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RailFanLNK

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Lincoln, Nebraska (LNK)
I'm two days away from picking vacation at work and have a major trip planned from LNK-CHI-NYC-WAS-CHI-LNK. I have been all geared up to take Acela from NYP to WAS until I priced it. To take Acela over a regional train for 4 of us, it was a difference of $476.00. To take Acela First Class it was a difference of almost $900! :eek: Acela First Class was like $1128 for 4 of us in First Class. We found a train called the Carolinan that cost $248.00 for all four of us and was only 30 minutes longer in trip duration. So what gives? I was fairly pysched up to take Acela and knew it was more expensive and even thought of going "first class" to "go in style" but for the cost difference was HUGE! So what is the downsides, upsides to my predicament? Our trip is very budget oriented and we are staying in hostels in NYC and in DC. So its hard for me to fathom the expense of Acela when I saw only a 30 minute difference in arrival time to WAS. Enlighten me please! Thanks!

Al
 
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rail rookie said:
I'm two days away from picking vacation at work and have a major trip planned from LNK-CHI-NYC-WAS-CHI-LNK. I have been all geared up to take Acela from NYP to WAS until I priced it. To take Acela over a regional train for 4 of us, it was a difference of $476.00. To take Acela First Class it was a difference of almost $900! :eek: Acela First Class was like $1128 for 4 of us in First Class. We found a train called the Carolinan that cost $248.00 for all four of us and was only 30 minutes longer in trip duration. So what gives? I was fairly pysched up to take Acela and knew it was more expensive and even thought of going "first class" to "go in style" but for the cost difference was HUGE! So what is the downsides, upsides to my predicament? Our trip is very budget oriented and we are staying in hostels in NYC and in DC. So its hard for me to fathom the expense of Acela when I saw only a 30 minute difference in arrival time to WAS. Enlighten me please! Thanks!
Al
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Acela is for people with expense accounts. It really is more comfortable, but not worth the price unless someone else is paying for it.
 
Ok...that gives me some input. This is my math:

Carolinan #79 4 Adults total $248.00 with AAA or NARP discount.

Acela #2105 Business Class $752.00 with AAA or NARP.

Acela #2105 First Class $1128.00 with AAA or NARP.

I'm somewhat frugal and practical kind of person, this just seems to be a HUGE difference considering its only about 35 minutes more travel time.

Al
 
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Al,

Just remember that the Carolinian pulls out at 7:05 AM in the morning. Makes for a very early start to one's day.

As for Acela vs Regional's/other corridor trains, run time wise there really isn't all that much difference. Acela can only hit 135 MPH south of NY, regionals hit 125 MPH, and LD's usually top out at 110 MPH. So again the running times aren't that different.

Acela is still the premium service, and the trains are nicer with wonderfully large windows to view things compared to the Amfleet's. What times did you look at for the Acela, and were you going mid-week or weekend? These are things that can affect price as Acela in BC can range from a low of $500 to a high of $836 in BC for a family of 4. So if at all possible, try to see if you can't shift travel times/dates. On the weekend you can also get AAA/NARP discounts for Acela.

All that said, is it so much better that it's worth the $500+ difference that you're currently looking at? Probably not.
 
I will know more in two days when I get to pick vacation. (Feburary 20th) So far I'm trying to get two weeks in a row the last week of June and the first week of July or the first two weeks in July. Both "hypothetical" trip itenirary's has a leaving NYC either June 30th or July 7th both are Mondays. That is why I posted the question. I had no clue that Acela and can be cheaper on different days. Can I get more AGR points with Acela making it a more attractive option?

Al
 
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Al;

If you really want to ride the Acela try a short jaunt such as BWI to WAS or Philly to Baltimore. It is nice but not worth going bankrupt over compared to an LD seat on the Crescent or other LD train. (I buy a ticket to Alexandria and get off in Washington; nobody is ever the wiser and I get a dinner out of it usually.)
 
