Train #30 Chicago to D. C. track work; need advice

[Durham57]

We have sleeper car reservations, Chicago to D. C., in April on eastbound #30 for one of the days of track work.

I have questions and misgivings: What are the busses like from Pittsburgh to Washington? Luxury motor coach or 1960 Greyhound? Bathroom? Rest stops? How many hours is the bus drive? Is the transfer from train to bus in middle of the night or in the early morning?

If any of you good people have experienced this particular disruption, I would appreciate your comments. We do not travel as easily as we used to, and just knowing what to expect would be of great help.

 

[Mackensen]

We have sleeper car reservations, Chicago to D. C., in April on eastbound #30 for one of the days of track work.

I have questions and misgivings: What are the busses like from Pittsburgh to Washington? Luxury motor coach or 1960 Greyhound? Bathroom? Rest stops? How many hours is the bus drive? Is the transfer from train to bus in middle of the night or in the early morning?

If any of you good people have experienced this particular disruption, I would appreciate your comments. We do not travel as easily as we used to, and just knowing what to expect would be of great help.

I haven't experienced it myself, but to the best of my knowledge the bustitution has only happened 2-3 times so it's extremely unlikely you'll be inconvenienced.

 

[NY Penn]

The buses will only run if the train is significantly late, and only on certain days of the week (Sun-Thurs). The transfer will therefore be significantly later than the Capitol Limited's scheduled time into Pittsburgh - so it'll be in the early morning or later.

The buses should be good quality. I don't know the specifics though - hopefully someone else can clarify.

 

[Durham57]

Many, many thanks for your replies. I am more optimistic now.

 

[MARC Rider]

We have sleeper car reservations, Chicago to D. C., in April on eastbound #30 for one of the days of track work.

I have questions and misgivings: What are the busses like from Pittsburgh to Washington? Luxury motor coach or 1960 Greyhound? Bathroom? Rest stops? How many hours is the bus drive? Is the transfer from train to bus in middle of the night or in the early morning?

If any of you good people have experienced this particular disruption, I would appreciate your comments. We do not travel as easily as we used to, and just knowing what to expect would be of great help.

I had this happen to me in September. The train arrived in Pittsburgh about 7:30 or 8 AM. They loaded us on the buses pretty quickly, but no distinction was made between coach and sleeper passengers. People booked for Philadelphia and north were put on the Pennsylvanian, which left Pittsburgh on time. As I recall, there was an Amtrak employee with us as well as the bus driver. The trip was non-stop to Washington Union Station, except for a meal break at the Gateway travel center in Breezewood. We drove on I-376 (Ithink) out of Pittsburgh to the PA turnpike, got off ant Breezewood, and then took I-70, 270, and the George Washington Parkway into Washington. We actually arrived in Washington more or less on the scheduled time, which says something about track speeds on the the rail route between Pittsburgh and DC. The bus was a standard "deluxe" inter-city motorcoach with a restroom in the rear and quasi-reclining seats. It was OK, but, of course, the train would have been more comfortable. When I arrived in Washington, I inquired about compensation for my trouble, and was told to contact Customer Service. I called, and was told what to send in, and I got a $70 refund (for the pro-rated Pittsburgh-DC sleeper accommodation charge) and a $100 voucher for future travel.

It wasn't my favorite Amtrak experience, but they did get us to our destination on time, even if the bus driver was barreling down the PA turnpike a little to fast in my opinion, given that it was pouring rain outside. It also didn't help that I was coming down with some sort of nasty virus.

 

[Durham57]

Your reply is of immense help...thank you! I knew we could rely on our fellow train travelers.