. My daughter and I were talking about taking an Amtrak somewhere. We've never been on a train. This looks cool!
a train trip is not the cheapest nor the fastest, but a sleeper ticket is pretty much the coolest.
A train trip is the best experience if your not in a hurry to get where your going go for it it’s the best experience I’ve been traveling by train since I was a kid and love it so take the chance if u like it u like it you’ll keep going places on it if u don’t you’ll never have to do it again i have never ever had a bad experience so give it a shot
Hey Cyndi. you and your daughter will have a ball. i did it with 4 friend's and it was the most memorable trip ever. If you are in the NY area and take it to Miami you will enjoy the train AND Miami. Invite a couple friends' whose company you don't mind too.
@@shannonstewart4792 cool idea.
You're a grown up, and haven't been on a train? How does that even happen? :D
Those trips with American trains are so beautiful. Those big trains that feel like a proper train, the number of windows in the coaches and not only. Nice and cosy. It feels special to watch these trips.
I love your special interaction with the fans and I like to see how your channel has grown over time. I am watching you for a while now It is great to see your work, passion, and knowledge every time.
I say thank you for showing me and the rest of us your nice content from a train lover, and I am sure that you have amazing memories collected so far. I hope that you enjoy your trips!
All the best to you, and stay safe!
NICE VIDEO. NO COMMENTATING, IRRITATING VOICE, JUST VISUAL AUDIO. LOVED IT. ENJOYED IT. I WILL WATCH YOUR VIDEO AGAIN.
Thanks, Packingten. There are toilets accessed from corridors that all can use, but the level of cleanliness is often not the best, and having to leave the roomette in pjs in the middle of the night and walk somewhere is an unwelcome alternative to having a commode right there beside you. A surprising number of people responding seem to feel Amtrak miscalculated by removing them, making you wonder who all these reportedly surveyed folks were who thought that was a good idea.
I thought it was for cost-saving
@@AVeryRandomPerson They cut out dining cars replaced with HIGH PRICED SOY BURGERS 5.75+275 CHIPS!, Want a coke??,try 2.75 So 11.50 We were lied to they said a din car wud be on trip Chicago to Tampa fl😡 LIARS!.
I found that having my toilette was the best part of the trip from NY to Fl.
Agreed
Great trip report video! Love the new Moynihan Train Hall and new Viewliner (especially the wooden framing in the halls)! I can’t believe that the consist is so LONG with a total of TWELVE CARS!!
And I can confirm, having travelled there, Winter Park IS lovely!
I used to live there and it is a nice town
@@emeyer6963 Amtrak ruined the day trips in Florida by their schedule changes. It used to be we would take a friend's private car as far as Winter Park and get off locking the car up for storage in Jax. We'd clean up from the trip that we would have just completed on the way north. With the old schedule, you could have a nice lunch and then catch the Meteor back to Miami. Then they changed the schedule. Now you do good to get to Winter Haven or if lucky, Kissimmee. We also used to be able to go from Miami to Tampa and have lunch and walk to the river. Then walk back and get back to Miami that night. Hopefully Brightline will make it better.
@@gravelydon7072 I did a Lakeland to Deerfield Beach trip to pick up a car about 10 years ago and it took forever to get down there but was an interesting way to travel for a change.
That's where I get off the train at Winter Park, FL.
The shot of your train traveling through the snow covered station was dramatic and brillant. Great video.
It’s very interesting to compare the US carriers to European operators. It seems here in Europe, we have what seems like style over substance in many ways, including in very stylish branding and general train design at cost to comfort and with hard seating and poor leg room. American operators eschew that, it seems, for focussing on passenger comfort. Microwaved pasta covid style during the pandemic is better than a naff snack boxes on UK all service catering both pre- and post covid. Thank you for bringing us these insights. It’s fascinating
Oh the pasta has always been microwaved I’m pretty sure.
Amtrak is the only national passenger rail service in the US,driving & or flying are faster and cheaper with better coverage than a train.
Most European lines are a lot shorter so it does make some sense. Comfort really is less of a priority on a 3-hour ride than a 28-hour one. ;-)
I just wish we could get more - and new! - sleeper trains.
But this strategy led European carriers to be more efficient, faster, possibly cheaper. Also, distances are usually much shorter, exept from some night trains
@@hypernewlapse "second-class" trains can be rather less fun to ride, thought. But that's arguably true everywhere.
