Pittsburgh (PA) Amtrak station

[racer1735]

I have a one-day trip from Indianapolis to Boston tomorrow (Monday, Feb. 12) and am scheduled to fly back home from Boston to Pittsburgh to Indy. Obviously, the winter weather alert that has been posted has me thinking that my 9 p.m. flight out of pittsburgh may get cancelled (the last one of the day). 'Plan B' is to fly to Pittsburgh, then somehow transfer to the Amtrak station and catch the Capitol Limited to Chicago, then the Cardinal/Hoosier State back to Indy (the fare is currently $85...can't beat that!).

Obviously, it will be a last minute decision based on the whim of US Airways, but my question is....how does one get from Pittsburgh International to the Amtrak station? Its 23 miles on mapquest, farther than I'd care to take a cab. Does public transportation make that run? I do see an airport express bus offered, but not sure where downtown it makes stops and I am NOT familiar with Pittsburgh!

Thanks in advance..and sorry for the short notice!

 

[The Metropolitan]

I have a one-day trip from Indianapolis to Boston tomorrow (Monday, Feb. 12) and am scheduled to fly back home from Boston to Pittsburgh to Indy. Obviously, the winter weather alert that has been posted has me thinking that my 9 p.m. flight out of pittsburgh may get cancelled (the last one of the day). 'Plan B' is to fly to Pittsburgh, then somehow transfer to the Amtrak station and catch the Capitol Limited to Chicago, then the Cardinal/Hoosier State back to Indy (the fare is currently $85...can't beat that!).
Obviously, it will be a last minute decision based on the whim of US Airways, but my question is....how does one get from Pittsburgh International to the Amtrak station? Its 23 miles on mapquest, farther than I'd care to take a cab. Does public transportation make that run? I do see an airport express bus offered, but not sure where downtown it makes stops and I am NOT familiar with Pittsburgh!

Thanks in advance..and sorry for the short notice!

The bus you'll need is the #28X and it runs right through the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh, stopping about a block and a half from the train Station. It will likely be a short "cutaway" style bus that may be any color of the rainbow (PAT's bus fleet has literally dozens of colors). Anyway, the bus will get to heading into town on a Busway before dumping on the street for a bit and crossing a bridge. At this point, you are now entering Downtown. The bus continues up a street in Downtown (Liberty IIRC) and then makes a soft right. At this point, it would probably be best to hop off, and return to Liberty and make a right. You'll see the Rotunda of the old Penn Station as you approach Grant Avenue. Merely, cross the street and head to the left to reach the lower level where the Amtrak Station is.

If you're feeling just plain adventurous, the Hot Deals include both the Capitol and the Cardinal. You might be able to swing this train ride for under $50!

 

[Guest]

There are plans still in the conceptual phase to run a maglev through Pittsburgh, including a stop at the airport and near the station. Not that that helps you.

 

[racer1735]

I have a one-day trip from Indianapolis to Boston tomorrow (Monday, Feb. 12) and am scheduled to fly back home from Boston to Pittsburgh to Indy. Obviously, the winter weather alert that has been posted has me thinking that my 9 p.m. flight out of pittsburgh may get cancelled (the last one of the day). 'Plan B' is to fly to Pittsburgh, then somehow transfer to the Amtrak station and catch the Capitol Limited to Chicago, then the Cardinal/Hoosier State back to Indy (the fare is currently $85...can't beat that!).

Obviously, it will be a last minute decision based on the whim of US Airways, but my question is....how does one get from Pittsburgh International to the Amtrak station? Its 23 miles on mapquest, farther than I'd care to take a cab. Does public transportation make that run? I do see an airport express bus offered, but not sure where downtown it makes stops and I am NOT familiar with Pittsburgh!

Thanks in advance..and sorry for the short notice!

The bus you'll need is the #28X and it runs right through the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh, stopping about a block and a half from the train Station. It will likely be a short "cutaway" style bus that may be any color of the rainbow (PAT's bus fleet has literally dozens of colors). Anyway, the bus will get to heading into town on a Busway before dumping on the street for a bit and crossing a bridge. At this point, you are now entering Downtown. The bus continues up a street in Downtown (Liberty IIRC) and then makes a soft right. At this point, it would probably be best to hop off, and return to Liberty and make a right. You'll see the Rotunda of the old Penn Station as you approach Grant Avenue. Merely, cross the street and head to the left to reach the lower level where the Amtrak Station is.

If you're feeling just plain adventurous, the Hot Deals include both the Capitol and the Cardinal. You might be able to swing this train ride for under $50!

