Acela BOS to PVD

[bam]

Thursday night on a whim I decided to take the 5:20 PM Acela #2193 home after work on Friday from Boston, rather than taking my usual MBTA Commuter rail to South Attleboro at 5:40. Made a reservation on line and picked up the ticket on Friday morning. (I work in Boston and live in RI). The ticket wasn't cheap ($53) but, so what! The last time I did this was maybe 5 yrs ago. Time for a little excitement!

I got in line early enough and on boarding got a good seat, a single seat at the back of one of the coaches. We left about 1 minute late, then stopping at BBY and then RTE, and were in PVD in the advertised 35 minutes. Surely we had to be doing 150 mph as the train went through Mansfield.

Here's my question: at high speed the ride was pretty rough. Does anyone have any idea why? High speed? Roadbed?

 

[amamba]

Wow that wad a super high bucket ride. You should consider an Amtrak monthly pass if you commute - you have to take the regional but

It is still much faster than the T.

 

[Acela150]

I just looked up Regionals for Today (10/9) and a NER Ticket costs $19 low bucket IIRC. High bucket on AE was indeed $53.

 

[amamba]

Low bucket BOS - PVD on the regional is $10, but that is with you buying it 14 days ahead. Otherwise I believe it is $12. Monthly pass is $342. Someone please correct me if am providing inaccurate info

So yeah, big difference between the regional and the acela.

 

[Acela150]

Sorry I should have said lowest price when I said bucket. The lowest price today (10/9) was $19.

 

[gatelouse]

I took a similar, 5-or-so years of absence from the Acela before becoming a regular again. I do feel like the ride is rougher than it used to be. It could be aging of the equipment. Or it could simply be where you were sitting on the train, a particular coach with minor wheel issues, or a whole host of "one-off" issues.

Funny how everyone is missing your original questions to comment on the price paid. I say, good for you! Glad you enjoyed the ride!

I've priced this route out recently for points runs. For Regional, YE (which is the bucket for 14-day advance specials) is $11, YD is $14, and I believe YB and YA are $19 and $23 respectively. Full Y, I don't know, as one sees it so rarely on this leg.

 

[Acela150]

YE? YD? YB? YA?

 

[gatelouse]

YE? YD? YB? YA?

Yep, those are the codes for the actual coach "buckets" that Amtrak sells. It's printed on each ticket. First letter is class of service or accommodation type: Y for coach, J for business, P for Acela first, V for Viewliner roomettes, etc.

Second letter is the bucket system we all know and love. In ascending order, D, B, A, and then the top bucket, which doesn't have a designator IIRC. (So a ticket marked "Y" alone is top-bucket coach.) Lately, we've seen the 14-day NEC specials sell into the E (YE) bucket. And I've discovered F (YF) recently. That's the bucket for those 3-day sales you find on the NEC.

 

[J-1 3235]

YE? YD? YB? YA?

Those are inventory class codes. In other words, the various buckets for coach seats:

Seat and Special Class Codes

Coach Seats – Reserved

CM Metroliner Business Class

CR, CS Discount

Y Conventional/Auto Train

YA,YB,YD, YG Discount

YE Amtrak Explore America

YF AD75, USA Rail Pass, Misc.

(From Amtrak's Inventory Class Quick Reference)

 

[Acela150]

Thanks for that! I see that and wonder all the time. I now know!

 

[the_traveler]

You forgot one!

PS = Penthouse Suite

 

[gatelouse]

I'm going to start an inventory code thread soon. Things have changed since the quick reference guides were published, though the basic idea remains the same.