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Actually, to my amazement, North Shore service has improved immensely just in the last year. There are now four Greenport trains each way on weekends, instead of just the two that have existed for decades. Also, they have opened some "deadhead" trains (first time I used that expression - hope...

Glad we're on this topic, because I want to know why the cafe car is always running out of food on the NEC. Yesterday I boarded in Norfolk VA on a not very full train and before we even reached Alexandria they were out of the lunch entree I wanted. And this train is going to Boston! What are...

Okay, here's one that hasn't come up: A la Autotrain, there is a great untapped market for a BikerTrain that would transport motorcycles on a long distance route. All east coast motorcyclists - think people with obviously disposable incomes, and retirees - want to take their bikes out west to...

It helps in understanding the existence of Hellgate Bridge to know that the first rail service from New York to Boston ran the length of Long Island, which was nice and flat, avoiding CT because of the hills and rivers. The tracks ran as far as Greenport on Long Island's North Fork, and from...

Unfortunately, we have to wait for events like these to light a fire under the politicians who hope the whole thing will miraculously come down on someone else's watch.

I appreciate this look into the variations in travel times over the years. Sometimes you just wonder how good it could be, even with conventional service, i.e. the 20th Century running New York to Chicago in 15:30 at its fastest. I know, fewer stops, and was there even a Boston segment to slow...

No one mentions the record snow fall in the NE as a factor?

So I did a little research, since I often travel to Oberlin, but usually have to rule out the train because of the bad arrival times. This is, in fact, the one time I pray that the westbound LSL will be as late as possible. That said, Here's a useful site when you make your trip...

One big difference in European trains in general is in the ventilation systems. We often marvel at how quiet trains are in Europe, but in the case of standard trains, it's because they have passive ventilation which doesn't make a sound, not those infernal blowers we seem to be wedded to...

Yeah. If they can do it at the eastern end of the LSL, why not western end of the Card?

FIVE colleges and universities....believe me, every college kid knows how to buy a ticket with a smartphone with no paper ticket.

Over the years I've always been surprised when the cafe car would close, which it does as a matter of course, with no warning to the passengers. If they said, "The cafe car will close for a half hour while we...etc." about a half hour before it goes into effect, you'd get a lot of business from...

While we're wishing, I'd like to see a second LSL that left Chicago in the morning and NYP late at night, so that they both crossed NY State in the wee hours and served the cities between Buffalo and Chicago during normal waking hours. I think it would be popular, both as a night train across...

Be sure your iphone has a good GPS function and you know how to use it, because it's really fun to watch yourself travel on the iphone, showing you what towns you're going through, and how fast. You wake up in the night wondering, where am I, and, tada!

Cold Spring is the best choice. Spectacular views of the Hudson. Many restaurants within walking distance, but it is not 75 mi from GCT, more like 45. Also the next stop is Beacon, which has the amazing DIA museum and a short walk up the hill to a great strip of restaurants. All a little bit...

I seem to recall that Amtrak did try a mail contract with USPS not that long ago but it hurt rail travel significantly because the way mail is handled now, separate container type cars full of already sorted mail needed to be added to the consist and trains were actually delayed waiting for...

Does there exist an airport shuttle between Bradley and Windsor locks? You'd think this would be part of the master plan.

Thanks, afigg. As you say it, I'm surprised that as capital improvements are proposed and funding is applied for, it isn't expected that Amtrak - or Mass DOT, or whoever - create a mock-up of a best case scenario timetable so affected travelers (and congressmen) can see what they get for the...

I find the sleeper experience to be more social than coach, but you're right, VV, coach is colder when it's full. With a packed car, people seem so concerned about trying to get some quiet, me time and, if they are considerate passengers, won't want to deprive anyone else of same. But a quick...

Looking at your schedule reminded me how nice it would be for those of us who ride to/from VT if they could ever be convinced to skip the intermediate stops between Hartford and New Haven. Once they institute regular service as CT DOT is planning, it would sure go a long way to improve the...