The Metropolitan
OBS Chief
In the days upcoming to this trip, I've been trying NOT too get overexcited, but as the days draw ever nearer, I simply can no longer help it. I booked this trip in early February, with no idea if my workload would even allow me to take it. Now, as the days draw closer, I find myself getting more and more stressed that something is going to backfire, that I'll get deftly ill the night before departure.
Thankfully, such is not the case, though I do have problems getting to sleep the night before, as is only natural when you really haven't treated yourself to a true VACATION in years. I awaken on schedule at 3:45 am, and wash up. I'm already packed, so I wind up with a little too much time before I leave. I turn on the PC and goof off for a bit, before I realize I'm starting to cut it a bit close to get out for my bus, so IO abruptly shut down and head out. By now, it's 4:45am.
As I make my way to the bus stop, the doubter in me tries to figure out a contingency plan in case the #27 is a no show this Monday morning. Arrive at the stop at 4:52, and anxiously await the sound of the bus coming from the hill below in the pre-dawn. My worries are allayed, when at just a hair past 5am, I hear the sound of a New Flyer bus just before it comes into view. I feel reassured - Pittsburgh, here I come!
Board the bus, and speak to the Operator who I've known for years, who asks where I'm headed. When I reply Pittsburgh, he asks "Are you flying or taking the bus?" Alas, it seems that here in Baltimore, the train seems like a logical choice for most when bound for destinations between New York City and North Carolina, but few are likely aware of where else they can take the train. He is suprised when I tell him I'm using Amtrak, but when I explain the comfort combined with the cost make it the best choice, he seems convinced.
Thank you, #27 bus for getting me here!
Alight at Howard and Dolphin Sts. a little before 5:30am, and make the three block journey to Penn Station. For an Easter Monday, its a bit quiet, though, admittedly, this is an early hour.
Penn Station, with its non-complementing statue.
My riding buddy for this trip arrives at 5:45am, giving me further reassurance that this is going to be a good trip. A check of the Solari Board shows the the Regional train scheduled about 20 minutes before ours to be running 5 minutes late at first, and then 10 minutes late. I'm hoping this isn't an omen. The train does arrive on that 10 minute estimate however, clearing many of the station's patrons. Most of who remain are MARC commuters who are displeased to find that their train is cancelled on account of the holiday schedule.
Before we know it, our train is being called, and we head to the platform for the arrival of train #180, an Acela Regional. She arrives at perfect time, being pulled by Electric #948.
Amtrak #180 pulls into Penn Station in the pre-dawn of Easter Monday.
Our train is suprisingly light in riders this morning, given that I already know the train on the next leg of our trip is sold out. Looking back, I can assume that this trip is geared towards intercity commuters, many of whom have taken the day off. Our Conductor is quite pleasant, and spends some of the time conversing with a female conductor who is apparently deadheading North. Though my attention is mostly on the scenery, I do hear that she was coming from train #91, the trip of which was quite late.
The Corridor line is largely old hat for me, as I've used it dozens of times in travel to NYC and Philly. As a result, the journey seems to get shorter and shorter each time I ride it, as I tend to know almost exactly where I am, particularly on the Baltimore-Philly segment. Despite a good bit of development along it, it does have some scenic highlights.
Crossing the Susquehanna at Dawn.
Among the neat little extras on this train is a scheduled station stop at Aberdeen, where a couple dozen riders board. This is one of only a few corridor trains to make this stop. We don't stop at Newark, DE however, another of the lesser corridor stops. After Wilmington, SEPTA, and their R2 stations become frequent sights. These range from splendid old structures to glorified bus booths. At the speed we're going, they seem to pass with the frequency of bus stops on a local city bus, less than a minute between stations in many spots.
Soon, we're well into Philadelphia, passing one of my favorite Philly landmarks on the line, the Elmwood Streetcar yard, which, this morning, is housing mostly Kawasaki cars, but also a few PCC-II's, one converted PCC line car, and a single GOH type PCC that still remains on the property.
Just minutes later, the Philadelphia skyline appears in view in the golden sunrise, and we know we are just moments away from partaking of the layover in the first part of our journey.
