Trip Help

I'm back looking for more help from this wonderful group.

I am still planning for my trip across 1/2 the Country that so many kind people helped with a few months ago.

However, in the meantime, I would like to take my girlfriend to NYC for her upcoming birthday from PA.

I think the easiest station for me to get on will be Parkesburg, PA and I would like to just go for an overnight trip.

It all looks quite simple to book, but I want to know if there are any better trains I should look for or any tricks I need to know before I book.

This is kind of a last minute thing, so I don't know what kind of availability will be on each train.

Thanks as always for your help from this great forum.

Sly,

There's nothing that I'd be concerned about if you're leaving from Parkesburg, just pick the best time that works for you and make sure that it is a thru train to NY. Some of the Keystone trains terminate in Philly, although most do run through to NY.

If you plan to travel after October 29th which is when the new schedules go into effect, then you'll have even more choices as service at that station will be increasing with the new timetable.

One other thought, if departing from Lancaster isn't too far out of the way by comparison to Parkesburg, then your train options increase a bit. The Pennsylvanian stops in Lancaster, but not Parkesburg. The Pennsy carries both a cafe car where you can buy snacks and it offers business class service. Business class service provides a little more legroom between seats and often on the Pennsy it's a special car that has 2 seats on one side of the aisle and 1 seat on the other side.

Because of that, the seats are wider, recline better, come with foot rests and calf rests. Additionally your ticket will get you free softdrinks, coffee, and/or tea in the cafe car. The BC service does have a surcharge, but it's usually not that significant. So if you're looking for a bit of extra luxury to impress her, then you might want to consider this. It's not a lot of luxury, but again it is a bit more than normal.

Finally, if you need help with regard to getting around in NYC, let me know. Since I live in NYC, I'm quite familiar with the subways.

Ps. I moved your topic to the correct forum and to where it will most likely get more comments by others. The trip forum is really for reporting on trips already taken, not being planned. However, we'd love you to come back and give us a trip report once you've taken this trip or any other.

Thanks Alan, and apologies on posting in the wrong forum!

I noticed that the Parkesburg stop didn't seem to include BC or a Cafe Car. It would take me out of the way to get to Lancaster and would require an earlier departure, but I may consider it. (I don't feel like leaving the house around 5:30AM!)

As far as NYC, I'm weighing my options right now for accomodations and a night out on Broadway. I don't forsee too much train travel in the City but you never know.

About how long is the layover at 30th Street Station for most of these trains headed from PA to NYC?

SLY said:

Thanks Alan, and apologies on posting in the wrong forum!

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No worries, just wanted you to know why I had moved the topic.

SLY said:

I noticed that the Parkesburg stop didn't seem to include BC or a Cafe Car. It would take me out of the way to get to Lancaster and would require an earlier departure, but I may consider it. (I don't feel like leaving the house around 5:30AM!)

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I'll admit that I'm not looking at a map right now to check out roads, nor do I know where home is for you, but I am a bit confused as to why you'd need to leave at 5:30AM to catch a 1:30 PM departure out of Lancaster, when only 23 miles seperate Lancaster from Parkesburg. Or were you planning to catch a late evening train out of Parkesburg?

I can't speak to parking at either station, but perhaps someone else here may know more.

SLY said:

About how long is the layover at 30th Street Station for most of these trains headed from PA to NYC?

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Well that depends on when you plan to take this trip. If it's before Oct 29th, then the average layover in Philly is about 20 to 25 minutes, while they change engines from diesel to electric. If it's on or after Oct 29th, then I'd expect less of a layover as the Keystone service goes to all electric service removing the need to change engines in Philly. The one exception to this would be the Pennsylvanian out of Lancaster, which will still need to change engines in Philly no matter what.

AlanB said:

I'll admit that I'm not looking at a map right now to check out roads, nor do I know where home is for you, but I am a bit confused as to why you'd need to leave at 5:30AM to catch a 1:30 PM departure out of Lancaster, when only 23 miles seperate Lancaster from Parkesburg. Or were you planning to catch a late evening train out of Parkesburg?

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I was looking at the Keystone making two early stops in Parkesburg (7:28 and 8:36AM). Early train to arrive in NYC before noon.

SLY said:

AlanB said:

I'll admit that I'm not looking at a map right now to check out roads, nor do I know where home is for you, but I am a bit confused as to why you'd need to leave at 5:30AM to catch a 1:30 PM departure out of Lancaster, when only 23 miles seperate Lancaster from Parkesburg. Or were you planning to catch a late evening train out of Parkesburg?

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I was looking at the Keystone making two early stops in Parkesburg (7:28 and 8:36AM). Early train to arrive in NYC before noon.

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Ah, ok. But note, only the Pennsy carries a cafe car. Any other train out of Lancaster will not have a cafe car, just like Parkesburg, so there would be no logical reason to go to Lancaster, unless the train of choice was the Pennsy.

Thanks Alan.

I just purchased 2 tickets on the 646 Keystone leaving PAR at 8:36AM and then returning on the 643 Keystone leaving NYP at 10:55AM the next morning.

Now this will be the first train trip I have taken in many, many years. I'm still very much looking forward to a trip from PA to Wisconsin hopefully next summer, but I would like to get better aquanted with some basics before making such a long journey.

I suppose it sounds "dumb" to many of you pros here on the boards, but what should I expect next?