As a rule of thumb, the weekday morning and late afternoon departures from NYC to Washington are the most expensive. You can generally get a lower bucket leaving between 10am and 2pm. As Alan mentioned, if there is any way you can set things up to take the Acela trip on the weekend, that will also help plus the AAA or NARP discounts come into play.

Acela is not really priced for leisure travel. Amtrak tries to push that business to the Regionals to keep Acela seats open for last minute, top dollar business travel.

Here's an idea that would save you a couple of dollars. Take a Keystone from New York to Philadelphia. The Keystones tend to hold lower buckets. With AAA that would run you about $155 for four. Hang around at PHL for an hour and then take Acela from Philadelphia to Washington. Acela Business Class PHL-WAS for four would run you $364, or a total of $519 for the entire trip NYC to WAS. The bump to First would add $69 per person or $276 for four. That would take you to $795. Not cheap by any measure, but you would get over 90 minutes of Acela riding and, if you went First, you would have plenty of time for the meal.
 
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HEy Whooz...cuz on Wednesday Feburary 20th I have to have all my weeks picked for 2008. So if the trip for the Gathering wouldn't have had a date, I wouldn't have any clue on what week in September or October to pick. The summer months at my job "fill up fast" so I'm crossing my fingers at this point. The College World Series is in Omaha the 14th-25th of June so I may get that last week off or I might not. I have to have all my ducks in a row cuz there will be 10 guys standing behind me with slips of paper in their hands with the dates they need. The rail gathering is in October and none of the guys are out shootin' stuff yet (hunting) so October tends to be a slower time for vacation selection. Vacation selection was moved back one week and I am 32nd in line for selection. Moving it back a week gives all of us more time, but also provides more anxiety too!
 
I understand the frugality, and that when you're faced with paying for 4, the cost of a splurge usually quadruples.

In the end, there is no easy solution. I treat myself to an Acela ride once a year for a change of pace over the Amfleets, but truth be told, I find the Amfleet's seats to be more comfortable than those on the Acela. Given the difference between the lowest bucket Regional (which tend towards the high themselves given the competition from buses and commuter rail) and the Acela fares, these rides are limited to off-peak or weekend trains to get a rate that is at least a hair shy of outright fleecing.

If you really wanted to get a ride in so you could say you had the experience, you could hope off the Carolinian at Baltimore, and get the 10:15 Acela from there to Washington at $34 a head, making it a $132 novelty.

From a practical standpoint, there would seem little point to Acela - as you've found the time savings over a Regional (which the Carolinian is an "extended" version of) is rather slight, particularly given the added expense. However, in the "Keeping Up with the Jones" world of the Northeast, the thing is wildly popular to something of a status symbol. To those riding it, Time is Money, and for an exec. making $120 an hour, paying $60 more to get there half an hour earlier is a wash, and a plus when it just goes on an expense statement for company reimbursement.

If you'd really like a TRULY comfortable train ride for the same price as the Carolinian, why not book the PALMETTO from NYP to ALX (Alexandria). You'll be out of the gate a little earlier, but will be riding in super comfy AMFLEET II coaches with extra legroom and calf-rests. You'll get a BONUS ride across the Potomac out of DC (passing RIGHT by the Jefferson Memorial) and the Alexandria Station is an easy ride back to Union Station via Amtrak, VRE, or DC Metro.
 
PRR 60 said:
As a rule of thumb, the weekday morning and late afternoon departures from NYC to Washington are the most expensive. You can generally get a lower bucket leaving between 10am and 2pm. As Alan mentioned, if there is any way you can set things up to take the Acela trip on the weekend, that will also help plus the AAA or NARP discounts come into play.
Acela is not really priced for leisure travel. Amtrak tries to push that business to the Regionals to keep Acela seats open for last minute, top dollar business travel.

