Wanted to share with you a quick circle trip I took yesterday, NYP-BOS-ALB-POU (actually ended up being Rhinecliff), with a chauffer ride back home courtesy of my lovely and patient wife who has endured my train trip addiction for almost 7 years now.
4:27AM is a God awful time to be at the Southeast Metro North station, but I gotta take the first train out if I want to be at Penn Station by 6:30. The conductor thoughtfully turned off the blaring station announcements to allow people to sleep. The ride was uneventful and on time. A quick ride on the S shuttle, then the 1 downtown got me to Penn Station. After grabbing a sodium special sandwich at McD’s, I checked into the Club Acela. I was travelling regular coach to Boston, but connecting to a sleeper there so I was allowed access. For some reason I really like the New York club; maybe it’s because the rest of Penn is so lousy, but it has a cosy and relaxing feel to it due to the low ceiling and the subdued lighting.
Train 190 to Boston was posted 5 minutes late; it boarded 13 minutes and left 19 minutes late. We popped out of the East River Tunnels to some heavy snowfall; the skyline and the Triborough Bridge were almost unrecognizable from the top of Hell Gate Bridge. Word to the wise: don’t even think about using your cell phone in the quiet car. The guy behind me took a call, he was so quiet I could barely hear him (though I could hear his snoring), but another passenger came back from his seat and reprimanded him, comparing his offense to smoking in a non smoking area. Needless to say, I took my calls in the adjacent lounge while noshing on a bagel.
Stamford came 17 minutes late, but slow running (the bane of the NY to BOS route is the New Rochelle-New Haven portion of the line) put us out of New Haven 23 minutes down. By Providence, I thought I still might have time to enjoy the Boston Club Acela until we got stuck behind a T commuter train; I figured I better bail out at Back Bay. Arrival there was 40 minutes down. Aside from this, the New Haven-Boston stretch of this route is world class, with super smooth track, fast running the whole way with some bursts of real speed, and top notch shore line scenery.
The westbound Lake Shore arrived on time; the sleeper attendant had figured me for a no show. He showed me to my room and told me lunch was gonna happen after Worcester. The sleeper, as the whole train, was dead; only 2 rooms sold out of Boston with a 3rd joining at Worcester. I was the only one at lunch as the other two stayed in their rooms. Motley little consist too; heritage baggage, sleeper Sunrise View, a business class corridor coach doubling as an overnighter, a standard Amfleet coach for “shorts”, and an Amfleet II diner lite lounge. Lunch by the way was a choice of a roast beef and cheddar sandwich on a pretzel roll or a Greek salad. I would have had just the sandwich, but the SCA, doubling as the waiter, took it upon himself to give me half a portion of each. Both were good, but why not let the passenger decide? It’s a classic Amtrak rhetorical question that will never be answered. He did redeem himself, however, by appearing at my door after Pittsfield with dessert, half a cheesecake and half a brownie. He also brewed a fresh pot of tea just for me.
If you haven’t ridden the Lake Shore Boston section, it’s a must; the scenery between SPG and ALB is among the finest in the east, and a low bucket day sleeper upgrade is just $59. We had snow all the way to Pittsfield and the skies cleared to Albany. You follow the Westfield river out of Springfield; it begins wide then narrows to a rushing mountain stream. Enjoying it all frozen with 2 feet of snow is unforgettable. Today’s LSL arrived about 5:05 within a stone’s throw of the Albany station, then inexplicably sat there, and I do mean inexplicably as no one came over the PA to tell us what was going on. Arrival was officially 5:30, still a few minutes early, but c’mon Amtrak!
No matter, really, as my connection, the southbound Adirondack was reported 45 min late departing. You might ask why I would book a connection leaving at 5:40P with a 5:35P scheduled arrival, but I knew the LSL had major padding in the westbound schedule, and also the Adirondack doesn’t have a great reliability record. I figured, no pain no gain, plus the Maple Leaf doesn’t leave till 7:20. In any case, it didn’t arrive till 6:20 and had to add an extra car to accommodate the ALB boarding passengers. It boarded at 6:40 (IMHO 20 minutes to add a car when the train is already late is inexcusable) and left 6:45. Because of our lateness, my understanding but not quite patient wife picked me up in Rhinecliff to complete the loop back to Carmel; her parents live up there anyway so no big deal.
