Getting Home from Alexandria Virginia

[ThayerATM]

Since the train is discharge only, isn't there the chance that there will be nobody detraining there and the train will just roll by?

I think the question Thayer would need to ask himself is: "Am I feeling lucky?"

If I held a ticket that I could use on ANY of five trains that "might" stop, I might be willing to gamble. :unsure: Since I'd be holding a ticket on only one train that "might" stop, the odds would not be not in my favor. I think I'll fold on that one.

 

[savoirfaire]

As far as the checked bags go, you could take them to ALX the night before (the 66 at 8:19p) and they would connect with the LSL in NYP. That would just leave your carry-on bags and if you go in business class you would be avoiding the big crowd problem on a regional. A redcap could help you then with your things when you get to NYP.

You could also do the same thing if your friend was willing to pick up from WAS, and you could get a redcap on both ends to help you with your carryons.

my .02

-Sav

 

[FunNut]

I truly do not understand the dilemma presented here. Simply take a taxi or car service from Alexandria to WAS Union Station. It is just a few miles. A car service would be able to provide the help you need with your baggage.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I truly do not understand the dilemma presented here. Simply take a taxi or car service from Alexandria to WAS Union Station. It is just a few miles. A car service would be able to provide the help you need with your baggage.

The dilemma is that Thayer wants a bedroom between ALX and NYP, and Amtrak does not allow one to book a bedroom between these two stations, or any stations between, when traveling NB.

 

[ThayerATM]

I truly do not understand the dilemma presented here. Simply take a taxi or car service from Alexandria to WAS Union Station. It is just a few miles. A car service would be able to provide the help you need with your baggage.

The printout of the timetable for the Crescent that I'm looking at(as well as the other sleeper trains) has Alexandria AND Washington marked with a "D". That indicates to me that the northbound trains stop in Alexandria AND Washington in order to discharge passengers only.

We want to BOARD a northbound train that has a bedroom to ride in from ALX to NYP.

Any of the northbound sleeper trains MIGHT stop in ALX or WAS, but there's no guarantee that they'll stop at that time to ACCEPT passengers. They'll stop when they stop.

 

[Rafi]

Since the train is discharge only, isn't there the chance that there will be nobody detraining there and the train will just roll by?

This is sort of a gray area. Because it's a discharge-only stop, yes, you could theoretically say that the train will roll by without stopping. In practice, this never happens. The chances of the train rolling by Alexandria are about as much as the chances of the train rolling through DC Union Station in the event they don't need to swap engines until Philly--virtually nil. Can I guarantee it? No. But would I bet on it stopping? Yes. The only thing you run the risk of at ALX is that the train arrives and leaves early.

Rafi

 

[ThayerATM]

Since the train is discharge only, isn't there the chance that there will be nobody detraining there and the train will just roll by?

This is sort of a gray area. Because it's a discharge-only stop, yes, you could theoretically say that the train will roll by without stopping. In practice, this never happens. The chances of the train rolling by Alexandria are about as much as the chances of the train rolling through DC Union Station in the event they don't need to swap engines until Philly--virtually nil. Can I guarantee it? No. But would I bet on it stopping? Yes. The only thing you run the risk of at ALX is that the train arrives and leaves early.

Rafi

Rafi, The odds are excellent that somebody will be getting off the train in WAS, so that means the train will very probably stop in WAS. :lol: Same with ALX. But since they're discharge-only stops, even if early, will the train wait long enough to load our bags and let us board? If anyone can convince me that the train will wait long enought to have our bags loaded and to board, I'm willing to gamble, and get there early enough to make sure we're there when the train stops.

 

[Rafi]

Since the train is discharge only, isn't there the chance that there will be nobody detraining there and the train will just roll by?

This is sort of a gray area. Because it's a discharge-only stop, yes, you could theoretically say that the train will roll by without stopping. In practice, this never happens. The chances of the train rolling by Alexandria are about as much as the chances of the train rolling through DC Union Station in the event they don't need to swap engines until Philly--virtually nil. Can I guarantee it? No. But would I bet on it stopping? Yes. The only thing you run the risk of at ALX is that the train arrives and leaves early.

