Search results

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
  1. Tracktwentynine

    Atlanta temporarily lost checked baggage service - now restored

    My parents are traveling from Atlanta to Washington and back over the Memorial Day weekend. They got a service alert from Amtrak indicating that for these trips, there would be no checked baggage service between Atlanta and Washington. I called the Amtrak call center to ask if this was a...
  2. Tracktwentynine

    Detroit to Toledo Thruway Bus question

    I've been away from the forum for a while, but I wanted to drop by with a question. Thanks in advance for the answer! I'm looking at a trip from Detroit to Washington, and I don't want to backtrack all the way to Chicago to make the connection. There is a Thruway connection between Detroit and...
  3. Tracktwentynine

    How TQPs break down on multi-train itineraries?

    I have a question about how Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) work on multi-train itineraries. I've never had to worry about this before, but now I'm dangerously close to making Select status this year, and I'm trying to figure out how many TQPs I'll earn for an upcoming trip to see how close it...
  4. Tracktwentynine

    Any missing trains today (Oct 1)?

    Well, it's here. October 1. PRIIA deadline for state funding agreements. I haven't heard that any trains have disappeared, but I also know that some states had failed to come to agreements, including New York state and Indiana. So, did Amtrak blink or are these trains gone as of today?
  5. Tracktwentynine

    Vermonter and Palmer Backup

    I'm going to be traveling with my family on the Vermonter next month, and I have a question about the reverse move at Palmer. I know the train has to change directions at Palmer to continue north. What I am unsure of is if the train makes another reverse move beforehand at Springfield. I ask...
  6. Tracktwentynine

    DC Union Station Design Changes

    The Union Station Redevelopment Corporation is proposing some major changes to the Great Hall in Washington Union Station. These will be the first significant changes since the Great Hall was reopened in 1988. The proposal calls for cutting two new escalator shafts through the floor to connect...
  7. Tracktwentynine

    Embarking from LAUS

    I've used LA Union Station several times before, for Metrolink, Metro, and the Surfliner, but never for a Long Distance train. My understanding is that LAUS does not have a Metropolitan Lounge. How does boarding for sleeping car passengers work? I'm taking the Southwest Chief. Any tips for...
  8. Tracktwentynine

    The Empire Builder on the Northeast Corridor

    Amtrak has a new website dedicated to marketing to gay and lesbian travelers. On one webpage, they advertise taking Amtrak to Martha's Vineyard. Which is all well and good. But along with a paragraph about the Northeast Regional, they include this picture (with the label "Northeast Regional")...
  9. Tracktwentynine

    Cap Limited possible delay outside WAS today

    Right now, the Capitol Limited is approaching Rockville, Maryland on its way to Washington. What will happen after Rockville, I don't know, because the Metropolitan Subdivision is currently closed at Fort Totten due to a suspicious package. All Red Line Metro service is suspended between Rhode...
  10. Tracktwentynine

    Which train(s) would you cut?

    Fred Frailey makes a good case over at Trains that when the axe falls, the long-distance routes are likely to see cuts. He shows that it doesn't make sense for Amtrak to cut the NEC and the state-supported/corridor services. Personally, I think we should be expanding service, not cutting it. But...
  11. Tracktwentynine

    Photography of / in Train Stations

    Many of our cities still have their "golden age" railroad terminals. The grand halls of stations like Chicago Union, Grand Central, and Washington can be awe-inspiring. Oftentimes, they're great public spaces; home to much more activity than just catching a train somewhere. On the other end of...
  12. Tracktwentynine

    Electronic Ticket Scanning Pilot

    According to NARP's blog, Amtrak conductors on the Downeaster will soon begin scanning tickets with electronic readers. This pilot project bodes well for bringing Amtrak ticketing fully into the 1990s. Records of who is actually on board will be transmitted to a central database. That should...
  13. Tracktwentynine

    NEC & Pennsylvanian

    I travel a good bit by train. In fact, I have over 4,000 miles on Amtrak this year alone. But my parents are n00bs. They were with me for my first trip on Amtrak (it was their first one too), between Ardmore, Oklahoma and Fort Worth, Texas. I was a junior in college, and was with them at a...
  14. Tracktwentynine

    "All doors will not open"

    I've taken Amtrak quite a bit this year, and one phrase I've heard a lot is quite irritating. Conductors often say, "At the next stop, all doors will not open. Exit where you see a uniformed member of the crew." What the conductor means is that the platform at the next station is not long...
  15. Tracktwentynine

    Privatizing NEC would be unconstitutional

    As reported in the The Hill, the Congressional Research Service has opined that Representative Mica's proposal to split the NEC off from Amtrak is unconstitutional. They posit that the transaction violates the takings clause of the Constitution. From the article:
  16. Tracktwentynine

    Norfolk's Tide Light Rail opening date set

    August 19 will be the first day of service for Norfolk's 7.4-mile Tide Light Rail line. Story in the Virginian-Pilot.
  17. Tracktwentynine

    Rough Start, Smooth Finish

    Last weekend, I took a trip up to Buffalo [all photos]. My primary goals were (1) to ride my 21st American light rail system [photos] and (2) to tour Buffalo Central Terminal [photos]. I accomplished both of those. I also made 2011 my most Amtrak-traveled year ever, adding 672 miles and...
  18. Tracktwentynine

    NS willing to talk Atlanta-Macon passenger line

    From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: This would be a good first step toward Atlanta-Savannah service. And it would also likely mean commuter service between Griffin and Atlanta. Of course, it's all contingent on Georgia's voters, and they don't have a history of supporting major rail...
  19. Tracktwentynine

    Price difference: website versus phone

    So, I've always thought that the same prices were given to customers over the phone as are on the web. But that may not always be the case. I recently booked a trip from Minneapolis to Washington, DC. (This is the group trip referenced here.) There are a total of 8 of us traveling. We're going...
  20. Tracktwentynine

    Photo Advice - Amfleets at Night

    I snapped this photo, "Ready for the Morning", during a smoke stop for #97, the Silver Meteor, at Richmond-Staples Mill Road. It shows the tail ends of 2 Northeast Regional trains parked at the station overnight for their morning departures to the north. I'd appreciate advice on how to improve...
Back
Top