The big problem with the European rail network - IMHO - is that they're all in practice still national concerns. Lines are laid out based on what the most vocal group in each country wants, so traveling to another country, or worse traveling THROUGH a country, can be rather horrible. :-P
And of course since the railways are national concerns it's not just a cost question to upgrade them to the same loading gauge/electrical power/signal&comm systems - everyone fights to keep their own "thing". :-(
Me at the beginning of this randomly recommended video: "Hahaha, this guy is such a nerd! What a silly nanny!"
Me after sitting through the entire video: *googling Amtrak ticket prices and route options*
Hahaha, same same!!! It looks soooo cozy.
Me too, but I refuse to catch public transport in my day to day
@@ceejae2349 why though? increasing public transport usage will eventually increase their funding. This can make it faster, cleaner, more efficient and sustainable. Honestly, I love public transport
Same! 😂😂😂😂 But I was surprised at how expensive it was compared to just getting there by plane. I was expecting this to be $150-$200 ....not * *gasp* * $500! Is this a flat fee per "room" or per person?! I see this cabin has 2 seats and 2 beds. Can you split the fee with another adult?! I could gladly pay $250 to travel with a friend....but $500 for just me I would never. Rather spend that on an experience (which the train trip is, I know) at my destination, than on a transportation method.
[Edit: typos]
@@i.t.577 I agree. But you have to take two things into account:
1st: you usually start right away in the central station of your origin city, which means you can easily spend a whole day and then just go to the station 30minutes before. No security, no stress, no nothing.
2nd: You don't have to spend money on a hotel room that night which can easily be another 150-200$ for a single person in the US.
And then obviously you arrive in your destination center again where you can spend the whole day well rested. So basically you earn 1,5 days and save one hotel room.
It's still expensive, but then it's also something really nice to experience, so cozy, you might see a lot of countryside...
Not sure if you can split the cost, but if you could, it would be really something.
I'm still waiting for a business class like on planes, where you have your own lie flat seat but it's not as expensive as having your own room like here..
Sitting on a train while looking out on a snowy American landscape is my dream.. Trains I am considering for sure
You should try Norway (Oslo-Bergen and Oslo-Trondheim) and Northern Japan for beautiful snowy landscapes too.
It snows in America?,I live in midwest the only snow I saw this yr was a cpl weeks ago it snowed maybe an inch gone shortly after it did. Like a cpl hrs.
@@packingten Yes??
Do it at Christmastime...the houses decorated with lights really add to it.
That was a great ride. I rode Amtrak a few times during the pandemic. In 2019, 30 of my family members rode Amtrak from Raleigh NC to Miami for a cruise. Amtrak was able to put all of us in a coach car. We had a wonderful time. We fed all the people in our car. We are going on a cruise in July, but only 6 people are going by train.
"New Jersey transit is still using the old Penn Station hall"
NJT: Why are we still here? Just to suffer...
*new jersey doesn't deserve nice things*
@@josefstalin9068 to be honest the only thing I liked about them is their paint job and their ALP45DP
they're renovating it
I heard that NJT balked at sharing the cost of renovating Moynihan Train Hall with Amtrak and LIRR, so they weren't allowed to use the new hall. Not certain how true the report is, though.
Hit a little too close to home 😂😂
New station. New train cars. Nice. Like!
Thank you so much for these great videos. I began traveling on the brand new Silver Meteor , from New York to Ft. Lauderdale, in 1972. Back then train stuardesses pampered the passengers, bingo, live entertainment and movies were scheduled in the lounge car, and the dinning was impeccable. Passengers played cards, or even played the piano in the lounge car. I booked full rooms and roomettes. Traveling by train was one of the best experiences my family and I ever had. Your videos are a treasure to me. Hopefully the old Amtrak catchphrase "Tracks are back" will someday return!
How nice is this video. Clean stations, and unique atmosphere.. Thank you for this unique trip
They wouldn't be so clean, especially in the very large cities, if it weren't for the rules about only ticket holders have access. The vagrant problem is out of control in some of America's large cities.
I honestly like the woodgrain interior of the Viewliner II sleeper.
The wood panels actually look far more elegant, classic. Adds a touch of warmth to an otherwise bland environment.
Agree
Ditto: it's a lovely touch, something I don't think we've had in US rolling stock since shortly after the Second World War. I had forgotten how much character the old British Rail compartment carriages had because of that; there they were manufacturing them with wood panelling through to about 1965 and while the compartment rolling stock was out of service by the mid 1980s, some of the open plan carriages with wood panelling were in service until more recently than that..
