Acela from BAL to BOS

[RailFanLNK]

Will be taking Acela from Baltimore Penn Station to Boston and are ticketed in First Class. Where do you board for FC? We were on a Regional from DC to Aberdeen and had to tromp (?) 4 cars forward with luggage to detrain. I just want to have my ducks in a row when we board since it will probably fairly quickly I assume. (novice on Acela) Also where does Acela hit tops speeds at? Is it New Haven area? When will I know we are at top speed? Our trip out on the CZ from LNK to the Cardinal in Chicago went well. Hopefully the rest of the trip will too! Thanks!

 

[the_traveler]

Top speeds (150mph) are just south of KIN (and thru KIN) to Cranston (just south of PVD) and again just north of PVD until almost to RTE (with one small exception).

As far as where to board for First Class, listen for the announcements. Sometimes it's the front car and sometimes it's the last car. Either way, it's either the first passenger car or the last passenger car, with a power car next to it.

 

[ne52]

Where do you board for FC?

At Baltimore Penn, when you go to the platform, there will a few hanging signs that show the train destination. For Acela, under the destination, it will show whether its First, Quiet, Business at that part of the platform.

It's usually the north end. They open the track stairs far enough in advance that you'll have time to find the right sign and stand there before the train arrives.

 

[the_traveler]

There's also an elevator to track level. IIRC, it's by the right side of the lobby (north side) gates.

 

[amamba]

You can also ask at the ticket window about 10-15 minutes before the train is due - at least I always do at PVD and they are able to tell me if FC is at the rear or front of the train. It's always at one end or the other.

 

[afigg]

Will be taking Acela from Baltimore Penn Station to Boston and are ticketed in First Class. Where do you board for FC? We were on a Regional from DC to Aberdeen and had to tromp (?) 4 cars forward with luggage to detrain. I just want to have my ducks in a row when we board since it will probably fairly quickly I assume. (novice on Acela) Also where does Acela hit tops speeds at? Is it New Haven area? When will I know we are at top speed?

Aberdeen MD has a short low level platform*. The Acela stops only at the busier stations on the NEC, all of which have high level platforms long enough for the Acela except for the 3 car long high level platform at New London. You won't have to walk through the train from the First Class car for BAL to BOS.
As for the high speed segments for the Acela, you will find none in CT. The Acela can hit 130-135 mph between Perryville MD and a few miles south of Wilmington, on the straightaway between Trenton and New Brunswick NJ, with the 150 mph segments in RI and MA as noted.

* The long range plans for the Aberdeen station call for installing 1050' long high level platforms om either side of a four track NEC at the location.