BOS-NOL Newbies

[gabbygrrl]

My friend and I will be traveling BOSNOLBOS in December. It's our first LD Amtrak experience. We've traveled throughout Europe on the train and take the Downeaster quite often. We are very excited about this "adventure" and have a roomette reserved for the Crescent. room 1, and room 2.

Any advice on our trip? Can we get off the train in WAS or other stops to grab some food or just check out the stations (sometimes sights within themselves)? Do we check our luggage in BOS for the entire trip, or schlep it ourselves until we change in NYP? We're going on a cruise and will have a suitcase and carry on each.

I've also head it's best to secure a Red Cap for assistance, and that's our plan. We need all the help we can get I

Ideas, thoughts, suggestions, roomette advice, whatever you can offer as experts, I'd appreciate!

Thank you.

 

[benjibear]

You won't be able to check bags BOS-NYP. Get a redcap. That worked out really well for me in Boston.

The only place you may have time to get off the train is in WAS when they switch head end power from electric to diesel. They allow 30 minutes for this switch. The schedule also shows Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA as 25 minute stops. Charlotte is in the middle of the night and the station isn't much to look at. There is no food there. I can't speak about Atlanta.

 

[amamba]

Benjibear is not 100% correct on the bag checking situation. BOS does offer checked baggage, but the issue is that the only trains that run with the baggage car are 66/67 (and actually maybe 449?). Because that train is only once a day - and I am assuming since you are making a same day connection to the Crescent in NYP not the train you are taking - you would have to drop your bags off the night before your trip if you wanted to through check them to NOL.

Personally I do not recommend this as there is the chance that the 67 won't have a baggage car and then your bags will be stuck. Just take them with you to NYP and then check them there if you must. But the viewliner roomette does have some room for bags in the little cubby over the hallway.

 

[AtlantaRailfan]

You won't be able to check bags BOS-NYP. Get a redcap. That worked out really well for me in Boston.

The only place you may have time to get off the train is in WAS when they switch head end power from electric to diesel. They allow 30 minutes for this switch. The schedule also shows Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA as 25 minute stops. Charlotte is in the middle of the night and the station isn't much to look at. There is no food there. I can't speak about Atlanta.

There isn't anything within walking distance in Atlanta in terms of quick food. The Station itself is bareboned as it was never designed to be the major Atlanta station. It was sort of an uptown station that became the only station when the downtown Terminal station was razed in the 70's. There is talk of a new station a few thousand feet downtrack or possibly a multi-use station downtown but talk is cheap when it comes to rail in Georgia. The only reason you may want to exit the train and go upstairs into the station would be to get a photograph of the train or the city from the courtyard overlooking the tracks.

 

[the_traveler]

Also since you will have a roomette from NYP to NOL, you are entitled to use the Club Acela in both BOS and NYP and also the Magnolia Room in NOL! I encouraqe you to do so, and to ask on the train for a Red Cap in NYP and also use a Red Cap in BOS and NOL.

As said, the Regionals do not have checked baggage (except the overnight 66 & 67). Howwever, there is plenty of space above your seats for luggage, and additional room at the end of the car for storqage.

 

[AlanB]

Can we get off the train in WAS or other stops to grab some food

Since you get all of your meals for free in the Dining car between NY & New Orleans, I wouldn't suggest spending money trying to buy food at station stops, even if you do have enough time. And at most of the stops, save NY, you won't have time.

 

[me_little_me]

Can we get off the train in WAS or other stops to grab some food

Since you get all of your meals for free in the Dining car between NY & New Orleans, I wouldn't suggest spending money trying to buy food at station stops, even if you do have enough time. And at most of the stops, save NY, you won't have time.

I agree. Having been ATL to NYP a few times and ATL to NOL more than that, I'd just bring some snacks if you can't last the night w/o them or just buy them in the cafe car. If you can eat three full meals in one day, more power to you. I'm fat but on the trips between ATL and NOL, we just had a salad for lunch in the diner as anything more was just too much. The dinners include dessert too and I think you can get ice cream at lunch included (we didn't even try).

 

[Shortline]

Can we get off the train in WAS or other stops to grab some food

Since you get all of your meals for free in the Dining car between NY & New Orleans, I wouldn't suggest spending money trying to buy food at station stops, even if you do have enough time. And at most of the stops, save NY, you won't have time.

I agree. Having been ATL to NYP a few times and ATL to NOL more than that, I'd just bring some snacks if you can't last the night w/o them or just buy them in the cafe car. If you can eat three full meals in one day, more power to you. I'm fat but on the trips between ATL and NOL, we just had a salad for lunch in the diner as anything more was just too much. The dinners include dessert too and I think you can get ice cream at lunch included (we didn't even try).

Nothing to see in Atlanta. Nothing nearby, not within the time frame you have anyway-If it was an hour, I'd suggest a taxi to The Varsity for a Chili Dog and a Frosted Orange, but, wouuldn't chance that with just 30 minutes. I've gotten off, and boarded in ATL once each way, and, frankly even the view isn't worth climing the steps for, the overhang roof blocks the view of the train quite a bit, and there is nothing in the station but a ticket counter and small waiting room. I'd stay on the train.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

If the 66/67 had checked baggege while all other NERs don't, why is it still called a NER? Why not Night Owl?

 

[NY Penn]

If the 66/67 had checked baggege while all other NERs don't, why is it still called a NER? Why not Night Owl?

It's just an exception.

On the other hand, it's not like there's a rule that says NERs can't have checked baggage.

 

[the_traveler]

With the exception of NHV (one direction only), PVD (both ways) and BOS (both ways), all other stops have check baggage service via LD trains also!

 

[jis]

66/67 on many occasions has the most bizarre consists and it also is the preferred train to ferry cars up and down the corridor, so it has some interesting deadheads on it too. On time on one of my various 66/67 adventures it had three cafe cars (only one in service) and two baggage cars, and a Viewliner to boot. Don't ask me what they were doing or where they were going since I have no clue. It was also pulled by a P42 and an AEM-7 both apparently providing power at Metropark from the sounds of things.

 

[the_traveler]

66/67 on many occasions has the most bizarre consists and it also is the preferred train to ferry cars up and down the corridor, so it has some interesting deadheads on it too. On time on one of my various 66/67 adventures it had three cafe cars (only one in service) and two baggage cars, and a Viewliner to boot. Don't ask me what they were doing or where they were going since I have no clue. It was also pulled by a P42 and an AEM-7 both apparently providing power at Metropark from the sounds of things.

The Viewliner may have been headed to Hialeaha (sp) for servicing of 449, or back to BOS (depending on direction). Perhaps the cafes were either bad ordered or needed at NYP or WAS.

And the reason there is both a P42 and an AEM-7 is due to cat work north of NYP (I think north of NHV) overnight, they have to use a P42. The AEM-7 gets them thru NYP.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

What happened to the Night Owl? Is renaming that hard?

 

[NY Penn]

Amtrak just considers it an NER with a different schedule, which happens to have baggage service.

 

[AlanB]

When they took away the sleeper, they took away the name.