BOS-CVS

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Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
1,291
Location
Charlottesville VA
Saturday I made the long trip from BOS to CVS - just about 12 hours. Since it was Saturday the one seat ride on 171 was not available. I had to take 99 to NYP, layover for an hour+ and then board Crescent 19 for the rest of the trip since the schedule misses the weekend Roanoke train by about 15 minutes. I had the email from AGR inviting me to use the Boston Metropolitan Lounge which I did, having arrived at the station about half an hour early. The Lounge is very large and nice. There was plenty of coffee and bottled beverages free for the taking along with the standard muffins and protein bars. I found if comparable to the Chicago Lounge and far better than the Washington one.
The gate dragon created a long line to board 99 on the cold morning platform. I got a seat in the quiet car and had the whole seat all the way to NYP. I ran upstairs to 8th Ave and found a pizzeria for a couple of slices hoping to last me til Washington. The Crescent was very busy and by PHL appeared to be completely filled. I had a surly youth sitting next to me the whole way. The snack bar did not seem busy at all with the attendant spending a lot of time jiving with other crew members in the crew lounge in the second half of the car. When someone actually called out to him he would deign to get up and serve them. That was my impression anyway - of course, I wasn't in there the whole trip. We were a little late into WAS so the conductor cautioned against going in the station as the train would leave whenever the servicing was complete. I don't know if I believe that = the train cannot leave, southbound, ahead of schedule, right? Anyway I wasn't very hungry - I had grabbed a jamba juice smoothie at the last minute in NYP.
The rest of the trip was on time give or take a few minutes. The trip was long but OK even though I wasn't well. I had started to come down with a cold the night before which is why my seatmate was unhappy. Can't say I blame him ....... but I did warn him when he asked to sit down and he did nothing until I sneezed a few times and then it was too late, there was no where else for him to go.
The coach attendant announced there was no diner on this train. This was not true; it was sad to see that spiffy new diner empty in the middle of the train. There was the "sleeper passengers only beyond this point" sign on the door of the diner past the crew lounge area of the snack car. Sad.
 
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