The skyline draws closer, and our train slows, and gently sways over the switchwork. It's time to enjoy a morning in Philadelphia.
Thankfully, such is not the case, though I do have problems getting to sleep the night before, as is only natural when you really haven't treated yourself to a true VACATION in years. I awaken on schedule at 3:45 am, and wash up. I'm already packed, so I wind up with a little too much time before I leave. I turn on the PC and goof off for a bit, before I realize I'm starting to cut it a bit close to get out for my bus, so IO abruptly shut down and head out. By now, it's 4:45am.
As I make my way to the bus stop, the doubter in me tries to figure out a contingency plan in case the #27 is a no show this Monday morning. Arrive at the stop at 4:52, and anxiously await the sound of the bus coming from the hill below in the pre-dawn. My worries are allayed, when at just a hair past 5am, I hear the sound of a New Flyer bus just before it comes into view. I feel reassured - Pittsburgh, here I come!
Board the bus, and speak to the Operator who I've known for years, who asks where I'm headed. When I reply Pittsburgh, he asks "Are you flying or taking the bus?" Alas, it seems that here in Baltimore, the train seems like a logical choice for most when bound for destinations between New York City and North Carolina, but few are likely aware of where else they can take the train. He is suprised when I tell him I'm using Amtrak, but when I explain the comfort combined with the cost make it the best choice, he seems convinced.
Thank you, #27 bus for getting me here!
Alight at Howard and Dolphin Sts. a little before 5:30am, and make the three block journey to Penn Station. For an Easter Monday, its a bit quiet, though, admittedly, this is an early hour.
Penn Station, with its non-complementing statue.
My riding buddy for this trip arrives at 5:45am, giving me further reassurance that this is going to be a good trip. A check of the Solari Board shows the the Regional train scheduled about 20 minutes before ours to be running 5 minutes late at first, and then 10 minutes late. I'm hoping this isn't an omen. The train does arrive on that 10 minute estimate however, clearing many of the station's patrons. Most of who remain are MARC commuters who are displeased to find that their train is cancelled on account of the holiday schedule.
Before we know it, our train is being called, and we head to the platform for the arrival of train #180, an Acela Regional. She arrives at perfect time, being pulled by Electric #948.
Amtrak #180 pulls into Penn Station in the pre-dawn of Easter Monday.
Our train is suprisingly light in riders this morning, given that I already know the train on the next leg of our trip is sold out. Looking back, I can assume that this trip is geared towards intercity commuters, many of whom have taken the day off. Our Conductor is quite pleasant, and spends some of the time conversing with a female conductor who is apparently deadheading North. Though my attention is mostly on the scenery, I do hear that she was coming from train #91, the trip of which was quite late.
The Corridor line is largely old hat for me, as I've used it dozens of times in travel to NYC and Philly. As a result, the journey seems to get shorter and shorter each time I ride it, as I tend to know almost exactly where I am, particularly on the Baltimore-Philly segment. Despite a good bit of development along it, it does have some scenic highlights.
Crossing the Susquehanna at Dawn.
Among the neat little extras on this train is a scheduled station stop at Aberdeen, where a couple dozen riders board. This is one of only a few corridor trains to make this stop. We don't stop at Newark, DE however, another of the lesser corridor stops. After Wilmington, SEPTA, and their R2 stations become frequent sights. These range from splendid old structures to glorified bus booths. At the speed we're going, they seem to pass with the frequency of bus stops on a local city bus, less than a minute between stations in many spots.
Soon, we're well into Philadelphia, passing one of my favorite Philly landmarks on the line, the Elmwood Streetcar yard, which, this morning, is housing mostly Kawasaki cars, but also a few PCC-II's, one converted PCC line car, and a single GOH type PCC that still remains on the property.
Just minutes later, the Philadelphia skyline appears in view in the golden sunrise, and we know we are just moments away from partaking of the layover in the first part of our journey.
The skyline draws closer, and our train slows, and gently sways over the switchwork. It's time to enjoy a morning in Philadelphia.