Old Amtrak Silver Star Routing/Equipment

It just hit me to ask about the routing and equipment I had taken back in the day.
Trip 1 was the Silver Star in January 1986. Taken from Newark NJ to Ocala FL. I remember the buffet car where we picked out our food, paid for it and then someone would take it to the table for us. Would this be something to bring back? I remember walking through the entire train and seeing a car with small private rooms. Would the Slumber Coach still be available at this time and on this train? I know we detrained in Ocala but did this route break off at Coleman FL to continue to Miami at this time? Also remember Petersburg VA to a point south routing with no Rocky Mount NC. Where did we go and when was this changed?

Trip 2 was from Newark NJ to Fort Lauderdale in 1989. I believe this was the Silver Star also. At this point in time I think the routing via Coleman was already abandoned and torn out. I vaguely remember Dade City being a stop as we bypassed Coleman Junction. I can also swear we did not go into Tampa. Could we have swung down and then turned East somewhere after Dade City? I know we stopped at Rocky Mount on the way North so the route from somewhere in the Carolina's was changed by this time.

I would also like the times of these trains if someone can post that. I have to dig through stuff at Moms to find out. Thanks for any recollection of these train trips someone may have.

You should be able to find the timetables of the time on this website. http://www.timetables.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I have the date somewhere when the Star was routed from the old SAL routing to the ACL routing via Rocky Mount. I do know that it was the last LD train with steam heat equipment and the last train with slumbercoaches as well. Just don't have the dates within my brain anymore. I rode it not too long before the steam heaat equipment was retired and it was not a very comfortable ride. I don;t think there were any Amtrak corridor trains left by then with steam heat either.
Noel Weaver

In the 1980s, I believe 1986, CSX pulled up a portion of the S line from south of Richmond to Norlina, NC. As a result, the Silver Star was rerouted to its current route to Selma, then over the NS/NCRR line to Raleigh before taking the S line to Savannah. If the SEHSR plans come to fruition, The old line south of Richmond would be reinstated as a 110 MPH route.