T
Thomas
Guest
I am planning a trip from Chicago to Houston. Generally, how many passengers are on the Longview-Houston bus? Will there be double seats available?
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OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
It all depends on how many pax make the connection and more often than not I have seen quite a few pile on. The last time I was watching it looked like they were trying to stuff a phone booth as folks kept coming and coming; we pulled out before they left.
Usually there is a Fair Number of Passengers that Catch the Houston Bus, not so Many to Shreveport which Sometimes Uses a Van!
Tip: Don't have Checked Luggage,the Agent in Longview is often Slow with Luggage due to the Heavy Workload there!(Use the Downstairs Rack for your Big Stuff and Take Your Carry -ons to Your Room or Seat!) Let Your Car Attendant Know ( the Stop Before :Longview is Marshall, A Crew Change Stop for T&E Crew)You are Catching the Bus and Be Ready to De-Board and Head Over to the Bus Which Loads in Front of the Station! This way you can Claim a Window or Aisle Seat in the Middle of the Bus Which has the Best Ride! Your Big Luggage Will go under the Bus just like a Greyhound, the Bus is a Nice Modern Chartered Bus that only Takes Amtrak Passengers to Houston and Will make a Meal Stop/Break Along the Way @ a Fast Food/Convenience Store Type Place!
Tip: Don't have Checked Luggage,the Agent in Longview is often Slow with Luggage due to the Heavy Workload there!(Use the Downstairs Rack for your Big Stuff and Take Your Carry -ons to Your Room or Seat!) Let Your Car Attendant Know ( the Stop Before :Longview is Marshall, A Crew Change Stop for T&E Crew)You are Catching the Bus and Be Ready to De-Board and Head Over to the Bus Which Loads in Front of the Station! This way you can Claim a Window or Aisle Seat in the Middle of the Bus Which has the Best Ride! Your Big Luggage Will go under the Bus just like a Greyhound, the Bus is a Nice Modern Chartered Bus that only Takes Amtrak Passengers to Houston and Will make a Meal Stop/Break Along the Way @ a Fast Food/Convenience Store Type Place!
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jerichowhiskey
Service Attendant
I don't suppose sleeper passengers get a meal voucher for that meal stop?
Nope, it's on your Dime and it a'int Fine Cuisine!
(Fill up @ Breakfast in the CCC!!!)
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
Anyone know what type of bus this is? Got a picture?
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
I'm not for sure but I believe it is a Van Hool of some sorts operated by Lone Star Coaches.
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
Interesting, I checked out their site and it seems like they have the Prevost H3-45, MCI-Dina F3500, and Van Hool Tourers. Thomas, if you get the Prevost it's decent but the rest are pretty much trash. Greyhound runs Longview to Houston, you can try them if you want, but I'm not sure what type of bus it gets.
daveyb99
OBS Chief
AMTRAK should at least provide a double-seat for Sleepers. The stop is really too early for lunch, but how about a To Go lunch sack.Nope, it's on your Dime and it a'int Fine Cuisine!
henryj
Conductor
I rode this bus going the other way to Chicago. They are nice clean buses professionally run by Lone Star. They do make a rest stop midway. The time I rode it we had maybe a dozen passengers and before we left Houston the bus from Longview came in with about the same load. The buses easily make the 214 mile run in the 4 1/2 hours provided. I was going sleeper so I did not buy any food at the stop except for a couple of brownies. The coach passengers did stock up. The sleeping car attendant had my dinner reservation waiting for me when I got on the train at Longview. It was about an hour late.. Don't plan on getting anything to eat at the Houston station as there is nothing there but a vending machine and the nearest restaurant is many blocks away. The bus made a couple of stops. At the first stop the driver warned everyone to not stock up there as he would stop at a much better place coming into Longview. I don't know how they work it going from Longview to Houston. I think I would get a big breakfast on the train before I got to Longview.
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fairviewroad
Engineer
- Joined
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Why should sleeping car passengers get any extras, be it a meal or a double seat on this segment? Presumably the bus segment costs the same in cash for all passengers. The premium that sleeping car passengers pay only covers the rail portion of their journey. The bus segment is not a "downgrade", it is simply the mode of transportation that is offered by Amtrak between Longview and Houston.
SubwayNut
Conductor
That's the ride view fairview road!
I was about to post something similar, it's one thing for Sleeping Car passengers to want special treatment on an unscheduled bussituion, when they should be and paid for their room. It's another thing when the mode of travel is clearly marked on all reservations as a 'Reserved Thruway' and passengers should already know what they are in for.