I'm with you when it comes to the dining car, it's a shame to do away with or stop serving meals prepared by a cook it was one of the highlights of a trip on these long distance trains in the east , and especially after we waited so long for new ones , I hope they find a way to bring it back
A former airline ceo(probably fired),Took away dining cars....grrrr
@@packingten
It is an airline ceo that’s running Amtrak now that’s afraid to demand the money that’s needed to keep the best amenities on board
@@packingten lolz
No, I love the old style wooden panel! Looks classy! ;)
Very nice review. Well done; excellent camerawork. In 2016, my wife and I took the Silver Star from NYC to Miami (and back). Yes, we did Tampa with this trip. It was alot of fun for us both. The car attendants were wonderful people; they told my wife and I ahead of the stops where we'd be able to leave the train to stretch our legs for a bit and for how long. We had the bedroom and obviously it was of the 1990's vintage. By that time, from those years of service, the car was full of rattles; each bump in the tracks set off a symphony of the banging metal doors which separate two bedrooms. The new cars look much nicer (and sound even better) though I would probably not try to save money by getting a roomette since I prefer to have my own toilet. Regardless, it is good to see Amtrak finally start to replace the aging fleet with newer cars.
Man that pass in the snow was so cool, gave me chills 🥶 that’s awesome that a fan was there to get the shot!
From postings in this thread, this video seems to have made believers of a fair number of rail travel skeptics! I"m one of them. I hate everything about air travel except the actual quiet when you're in the air. This video makes a good case for the marketability (and delight) of rail travel vs mere speed. Almost nothing about air travel is convenient, much less pleasant, anymore.
Finally no human voice just nature noise ❤
This video has that one-of-a-kind vibe which is pretty relaxing
Nice vid men
Just discovered this channel and man it makes me want to hop on a train and just go go go! Maybe one day that’ll happen. Cool to see the trip that I’d probably take out of NYC as well! Superb camera work and quality and beautiful detail in description with the text. So stoked for more!
Definitely sparked my interest in traveling via Amtrak again!
It’s beautiful to see how the snow flues past the Amtrak train as it zooms past through the snow❤❤❤❤❤
9:16 beautiful pictures
I grew up in Winter Park, FL. It's a beautiful town with brick and cobblestone roads. We used to sit at the train station and watch the trains come and go. I hope you get to visit Winter Park one day!
Rollins College and Winter Park are beautiful! I hope this guy gets to go back and explore. Take a boat tour!!
Well this was a whole lot more fun of a lunch break than I had imagined - what an awesome video ! Thank you! Especially appreciate your great passion for the trains 🚂 making us all care about all those little details 👌🏻
I love that you have spotters along the way now! What a cool new innovation👍
Thanks for inviting me along, I really enjoyed the trip! You are a travel buddy!
This guy rules, lets the journey and amenities speak for themselves. It's like a vicarious rail trip.
Amtrak definitely needs to bring back the traditional dining cars !
I am so glad to see your videos, it's crazy how I used to view trains differently over two years ago. I did my first solo trip outside of the US in 2018 and I choose Japan, it changed my entire life. Now I love trains and hope the United States builds more to connect us all.
Traveled Amtrak from Hartford to California and back in the old roomette. We like the new look. Thanks for your video now considering a trip to Florida via the meteor😊 shower
You found them “disgusting” and “useless”? Your experience has indeed been different from mine! As an older woman who frequently needs to get up in the night, I was so glad not to have to go out in pajamas to a public facility. Also, what was disgusting about them I don’t grasp. The ones I have used were clean and had no smell.
look, i agree that in-room toilets, when properly implemented, is a great feature. such as the ones in the classic Budd roomettes found on the Canadian (Toronto-Vancouver). especially that I'm myself also go several times at night. also, evidently you did like them - so I totally sympathize with people who will be missing them now.
but most people found those toilets disgusting and next to useless. they indeed were clean and had no smell. other than that... i actually don't even want to go into details. I'm happy they removed them.
Customer surveys has consistently rated the roomette toilet as a nuisance rather than an amenity.
I totally need a bathroom!! I go about 3 or 4 times a night!😬
My Wife Maria would need one.
At 62 it'd be a problem for her.
Not me, and I'm 66.
@@iamhis5580 me too, trust me. and yet I'm glad they removed it from Viewliner roomettes because it wasn't that much helpful anyway.
As an older travel, I would be missing the in unit toilet. Yes it was a pain having to lift the bed, but it is better than having to wait in line to use the shared toilet in the middle of the night or morning.
