Its been a while since Ive done a trip log - havent done as many trips as I used to, and my only Amtrak trips this year so far have been a quick weekend trip on the Wolverine to CHI, a couple Surfliner runs while in SoCal, and a little Troy, MI - Ann Arbor run. Wish I could do more, but theres only so many times you can go to Chicago, and the LD trains can be pricy to travel alone in a roomette, with deteriorating service quality to go with it. I did take VIA to Toronto, which was interesting - I do want to take VIA to Montreal and the Canadian at some point...
For my trip to the Gathering, Im taking my first eastern LD trip in 6 years - moving to San Diego made these trains a much farther journey, and since moving back to Michigan I hadnt had a reason to go to the East Coast until now. This may end up being my last LD eastern trip for a while - overnight coach is becoming harder to handle, and the sleeper prices for the LSL/CL are hardly worth it for the short trip and inferior dining. Plus a flight doesnt cost too much more than a coach ticket, and I can tolerate that (though I do like riding the train...)
To get to New York, Im taking a Thruway bus from Ann Arbor, MI to Toledo, the Capitol Limited to Pittsburgh, and transferring to the Pennsylvanian to NYP. Thats my first time on the Pennsylvanian - took it because the more direct route (the Lake Shore Limited) boards at TOL at 3:20am compared to the relatively-more-civilized boarding time of 11:49pm of the Capitol Limited and arrives later in NYP than the Pennsy (and without a sleeper/full dining service, the lack of sleepers/diners on the Pennsylvanian is a non-factor). I also wanted to see something new, and Ive done the Capitol Limited+Regional going east before. I will be taking the LSL back, though, as it offers the best timing westbound and I havent taken the NYP-ALB segment before.
The Thruway bus was relatively uneventful. I took a local bus to the station, and found the bus waiting there already 15 minutes before scheduled departure. After I boarded, the bus departed before its scheduled time - it looks like they just leave early all passengers on the manifest have boarded. We then made our way to Dearborn (which it left early as well) followed by Detroit. It did seem to take a somewhat roundabout route, even accounting for the fast that Ann Arbor to Toledo via Dearborn/Detroit is itself roundabout (it takes twice as long as driving direct by car). Not sure why -ultimately we arrived a few minutes behind the scheduled arrival in TOL, though still with plenty of time before #30 arrives. I checked its status - on arriving in TOL it seemed to be running 15 min late, which was a bit of a relief - I was concerned with the extremely late arrival of todays 29 into CHI. It has since lost another 15 min or so, which is annoying but tolerable as it just shortens my Pittsburgh layover. As long as I make the Pittsburgh connection to 42 Im OK...
The Toledo station seems to have undergone some changes since my last visit - Greyhound now stops here as well, and there is a Subway restaurant. Its a more substantial station than the Amshack in Ann Arbor, even though the latter services more trains and riders. Not a horrible station to wait in, though Id rather not be here too long. At around the time the train was scheduled to depart (though 30 min before the estimated departure) the station agent called up all the passengers for 30 to check in. They scanned our tickets and gave us all a seat check with our station code. At the moment, it looks like the train is 20 or so minutes away - hopefully it arrives soon and I can attempt to get some sleep in coach before Pittsburgh.
To be continued...
For my trip to the Gathering, Im taking my first eastern LD trip in 6 years - moving to San Diego made these trains a much farther journey, and since moving back to Michigan I hadnt had a reason to go to the East Coast until now. This may end up being my last LD eastern trip for a while - overnight coach is becoming harder to handle, and the sleeper prices for the LSL/CL are hardly worth it for the short trip and inferior dining. Plus a flight doesnt cost too much more than a coach ticket, and I can tolerate that (though I do like riding the train...)
To get to New York, Im taking a Thruway bus from Ann Arbor, MI to Toledo, the Capitol Limited to Pittsburgh, and transferring to the Pennsylvanian to NYP. Thats my first time on the Pennsylvanian - took it because the more direct route (the Lake Shore Limited) boards at TOL at 3:20am compared to the relatively-more-civilized boarding time of 11:49pm of the Capitol Limited and arrives later in NYP than the Pennsy (and without a sleeper/full dining service, the lack of sleepers/diners on the Pennsylvanian is a non-factor). I also wanted to see something new, and Ive done the Capitol Limited+Regional going east before. I will be taking the LSL back, though, as it offers the best timing westbound and I havent taken the NYP-ALB segment before.
The Thruway bus was relatively uneventful. I took a local bus to the station, and found the bus waiting there already 15 minutes before scheduled departure. After I boarded, the bus departed before its scheduled time - it looks like they just leave early all passengers on the manifest have boarded. We then made our way to Dearborn (which it left early as well) followed by Detroit. It did seem to take a somewhat roundabout route, even accounting for the fast that Ann Arbor to Toledo via Dearborn/Detroit is itself roundabout (it takes twice as long as driving direct by car). Not sure why -ultimately we arrived a few minutes behind the scheduled arrival in TOL, though still with plenty of time before #30 arrives. I checked its status - on arriving in TOL it seemed to be running 15 min late, which was a bit of a relief - I was concerned with the extremely late arrival of todays 29 into CHI. It has since lost another 15 min or so, which is annoying but tolerable as it just shortens my Pittsburgh layover. As long as I make the Pittsburgh connection to 42 Im OK...
The Toledo station seems to have undergone some changes since my last visit - Greyhound now stops here as well, and there is a Subway restaurant. Its a more substantial station than the Amshack in Ann Arbor, even though the latter services more trains and riders. Not a horrible station to wait in, though Id rather not be here too long. At around the time the train was scheduled to depart (though 30 min before the estimated departure) the station agent called up all the passengers for 30 to check in. They scanned our tickets and gave us all a seat check with our station code. At the moment, it looks like the train is 20 or so minutes away - hopefully it arrives soon and I can attempt to get some sleep in coach before Pittsburgh.
To be continued...
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