All in all Amtrak performed admirably especially given the weather. This was one of my favorite circle trips I have ever taken and hope to do it again as soon as time, and my wife’s goodwill, permits. Just watch out for those quiet car police!
4:27AM is a God awful time to be at the Southeast Metro North station, but I gotta take the first train out if I want to be at Penn Station by 6:30. The conductor thoughtfully turned off the blaring station announcements to allow people to sleep. The ride was uneventful and on time. A quick ride on the S shuttle, then the 1 downtown got me to Penn Station. After grabbing a sodium special sandwich at McD’s, I checked into the Club Acela. I was travelling regular coach to Boston, but connecting to a sleeper there so I was allowed access. For some reason I really like the New York club; maybe it’s because the rest of Penn is so lousy, but it has a cosy and relaxing feel to it due to the low ceiling and the subdued lighting.
Train 190 to Boston was posted 5 minutes late; it boarded 13 minutes and left 19 minutes late. We popped out of the East River Tunnels to some heavy snowfall; the skyline and the Triborough Bridge were almost unrecognizable from the top of Hell Gate Bridge. Word to the wise: don’t even think about using your cell phone in the quiet car. The guy behind me took a call, he was so quiet I could barely hear him (though I could hear his snoring), but another passenger came back from his seat and reprimanded him, comparing his offense to smoking in a non smoking area. Needless to say, I took my calls in the adjacent lounge while noshing on a bagel.
Stamford came 17 minutes late, but slow running (the bane of the NY to BOS route is the New Rochelle-New Haven portion of the line) put us out of New Haven 23 minutes down. By Providence, I thought I still might have time to enjoy the Boston Club Acela until we got stuck behind a T commuter train; I figured I better bail out at Back Bay. Arrival there was 40 minutes down. Aside from this, the New Haven-Boston stretch of this route is world class, with super smooth track, fast running the whole way with some bursts of real speed, and top notch shore line scenery.
The westbound Lake Shore arrived on time; the sleeper attendant had figured me for a no show. He showed me to my room and told me lunch was gonna happen after Worcester. The sleeper, as the whole train, was dead; only 2 rooms sold out of Boston with a 3rd joining at Worcester. I was the only one at lunch as the other two stayed in their rooms. Motley little consist too; heritage baggage, sleeper Sunrise View, a business class corridor coach doubling as an overnighter, a standard Amfleet coach for “shorts”, and an Amfleet II diner lite lounge. Lunch by the way was a choice of a roast beef and cheddar sandwich on a pretzel roll or a Greek salad. I would have had just the sandwich, but the SCA, doubling as the waiter, took it upon himself to give me half a portion of each. Both were good, but why not let the passenger decide? It’s a classic Amtrak rhetorical question that will never be answered. He did redeem himself, however, by appearing at my door after Pittsfield with dessert, half a cheesecake and half a brownie. He also brewed a fresh pot of tea just for me.
If you haven’t ridden the Lake Shore Boston section, it’s a must; the scenery between SPG and ALB is among the finest in the east, and a low bucket day sleeper upgrade is just $59. We had snow all the way to Pittsfield and the skies cleared to Albany. You follow the Westfield river out of Springfield; it begins wide then narrows to a rushing mountain stream. Enjoying it all frozen with 2 feet of snow is unforgettable. Today’s LSL arrived about 5:05 within a stone’s throw of the Albany station, then inexplicably sat there, and I do mean inexplicably as no one came over the PA to tell us what was going on. Arrival was officially 5:30, still a few minutes early, but c’mon Amtrak!
No matter, really, as my connection, the southbound Adirondack was reported 45 min late departing. You might ask why I would book a connection leaving at 5:40P with a 5:35P scheduled arrival, but I knew the LSL had major padding in the westbound schedule, and also the Adirondack doesn’t have a great reliability record. I figured, no pain no gain, plus the Maple Leaf doesn’t leave till 7:20. In any case, it didn’t arrive till 6:20 and had to add an extra car to accommodate the ALB boarding passengers. It boarded at 6:40 (IMHO 20 minutes to add a car when the train is already late is inexcusable) and left 6:45. Because of our lateness, my understanding but not quite patient wife picked me up in Rhinecliff to complete the loop back to Carmel; her parents live up there anyway so no big deal.
All in all Amtrak performed admirably especially given the weather. This was one of my favorite circle trips I have ever taken and hope to do it again as soon as time, and my wife’s goodwill, permits. Just watch out for those quiet car police!