The more I watch these long-distance train videos, the more I want to make rail travel part of my vacation plans in the future. Even with some of the simpler offerings of food and other amenities, the views along the way without the worry and potential hiccups of driving long-distance would be well worth the ride.
Train travel is great for those whom are not in a hurry. Long distance trains in the U.S. can be incredibly slow, boring, & unreliable. Please watch more videos from other UA-camr's perspectives. Youtuba is exceptional at explaining his rail journeys in great detail. There will be a huge outpour of folks getting out when it's safe to leave their homes.
@@squalli1297 Would obviously wait until the pandemic is pretty much over, anyway. I've done a trip to DC and another with my dad to Baltimore (from the Providence, RI station), and part of why I took the train down is because I enjoy said sightseeing. Helps when the destinations I want to visit are on the East Coast, but would like to try a roomette at least once, if only to get a sense of what that experience is like.
Even on my day trips, I've been delayed for various reasons - and remembered seeing another person's video saying they had an unfortunate incident that made them wait hours on an overnight - but have noticed Amtrak does its best to make up any time lost. Maybe it's in part because I was a Thomas the Tank Engine fan as a kid, but I've always had an affinity for trains and the railway. So many great destinations; maybe it'd involve me having to take a plane to some, but I'm aware of what I'd be getting into with Amtrak routes as a US citizen and resident.
@@BloomInTune I've been traveling by rail pre-Amtrak since I was 4. I am a Die Hard. I've missed connections on account of long delays. Although food service was almost non-existent on some long distance routes prior to Amtrak's takeover, I still rode the rails. I strongly suggest getting a room if riding overnight. You'll have the privacy, quiet, and extra space in order to enjoy your trip. Good luck.
@@squalli1297 not 'boring' to me. I love it.
I love this kind of videos because they are so relaxing and interesting! Carry on!
I still miss the old heavy weights. Sure they would louder, and could be smellier, but... the beds and seats were thicker and wider and we could take our dogs with us. Oh, and the dining car? If it wasn't on the menu all you had to do was ask before the next station stop or when you got on the train and when you were planning on dinner. Panama Limited? Cheese burgers were never on the menu, unless me and the hounds were on board (they got plain hamburger grilled on the woodfired stove). Breakfast was always awesome, eggs, bacon and pancakes.
I am finding these no-talking (except for the occasional and fun meetings) strangely relaxing and mesmerizing. Thanks so much for highlight my latent lust for train travel! New sub here!
I really enjoyed how relaxing this was, especially with no narration. Well done.
Was on one December 2021 from Baltimore to Florida. They are just beautiful and attendant’s and service above my expectations, especially after the substandard service that we received in 2020 in coach. Those attendants in coach obviously hate their jobs. They pass their frustrations into to their passengers. Paying the extra $$$ was well worth it. I will always get a private room on the Silver Meteor/Silver Star. Shout out to our attendant Preston. He is the finest attendant that Amtrak has. The other’s go over and above for you, but Preston made our trip extra special. I will never forget how many laughs we had with him. If you can afford a sleepette or full size sleeper, get one. You will it regret it.
I did this trip in 2019 and went on New River. This was an original viewliner that had been repainted. Personally, I found the toilets a bit strange, but also useful. The new rooms look great except for the horrible seat colour, they should have kept the blue. Keep up the good work.
I like the blue better too. Red, white, and blue logo but maroon seats? Minor complaint though. My beef is with the elimination of full dining car service.
10:01 The original Viewliners had shades on the interior windows and doors that you would pull down and push up, instead of curtains. They were much better than curtains at blocking out light. Supposedly they jammed ( though mine never did) and they were taken out.and replaced with curtains. Also, the original Viewliners did not have blue seats. They had lavender/purple/blue seats in the standard bedrooms, and green seats in the deluxe bedrooms. The coaches were beige. It looked really nice. So actually, these “maroon” seats (but they really lean towards a more purple hue) are not new, but going back towards what the original colors were. I think they are much nicer than the boring all blue that replaced the original colors. The Superliners at the time were overhauled and had the same color scheme. P.S. also, the original Viewliners also had small television screens in them (like on airplanes) that had a choice of a few movies, and tv shows. There was also a choice of music channels. There was a closet in the corner of the corridor after you made the left turn from the deluxe bedrooms where the video and audio players were located. The movies were on Video8 tapes.
The seats are firmer because they aren't all worn down like the old ones! :-)