TVRM610
Conductor
I was in Greensboro NC for work and decided to take a quick turn on the Piedmont. The North Carolina system is so great, really it is. First of all I boarded at the Greensboro NC station which is absolutely gorgeous. This is a classic Southern Railway station that is in near perfect condition. It's clean, polished, functional, and historic. The station is open 24 hours. I rode the afternoon train South to Salisbury, hung out and had a late lunch with a friend, then rode the evening train back. Both trains were on time, had a nice crew, and were crowded (yay!). The Salisbury Station is also quite nice, and the station agent was extra friendly.
For those of you that don't know, the Piedmont equipment is owned by the state of North Carolina so it's not the standard Amfleets; rather it's "heritage" fleet cars that have been restored. Each train runs with 3 coaches and a combine lounge / baggage car. (Are there any other combine cars still in operation?) The coaches are the most comfortable coach seats I've ridden on Amtrak (they beat the Acela in my book) and the lounge car used vending machines but offers free, yes free bottled water and coffee.
I've ridden these trains before but it's been awhile and just want to share this excellent report. One of the reasons I really like riding this train is it just feels like an old time "local train." It runs 2 round trips a day (the same route is covered a third time by the Carolinian which continues to NYP after Raleigh) with a small 4 car train which included a combine car for baggage.
I really do wish that more states could see the value that these operations present. Clean and beatiful stations, friendly staff, on time trains, multiple convenient departures, comfortable coaches.. THIS is what transit can be!
For those of you that don't know, the Piedmont equipment is owned by the state of North Carolina so it's not the standard Amfleets; rather it's "heritage" fleet cars that have been restored. Each train runs with 3 coaches and a combine lounge / baggage car. (Are there any other combine cars still in operation?) The coaches are the most comfortable coach seats I've ridden on Amtrak (they beat the Acela in my book) and the lounge car used vending machines but offers free, yes free bottled water and coffee.
I've ridden these trains before but it's been awhile and just want to share this excellent report. One of the reasons I really like riding this train is it just feels like an old time "local train." It runs 2 round trips a day (the same route is covered a third time by the Carolinian which continues to NYP after Raleigh) with a small 4 car train which included a combine car for baggage.
I really do wish that more states could see the value that these operations present. Clean and beatiful stations, friendly staff, on time trains, multiple convenient departures, comfortable coaches.. THIS is what transit can be!