THanks. The hot deals have sold out for the 12th and 13th. But the regular bucket has it at $85...and a roomette on the Capitol Limited for just $110. Can't beat that.

 

[racer1735]

Also, if I purchase a ticket at the station, will I get the lowest bucket available at that time? Or a standard rack rate? I like the prices available now, but don't want to buy yet, in case the plane is running on time. But have to admit, the prospects of hitting the rails is pretty powerful!

 

[AlanB]

Also, if I purchase a ticket at the station, will I get the lowest bucket available at that time? Or a standard rack rate? I like the prices available now, but don't want to buy yet, in case the plane is running on time. But have to admit, the prospects of hitting the rails is pretty powerful!

As long as no one kicks the bucket to the next level with a ticket purchase, the prices will remain the same.

However, with the date of travel so close, you could call up Amtrak and make a reservation without giving your credit card number anyhow. That way if you need the ticket, the price is locked and you can pick them up from an agent in PIT and pay him/her. If you don't need the tickets, just call up and cancel.

 

[George Harris]

There are plans still in the conceptual phase to run a maglev through Pittsburgh, including a stop at the airport and near the station. Not that that helps you.

And hopefully it will either stay that way or dissapear completely. Maybe since they have had a fire and couple of other prolems, the Shanghai Maglev would be available for sale cheap - As is, where is. Then you only have the problem of moving it. It should be close to the right length. And, oh by the way, it does not comply with ANY of the usual safety requirements for public transport of people.

 

[Chatter163]

Given the unpredictability of the weather, I wuld just go ahead and bookm the rommette now and cancel the last flight. This way you have your plan set, and you do not have to deal with the hassles and stress later, or with the possibility that the rate will increase. Others may get the same idea, so now is the time to act. If the flight is not canceled, you still will have a great trip!

 

[Guest]

There are plans still in the conceptual phase to run a maglev through Pittsburgh, including a stop at the airport and near the station. Not that that helps you.

And hopefully it will either stay that way or dissapear completely. Maybe since they have had a fire and couple of other prolems, the Shanghai Maglev would be available for sale cheap - As is, where is. Then you only have the problem of moving it. It should be close to the right length. And, oh by the way, it does not comply with ANY of the usual safety requirements for public transport of people.

As far as I can tell, Maglev is safe enough. The Shanghai one may be slightly sloppy because it is done by a communist government, but the principals are good enough. Look at the early age of railroading, in comparison, Maglev is totally safe. I expect that the reason that it can't comply with current safety regulations it that it is a new technology. Early automobiles were required to have an escort to move in town legally. Not any more. Do people get hurt, yes. But is this unacceptable? Not really.

 

[George Harris]

I have no real interest in getting into an argument on the safety or non-safety of the maglev, and my statement had nothing to do with any "sloppiness" in the construction or maintenance of the one in Shanghai. It is the German Transrapid, virtually straight out of the box and constructed under German supervision (I know personally some of the ones involved) and they were very happy with the construction quality.

I could write a couple of pages on the reason I made the statement, but I think one item will suffice: Lack of evacuation walkways along the structure or means of egress from the train that can be used in case it is stopped other than at stations. This is a requirement of NFPA 130, and is generally built in to all transit systems built in the last 40 plus years. If they had not been able to access the sides of the train in Shanghai with fire department ladder trucks, this fire would most likely have killed a train laod of people.

There is no cost savings, in fact studies done by the Ministry of Railways in China appeart to suggest that a Maglev will cost something line 4 times a high speed railway of equivalent capacity. The energy consumption is also higher for equivalent service, as the levitation is not free.

Noise reduction versus ordinary rail is minimal as noise at high speeds is primarily aerodynamic, not wheel rail.

It is very possible to run an "ordinary" high speed railroad at over 300 mph - the French have done it in tests, now over 10 years ago. I am inclined to believe that the Japanese Shinkansen equipment could beat it, there is just not a lot of track straight enough over a long enough distance in Japan to try for it. Plus, the traffic density on most, probably all their lines just don't give them the available track time to play games with it.

For a short run line downtown to airport, a maglev is an extreme of overkill. For the Shanghai maglev, you achieve 430 km/h but run that speed for only about 8 seconds.

 

[Railbender]

I grew up in Pittsburgh and I think the maglev concept died there loooong ago. I think they are persuing some sort of rail option between downtown and the airport...

While in the 'burgh, checkout progress on the new Greyhound station across from Amtrak...

Does anyone know if there are plans for a safe, easy connection between the station, just across the street from each other.

Here is a link to the architectual drawings for the new bus station/parking garage...

http://www.ikminc.com/portfolio/transporta.../greyhound.html

I hope that works...great pictures...