When is Sleeping Car returning to WAS-BOS overnight train?

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The Amtrak job postings do have coach cleaner positions at NPN. Suspect that means the sleeper as well>Have never seen a job posting just for sleepers' system wide.

The staffing problem seems to come now because the OBS is WASH based. To go to NPN would require probably 2 more positions even if OBS laid over in NPN and go to BOS.?? but the twilight had it as BOS based. There have been several postings for OBS at BOS so maybe when there is enough BOS OBS maybe it will go back to BOS?

BTW more posting for WASH as well.
 
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jis said:
They were running sleepers to Newport News from the 1990s when the train was called the Twilight Shoreliner and extended to Newport News. Was there any problem with state funding back then?
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It was not a state supported service them. AFAIR it was not a 403b service.
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Correct. Newport News was part of the national network from the beginning (that lovely little one-car second section of the Cardinal that split off in Charlottesville, as well as the Colonial.)

There was always some weirdness with running empty cars to and from NPN -- when they first added the second frequency, the "Tidewater" (weekends only, and WAS-NPN some days of the week and NYP-NPN other days), I was puzzled to see a train running south 3 days a week but north 4 days a week. The equipment and crew had to get to NPN SOMEhow on Sundays... it seemed to me there would have been no downside to selling tickets both directions every day.

I had not been aware that yet another side effect of PRIIA was that the sleeper had to be closed south of WAS. So many things to hate about that "pay more, get less" bill! (For those who have not looked at a 1990s timetable in awhile: there was also no state support for the Empire Service except the Adirondack; nor for the old Montrealer, nor 3 round trips each on the Keystones, San Diegans, Hiawathas, and Chicago-Detroit. They had already talked Illinois into paying for all the Chicago-St. Louis trains by then, but at one time two of those were part of the 'national network' too.)
 
It's possible that very few rooms would be occupied south of Washington, DC. If that is the case, I can understand why Amtrak would not want to pay a sleeper attendant for that portion of the route.
 
west point said:
The Amtrak job postings do have coach cleaner positions at NPN. Suspect that means the sleeper as well>Have never seen a job posting just for sleepers' system wide.

The staffing problem seems to come now because the OBS is WASH based. To go to NPN would require probably 2 more positions even if OBS laid over in NPN and go to BOS.?? but the twilight had it as BOS based. There have been several postings for OBS at BOS so maybe when there is enough BOS OBS maybe it will go back to BOS?

BTW more posting for WASH as well.
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Coach cleaner is the official job title for people hired to clean trains.
 
There has been some vague chatter that they may eventually bring the sleeper back - if they do it'd likely be cut/added on at WAS given the different end points in VA. Nothing concrete just chatter/rumors.
 
So many problems on the 'reintroduced Night Owl' a while back... such as blaring announcements at NYP... an intermediate stop in which all were awakened at unimaginable hours [yes... I did do the actual Night Owl when I was a lot younger and remember the quiet knocking and whispers at NYP so as not to wake up passengers.] And the rudeness of todays attendants is quite discouraging... especially noted in an account by a well known travel blogger in which that included nightcap was unattainable after the train left WAS cause the cafe was not yet open... but I mean... it's a short night trip... why shouldn't it be open when the train leaves the station for the short night run.=??? And the dry roll in a 'breakfast box' for the next morning doesn't seem to serve a purpose. [The original Night Owl included reasonable food and a toilet kit similar to transatlantic business class.]

Don't know why anyone would patronize a night train with this kind of service. Amtrak has lost its way with customer service... but this is not something that is new since the pandemic and before. I certainly wouldn't want to experience such a disappointing and uncomfortable service... for any price.

There are 1st class night busses plying the BOS NYP WAS corridor with far better service at much more affordable cost.
 
Yes it did take a few days for kinks to be worked out. However the PA announcement was addressed, and train did get the new bedding. Pain to watch, but someone was managing the roll out, and got under control shortly. Then the train was canceled.

Oh well.
 
20th Century Rider said:
So many problems on the 'reintroduced Night Owl' a while back... such as blaring announcements at NYP... an intermediate stop in which all were awakened at unimaginable hours [yes... I did do the actual Night Owl when I was a lot younger and remember the quiet knocking and whispers at NYP so as not to wake up passengers.] And the rudeness of todays attendants is quite discouraging... especially noted in an account by a well known travel blogger in which that included nightcap was unattainable after the train left WAS cause the cafe was not yet open... but I mean... it's a short night trip... why shouldn't it be open when the train leaves the station for the short night run.=??? And the dry roll in a 'breakfast box' for the next morning doesn't seem to serve a purpose. [The original Night Owl included reasonable food and a toilet kit similar to transatlantic business class.]

Don't know why anyone would patronize a night train with this kind of service. Amtrak has lost its way with customer service... but this is not something that is new since the pandemic and before. I certainly wouldn't want to experience such a disappointing and uncomfortable service... for any price.

There are 1st class night busses plying the BOS NYP WAS corridor with far better service at much more affordable cost.
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Was the reviewer Jeb Brooks? In his Night Owl review, he said the cafe attendant yelled at him because she wasn’t open yet. He is always pleasant, upbeat, and I am sure he is polite. I can’t imagine him doing anything to incur such wrath.

Simply Railway reviewed the Night Owl as well, and when he detrained at Boston, he said it was nice getting there early in the morning but that he had a horrible night’s sleep with the track being so rough. And this from a guy who usually has no trouble falling asleep in trains all over the U.S. and Europe.
 
The real question is will the BOS <> WAS sleeper net income be more or less than having them assigned to LD trains? That is if no external pressures are applied either for or against.
The ultimate solution would be 100 more sleepers which would allow for 3 - 4 additional sleepers on each LD train set + daily Cardinal. Of course no more LD routes turning single level.
 
Mystic River Dragon said:
Was the reviewer Jeb Brooks? In his Night Owl review, he said the cafe attendant yelled at him because she wasn’t open yet. He is always pleasant, upbeat, and I am sure he is polite. I can’t imagine him doing anything to incur such wrath.

Simply Railway reviewed the Night Owl as well, and when he detrained at Boston, he said it was nice getting there early in the morning but that he had a horrible night’s sleep with the track being so rough. And this from a guy who usually has no trouble falling asleep in trains all over the U.S. and Europe.
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Right on... Jeb Brooks it was!
 
lordsigma said:
Fair enough - meant no offense. Just sharing what I had heard - take it or leave it.
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No offense taken, at all. I just get weary in social media with unfounded rumors being posted and taken as fact. Not saying you did that, just happens so consistently on so many venues. A level of critical thinking needs to be taken with any social media post.
 
Any updates on this saga of sleepers?

I now have have semi regular work in Baltimore that would make a sleeper car perfect and the current train options aren’t great.

I’m currently opting for the morning Acela instead of the previous overnight train.
 
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Tlcooper93 said:
Any updates on this saga of sleepers?

I now have have semi regular work in Baltimore that would make a sleeper car perfect and the current train options aren’t great.

I’m currently opting for the morning Acela instead of the previous overnight train.
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Right now, no. I think that their are some things that need to be worked out before this happens again.
 

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