@JamesWhitcombRiley it’s my first time traveling on this route. Was wondering about the other trains listed vs Acela…what is the difference between the Crescent and the Regional and Acela?
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Northeast Regional discussion
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JamesWhitcombRiley
Lead Service Attendant
The Crescent, Cardinal, and the Silver are long-distance trains that run with cars that have more legroom, about double than on an airplane. But the legroom on the Northeast and Acela is fine at about 1.5. The long distance trains don't have First, Business, or Quiet, if I recall - you can check. They stop at fewer stations, as does the Acela.
@JamesWhitcombRiley THANK you very much!
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Here is my insight which I hope may be helpful.
Taking the long distance trains southbound from New York to DC is likely fine. The trip will be just starting out and the train should be in good condition. However taking a northbound long distance train from DC to New York could be another story. The train has been en route for probably 24 hours and overnight before arriving in DC. The restrooms in particular may be in very questionable condition, possibly unclean and filthy.
Northeast regional trains are busy trains, are slower than an Acela and stop at more places than an Acela or a long distance train. The trains are well used and sometimes have a worn appearance. Passengers tend to be lower income and middle income but there can be a great mixture of people.
Acela trains are faster and seem to be well maintained. Fares can be significantly higher than the regional train fares. Restrooms are cleaned en route from my observations. These trains are busy. Passengers tend to be middle to upper class. You do not encounter many lower income people on an Acela.
Taking the long distance trains southbound from New York to DC is likely fine. The trip will be just starting out and the train should be in good condition. However taking a northbound long distance train from DC to New York could be another story. The train has been en route for probably 24 hours and overnight before arriving in DC. The restrooms in particular may be in very questionable condition, possibly unclean and filthy.
Northeast regional trains are busy trains, are slower than an Acela and stop at more places than an Acela or a long distance train. The trains are well used and sometimes have a worn appearance. Passengers tend to be lower income and middle income but there can be a great mixture of people.
Acela trains are faster and seem to be well maintained. Fares can be significantly higher than the regional train fares. Restrooms are cleaned en route from my observations. These trains are busy. Passengers tend to be middle to upper class. You do not encounter many lower income people on an Acela.
Late Night Special
On Saturday, 1/13/2024, Amtrak is running Northeast Regional train 1123 from NYP to WAS, departing at 9.35P. I was wondering what this is for, since it seems to be running only one time.
Thanks,
jb
On Saturday, 1/13/2024, Amtrak is running Northeast Regional train 1123 from NYP to WAS, departing at 9.35P. I was wondering what this is for, since it seems to be running only one time.
Thanks,
jb
Per my usually reliable source it’s balancing equipment because of holiday schedule
if you can get a good Biz Class Fare on Acela, ( ie lower than a Regular NEC Coach Fare) that's the way to go.
otherwise, a Low Bucket Coach Ticket on an NEC Train and using the Quiet Car is the way to roll!
I personally don't often opt for the quiet car, as it is often more crowded and I'm not usually traveling far these days. I'm more likely to go all the way to the front, where there are usually more seats (and whole rows) available. Sometimes you can find a nearly empty car that it might as well be a quiet car.
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On our trips from Boston to DC, I usually prefer Acela business class if the fare is fairly reasonable. We have tried the quiet car but found it to be a bit too quiet as my wife enjoys an occasional phone conversation en route and I enjoy talking with other passengers at more than a whisper. Since seats on Acela trains are now reserved I usually now reserve seats in the last car (car 6?). I find that it is usually relatively quiet and people are not walking through the car going to and from the cafe car. Of course being in the last car does make for a longer walk to the station on arrival in DC.
Most of my Northeast Regional trips have been from New York to Boston (usually after arrival in New York on the Crescent). In boarding a Northeast Regional train in New York, I used to try to board somewhere near the front of the train. However I found those first cars to be quite full which often meant that you have to drag your luggage back through several cars before you found a seat, or in our case two open seats together.. I have given up trying to board the first few cars of the train and now just walk to the back of the train and board the last or next to the last car. On my trips I have found that there are usually plenty of open seats there and it is usually fairly quiet.
Most of my Northeast Regional trips have been from New York to Boston (usually after arrival in New York on the Crescent). In boarding a Northeast Regional train in New York, I used to try to board somewhere near the front of the train. However I found those first cars to be quite full which often meant that you have to drag your luggage back through several cars before you found a seat, or in our case two open seats together.. I have given up trying to board the first few cars of the train and now just walk to the back of the train and board the last or next to the last car. On my trips I have found that there are usually plenty of open seats there and it is usually fairly quiet.
If getting on board a northbound Regional at Washington or Baltimore, there are usually a lot of empty seats in the first two cars of the train. Not sure what it's like further up the line.
I was booked on NE Regional 151 tomorrow, the Roanoaker. I just got word they're canceling the train. Not sure what that was about. I'm glad I paid the $4 extra for a flex ticket, though I suspect they would have rebooked me with no charge. My ne train gives me an hour more sleep in the morning and saves me some money, too.
I was booked on NE Regional 151 tomorrow, the Roanoaker. I just got word they're canceling the train. Not sure what that was about. I'm glad I paid the $4 extra for a flex ticket, though I suspect they would have rebooked me with no charge. My ne train gives me an hour more sleep in the morning and saves me some money, too.
Weather related cancellations & early terminations at NYP for some northbounds going between NYP & BOS.
