Recent content by planetcadillac

You bet if it doesnt get mentioned again this fall it will certainly when the new Congress convenes in Jan. With energy to surely dominate discussion of the 09 budget Amtrak without a doubt will come out. Regardless of what happens, AT WORST, Amtrak funding cuts will be off the table. Actually...

Well there is only so much one person can do in Washington especially for something like Amtrak. But suffice to say that being VP as well as his personal story and his son on the board of Amtrak well at the very least funding will not be cut. If anything if Obama-Biden wins given the current...

When I go sleeper I typically tell the car attendant to leave my room in night arrangement even during the day. Why? Well if I want to sit up and look outside I will go to the lounge or somewhere similar to do so instead of sitting alone in the compartment. If I do go to the room I can lie down...

Most likely because the Carolinian is a day train only (leaving 740AM from Charlotte and NYC each direction) and of course such track work has to be carried out in daylight. With the others passing through the affected area in the evening they are less affected. For a split second I almost...

In most situations I have never thought it to be in Amtrak's best interests to try to compete with the airplane or any other means in terms of sheer time. It is the same arguments with buying a car. If it was simply a matter of getting from point A to point B we would be driving vehicles Soviet...

I can attest to this. While waiting for my Acela train in Providence I saw someone simply take the escalator down. So I decided to do it. Very easy to get around with lots of room and views of pics. Only that the platform if completely roofed so light can be a problem.

The ? is do you chalk this up to being one of life's minor adventures and inconveniences or does it rise to the level of starting WWIII over?

If you go over to the side where additional parking is you can get within about 30 feet of the track along the fence. Its not the same as being on the platform but since the train is mostly exposed along the fence you can see most of it. Usually half-dozen or so people watch the train pull away...

I would not go so far as to say BC isn't worth it, especially since its usually only $25-40 additional one way. I travelled on the Carolinian to WAS Business Class and it was worth it. Most consists have the BC car immediately behind the baggage car, then the cafe car, then the regular coaches...

I would say go to DC and wait it out there and then take the Crescent. While Raleigh and Greensboro have attractive terminals really the only place to spend time is DC. Union Station is like a destination unto itsself. Shops restaurants a movie theatre plus if its decent temps outside you can...

I recognize Sen. Rockefeller for other reasons I know what he looks like. He was dressed casually like most pax and he only had a companion much younger could pass for a son so to the average joe in the area he would be considered just part of the mix. But it is nice to see elected officials...

Somewhat convoluted - you take Silver Star from Tampa to Raleigh. Carolinian from Raleigh to Greensboro and then the Crescent from Greensboro to New Orleans. However your better bet is to take the Silver Star to Raleigh, then the Carolinian from Raleigh to Charlotte and then get the Crescent out...

WAS has all of the majors. I would imagine that the biggest stations have rental agents onsite if not cars as well. If I am not mistaken the stations are run by the local jurisdiction or some quasi-government-private enterprise now rather than by Amtrak directly. So I wouldn't think Amtrak would...

I have taken the Carolinian at least two dozen times since 1999 and they have all been Amfleet I that I can remember. I usually use the smaller door window test. I was just on the Carolinian #79 last Sunday and the BC car was Am I for sure. We were stuck in GRO for 2 1/2 hours due to various...

What is Amtrak's policies on missed train connections? Wife and I are planning a transcontinental and the only connection that worries us is picking up the CS from the EB in Portland. There is a 4-5 hour window between EB arrival in PDX and CS leaving PDX for LAX. Then were were going to take...