Chicago-Boston direct service

[printman2000]

I'm actually very glad to see the return, assuming the Albany switching crew can keep to the timetable (maybe the Great Dome on the Adirondack was a second chance test for them?).

They already switch the engines (the engines from 48 attach to 448). Does it take any longer to switch the engines + a car or two?

Actually, I don't think so (about your comment in the parentheses). 448 is usually already made up with its own locomotive. The two diesel only locos from 48, I guess, get moved back to the yard.

 

[x-press]

Wait, does this mean that the train would have 2 lounges once it was connected in Albany? Because I could definitely get used to having a separate lounge for sleeper cars.

Very unlikely. It never did before, so I'd imagine that they'll cut off one or the other of the cafes.

Maybe, though if they are having trouble with the CCC (which another post alluded to), maybe they are thinking of adding additional capacity?

 

[JohnF]

While this sounds like an interesting idea,
I wonder about how this will be accomplished...probably switching out the cars at Albany?

How much time would this add to the schedule? I'm not in favor of it if it adds more than an hour.

Well of course they would switch the cars in Albany, where else?. When the NYC operated this type of service it only took a few minutes to switch the cars. The Amtrak timetable currently shows the LSL resting in Albany almost three hours westbound(from 4:15PM until 7:05PM) and over an hour eastbound(from 3:40PM until 4:55PM). What's this all about?????????????????

 

[MrFSS]

Well of course they would switch the cars in Albany, where else?. When the NYC operated this type of service it only took a few minutes to switch the cars. The Amtrak timetable currently shows the LSL resting in Albany almost three hours westbound(from 4:15PM until 7:05PM) and over an hour eastbound(from 3:40PM until 4:55PM). What's this all about?????????????????

A typo in the timetable. We had this discussed in another thread that I can't locate right now.

 

[ralfp]

Actually, I don't think so (about your comment in the parentheses). 448 is usually already made up with its own locomotive. The two diesel only locos from 48, I guess, get moved back to the yard.

That's not what I witnessed. 448 already had an engine on it, but two from 48 were attached to 448 (the other end) and a waiting single dual-mode was attached to 48. Was this a one-time thing?

 

[Guest_cpamtfan_*]

The 4:15pm arrival is incorrect. I guess NYS didn't just want high speed, they wanted it to be "the speed of light" service taking just 15 minutes (on weekdays) :lol: .

No, the correct time of arrival is 6:15pm, but Amtrak would want it to be 15 minutes :lol: . And this is not just a joke (that the tru cars are coming back) because on the 26th, they're bussing the 448-449 passengers. Why? So they can shift the equipment for the next day! I wish, though, I had taken the LSL next July instead of this past July <_< .

cpamtfan-Peter

 

[TimePeace]

I just talked to AMTRAK on the phone, the rep spent quite a while talking to someone else in customer service, then came back on and said she'd been told that there was a schedule change for the LSL in progress, she could not give me details but that if there was a change that would affect any existing reservations that I'd be notified.

-David

 

[printman2000]

Actually, I don't think so (about your comment in the parentheses). 448 is usually already made up with its own locomotive. The two diesel only locos from 48, I guess, get moved back to the yard.

That's not what I witnessed. 448 already had an engine on it, but two from 48 were attached to 448 (the other end) and a waiting single dual-mode was attached to 48. Was this a one-time thing?

So there were three locos on 448? When you say "the other end" do you mean they were added to the opposite end of the train than the single loco already on 448?

Personally, I have only have see all this stuff twice, but pretty much all the pics I have seen of 448 & 449 only have one loco.

As for the dualmode, that does always happen to 48. The real question here is what happens to the two locos from 48 after they are taken off. I am pretty sure they are not put on 448, but could very well be wrong.

 

[ralfp]

As for the dualmode, that does always happen to 48. The real question here is what happens to the two locos from 48 after they are taken off. I am pretty sure they are not put on 448, but could very well be wrong.

I can say for certain that both from 48 were attached to 448. Either that or I'm having a really realistic hallucination involving getting out of the sleeper car, witnessing the process from the platform, and having photos of the process on my phone. :lol:

I'm pretty sure that the opposite end of 448 had a loco on it when 48 (which I was on) pulled into ALB. I did not pay attention as to whether it was removed. 48 pulled out before 448, so it's possible that one of the two diesel-only locomotives was removed from 448.

 

[JohnF]

A typo in the timetable. We had this discussed in another thread that I can't locate right now.

Interesting, and it's still that way on their web site. What is the actual schedule????????????????

 

[wayman]

As for the dualmode, that does always happen to 48. The real question here is what happens to the two locos from 48 after they are taken off. I am pretty sure they are not put on 448, but could very well be wrong.

I can say for certain that both from 48 were attached to 448. Either that or I'm having a really realistic hallucination involving getting out of the sleeper car, witnessing the process from the platform, and having photos of the process on my phone. :lol:

I'm pretty sure that the opposite end of 448 had a loco on it when 48 (which I was on) pulled into ALB. I did not pay attention as to whether it was removed. 48 pulled out before 448, so it's possible that one of the two diesel-only locomotives was removed from 448.

When I saw the Albany choreography in June, it went like this:

1) 49 pulled into ALB, arriving from CHI.

2) Diesels uncoupled from 49, pulled forward, backed up past our train on another track to an engine shed north of ALB station.

3) 448 pulled into ALB, arriving from BOS, on a track parallel to 49.

4) Both trains sat at the station for about half an hour. Passengers moved from one to the other as needed.

5) Dual-mode engines pulled up past 49 and backed up to couple onto 49.

6) 448 became 449 and pulled out of ALB for BOS.

7) 49 pulled out of ALB for NYP.

