new york city to chicago..question

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scott

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Hi All,

Need to get from New York City to Chicago. I like the idea of taking the LSL because it has a diner car and lounge. Does anyone know what kind of lounge it is? Also, anyone a big fan of either this train or Three Rivers?

Thanks.

Scott
 
scott said:
Hi All,Need to get from New York City to Chicago. I like the idea of taking the LSL because it has a diner car and lounge. Does anyone know what kind of lounge it is? Also, anyone a big fan of either this train or Three Rivers?

Thanks.

Scott
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The Lake Shore Limited uses what ever food service cars are avalible in Boston or Chicago. Usually it is a Horizon Dinette, Amfleet I Food Serivce (any combination; Coach/Cafe, Coach Dinette, Club/Dinette, Dinette, Lounge/Dinette), or an Amfleet II Lounge.

The Three Rivers, though does not have a Dining Car, does have an upscale food service for Sleeping Car passengers. One side of the Horizon Dinette is set up with linen table cloths, flowers, and silverware and the food is just the same stock from Acela Express First Class (warmed however, not nuked). Both trains are to have nice crews, though the LSL can tend to run a bit late. You may want to taken the Rivers to Chicago and the LSL back, but it is up to you.
 
When did the Lake Shore stop using a full Heritage Dining Car? It shows full dining service in both the 2003 Amtrak America book as well as the latest national timetable, so I assume fairly recently. It seems one NYC-CHI train should at least have a full diner.
 
They still do have a Dining Car. However, the NYP-ALB section has one full time, while BOS-ALB has a only a lounge car east of Albany. West of Albany the whole train has a Dining Car. The Three Rivers however does not have a Dining car.
 
I have ridden both trains in both directions and I would agree with the suggestion of taking one eastbound and one westbound. Based on what I have seen lately, I would suggest LSL westbound to Chicago and 3R eastbound back to NYC, as those tend to run more on time than their counterparts. Also get to see the Horseshoe curve during daylight eastbound on the 3R. Very friendly service always on the 3R, but you may be seated in a Horizon coach. (I like them OK but others don't) A few more cars to wander through on the LSL. Be sure to get yourself a cheapie fare on amtrak.com's rail sale page or on ebay. I have seen both of these trains on there lately.
 
The 60 seat Horizon Long Distance mod cars look pretty nice inside, I like the green color, and they run alot on the Three Rivers so maybe you will get one of those cars. The cars with the corridor seating, well my only experience with them was in 97, they may have been refutbished now, but they were rough and uncomfortable!
 
I still would rather ride in a baggage car before I rode in a Horizon car. The Horizon cars seem sterile to me, and would seem to make for an uncomfortable ride. Then again I'm more likely to be found in that Lounge than I am in the coaches, no matter what time of day.
 
I don't see why people dislike Horizon cars? After seeing various photos and in Chicago peaking through the window, they looked no worse than a refurbished Capstone Amfleet I. I admit the windows (or should I say slits) are quite small, but is there anything else I'm missing about these cars?
 
Jon, I personally think it's one of those things where you have to be in one to really feel what the car is like. To me, brochures, looking in the window, and pictures never really give you a true feel for what something is like until you are there. I think the best way to compare it is this, I find myself constantly looking at pictures of the insides of locomotive cabs, but nothing compares to the feel, smell, and sense of walking through that engine, coming up to that cab door, opening it, and seeing those Engineers turn around and say "Hey, how's it goin?"
 
I dont know, they just seemed more uncomfortable then the unrefurbished Amfleets to me, they rode horribly, and it was VERy hard to see out the windows. They are definatly ment to be commuter coaches!
 
Amfleet said:
I don't see why people dislike Horizon cars? After seeing various photos and in Chicago peaking through the window, they looked no worse than a refurbished Capstone Amfleet I. I admit the windows (or should I say slits) are quite small, but is there anything else I'm missing about these cars?
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Take a ride on one, and you will find out how bad they are.

The bathrooms, for one, were designed by idiots. When you go to wash your hands, you have to push up on a button that is underneath the faucet to get the water to come out. So while you push up, water flows down, and then sprays in every direction. Then you have a nice damp spot on the front of your pants, and a small lake on the floor, and on the seat of the toilet. Nice job, Bombardier, That was gret engineering.

In addition, they do not have curtains, so the sun can blast into the car alll day, counteracitng any good the AC does.

The cars rid ok, but the small windows, and cramped seating do tend to make for a sterile ride.
 
I agree with the suggestion of taking one eastbound and one westbound.

However, I have to say the Three Rivers has got to be one of the best LD Trains out there. Although they really don't have the full dining car, they do a damn good job of coming pretty close. The crews are extremely friendly and the scenery is beautiful.

I can't say enough good things about this train. I went by Sleeper so coach may be a different story.

I took the LSL eastbound back to NYC. The lounge car was an Amfleet I with coach seats on both sides of the food service counter, so it really wasn't a "lounge" so to speak.

Read my trip report here so you can get an idea of each train:

NYP to CHI to DAL and back
 
So Scott When are you going to Chicago IL from New York Penn Station and on what Train Route the Three Rivers or the Lake Shore Limited?
 
Hi All,

Thanks for the replies. Haven't decided yet which to take; I want to read Amfleet Fan's trip reports. It's a one-way trip though. I'll be going in a few months, and will let you all know of my decision. They both sound like good trips. I like meeting people in lounge cars, so as long as there are some tables and people sitting around, I'd be happy. It seems like a couple of you believe the best scenery to be on 3Rs.

Thanks again,

Scott
 
The Horizon Lounge cars that almost always run on the 3R have tables on both sides and a cafe counter in the middle, so there are plenty of places to sit and meet people. As for the Horizon coaches, I almost prefer them over Amfleet as they seem more open and airy than Amfleets...That is as long as you get one that is refurbished with the comfortable green seats, not the red ones. If you are making the whole trip from NYC to CHI be sure to not let them seat you in a red-seater. The bathrooms are bigger too. I think the coach attendant crews on the 3R are so freindly because they change out in Pittsburgh and so aren't workingon the train for 20+ hours straight. Check out my website for several trip reviews and pictures of the 3R.
 
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