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  1. Mackensen

    Why are scheduled times into WAS changing so much?

    I was on #132 yesterday and observed track work near the Maryland/Delaware border which caused a twenty-minute delay. Whether that's related is another matter.
  2. Mackensen

    Kindergarten Walk

    I don't see what relevance this has. No one's saying it can't be done--obviously it can. However, implementing this change would require capital expenses upfront--investment in IT to enable this procedure when ticketing, training for on-board service personnel, training for call-center...
  3. Mackensen

    City of New Orleans Dining

    I wouldn't plan on lunch into Jackson. My memory is that lunch service starts at 11 or 11:30 AM. There's quite a bit of slack in the schedule at Jackson going south; when I took the train in January 2012 we hit Jackson a good 30 minutes early and wandered around near the station.
  4. Mackensen

    Streetcar to NOL starts service today

    Though if you're staying in the Garden District you're still better off walking down Howard Avenue to Lee Circle and picking up the St. Charles Line there.
  5. Mackensen

    Lake Shore Limited 49(23) why so late?

    The westbound Lake Shores have been running late for the last couple days. I gather from posts on other forums that it's a combination of weather and CSX trackwork in Central New York. I'm heading out on 49 (24) in a few hours and we'll see how it goes.
  6. Mackensen

    Integrated Stations

    Consolidating the city buses was part of the grant; I don't remember if we had the opportunity to vote on it or not. The real trick was luring Greyhound/Indian Trails back from the airport after the renovation finished. I remember that the city had to do some arm-twisting but I don't recall the...
  7. Mackensen

    Capitol Limited disruption?

    It could be that it's sold out for the date in question.
  8. Mackensen

    New Viewliner II's

    Unless something changed in the last month or two the Blue Water uses the same equipment as the Wolverine: 3-5 Horizon coaches and either an Amfleet or Horizon Club/Dinette. Superliner equipment usually only shows up in the winter when the Horizons are down for maintenance, and then not every day.
  9. Mackensen

    New Faces in Chicago Met Lounge... Alert AGR S+ members

    I was in Chicago about three weeks ago and I just showed them my phone. No problem whatsoever.
  10. Mackensen

    Additional Wolverine Thanksgiving Service

    When Amtrak did this a few years ago for Labor Day the equipment set was parked opposite Western Michigan University's football stadium after the late night/early morning arrival. It's double-track there and of course there isn't any local traffic to worry about.
  11. Mackensen

    Onboard sleeper upgrades

    I've seen it ONCE in 40,000 miles, and it was a young mother with several children. The conductor was very helpful, but I think he was also anxious to get the whole family out of coach (Lake Shore Limited-Boston section). This would seem to be another change flowing from eticketing and ought to...
  12. Mackensen

    New location for Tacoma Amtrak station recommended

    I was in Tacoma back in 2008 and at the time it seemed like there was enough space at Freighthouse. It's not like the Amshack a few blocks over is all that capacious.
  13. Mackensen

    Superliner vs. Viewliner

    I'm not sure it's possible to make a fair judgement. My impression of the Viewliner is colored by the fact that Amtrak doesn't have good single-level lounge cars. Compounding this, I usually only occupy a Viewliner on either the New York or Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited, which means...
  14. Mackensen

    Business Class Drinks

    At Kalamazoo you tell the conductor you're BC and you board at the cafe car directly, proceeding to your seat. It'll be obvious to the attendant that you're BC. It's no big deal.
  15. Mackensen

    Quirky routing on Empire Builder

    Huh, you're right. PDX->DET doesn't give the same routings as SEA-DET. You can get PDX-CHI-DET via Multi-City. That's very strange.
  16. Mackensen

    New Amtrak Android app

    Yes. For the record, I was successful. I showed my phone the whole way from New York to Chicago and on to Kalamazoo. No one showed any surprise in handling a phone, and the conductors didn't have any problems beeping the QR code on the screen. The only hitch is that it doesn't show the car and...
  17. Mackensen

    Southwest Chief Running Only Two Coaches

    Amtrak has flexed the consist on the Wolverines for several years now. I've seen them as low as four cars (3 Horizon + Amfleet BC/Cafe) and as high as ten (!) during holidays (8 Horizon + 2 BC/Cafe). The CONO is an interesting case--it really becomes a different train south of Memphis. My...
  18. Mackensen

    viewliner diner 8400

    If anyone's obsessive the 8400 is on 49 (30). New wrinkle (for me, anyway) at dinner tonight. No reservations, with dinner served 5-6 and then again 7-9 (after leaving Albany). Things seemed to run very smoothly and my steak came out much faster than usual. Good stuff, good crew.
  19. Mackensen

    Needing advice in constructing cross country trip

    Well, I *do* live in the Lehigh Valley and I regularly use Trans-Bridge Lines between there and New York. The buses are fast and comfortable and have complimentary wifi. It's a good option. Alternatively you could drive to the nearest SEPTA station (Lansdale?) and take the train into...
  20. Mackensen

    Substance Abuse

    I didn't say it wasn't a problem. That wasn't the original question. I just don't see it as a concern. The news organizations reporting this matter have grossly overstated the seriousness of the situation. Show me an actual threat to the safety of the railroad and I'll be concerned. This is...
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