NS VIA Fan
Conductor
I had to travel to Springfield, MA recently and this gave me the opportunity for some Amtrak riding.
Like most of my Amtrak travels it started with a quick flight from Halifax to Boston. We have Pre-clearance here which means you go through US CBP (Customs) in Halifax and are cleared to enter to the US even before you board your flight. It sure makes for a fast get-away when you arrive......no further CBP inspection is required in BOS......just walk out of the terminal. So after a quick 65 minute flight on an Air Canada CRJ (Dep YHZ 8:45 AT – Arr BOS 8:50 ET)........I was on the MBTA Sliver Line and at South Station shortly after 9 am.
I was taking the Lakeshore to Springfield at 11:55 and having made my reservation on-line, I already had my e-ticket. Now what to do for two hours......easy, some MBTA riding with a quick round trip to Greenbush that had me back in South Station just as the Lakeshore was boarding at 11:30. Consist: P42s, baggage, Viewliner Sleeper, 2 Amfleet IIs and an Amfleet Lounge.
My coach was about half full and I got a window seat in the middle of the car. Shortly after leaving Framingham I headed for the cafe and picked up a sandwich, pop and chips for lunch from a very jovial attendant. Back at my seat I just sat back and enjoyed the ride and view. The coach filled a bit more at Worcester (a nicely restored station.....I’ll have to visit sometime) then onto Palmer where I watched for the Vermonter’s route. Springfield is reached right on-time where I’m picked up to continue to Greenfield.
Two days later I’m back in Springfield. I could have returned home the way I came but why not a little more Amtrak riding! I caught the shuttle down to New Haven arriving there at 11:50...... Just a basic Amfleet seat and I have a window. My connecting train is Northeast Regional #93.....arriving a couple of minutes late. It’s a typical regional consist and pretty full but I’m in luck.......another window seat. Time for lunch now and I make my way to the cafe. There’s a bit of a line but it’s moving along fine and reaching the front, I get the usual sandwich, pop and chips. The attendant is all business......not the friendly fellow that was on the Lakeshore and I guess that can be expected with those long continuous line-ups.
This is the part of the corridor ride I like best.......the almost continuous urban sprawl with the occasional green patch and view out to Long Island Sound......then the run up, over Hells Gate and down into Penn Station. There was an empty seat a couple of rows up on the other side and I moved for a few minutes to see if I could see any meets with Metro-North......but at those speeds, not much to see and a northbound Acela did slam by too! We arrived in NYP at 1:50pm and I had about 3 hours to just walk around and take-in the atmosphere of the big city.
I was back at Penn around 4:40 and got a ticket for $12.50 to Newark Airport......departing on New Jersey Transit at 5:03 and arriving at 5:27. The connecting AirTrain quickly had me at the Terminal and I was checked in and through security by 6:10 with plenty of time to have supper and just wait for my flight at 7:30 pm......a United ERJ non-stop to Halifax. We were a few minutes getting airborne then it was a quick 1 hour and 25 minute flight.....slightly inland to Boston......then across the Gulf of Maine then on into Halifax arriving 10 minutes early. Canada Customs was a breeze and I was in my car and heading for home 20 minutes after the wheels hit the ground.
Like most of my Amtrak travels it started with a quick flight from Halifax to Boston. We have Pre-clearance here which means you go through US CBP (Customs) in Halifax and are cleared to enter to the US even before you board your flight. It sure makes for a fast get-away when you arrive......no further CBP inspection is required in BOS......just walk out of the terminal. So after a quick 65 minute flight on an Air Canada CRJ (Dep YHZ 8:45 AT – Arr BOS 8:50 ET)........I was on the MBTA Sliver Line and at South Station shortly after 9 am.
I was taking the Lakeshore to Springfield at 11:55 and having made my reservation on-line, I already had my e-ticket. Now what to do for two hours......easy, some MBTA riding with a quick round trip to Greenbush that had me back in South Station just as the Lakeshore was boarding at 11:30. Consist: P42s, baggage, Viewliner Sleeper, 2 Amfleet IIs and an Amfleet Lounge.
My coach was about half full and I got a window seat in the middle of the car. Shortly after leaving Framingham I headed for the cafe and picked up a sandwich, pop and chips for lunch from a very jovial attendant. Back at my seat I just sat back and enjoyed the ride and view. The coach filled a bit more at Worcester (a nicely restored station.....I’ll have to visit sometime) then onto Palmer where I watched for the Vermonter’s route. Springfield is reached right on-time where I’m picked up to continue to Greenfield.
Two days later I’m back in Springfield. I could have returned home the way I came but why not a little more Amtrak riding! I caught the shuttle down to New Haven arriving there at 11:50...... Just a basic Amfleet seat and I have a window. My connecting train is Northeast Regional #93.....arriving a couple of minutes late. It’s a typical regional consist and pretty full but I’m in luck.......another window seat. Time for lunch now and I make my way to the cafe. There’s a bit of a line but it’s moving along fine and reaching the front, I get the usual sandwich, pop and chips. The attendant is all business......not the friendly fellow that was on the Lakeshore and I guess that can be expected with those long continuous line-ups.
This is the part of the corridor ride I like best.......the almost continuous urban sprawl with the occasional green patch and view out to Long Island Sound......then the run up, over Hells Gate and down into Penn Station. There was an empty seat a couple of rows up on the other side and I moved for a few minutes to see if I could see any meets with Metro-North......but at those speeds, not much to see and a northbound Acela did slam by too! We arrived in NYP at 1:50pm and I had about 3 hours to just walk around and take-in the atmosphere of the big city.
I was back at Penn around 4:40 and got a ticket for $12.50 to Newark Airport......departing on New Jersey Transit at 5:03 and arriving at 5:27. The connecting AirTrain quickly had me at the Terminal and I was checked in and through security by 6:10 with plenty of time to have supper and just wait for my flight at 7:30 pm......a United ERJ non-stop to Halifax. We were a few minutes getting airborne then it was a quick 1 hour and 25 minute flight.....slightly inland to Boston......then across the Gulf of Maine then on into Halifax arriving 10 minutes early. Canada Customs was a breeze and I was in my car and heading for home 20 minutes after the wheels hit the ground.
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