Recent content by mycalpal

When I took the Empire Builder from Sea to Chi I had booked my roomette months ahead of time and it actually cost me less than the roomette on the Lake Shore Limited from Chi to Alb. We had the diner from Seattle and they did announce that they would take diner reservations from the Sleeping...

My impression having been an arriving, departing and transferring passenger on a number of Amtrak trips is that the condition of the station, it's amenities and safety have all improved. Compared to an arrival I had off the Sunset Limited, tranferring to the Coast Starlight in 2013 and more...

I flew to Chicago to take my first trip on The Cardinal, train 50, on 6/07. I checked in at the Metropolitan Lounge and was given a boarding pass for another train. Agent called but could not get any info. No one could give me a reason for the cancellation. I was downgraded to coach on the...

I checked in at the Chicago Metropolitan Lounge Wed to take my first ride on train 50, the Cardinal. The Cardinal to WAS was cancelled, no reason given. Agent called for more info, but didn't get much. I was put on train 30, Capitol Limited. Anyone know what is up with The Cardinal?

As far as transferring from the Lake Shore Limited at Albany to take the Empire into NY Grand Central, one issue that may be problem is the small seating capacity of the Albany-Rensselaer Station. I ride the Lake Shore several times a year and when I get off at Albany, most of the NYP...

I am trying to take a new train with each trip and am booking travel to my church's convention in Austin. I am trying to book roomettes in and out of Austin on the Texas Eagle and have questions? You can book the Texas Eagle 422 or Texas Eagle 22 and the pricing varies? It this because of the...

Hello All, I am riding the Lakeshore Limited as I write this and the post brought back memories of past trips. I have only encountered a large tour group on the train twice, and it actually was the same group on two different trips. I boarded the Lake Shore at Chicago headed for Boston, staying...

Hello All, I am on the LakeShore Limited 48/448 now at Utica and we keep getting delayed. Frustrating as we were a few minutes early into Buffalo, but we are hitting one delay after another. Not sure why we sat here at Utica this long. Thanks for the updates on the track work. Is there...

My guess, and it's just a guess, is that there is no reason they'd have to go and probably could wait elsewhere in the station if they so chose. In this case, and again it's just my guess, passengers in the Metropolitan Lounge were probably given the expectation that they were boarding when they...

I've seen other posters saying Amtrak has contracted out the staffing for the new Metropolitan Lounge, so the later they have to stay, the more they have to be paid. That's why they kick the passengers out if it gets too late. I understand subcontracting saves Amtrak money, but if I was a...

On my most recent cross-country Amtrak trip I was waiting to board the Lake Shore Limited at the new Chicago Metropolitan Lounge on Monday June 12th. The usual boarding time for Sleeping car passengers came and went. The moniter showed that the 48/448 was delayed and suddenly we were told that...

I was just on the LakeShore from Chicago to Albany this week, they crew said the LSL will be getting the new VL II diners over the next year as more of the new diners are deployed into service. I hope the sleepers are not far behind, we were six hours late into Albany-Rensselaer on Tuesday and...

I booked our BOS TO CHI trip for July 9 last Dec. We are in a roomette. So is there really a chance we will have to be on a bus to Albany? Maybe, maybe not. See my post above. My Alb-Bos LSL on June 20th in now a bus due to the trackwork, however, my return LSL on June 23rd has not been...

I checked in with Amtrak this morning in Calfornia for a cross country Amtrak trip and could not print one of my tickets for a leg on the Lake Shore Limited, the ALB-BOS segment on June 20th. I found out that there is a service disruption on the Lake Shore Limited and I may be on a bus. Amtrak...