Recent content by TheVig

They need to hire / train more chefs.

I told my wife last night about the Crescent getting it's dinner back. She was excited until I told her the latest scheme from Amtrak. Roomette prices from CLT to NYP or NOL and back have gone too high to justify tolerating flex dining. Neiman Marcus pricing for Dollar General food. As far as...

It's a step in the right direction. However............... I won't be happy until real traditional dining returns.

What is Amtrak's definition of a "corridor train", as it relates to something like say the Carolinian? It would be disappointing to see a cancellation because one of the cars crapped out, shortly departing Charlotte. And needed to be towed up to the NEC to be repaired. Or wait on a laptop so it...

Seat side, carved prime rib on Pan Am, first class. For what some of us pay for sleeper tickets on Amtrak these days, you would think we could at least get a seat side, sliced deli roast beef sammich.

I’m in the lounge this morning at NYP killing time before we head back to CLT on the Carolinian. We are in business class. Last I checked this morning coach was showing sold out between NYP-CLT and only 2 seats left in business. Yeah, the cafe line will be long and the toilets in the coach...

Saturday on the Carolinian, a few Amtrak PD boarded at RGH and road it all the way to NYP. It’s not everyday I see uniformed Amtrak PD that far south on the Carolinian.

I got relatives up there that are excited for the new service. I also have relatives up there that could care less. Can’t win them all. I can’t wait to see ridership numbers over the next several months.

Sounds like the Orlando airport.

I’m headed to NYP on Saturday via the Carolinian. Thankful my starting point is in CLT. Hopefully people getting on at GRO won’t be to inconvenienced getting into the station. Might be one bright spot with the pickleball tournament. Maybe some non train riders in attendance will get curious...

Last year I got a text that the Crescent was running two hours late into Charlotte. The text came about 18 hours after my trip was completed. Message also said to call USA Rail for assistance. Trips I've taken since on other trains, the text messages, if they are actually sent, I received in...

Anyone hear anything new?

All this talk about the Star, got me thinking about RGH. Sure enough I did some checking for Jan 2025. Sold out coming and going between RGH-NYP. That means the Carolinian has the potential to see even more riders. Something tells me I should go ahead and book my Carolinian business class...

I have the Cambria-Chelsea NYC booked with points for six nights coming up soon in May. Cash price would have been around $2200.00. Very affordable (sarcasm).

I'm not in the station everyday either, but I'm in and out enough to have seen my fair share of shenanigans. Most of the time the homeless will enter the station and ask people in the waiting area for money, and quickly leave. They know they are not welcome. The worst I've seen first hand is...