No Sleepers to Tampa, FL???

I took the Sliver service train from Trenton to Tampa a few times back in the late 1990s and always had a viewliner sleeper train. I wanted to take the train again to Tampa to see the remodeled station but there are no sleepers to Tampa anymore. What's the deal? How can I get to Tampa, FL now direct?

Direct service from Trenton to Tampa is still available, in coach, on the Palmetto, train 89: dp TRE 8:15a, ar TPA 6:50a

Sleeper service from Trenton to Orlando is available on the Silver Star, train 91 (dp TRE 12:26p, ar ORL 11:32a), and the Silver Meteor, train 97 (dp TRE 8:01p, ar ORL 3:29p). There's dedicated bus service to/from Orlando and Tampa; travel time each way is about 2 hours. By distance and time, the bus leg represents about 7% of the total trip.

sleepers were cut sometime in 2003 due to amtrak's wasting and wrecking of their equipment...

they cant keep their stuff on the rails

crazy_nip wrote:sleepers were cut sometime in 2003 due to amtrak's wasting and wrecking of their equipment...

they cant keep their stuff on the rails

Actually, it was April, 2002...and I don't even know how to respond to the other part of your message.

The Palmetto still has Business class with complimentary beverages, newspapers, entertainment, pillows/blankets and priority boarding.

Do trains really need to go to Tampa?

I have disagreed with "Nip" many times and may still on some issues but
I sense that the anti Tampa remark(s) may be directed at him and that I
do not like.
Tampa and its surroundings is a major population area and the fact that
it only has one train a day in and out and no sleeping car service is just
plain ridiculous in my opinion.
Florida really needs a corridor type operation serving the large cities
including Miami, Tampa, Orland, Jacksonville and probably to the
Tallahassee area too. An operation similar to that in California is what I
am thinking here with both a state and federal commitment. In addition
if a service base is re-established in Tampa, it should have an overnight
sleeping car train north.
The west coast of Florida is a major population area and also a resort
area and warrants a lot more than what there is now passenger train wise.
Noel Weaver

I agree with the instate corridor Noel just make sure you and other Floridians don't get cought with hanging chads this time in November and when Bro is up for election

Dutch,
Agree, I will do my best.
Noel Weaver

There are no sleepers on the Palmetto 89/90. But there is a business class where you get complimentary sodas and hot beverages, free newspapers, a blanket and headphones. Next stop, Lakeland, my away terminal!!! he he he

Assuming Amtrak has money to continue repairing the backlog of equipment sitting at Beech Grove, are sleeping cars and dining cars available in sufficient numbers to upgrade the Palmetto and restore the Silver Palm?

Have Amtrak officials made any statements regarding the possibility of restoring sleepes to Tampa?

Would it be more practical to create at Tampa section for one of the other Florida trains, e.g. Silver Star, Silver Meteor?

yes, it is a solid JOKE that the tampa / St pete area which is home to almost 2 million people does not have a sleeper...

especially considering that in the early until 1979 it had 4 trains each way daily with sleepers

and the area has grown in leaps and bounds since then

oh, and gotten a refurbished station

from like 1982-1997 tampa amtrak customers used basically a mobile home as their "station" similiar to what is now in hamlet, nc

amtrakengr wrote:There are no sleepers on the Palmetto 89/90. But there is a business class where you get complimentary sodas and hot beverages, free newspapers, a blanket and headphones. Next stop, Lakeland, my away terminal!!! he he he

which is NOT a bed

"business class" is a ripoff

Not to mention no dining car.

As I have noted here in the past, I believe the Seaboard Air Line passes through a growing and underserved area of North Central Florida.

To note; Gainesville is a college town. I realize most princes and princesses today seem to know how to mouth the words "Dad, everybody's got one, I need a Bimmer Three..." but not all.

Ocala is one of the most attractive Metropolitan areas I know anywhere in the State - and it is constantly growing.

Down the line a bit, or some 15 miles North of Wildwood, is The Villages - a retirement community of 100,000 strong and growing. The folks there are all of train riding age - and they all came from somewhere. Simply by way of reference, on A-Day, The Villages was home to some 10000 head of beef cattle.

What I would hope Amtrak would consider is through cars (Sleeper desireable, but not completely necessary) added or cut from the Star at Jax to enable service through thir area at "people hours' The Palmetto would become what it always was - The Carolina Creeper, serving NY-Jax on its existing schedule. Tampa-Miami could be served by a Silver Palm on a schedule that existed during 1983. Only one set of equipment would be required.

Restoration of Coleman-Auburndale would be great (whose big idea was that, Nip?), but that of course means $$$$$$.

Hope they're reading @ 60 Mass.