Silver Meteor Returns, Service Resumes to Miami

Amtrak has begun reinstating its New York-Miami Silver Meteor and resuming operations of the Silver Star between Miami and Jacksonville, Florida.

The Star has been suspended south of Jacksonville due to damage caused by flooding during Hurricane Ian in the vicinity of Kissimmee, Florida. That track has since been repaired by host railroad CSX.

The first departure of the Silver Star from New York that will operate to Miami was Oct. 14 while the first departure from Miami of the Star for New York will be on Oct. 15.

The Silver Meteor was suspended last January with Amtrak citing a shortage of workers and serviceable equipment.

Trains magazine reported on its website that reinstatement of the Meteor will result in a net loss of one Viewliner sleeping car on the New York-Miami route.

The magazine reported that the Silver Meteor and Silver Star will each carry two sleepers. Since January the Silver Star has carried five sleepers along with four or five Amfleet coaches.

The Star and Meteor will each be assigned three sleepers apiece.

Before it was suspended earlier this year the Silver Meteor was assigned three sleeping cars while the Silver Star had two.

The first departures from New York and Miami for the Silver Meteor will be Oct. 15 and 16 respectively.

The reduction in sleeper capacity between New York and Miami with the reinstatement of the Meteor has resulted in some passengers who had booked sleeping car space being notified by Amtrak that the space they had reserved was no longer available, Trains reported.

One such passenger told Trains he received an automated voice mail advising him to contact Amtrak reservations about a “service disruption.”

He then learned that the car in which he had reserved space back in April would not be operating on his December dates of travel aboard the Meteor and no alternative sleeping car space was available for those dates or any nearby dates on the Meteor or the Silver Star.

The Trains report also said Amtrak plans to operate nine Superliner sleeping cars on the Auto Train starting Nov. 1.

Most Florida, Georgia Service Restored

Amtrak resumed partial operation on Sunday of services that had been cancelled to Florida and Georgia due to Hurricane Ian.

The Auto Train between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida, resumed operating over the length of its route as did the New York-Savannah, Georgia, Palmetto.

The Silver Star for now is operating only between New York and Jacksonville, Florida.

Passengers traveling to Orlando and Tampa were to be accommodated on a bus.

The first southbound Silver Star departed New York on Sunday. The first northbound Star is to leave Jacksonville on Monday.

The service advisory did not say when service between Jacksonville and Miami would be restored.

Service Cancellations Continue Today Due to Ian

Amtrak services to Florida and Georgia that had earlier this week been cancelled due to Hurricane Ian will remain largely sidelined today (Oct. 1).

In a service advisory Amtrak said the Auto Train and Silver Star are cancelled on Saturday over the length of their routes.

The Palmetto will operate between New York and Washington, but is cancelled between Washington and Savannah, Georgia.

Palmetto Suspended due to Hurricane Ian

Amtrak has suspended operations of the New-York Savannah, Georgia, Palmetto due to Hurricane Ian.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said No. 89 did not operate south of Washington on Thursday and will do so again today. Service south of Washington is suspended.

Earlier in the week, Amtrak had announced that the Auto Train and Silver Star would be suspended through Friday over the entirety of their routes.

The service advisory, which was posted on Thursday morning, did not indicated which of these trains might resume operating on Saturday.

Amtrak Extends Suspensions of Florida Trains

In a service advisory posted on Tuesday, Amtrak has extended the suspension of its Auto Train and Silver Star through Saturday.

The suspensions began Tuesday in advance of Hurricane Ian, which was expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida.

The latest advisory said the New York-Miami Silver Star is cancelled over the entirety of its route through Saturday.

The Auto Train, which operates between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida, is cancelled in its entirety through Friday.

Amtrak said passengers affected by the service cancellations will be accommodated on other trains and the carrier will waive any fees for reservation changes.