sched. change 4~448 or 29~3

[jim-o]

I have been trying to tentatively map out a trip east in February. I want to travel Chief to Lakeshore Limited ( Los Angeles to Boston) and return Capitol Limited to Chief ( Wash. DC to Los Angeles). I get a message that unable to schedule due to no same day connection. Is there a change coming, because I just completed this same trip ( returned 10/17)?

 

[Trogdor]

There should be a same-day connection available. However, eastbound you'll have to transfer in Albany, as Amtrak has given up on the winter already and will make Albany-Boston a stub train starting November 1, supposedly to return to a through train in April..

 

[efin98]

Might I suggest a connection to a Regional train from New York Penn Station to Boston South Station instead due to the impending demise of the Boston Section of the Lake Shore Limited. You will see the same scenery between New York and Boston going northeast and southwest but it's the best option.

 

[railman]

Actually, the scenery between New York and Boston along the Shore Line is vastly different than the scenery encountered traveling through the Berkshire Mountians between Albany and Boston.

I've heard no plans to eliminate the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited -- it's just going to flip-flop for a while between a summer thru-train and a winter stub train.

 

[efin98]

true but the stub train is not a guanrenteed connection so if the Lake Shore Limited heading east is late those who wanted to connect would be unable to due to the train to Boston having departed. Unless the stub train is scheduled to depart a few hours after the Lake Shore Limited is set to arrive the best bet is to stick to the Lake Shore Limited all the way to New York. Albany has one connecting train going to Boston, New York City has many which would make missing your scheduled train in New York not as bad as it would be if you missed the train up in Albany.

Besides, the Hudson River Valley of which is in view for a large percentage of the time to New York from Albany more than makes up for the loss of the Berkshires IMHO.

 

[battalion51]

but the stub train is not a guanrenteed connection

No sir no sir no sir. The stub train is a guaranteed conncetion. That's the whole point of the stub train with (non exsistent) cross platform transfers (You have to go upstairs to get to the stub train). If it's not a guaranteed connection what the heck is the point in having it in the first place?

 

[railman]

battalon51 is correct -- the stub train is indeed a guaranteed connection for the Lake Shore Limited in both directions. While the scenic attributes of the routings is debatable, the shorter overall trip tip via the Berkshires is certainly a factor to consider.

 

[efin98]

I thought the winter months was a non-guarenteed connection for the train? Unless I am mistaken, I could have sworn part of the reason for it becoming a stub train was the loss of the connection...

 

[AlanB]

I thought the winter months was a non-guarenteed connection for the train? Unless I am mistaken, I could have sworn part of the reason for it becoming a stub train was the loss of the connection...

The connection wasn't severed, only run-through service was severed. The reasons for this include, funneling all Viewliner sleepers to Florida to thaw out; reducing the number of moves, couplings/uncouplings in the bitter cold; and probably lower ridership at this time of year.

But the stub train exists for one and only one reason, to connect with the Lake Shore Limited. So late, early, or on time, it runs when the LSL runs.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Say, do you think they should call the "stub train" the LAKE SHORE LIMITED just like the parent New York-Chicago train, or should it be called something else? Maybe (like the New Haven-Springfield trains it will meet in SPG) they will call this one the very colorful name of "Shuttle". I don't think the LSL name should be put on a train that goes near the shore, but nowhere near the lakes, and offers far more limited services than the parent train.