4 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Trains,  7/10/24:

 

 

     Amtrak may be planning to combine Capitol Limited and Silver Star: Analysis  

 

 

Circumstantial evidence gleaned from Amtrak’s booking site portends mid-November changes to the operation of the Chicago-Washington, D.C. Capitol Limited and the New York-Miami Silver Star. A Trains News Wire review of ticketing availabilities on the two trains indicates tentative plans to combine their operation as a single-level Chicago-Miami train.

 

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[CNJRoss]

Amtrak's NEW Floridian

 

Rail Weekly

 

Sep 22, 2024

 

It's Amtrak's newest long-distance train, The Floridian! Although completed different from Amtrak's old Floridian train, this new service links Miami and Chicago with a direct train for the first time since 1979.

 

Amtrak's train 41 and 40 will replace the existing Silver Star and Capitol Limited, creating one combined route using single-level Amfleet and Viewliner equipment. The new train will also bring the return of full traditional dining to passengers of the Capitol Limited Route.

 

Although we bid farewell to the Star and Capitol, the national network gains a convenient new option in the Floridian.

 

[KevinKorell]

 

 

Although we bid farewell to the Star and Capitol, the national network gains a convenient new option in the Floridian.

 

Bid farewell (only temporarily) to the through service that the Silver Star had between Northeastern cities (outside of Washington DC itself) and Florida - though it's still available on the Silver Meteor.

 

 

 

Amtrak's train 41 and 40 will replace the existing Silver Star and Capitol Limited, creating one combined route using single-level Amfleet and Viewliner equipment.

 

In combining a north-south train (91/92) with an east-west train (29/30), the Floridian ends up with an anomaly in numbering convention.   Train 40, which will originate in Miami, becomes the replacement for 29 (westbound) between Washington and Chicago, while Train 41 starts in Chicago and thus replaces 30 (eastbound) from Chicago to Washington.  It may take some time to get used to this.

[KevinKorell]

Amtrak's press release is quick to point out (twice in first paragraph) that this change is temporary, meaning reverting back to separate Capitol Limited and Silver Star trains once the tunnel work in NYC is done.
 

 Amtrak Launching the Floridian, with Daily Service Between Chicago and Miami      

 Two iconic routes combine to create a new travel experience   

WASHINGTON – Amtrak customers can now purchase tickets on the Floridian, a new temporary route offering a direct round-trip between Chicago and Miami with intermediate stops in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa that will take customers to these cities in comfort and style. This train combines the routes of the Capitol Limited and Silver Star for a limited time and makes its inaugural trip on Sunday, Nov. 10.

“The Floridian offers customers an exceptional and sustainable journey to great destinations between Chicago and Miami, providing the amenities and delicious food our guests enjoy when traveling with us,” Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch said.

Customers traveling in Coach Class enjoy wide, reclining seats with ample legroom, no middle seat, and windows to enjoy the scenery. For extra comfort and additional privacy, customers can upgrade to a First Class private room. For an additional fee, a limited number of dining car meals are also available for Coach Class customers.

First Class private room options include a Roomette—featuring two reclining seats that transform into upper and lower beds by night and shower access—or a Bedroom offering twice the space of a Roomette and an in-room restroom and shower. For First Class customers traveling with a disability, Accessible Bedrooms are located on the entry level of the train and offer ample space for those who use a wheeled mobility device.

The private rooms have large bi-level windows, a sink and a dedicated attendant who provides turndown service, assists with meals, helps with luggage and shares great stories of life on the rails.
All customers in private rooms receive complimentary lounge access at major stations and priority boarding.

The Floridian will offer Traditional Dining service in the Dining Car, a complimentary amenity for customers traveling in First Class private rooms. This popular service, experienced in a dining car with bi-level windows, will feature several enhancements, including chef-prepared meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner; table service with glassware, cutlery and linen tablecloths; vegetarian and vegan menu options; selections for children and a complimentary alcoholic drink with dinner. The menu offers several customer favorites, including:

• Amtrak Signature Railroad French Toast, Three Egg Omelet for breakfast;
• Artisan Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Natural Angus Burger, Vegan Chili Bowl for lunch;
• Amtrak Signature Flat Iron Steak, Atlantic Salmon, Rigatoni Bolognese for dinner.

Café service, also featuring a newly updated menu, will be available onboard for all customers, offering a variety of meals, snacks and beverages for sale.
Amtrak is temporarily combining the Capitol Limited and Silver Star trains to create the Floridian due to the upcoming East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project in New York. During this project, one tunnel tube will be closed at a time, minimizing service impacts, maximizing construction access and modernizing the tunnel infrastructure to serve customers for another 100 years.

“Our members have had a long-standing dream of restoring a one-seat ride from the Midwest to Florida, and we’re thrilled that a new generation of American passengers will be able to experience this service for themselves,” said Jim Mathews, President & CEO of the Rail Passengers Association. “This move will free up badly needed equipment while taking pressure off Northeast Corridor infrastructure during the renovation of the ERT Project. Rail Passengers applauds Amtrak for this innovative solution to keeping passengers moving during critical state of good repair work. We believe riders will flock to this new service.”

The Floridian (Trains 40 & 41) will operate on a similar schedule and make the current stops of the Capitol Limited (Trains 29 & 30) between Chicago and Washington, D.C., and the Silver Star (Trains 91 & 92) between Miami and Washington, D.C. The Silver Meteor (Trains 97 & 98) continues to operate daily between New York and Miami.

[KevinKorell]

Whiskey Riff,  9/24/24:

 

 

      Amtrak Gets Roasted For “Proudly Announcing” New Chicago-To-Miami Route That Will Take A Whopping 47 Hours To Complete  

 

 

If you’ve never traveled by train, I’d recommend doing it at least once. The rates aren’t usually that high, and if it makes sense to take one instead of driving or flying, it can be a fun and different way to see the country. The only problem is that taking the train doesn’t always make sense – when you start comparing price and travel time.

 

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