Rain(flooding), snow, winds, possible tornadoes….
https://www.amtrak.com/forecasted-w...xrVQ6g35fu5_-TsRMfAUp6B0LBbcvMB_roqubzdmIw0mg
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@Rasputin thank you for the info!
I am booked on train 66 NE Regional, from NY Penn to Boston, on March 21st, at (shudder) 0529, and I just noticed that it gets into NYC at 0157. What do they do with the train for those three and a half hours? Does it just sit at the platform with a passel of disconsolate through passengers on board? And what time do they board passengers to get on it?
Yep, the Train just sits @ the Platform, and boy are the Lights in NYP Bright, hope you have a Curtain on your Window!
Not sure when they allow boarding passengers, I've never caught 66 @ NYP???
It used to just sit at NYP for about an hour, arriving at 2 AM and leaving about 3 and they let you board as soon as the passengers going to New York got off the train. It would get to Boston about 8 AM. It let you leave NYC in the late evening and not to have to spring for an additional night at a mid-town Manhattan hotel (for the cheap-skates among us
) Then they added a sleeper, but I never got a chance to ride it. The downside to this was you had to wait a long time in the old, dreadful NYP waiting area, and they would (at least sometimes) make everyone move to the other half of the waiting area and then back while they noisily vacuumed.Then, early in Covid, they cancelled the overnight trains (65, 66 an 67) and when they restored them, no sleeper. Last year, they canceled them north of New York due to the overnight work on the Hell's Gate Bridge and through the Bronx, and when they restored them last fall, the instituted the 4-hour layover. I don't know if you are allowed to board as soon as it arrives at NYP or if you have to wait until shortly before departure. Waiting in the station is (AFAIK) still an ordeal because they close Moynihan over night and you have to wait in the old dungeon.
One step forward and two steps back at each change.
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Well, thanks. I'm staying two short and 1/2 long blocks away, so I guess I'll plan to get there at five or so. I'll report on the hotel.
JamesWhitcombRiley
Lead Service Attendant
The sleepers very briefly came back during Covid. As usual they were fully booked well in advance. The time I took it, in coach, it arrived nearly full from Boston. The waiting area was mellow enough, no drama. Another time I arrived at NYP at 2am due to signal problems in Maryland and the crew timing out in Delaware. I stuck around the entrance at 31st and 8th before I called a Lyft. I saw quite a few families arriving with rolling suitcases. Amtrak Police were checking tickets.It used to just sit at NYP for about an hour, arriving at 2 AM and leaving about 3 and they let you board as soon as the passengers going to New York got off the train. It would get to Boston about 8 AM. It let you leave NYC in the late evening and not to have to spring for an additional night at a mid-town Manhattan hotel (for the cheap-skates among us
Then, early in Covid, they cancelled the overnight trains (65, 66 an 67) and when they restored them, no sleeper. Last year, they canceled them north of New York due to the overnight work on the Hell's Gate Bridge and through the Bronx, and when they restored them last fall, the instituted the 4-hour layover. I don't know if you are allowed to board as soon as it arrives at NYP or if you have to wait until shortly before departure. Waiting in the station is (AFAIK) still an ordeal because they close Moynihan over night and you have to wait in the old dungeon.
One step forward and two steps back at each change.
Acela150
Super Buff
The train hit a deer outside of Route 128 and it damaged the ACSES and Cab Signal equipment. They were only allowed 59 MPH to New Haven where a motor was added.
Last Night we were on Amtrak# 171 from Trenton to Roanoke. Something weird happened, want to know if something like this is common on riding this pr any other routes?
We were only a couple minutes late on all stops up until between the Culpeper stop and the Charlottesville stop. We literally stopped between those 2 stops. There was an annoucement that we were stopping to pick up one additional crew member. They said it would only be a minute or 2. Turned out we waiting for this person for about 18 minutes.
In the end we ended up arriving into Roanoke 35 minutes late.
So my question is does Amtrak usually pick up crew members like this along other routes to? Is this a normal thing for them to do?
We were only a couple minutes late on all stops up until between the Culpeper stop and the Charlottesville stop. We literally stopped between those 2 stops. There was an annoucement that we were stopping to pick up one additional crew member. They said it would only be a minute or 2. Turned out we waiting for this person for about 18 minutes.
In the end we ended up arriving into Roanoke 35 minutes late.
So my question is does Amtrak usually pick up crew members like this along other routes to? Is this a normal thing for them to do?
No, that’s not standard procedures. My guess is they were picking up a relief crew member due to the previous days long delayed 171.Last Night we were on Amtrak# 171 from Trenton to Roanoke. Something weird happened, want to know if something like this is common on riding this pr any other routes?
We were only a couple minutes late on all stops up until between the Culpeper stop and the Charlottesville stop. We literally stopped between those 2 stops. There was an annoucement that we were stopping to pick up one additional crew member. They said it would only be a minute or 2. Turned out we waiting for this person for about 18 minutes.
In the end we ended up arriving into Roanoke 35 minutes late.
So my question is does Amtrak usually pick up crew members like this along other routes to? Is this a normal thing for them to do?
WBG Station 1935
Train Attendant
I'm curious, does anyone know why NER174 was canceled today? I looked around on-line but did not find an answer. I was a little surprised that there was not a soul at the station when I walked through there this morning.
It's President's Day maybe they are running on a holiday schedule?
Due to the holiday Amtrak is running on a Sunday schedule. 174 does not run on Sundays.