Rafi

Rafi, The odds are excellent that somebody will be getting off the train in WAS, so that means the train will very probably stop in WAS. :lol: Same with ALX. But since they're discharge-only stops, even if early, will the train wait long enough to load our bags and let us board? If anyone can convince me that the train will wait long enought to have our bags loaded and to board, I'm willing to gamble, and get there early enough to make sure we're there when the train stops.

Thayer,

I've got to tread lightly here, because I can't guarantee anything, but I can tell you that in my experience, and given everything I know about taking the train in and out of Alexandria, if you are there with your bags, and you've spoken to station personnel before the train arrives and have a redcap ready to take your bags to the baggage car (who is probably headed that way anyway to offload discharging passengers' bags), and you're standing on the platform when the train pulls up and the conductor drops the stair trap, the train will not move before you are clear of the platform, if nothing else than for safety restrictions.

I would do this... before you have the tickets printed and mailed to you (or before you go pick them up from a station), call the Alexandria station (try to pick a time when there is a lull in long distance trains) and explain your situation to them. Their number should be (703) 836-0085. Explain that you'd like to book a long distance train out of Manassas, and that you'd like to board in Alexandria, and would they have a problem checking bags for you. Unless they have someone new there who's a real stickler, I'm sure they'll tell you to show up early, find a red cap, and be on the platform. I'm also sure they'll remind you that you're paying more by buying a Manassas ticket, but you're already up to speed on that.

Rafi

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Since the train is discharge only, isn't there the chance that there will be nobody detraining there and the train will just roll by?

This is sort of a gray area. Because it's a discharge-only stop, yes, you could theoretically say that the train will roll by without stopping. In practice, this never happens. The chances of the train rolling by Alexandria are about as much as the chances of the train rolling through DC Union Station in the event they don't need to swap engines until Philly--virtually nil. Can I guarantee it? No. But would I bet on it stopping? Yes. The only thing you run the risk of at ALX is that the train arrives and leaves early.

Rafi

Rafi, The odds are excellent that somebody will be getting off the train in WAS, so that means the train will very probably stop in WAS. :lol: Same with ALX. But since they're discharge-only stops, even if early, will the train wait long enough to load our bags and let us board? If anyone can convince me that the train will wait long enought to have our bags loaded and to board, I'm willing to gamble, and get there early enough to make sure we're there when the train stops.

Thayer,

I've got to tread lightly here, because I can't guarantee anything, but I can tell you that in my experience, and given everything I know about taking the train in and out of Alexandria, if you are there with your bags, and you've spoken to station personnel before the train arrives and have a redcap ready to take your bags to the baggage car (who is probably headed that way anyway to offload discharging passengers' bags), and you're standing on the platform when the train pulls up and the conductor drops the stair trap, the train will not move before you are clear of the platform, if nothing else than for safety restrictions.

I would do this... before you have the tickets printed and mailed to you (or before you go pick them up from a station), call the Alexandria station (try to pick a time when there is a lull in long distance trains) and explain your situation to them. Their number should be (703) 836-0085. Explain that you'd like to book a long distance train out of Manassas, and that you'd like to board in Alexandria, and would they have a problem checking bags for you. Unless they have someone new there who's a real stickler, I'm sure they'll tell you to show up early, find a red cap, and be on the platform. I'm also sure they'll remind you that you're paying more by buying a Manassas ticket, but you're already up to speed on that.

Rafi

Since ALX is my home base, I am very curious about what ALX says about this, as well as the outcome - if you decide to go this route (bad pun) Thayer.

A couple of other thoughts I've had on this:

1) I would think that trains 20, 50, 92 or 98 are almost gauranteed to stop at WAS, but have a greater chance of not stopping at ALX. That said, my concern with WAS is that there is a more formalized boarding process with security checks, etc., and I could potentialy see problems with even getting down to the platform, since these trains only discharge at WAS.

2) Now I'm not suggesting anything, but I've wondered if one were to miss one's connection at MSS, would Amtrak be sympathetic and let someone board at either ALX of WAS if they made it to those stations before their train left?