Here's an idea that would save you a couple of dollars. Take a Keystone from New York to Philadelphia. The Keystones tend to hold lower buckets. With AAA that would run you about $155 for four. Hang around at PHL for an hour and then take Acela from Philadelphia to Washington. Acela Business Class PHL-WAS for four would run you $364, or a total of $519 for the entire trip NYC to WAS. The bump to First would add $69 per person or $276 for four. That would take you to $795. Not cheap by any measure, but you would get over 90 minutes of Acela riding and, if you went First, you would have plenty of time for the meal.
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You could also hang in the Club Acela in Philly.
 
To put it in some perspective, for the same $476 the Acela costs the 4 of you over the Regional, you might be able to book 2 Viewliner Roomettes between Buffalo and New York (@ $94 a pop) and 2 Superliner Roomettes on the Capitol Limited (@ $117 a pop) depending on the dates you select, and still have $54 left over.

Feeling refreshed and able to shower after each night's sleep, three meals spread among all 4 of you on the 2 trains. I know how I'd spend the money.
 
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The cool thing about vacation selection this year is this: I have 6 weeks vacation and just spent one of those hanging with my girlfriend after she had shoulder replacement surgery. The other 5 weeks are all Amtrak oriented. My 2nd week of vacation I will be travelling on the CZ to CHI from LNK with Brenda and her daughter for spring break in Chicago. We will be staying for 4 days and staying at the HI Hostel on E. Congress, the 3rd and 4th weeks will be LNK-CHI-NYC-WAS-CHI-LNK. That will be the first time I will be on an Amtrak train thats not the CZ. I will be riding in Viewliner equipment the first time and Amfleet. (are they different?) The 5th week I have been put in charge by my church singles ministry to help lead a "Chicago On A Budget" trip for singles to CHI via LNK on the CZ. So more train rides!!!! :rolleyes: And then the 6th week of vacation I will be probably riding on the SWC either back from LAX or going to LAX or both depending on vacation selection. So...this year will be the year of the "different" trains instead of strickly being the CZ.
 
rail rookie said:
HEy Whooz...cuz on Wednesday Feburary 20th I have to have all my weeks picked for 2008. So if the trip for the Gathering wouldn't have had a date, I wouldn't have any clue on what week in September or October to pick. The summer months at my job "fill up fast" so I'm crossing my fingers at this point. The College World Series is in Omaha the 14th-25th of June so I may get that last week off or I might not. I have to have all my ducks in a row cuz there will be 10 guys standing behind me with slips of paper in their hands with the dates they need. The rail gathering is in October and none of the guys are out shootin' stuff yet (hunting) so October tends to be a slower time for vacation selection. Vacation selection was moved back one week and I am 32nd in line for selection. Moving it back a week gives all of us more time, but also provides more anxiety too!
Click to expand...
Dude, I fully understand, and was just joking. I had dates to dodge myself. Seeya in Rocktober!

And speaking of ducks in a row, don't go near them if Dick Cheney's around.

Edit: Come to think of it, don't go near Dick Cheney.
 
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I'm real near Dick Cheney's "aura". He lived 8 house's down the street from me when he was a youth in Lincoln NE. Secret Service had the whole area shutdown in 2004 when he was in LNK for a couple of hours and wanted to see his old neighborhood. :p There's nothin' like vacation selection at --- where I work. Lots guys fustrated, begging with guys to change etc. I hope I'm not outside the supes office on my hands and knee's begging folks to "change" dates. I think I'm getting to a fairly safe seniority level. Also, thanks everyone for all the input on the NEC. I think I will just stick with the Carolinan and keep it simple. If I was travelling alone, I would do all the other options for the heck of it, but when 3 other individuals are counting on you to get them from point A to point B, I think keeping it simple will be my mantra.
 
AlanB said:
Al,
Just remember that the Carolinian pulls out at 7:05 AM in the morning. Makes for a very early start to one's day.

As for Acela vs Regional's/other corridor trains, run time wise there really isn't all that much difference. Acela can only hit 135 MPH south of NY, regionals hit 125 MPH, and LD's usually top out at 110 MPH. So again the running times aren't that different.

