Train change?

[AKA]

Does one change trains in Albany when going on to Boston.or do you remain in your car while they switch cars? Will be coming from CLE. east to boston. Another question, going on to WAS from BOS. is that a guaranteed conection. On time you arrive at 6:20 PM and depart for WAS at 9:45. I know thats more than two hours and should be gueranteed. But its a long night if you miss it, because of LSL being late. Thanks in advance

 

[AlanB]

You will have to change trains at Albany, the LSL no longer has any run-through cars to/from Boston. Most times it's a simple across the platform change, but occasionally if the LSL arrives at the wrong time, you may have to go upstairs and then back downstairs to the other platform.

The answer to your second question is no. That is not a guarenteed connection, since Amtrak would have you connect through NY to DC, not through Boston. So if the LSL is very late, then you may want to talk to the conductor about remaining on the soutbound LSL. Another option might be to get off the Boston LSL at Springfield and catch a southbound train from there if you are running late.

But again, if you miss train 67, then you are in for a long night in the station. Either that or go find a hotel on your dime.

 

[GG-1]

But again, if you miss train 67, then you are in for a long night in the station. Either that or go find a hotel on your dime.

Aloha

How many places can you stay in the station. I would have waited at the station in EMY but they wouldn't let me. At least an Denny's was cloase so enjoyed a late supper/breakfast untill it was time.

 

[AlanB]

But again, if you miss train 67, then you are in for a long night in the station.  Either that or go find a hotel on your dime.

Aloha

How many places can you stay in the station. I would have waited at the station in EMY but they wouldn't let me. At least an Denny's was cloase so enjoyed a late supper/breakfast untill it was time.

Last I knew, one can still overnight in Boston's South Station. One can also remain in NY's Penn Station overnight, especially since that station has trains coming in all night.

On the other hand, Chicago's Union station does close overnight and everyone is kicked out.

 

[battalion51]

Alan, IIRC it is not a simple cross platform change. In order for 448/447/449 to get in and out they have to use the main track which is on the other platform.

 

[AlanB]

Alan, IIRC it is not a simple cross platform change. In order for 448/447/449 to get in and out they have to use the main track which is on the other platform.

I believe that you are still correct about the main track being the only one that can access the line to Boston, although they are supposed to be adding a switch that fixes that issue. Not sure if it's done yet, but I don't think so.

However, going to Boston, most times they still park the Boston segment on the center island platform to allow pax to just cross the plat. They then pull the Boston section out and back it up onto the main track, in order to access that switch to Boston.

That's how they handled things last Thursday on my return from Dallas via the Eagle/LSL.

Going to Chicago, in theory the Boston section gets there so much earlier, than the NY section that the pax do indeed go upstairs to await the arrival on the NY train.

 

[Guest_rile42]

[On the other hand, Chicago's Union station does close overnight and everyone is kicked out. ]

I got caught a couple of years ago at CUS when it closed. I told the officers that I was waiting for an early train (after a hockey game) and had no place to stay. They directed me to the waiting room and told me to stay there. I didn't know it closed down. I was used to places like Philly, New York and DC.

 

[AlanB]

[On the other hand, Chicago's Union station does close overnight and everyone is kicked out. ]I got caught a couple of years ago at CUS when it closed. I told the officers that I was waiting for an early train (after a hockey game) and had no place to stay. They directed me to the waiting room and told me to stay there. I didn't know it closed down. I was used to places like Philly, New York and DC.

Wow, you got lucky. I had two friends who spent the night in a White Hen store several years back. They were given no choice when they arrived on a late Pennsylvanian. The police had baracades up throughout the terminal and all arriving pax were escorted straight out of the building.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Wow, you got lucky.  I had two friends who spent the night in a White Hen store several years back.  They were given no choice when they arrived on a late Pennsylvanian.  The police had baracades up throughout the terminal and all arriving pax were escorted straight out of the building.

Yeah I know those two friends well.

The barricades led us right up the Canal Street escalator and onto said street. The waiting room was not accessible during this time. Signs on the doors of the station still show that it closes at 12 midnight and reopens at 5 AM.

I guess considering the element of people hanging in and around the White Hen in the wee hours, we were a breath of fresh air for the staff. And we spent money on candy and soft drinks while we were there. After 4 AM we realized that we could have been spending some time riding the Red Line, since it runs all night. So we took a pre-sunrise spin down the Dan Ryan line and returned, by which time Union Station had reopened.

Of course there is no longer any train scheduled into or out of Chicago like the PENNSYLVANIAN was...