RT Acela NYP - Bos on a Saturday?

[cbender]

I've got one of those Acela round-trip vouchers from last springs Acela sale, and am trying to figure out how to use it up before it expires at the end of this month. I've never taken the train up to Boston, so figured that would be a nice way to spend a Saturday. Looking at the time tables though, it seems that Acela service to Boston is extremely limited - it is impossible to take a round-trip NYP - BOS trip on the Acela that departs and returns on the same day! Am I missing something here, or is there just not much service to Boston? It also appears that no Boston bound Acela originates in NYP - they all have to come up from Washington.

I could do the NYP-WAS trip, but was hoping for something new.

 

[PRR 60]

I've got one of those Acela round-trip vouchers from last springs Acela sale, and am trying to figure out how to use it up before it expires at the end of this month.  I've never taken the train up to Boston, so figured that would be a nice way to spend a Saturday.  Looking at the time tables though, it seems that Acela service to Boston is extremely limited - it is impossible to take a round-trip NYP - BOS trip on the Acela that departs and returns on the same day!  Am I missing something here, or is there just not much service to Boston?  It also appears that no Boston bound Acela originates in NYP - they all have to come up from Washington.
I could do the NYP-WAS trip, but was hoping for something new.

You are correct. There is no way to take a Saturday NYP-BOS-NYP trip on Acela. There are only two trains each way, and the New York to Boston trains all leave in the afternoon, and the return Boston to New York trains all leave in the morning. The last New York bound trains has already left Boston before the first Boston train has left New York.

 

[AlanB]

Sadly these days Acela service on Saturday's to/from Boston is very limited. There used to be a 10:00 AM departure that would get you into Boston in time for the last Acela back to NY, but they killed that run about a year ago.

However, a round trip is possible on Sunday if you wanted to go then. Catch 2250 north out of Penn at noon, arriving into Boston at 3:45 pm. You can then catch 2259, the 4:10 depature back to NY. And if for some reason you find yourself running late going north, since there is only a 25 minute layover, you can always bail out at Back Bay, Route 128, or if things are really bad, at Providence.

Otherwise, your only other alternatives to go north on Acela and return on the same day, are on the weekdays. Of course if you want to factor in an overnight, then a lot more choices open up.

To answer your other question, on weekends, yes all Acela service to Boston orginates in DC. Weekdays however, there are trains that originate in NY bound for Boston.

 

[PRR 60]

...Weekdays however, there are trains that originate in NY bound for Boston.

I do not think that is the case today. There are no NYP originating Acelas for BOS and there are no BOS originating trains terminating at NYP weekends or weekdays.

There used to be a early morning departure NYP-BOS that originated NYP and was protected by an evening BOS-NYP trip, but that was killed with the Acela cutback last year. Now the earliest NYP-BOS trip is 803 which is the 500 WAS departure. The last BOS-NYP is 1720 which runs through to WAS as the 2100 NYP departure.

 

[cbender]

OK, thanks for the info. I guess I had always just assumed that the acela service was even distributed over the entire BOS - WAS line. Too bad that's not the case. I'll probably just go on a Sunday. Are there any interesting sights to look out for on that trip? What about in the BOS station?

 

[AlanB]

Going north, you've got the Sunnyside yards on your left, almost immediately after coming out of the East River tunnels. Next up would be the Hell Gate Bridge with it's wonderful views of Manhattan and LGA. Then shortly after leaving New Haven you hit what it probably the most scenic part of the NEC, the CT shoreline and Long Island Sound.

The first two will be on your left side, the shoreline will be on the right. However there are many wonderful bays to look at on the left side, even as the shoreline is passing on the right.

Once you're in Boston's South Station, you won't have much time to kill, unless the train is early. But it is one of the older stations around. If you have the means to gain entry to the Club Acela Lounge even for a few minutes, you might wish to check out that lounge. It's probably one of the nicest on the corridor. And it really showcases the old station with it's high ceiling and the wonderful retroration work that was done.

 

[AlanB]

There is also the submarine base at New Groton, or did that get closed? I guess that I should also add, that shortly after leaving the coastline, you'll hit 150 MPH on two short sections of track. The only place that Acela ever hits its top speed.

Shortly after the Route 128 stop you can also look for Boston's Orange line subway on your left. And after leaving Back Bay, the train will make a sharp left turn. Looking to your right at the moment, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the Red Line's yard. You'll also see the tracks that lead to the Amtrak yard at the same time.

 

[PRR 60]

OK, thanks for the info.  I guess I had always just assumed that the acela service was even distributed over the entire BOS - WAS line.  Too bad that's not the case.  I'll probably just go on a Sunday.  Are there any interesting sights to look out for on that trip?  What about in the BOS station?

Feel free to check out my Acela trip report from 2004. You can find it HERE.

 

[MrFSS]

I have only riden an Acela once and it was on the morning of 9/11/2001, that infamous day in our history. Before we had found out what happened in NYC we were almost to Boston. The highlight of my trip that day was sitting in the conductor's seat and seeing the speed at 121 MPH.

You can barely see it in the picture, so I photoshoped it in.