On that day, 448/9 kept its motive power and didn't get any extra.

 

[ralfp]

A typo in the timetable. We had this discussed in another thread that I can't locate right now.

Interesting, and it's still that way on their web site. What is the actual schedule????????????????

On the LSL PDF timetable, but not the Empire service timetable (arr. ALB 6:30pm). You can't buy NYP-ALB on 49, so I can't say about the website itself.

 

[AlanB]

Wait, does this mean that the train would have 2 lounges once it was connected in Albany? Because I could definitely get used to having a separate lounge for sleeper cars.

Very unlikely. It never did before, so I'd imagine that they'll cut off one or the other of the cafes.

Maybe, though if they are having trouble with the CCC (which another post alluded to), maybe they are thinking of adding additional capacity?

The LSL doesn't run with a CCC. It does use a Diner-Lite car, instead of a dining car, but Diner-Lite is vastly different from a CCC. CCC's still offer some fresh cooked food, Diner-Lite has no freshly cooked food.

 

[AlanB]

I just talked to AMTRAK on the phone, the rep spent quite a while talking to someone else in customer service, then came back on and said she'd been told that there was a schedule change for the LSL in progress, she could not give me details but that if there was a change that would affect any existing reservations that I'd be notified.
-David

I'd stay on top of this and not wait for them to call you. I'd probably give it a week or so for all the changes to be loaded into the computer, before you try calling again. But I wouldn't just wait for Amtrak to somehow decide that they should move you from the sleeper you're currently booked in which is most likely still going to NYP, to the new sleeper going to Boston.

 

[TimePeace]

Thanks Alan - yeah I plan to keep after them - if it involves moving to a different roomette, I bet it would, as you suggest, cost more - which I doubt I'd pay since the Albany-Boston run is pretty short - I'd love to have the romette to stay well-rested in all that afternoon since I have to take a bus from Boston to Portland and then drive 2 more hours home to Maine that night - and of course one more supper would be nice too

I was imagining a scenario whereby I made the case that I bought a 1st class ticket from Emeryville to Boston originally - but if there was no thru-sleeper then changing to another would mean additional expense for them, etc -

David

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Personally, I have only have see all this stuff twice, but pretty much all the pics I have seen of 448 & 449 only have one loco.

The only time I rode 449 (in May 2008) it definitely had two locomotives, and the second one was definitely not a P42. Someday I may get around to posting the pictures I think I have.

I've only ever experienced 448 having two diesels, in the form of a pair of Crystal Transport buses.

 

[VentureForth]

Hey y'all... I don't see what is new that is going on here. Sleepers aren't running all the way to Boston after 10/27. I suppose it's still just rumor...

 

[printman2000]

Personally, I have only have see all this stuff twice, but pretty much all the pics I have seen of 448 & 449 only have one loco.

The only time I rode 449 (in May 2008) it definitely had two locomotives, and the second one was definitely not a P42. Someday I may get around to posting the pictures I think I have.

I've only ever experienced 448 having two diesels, in the form of a pair of Crystal Transport buses.

Since the second was not a P42, it was probably some equipment move. While there are some pics I have seen with two P42's, most of the time it only has one.

I saw those same two Crystal buses except on 449!

 

[Guest_cpamtfan_*]

The sleepers should be up for booking in a few days. They're (Amtrak) is getting the website ready for the sleepers.

cpamtfan-Peter

 

[Rafi]

Hey y'all... I don't see what is new that is going on here. Sleepers aren't running all the way to Boston after 10/27. I suppose it's still just rumor...

We confirmed today that sleepers ARE running from Chicago to Boston, as are thru-coaches beginning with the new timetable. This makes the Lake Shore the second current Amtrak train to perform a split/combine en-route (the other being the Empire Builder; some may count the Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited as well, although it's a slightly different maneuver).

Rafi

 

[J-1 3235]

We confirmed today that sleepers ARE running from Chicago to Boston, as are thru-coaches beginning with the new timetable. Rafi

I'm quite pleased to see this change. Hopefully we'll see them on 66/67 again.

J-1 3235

Mike

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

The sleepers should be up for booking in a few days. They're (Amtrak) is getting the website ready for the sleepers.

If it turned out that they were carefully manually reassigning 48/49 sleeper passengers who have connecting 448/449 tickets to the new, through-running 448/499 sleeper (and possibly reassigning New York passengers who are in the sleeper that's now going to BOS to a sleeper that will still be going to NYP), that might explain why coach is up but the sleepers aren't, since sleeper passengers have specific room assignments, and coach passengers don't have specific seat assignments in advance of boarding the train.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I hope this means an additional sleeper is being added, because I am on that train in november in sleeper... should I call Amtrak in a few days to make sure all is jake?

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I hope this means an additional sleeper is being added, because I am on that train in november in sleeper... should I call Amtrak in a few days to make sure all is jake?

Are there any recent events which would increase the number of Viewliners Amtrak physically has in working condition every day? (I suppose Reliability Centered Maintenance or rebuilding the prototypes to be more standard could perhaps both be ways of accomplishing that, but I haven't heard that Amtrak is actually taking either of those approaches.)

 

[AlanB]

I hope this means an additional sleeper is being added, because I am on that train in november in sleeper... should I call Amtrak in a few days to make sure all is jake?

Are there any recent events which would increase the number of Viewliners Amtrak physically has in working condition every day? (I suppose Reliability Centered Maintenance or rebuilding the prototypes to be more standard could perhaps both be ways of accomplishing that, but I haven't heard that Amtrak is actually taking either of those approaches.)

None that I'm aware of, certainly the prototypes haven't been rebuilt.

I have to wonder if the other side of this that we're not yet hearing about is the often rumored return of Superliner's to the Cardinal.