Taking the Carolinian out of Charlotte

[Guest_limehaus_*]

Hello:

I'm a first time rider taking the Carolinian from Charlotte to DC on Thursday June 11 with a friend. Is anyone familiar with the Charlotte station? I'm wondering how full the train gets leaving out of Charlotte on a Thursday; specifically, I'm wondering if my friend and I will have difficulty sitting together on the journey. Also, parking...has anyone used the free, long-term parking at Charlotte? Are spaces easy to come by, or should I have a back-up plan? How is coach class on the Carolinian? I've read some threads talking about the distinctions between Amfleet I and II, but was unclear. Is it really cramped?

Excited about the trip!

Thanks to all,

JBL

 

[MrEd]

There is enough parking at the station, no need for a backup plan.

The train will not be full starting out, seating together should not be an issue.

 

[greatcats]

The station is a spacious, but rather uninteresting station that looks like something out of the 60's. There is a restaurant across the street, when I was there several years ago, but otherwise is in a rather nondescript are about a mile north of downtown. I spent the night sleeping on the floor when the Crescent was six hours late enroute to New Orleans. Station staff was fine at the time.

 

[George Harris]

The station is a spacious, but rather uninteresting station that looks like something out of the 60's.

It looks like something out of the '60's because it is something out of the '60's. It was built by Southern RR when they vacated their downtown station. Go to www.bytrain.org and look in stations and you will see there is a scheme to build a new downtown station where the old one was. The "when" seems to be in the indefinite future. The study documents are all from 2002.

 

[jackal]

I, too, slept in the station for a sum of about 6 hours (3 waiting for a late Crescent after flying in and 3 more after getting back off the Crescent waiting for the rental car agencies to open). It's not exactly a pleasant place to spend 6 hours of your life--boring building with nothing to do (can't even watch the trains coming by, as there are no windows and you can't go out onto the platform until your train arrives) and nothing of note nearby, so don't plan on arriving too early (unlike airlines, if you've already obtained your tickets, it's entirely possible to arrive at the station 10 minutes before departure and safely make your train; if you need to pick up your tickets, allow an extra 5-10 minutes, especially if you're not comfortable using the automated Quik-Track machine to print them).

It was night when I arrived and departed, but I had read that the station wasn't exactly in the nicest part of town, and it didn't look like a place I'd want to be walking around (especially after dark). I don't think a parked car would be in too much danger, especially if it were a nondescript car with all valuables hidden out of sight, but you may wish to do some research (or wait for someone else familiar with the area to post here) on perhaps parking at the next station up the line (not sure how far the first stop is from Charlotte and if it's in a better place). Or perhaps someone will post here and confirm that a car parked there is in no danger (the station is staffed 24 hours and appeared to actually be right next to a police substation, IIRC, so that lends some protection to vehicles). I didn't notice the parking lot being full at any time, but again, I was only there during the night (when the Crescent comes through), and it's possible it does fill up with day-trippers to other cities in the Carolinas (I can't speak to that from experience, though).

 

[limehaus]

Thanks for all the info, everybody. How about the coach vs business class debate? Is there enough difference on the Carolinian to warrant forking over the extra cash?

Regarding the uptown Charlotte station, the latest word is completion by 2012.

 

[Crescent Mark]

can't even watch the trains coming by

Completely wrong. Charlotte station staff was quite nice...I took quite a nap from the Crescent -> Carolinian late night transition on those wooden benches in there. Anyway, noone had a problem when I stepped outside every time I heard a train coming. Facing OUT of the front door, I took a right and went around the corner, up to the fence by that gate (near the NS building) and watched trains as the sun came up. NS freights randomly...the southbound Crescent...the Carolinian backing up before it turns around...the Carolinian backing in to the station facing the right way, etc. If you're standing at that really short fence by the gate where I said, you're literally only feet from the train coming by. Highly recommended train watching spot. A+ view down the tracks for about a mile, and a great view of downtown Charlotte as well.

Charlotte station, even though in older condition, totally blows the Greensboro out of the water for me. I could find no spot within half a mile of the station on either side in Greensboro to watch the trains at. In Charlotte when I heard a train, all I had to do was grab my camera, bolt out of the door and up the small hill to the fence and I was right there on the tracks. They have snacks, a TV with the Charlotte news, and other stuff in the station. Lots of people took blankets and personal DVD players / laptops when I went (that night a lot of people did the Crescent -> Carolinian transfer).

One of my favorite stations. Atlanta only wishes it could get a station as nice as Charlotte has, hah. The line for the Carolinian in the morning about went out the door but it was all good. Glad to see NC loves Amtrak! I think I'll be the only sad one when Charlotte redoes the station - I see it becoming like Greensboro with no place to watch the trains at all. Sad!!

For a long haul use business, short haul use coach.

 

[jackal]

can't even watch the trains coming by

Completely wrong.

Ah, I never thought to try to go around the side of the building. Still not sure I would have wanted to at 1am. You can't see the trains from inside the waiting room, and you can't go onto the platform (or even look out a door onto the platform) when you hear one coming (since the platform has only tunnel access from the lobby with a locked gate at the tunnel entrance). That's why I said what I did.

 

[BobWeaver]

Thanks for all the info, everybody. How about the coach vs business class debate? Is there enough difference on the Carolinian to warrant forking over the extra cash?
Regarding the uptown Charlotte station, the latest word is completion by 2012.

I personally opt for the business class upgrade if I'm going farther than Greensboro or so out of Charlotte. Less people coming and going/walking through because the business class car is only one car as opposed to the 4 coaches, and it is generally quieter (not to say that coach class is necessarily loud). Space wise, you will get some additional legroom and larger windows in business class.