I was about to post something similar, it's one thing for Sleeping Car passengers to want special treatment on an unscheduled bussituion, when they should be and paid for their room. It's another thing when the mode of travel is clearly marked on all reservations as a 'Reserved Thruway' and passengers should already know what they are in for.
the_traveler
Engineer
Except that Greyhound does not leave from or pick up at the Amtrak station or depart just after the Eagle arrives or arrive just before the Eagle departs. And if for some reason the Greyhound bus or the cab is delayed, the Eagle will not wait. (It will wait for the Thruway, or Amtrak will provide some other accommodation.)
jerichowhiskey
Service Attendant
I asked that question because I had thought about taking a trip to Houston from NYP to visit friends and whether it would be better to take the Crescent and Sunset Limited or the other routes and then the bus. With the prices I've seen, I think I rather stay the night in NOL. I can't stand long bus rides.
henryj
Conductor
Well Jericho, I am not trying to push the bus option, but it wasn't that big of a deal. I kind of enjoyed it. Had the bus been over crowded maybe it would be diff. Coming from New Orleans you have to stay overnight. But hey, it's New Orleans. The train from there to Houston is agonizingly slow.
ehbowen
Engineer
Having done both legs of the circle myself, I would recommend that you do the same. Four hours on a bus with a rest break in the middle is not excessive, even if you do have to share a seat...especially if you've got dinner and a sleeper compartment waiting. On the southern route, an overnight in New Orleans has both pluses (lotsa stuff to do) and minuses (money, time). If you find either route particularly objectionable you can make a note to avoid it in future, but if not then you have an extra option open going forward, which is never a bad thing.
frequentflyer
Conductor
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2008
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- 1,172
Yet you have a MCI bus in your avatar. Have not rode the newer Greyhound Prevosts, how do they compare to the MCI4500 that everyone and their grandma operates?
From a passenger's experience, the X-3 Prevost and the MCI D4505 are very similar. One advantage of the MCI is a larger overhead baggage rack that will hold baggage that would have to go below deck on the Prevost.
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Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
Yes, I know, I was just throwing it out there.
OK, frequent flyer, if you insist, I will explain. A MCI-Dina is not a real MCI. The F3500 is the MCI marketed name for the Dina F-12. The bus was made by Dina but sold under the MCI name in the US and Canada. Of course it was such a bad bus that very few people would buy it. Dina buses have a high chance of fire and are very unreliable.
A real MCI is much better than a MCI-Dina. The MCI D4505, which is my avatar, is a very good bus and in my opinion, is superior to the Prevost X3-45 because it has flat sides instead of curved sides so it's better to lean against the window when trying to sleep. I ride overnight occasionally so this is important. And as mentioned above, it also has more luggage capacity, plus better mountain performance. You can be assured that's I've taken plenty of Prevosts, Van Hools, and Dinas, including Greyhound, Trailways, charters, tours, etc. But my favourite overall is still the MCI D4505. And the most comfortable Greyhound is the rebuilt MCI 102DL3, because the seats are the best, no doubt about it.
Also, there's plenty of MCI "4500" models. That only means it's 45 feet long. The real important thing is the letter in front. The "D" is a great bus, but the "J" and "E" aren't very reliable and the "G" is horrid.
Now I hope you are satisfied, frequent flyer, because I'm not eagar to do more threadjacking.
G
Guest
Guest
Thank you Swadian, I found the competition between Prevost, Van Hool and MCI interesting. Not to thread jack but I wandered why Amtrak did not buy or spec their vendor to us double decker Vanhools like Megabus does for their thru way bus routes in California. Would be marketing genius to get off a double decker railcar onto a double decker bus.
frequentflyer
Conductor
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The above post is mine. Forgot to log in.
It might appear that way, but have you ridden one of those double decker Van Hools? And are you shorter than five foot, seven inches (the top deck ceiling height)....?
Just asking.....
Swadian Hardcore
Engineer
Uh, more threadjacking I guess, Van Hools double-decker are slow and unreliable, very poor mountain performance. Their low-mounted radiators and air intake increase the chance of engine overheats/break downs. Oversized windshields, no roof caps, and flat roof means the bus can't run much miles before retirement due to frame cracks. Lack of wheel skirts results in more dirt stuck in the suspension, thus more time in garage waiting to get cleaned. High center of gravity results in instability at high speeds. Less luggage capacity since there's no cargo hold on the bottom, only a little one at the back. Also, Van Hools are the least comfortable for the driver of all intercity coaches.
You better be jumping for joy that Amtrak doesn't have the TD925 on Thruway routes. Megabus drivers earn 45% less than Greyhound, I guess thy're so poor they don't care about driving the worst coach on the road.
SubwayNut
Conductor
The double-deckers also have much less space for luggage with just basically a walk in closet in the back of the first level. MegaBus allows only one bag and doesn't do any package express buissiness like Greyhound.
Amtrak California probably couldn't fit (and there wouldn't be enough luggage bays either) all the luggage for passengers on routes like BFD to LAX.
Amtrak California probably couldn't fit (and there wouldn't be enough luggage bays either) all the luggage for passengers on routes like BFD to LAX.
Exactly. They would have to pull a baggage trailer to accommodate the baggage that the single level coaches can carry....especially say, a Prevost H3-45 or a MCI J4500....
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