I live not too far from the Parkesburg station and yet I know that the station is fairly run down and I sure as heck don't recall any trains in the area stopping. (I guess they must!) I will assume to show up at least 20 minutes ahead of schedule and then once the train arrives, simply present my ticket?

I'm sure there won't be many (if anyone) others waiting.

I booked a "reserved coach seat" (only thing offered) but do I have an idea on where I will be seated?

Next step - NYC accomodations and plans!

Thanks again.

I also registered for Amtrak Rewards for both of us before booking this trip.

I'm sure when I take a longer journey, it will come in handy.

I doubt it means much for me on this trip. I guess I will however get some sort of a bonus for travel within 30 days of registering.

SLY said:

I booked a "reserved coach seat" (only thing offered) but do I have an idea on where I will be seated?

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They will simply tell you which car to enter at the station when your train arrives, and then you find any available seats in that car. You are guaranteed a seat, but they aren't assigned as on an airplane.

SLY said:

I suppose it sounds "dumb" to many of you pros here on the boards, but what should I expect next?
I live not too far from the Parkesburg station and yet I know that the station is fairly run down and I sure as heck don't recall any trains in the area stopping. (I guess they must!) I will assume to show up at least 20 minutes ahead of schedule and then once the train arrives, simply present my ticket?

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Well, here are some 2002 pictures of the Parkesburg station; perhaps they'll give you an indication of the parking situation there.

As for keeping track of your train's on-time performance, so you know when to be at the station, 1-800-USA-RAIL is your friend. As soon as "Julie" gives you the chance, say "Train status."

This is much less of an issue on the Keystone line than it is with the LD trains.

SLY said:

I also registered for Amtrak Rewards for both of us before booking this trip.
I'm sure when I take a longer journey, it will come in handy.

I doubt it means much for me on this trip. I guess I will however get some sort of a bonus for travel within 30 days of registering.

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Kudos on registering. Depending on just how much you paid for each ticket you'll get at least 200 points for each of you, plus of course you'll get the bonus points. That'll start the ball rolling for you.

And since it cost nothing to join and the points never expire, as long as you take at least 1 ride every three years, everyone who rides Amtrak should join. Yet you'd be surprised how many people I encountered on my trip around the country last June who had no clue about AGR.

MrFSS said:

SLY said:

I booked a "reserved coach seat" (only thing offered) but do I have an idea on where I will be seated?

Click to expand...

They will simply tell you which car to enter at the station when your train arrives, and then you find any available seats in that car. You are guaranteed a seat, but they aren't assigned as on an airplane.

Click to expand...

This can be a little confusing, since the Keystone trains are both unreserved and reserved. They are unreserved west of Philadelphia, but reserved in the Northeast Corridor north of Philly. Being that your trip will run through reserved territory, the entire trip is treated as a reserved trip. But upon boarding on Parkesburg, you can sit anywhere you like in any car.

On reserved corridor services, you are not limited to a particular coach, other than sitting in the correct class. Keystone service has only one class anyhow. Northeast Corridor trains you can still sit anywhere you want depending on whether you have a Business Class or coach ticket. The only trains where you are assigned a coach is on long distance trains, or Corridor trains that go beyond Washington and may drop a coach or two on the way.

Superliner Diner said:

On reserved corridor services, you are not limited to a particular coach, other than sitting in the correct class. Keystone service has only one class anyhow. Northeast Corridor trains you can still sit anywhere you want depending on whether you have a Business Class or coach ticket. The only trains where you are assigned a coach is on long distance trains, or Corridor trains that go beyond Washington and may drop a coach or two on the way.

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Interesting - when I rode unreserved to MKE from CHI earlier this year, they told us which car we had to be in. I think they wanted everyone who was going all the way in one car and another car for those getting on and off at intermediary stops.

Unreserved vs. Reserved speaks more towards whether you are guaranteed a seat on the train. Reserved trains have caps on how many tickets can be booked on the train and you are guaranteed a spot on that train at that time, whereas on an Unreserved train you can board whatever train you want but you are not guaranteed a seat. However, the Conductors are allowed to tell you which car to sit in, especially on trains where doors must be opened manually because they want to be able to consolidate all passengers into one location so the detraining process can occur as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

Thanks so much to everyone for all your help.

As far as the Parkesburg Station, I guess I just for some reason don't think of that as an operating "real" train station just knowing the facility itself. (I think of 30th Street Station as a train station since that's all I'm used to!)

Does anyone happen to have any photos of the coach cars I would be riding in just to give me an idea of the layout?

Here's two shots I took a few years back.

Awesome, thanks.

Exactly how I remember them from riding about 15 years ago!

One slightly off topic question as well,

I purchased the tickets online last night using my credit card. I use a P.O. Box for billing which sometimes causes havoc for online purchases which can get rejected.

I checked today and nothing was deducted from my account.

This will be a surprise trip for my girlfriend and I don't want her home if Amtrak calls - is it normal for them to take a few days to process, or should I be worried it might not have gone through?

It's a pain in the butt with online transactions many times not going through because they don't like the way I format the address sometimes. (POBOX vs. P. O. Box)

Sigh.

Well if you're in doubt you can call Amtrak with your reservation number and see if it went through. All you have to do is call 1-800-872-7245 and once it starts giving you options hit 0 or say "Agent" and they should be able to take care of you.