Acela is still the premium service, and the trains are nicer with wonderfully large windows to view things compared to the Amfleet's. What times did you look at for the Acela, and were you going mid-week or weekend? These are things that can affect price as Acela in BC can range from a low of $500 to a high of $836 in BC for a family of 4. So if at all possible, try to see if you can't shift travel times/dates. On the weekend you can also get AAA/NARP discounts for Acela.

All that said, is it so much better that it's worth the $500+ difference that you're currently looking at? Probably not.
Click to expand...
Are the Regionals allowed 135mph in the zones the Acela is allowed 150mph? I heard this somewhere but I've never heard anything official.
 
rail rookie said:
The cool thing about vacation selection this year is this: I have 6 weeks vacation and just spent one of those hanging with my girlfriend after she had shoulder replacement surgery. The other 5 weeks are all Amtrak oriented. My 2nd week of vacation I will be travelling on the CZ to CHI from LNK with Brenda and her daughter for spring break in Chicago. We will be staying for 4 days and staying at the HI Hostel on E. Congress, the 3rd and 4th weeks will be LNK-CHI-NYC-WAS-CHI-LNK. That will be the first time I will be on an Amtrak train thats not the CZ. I will be riding in Viewliner equipment the first time and Amfleet. (are they different?) The 5th week I have been put in charge by my church singles ministry to help lead a "Chicago On A Budget" trip for singles to CHI via LNK on the CZ. So more train rides!!!! :rolleyes: And then the 6th week of vacation I will be probably riding on the SWC either back from LAX or going to LAX or both depending on vacation selection. So...this year will be the year of the "different" trains instead of strickly being the CZ.
Click to expand...
Al;

The only true Viewliner cars in revenue service are the sleepers.
 
Crescent ATN & TCL said:
AlanB said:
Al,
Just remember that the Carolinian pulls out at 7:05 AM in the morning. Makes for a very early start to one's day.

As for Acela vs Regional's/other corridor trains, run time wise there really isn't all that much difference. Acela can only hit 135 MPH south of NY, regionals hit 125 MPH, and LD's usually top out at 110 MPH. So again the running times aren't that different.

Acela is still the premium service, and the trains are nicer with wonderfully large windows to view things compared to the Amfleet's. What times did you look at for the Acela, and were you going mid-week or weekend? These are things that can affect price as Acela in BC can range from a low of $500 to a high of $836 in BC for a family of 4. So if at all possible, try to see if you can't shift travel times/dates. On the weekend you can also get AAA/NARP discounts for Acela.

All that said, is it so much better that it's worth the $500+ difference that you're currently looking at? Probably not.
Click to expand...
Are the Regionals allowed 135mph in the zones the Acela is allowed 150mph? I heard this somewhere but I've never heard anything official.
Click to expand...
Regional's top speed is 125 MPH no matter what Acela is doing in the area. It's an equipment thing, as both the cars and the engines are rated for a max of 125 MPH.
 
PRR 60 said:
Here's an idea that would save you a couple of dollars. Take a Keystone from New York to Philadelphia. The Keystones tend to hold lower buckets. With AAA that would run you about $155 for four. Hang around at PHL for an hour and then take Acela from Philadelphia to Washington. Acela Business Class PHL-WAS for four would run you $364, or a total of $519 for the entire trip NYC to WAS. The bump to First would add $69 per person or $276 for four. That would take you to $795. Not cheap by any measure, but you would get over 90 minutes of Acela riding and, if you went First, you would have plenty of time for the meal.
Click to expand...
And you can save even more money by doing the "Trenton Shuffle", that is, NJ TRANSIT Northeast Corridor from New York to Trenton, SEPTA from Trenton to Philadelphia, and then do the splurge for the Acela from there. On weekdays there is also commuter rail between Baltimore and Washington (MARC), so if about an hour of Acela riding is enough, you might only need to pay the Acela fare between PHL and BAL.
 
You surely can do that, but keep in mind that NJTransits older Comets (as oposed to the newer, more comfortable Bombardier Bi-Levels), are not particularly comfortable- they are 2 by 3 seating, and are the flip-seat type. Very flat, not very comfy.
 
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