January circle trip

[Trogdor]

For some reason (maybe I brained my damage), I booked a 12-day circle trip on Amtrak, from Milwaukee to Milwaukee, via everywhere.

Starting out on January 7 on the Hiawatha, then connecting to the Lake Shore (coach) to New York. Two nights in New York, then wandering my way down to DC (either Acela Express all the way, or NJT/SEPTA to Philly, and Acela the rest of the way) on the 10th. Two nights in DC, then departing on the Crescent, for my first ride in a Viewliner (take two*).

After spending the night in the City of Nillins (to quote the PA announcer from Chicago Union Station a couple years ago), I'll take the Sunset to LA (departing NOL on January 14), for what will either be a nice, relaxing, comfortable ride, or a stressful trip from hell (or some combination thereof). To make the trip less stressful, I'm booked in a sleeper. I figure, when things go wrong and we're delayed (I said when, not if), it'll be on Amtrak to feed me, and at least I'll be comfortable.

If we get into LA less than 10 hours late, I'll take a side trip down to San Diego and back on a Surfliner. Otherwise, I'll keep myself busy until 1:25 AM on 17 November (I'm taking a gamble that the Sunset will be less than 18 hours late), then board a bus to Bakersfield to connect with the 4-something AM San Joaquin. Ride that up to Stockton, then take another bus to Sacramento, then ride the California Zephyr back to Chicago in a sleeper, then back to Milwaukee on the 19th (hopefully).

New rail mileage for me: CVS-NOL, NOL-SAS, BFD-SKN, SAC-SLC

New equipment for me: Viewliner, Acela Express, California coach.

New state for me (never been to/through): NV

New city for me (been through, but never to): NYC

This trip fits nicely in the small window I have between the end of the H431 blackout period (January 6) and the start of classes on January 24. I'll take bets on whether the Sunset or Zephyr will miss the connections.

*My first "first ride in a Viewliner" was supposed to be on train 449(15JAN03) from Boston to Chicago. However, for a few days that week, the Boston section had been sleeperless, and I was downgraded to coach. Hopefully my Crescent trip won't be equally jinxed. If severe winter weather sidelines Amtrak's fleet, I hope it starts on 20 January (or 21, just to be on the safe side), and not sooner.

If anyone out there is responsible for equipment assignments, perhaps they could put sleeper 32016 on the 0632 line for train 6(17).

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

What a great trip! Yep --you are going more or less everywhere and doing more or less everythiing. Wish I could go!!

Have a great trip, and hopefully the SL will be under 18 hours late for you.

 

[AlanB]

Two nights in New York, then wandering my way down to DC (either Acela Express all the way, or NJT/SEPTA to Philly, and Acela the rest of the way) on the 10th.

Personally I'd recommend just taking Acela the whole way, rather than the NJT/SEPTA/Acela combination. Reasons, you'll find it easier to get a window seat in NY where the train turns over most of its clientele. Secondly, you'll miss some of Acela's higher speed segments between NY & DC. Finally the cost savings is minimal, only 24 bucks.

However if the point is to simply take a ride on SEPTA, then by all means go ahead and consider it, but be warned it's typical commuter coaches and SEPTA trains have no bathrooms on board.

Ps. Let me know if you want some help planning some train riding in NYC and surrounding areas, just drop me a PM. Given fair warning, I can probably play tour guide for a day.

 

[smoker]

The SL trip I took from NO to LA was good. I felt like a traveler on vacation. Everyone was all smiles. I really enjoyed it. We arrived in LA 6 hours late and the Pacific Surfliner was waiting for us. We jumped off one train and on the other!

The bad part of the trip was LA to NO. Different conductor I guess. There was just a bad feeling. Like we were prisoners being shipped off. It was bad at LAX and it never got better.

 

[Trogdor]

Well, tomorrow's the start of the trip. The only modifications to my itinerary are that I'll be in a sleeper on the Lake Shore tomorrow, and that I'll be on Acela 2171 on Monday. I'm also quite confident that my 18-hour connection in LA will not be threatened, and there's actually a decent chance that I'll have enough time to make a round trip to San Diego on the Surfliner (the Sunset Limited's performance these last couple of weeks has been much improved).

Also, I don't have to have 32016 on any of my trains. Any of the seven remanufactured sleepers will do.

Now I guess I have to worry about snow closing the I-5 corridor, screwing up my Thruway bus connection. That, and the Zephyr running a day late (which I would actually prefer to a Zephyr that runs five or six hours late).

 

[gswager]

Wishing you a long but fun vacation! Don't worry about delays, let Amtrak worries.