Dinner on the Crescent out of DC

[guest]

We're planning to take the Crescent from DC to Greensboro and riding coach for the 5-hour trip.

Boarding is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Will the train still be serving dinner?

If so, do coach passengers have a chance to eat, or does it depend on the number of sleep passengers?

Should we play safe and eat in Union Station first?

Thanx for the info

 

[GaSteve]

Should not be a problem. Tell your coach attendant when you board and he/she may direct you to the diner to make a reservation.

 

[benjibear]

When I was on the Crescent about a year or two ago, they served dinner much later than that. They switch head in power in DC at that time and stopped serving in the dining car before it arrived and started once it pulled out. When I was on it, we pulled out of DC about an hour late.

 

[guest]

Now we are wondering if we shouldn't take the Carolinian instead because my wife fears that if the Crescent runs late, we won't get to our destination in suburban Greensboro until 1 a.m or later. The Crescent if on time would arrive at 12:15 a.m.

Anyone have experience with the Crescent's running time usually on schedule or not? If we take the Carolinian instead, is it a good idea to book biz class, or is that paying extra for nothing? And does the Carolinian have any food except vending machines?

(As you might tell, I'm still leaning toward the Crescent but the other half is lobbying strongly for the Carolinian, even though that means losing most of a day's sightseeing in DC)

 

[johnny.menhennet]

There is an actual lounge on the Carolinian, with a staffed attendant. If you care about that extra day in DC though, the Crescent is worth it. I would not say that there is a good chance of the train being late going south, because it's coming from the NorthEast Corridor, which is very reliable. I enjoy DC, and if it were me, I would stay.

 

[Blue Marble Travel]

Personally, I prefer the Crescent. It is a more pleasant train (real diner, full lounge), on a faster schedule via a shorter route. The attendants / operating crew are very good at waking passengers up, so you can feel free to doze off if you are delayed and sleepy. Of course, the train can run late into Greensboro (often 10 - 15 down at that point), but that is often my destination, and I have never been badly late (I once boarded the southbound train there running 90 minutes late, however).

Re the previous question, concerning the diner: the last reserved seating is never supposed to be before 7:30p. Moreover, the diner crews try to serve all comers. Even if the car is fully reserved when you board in DC, the LSA (ex-steward) should be able to offer you a "last call" seating at 8p.

Even if the train is delayed leaving DC, a "last call" service leaving town is almost always proposed. It would have to be running very seriously late (departure from DC after 8p) for an exception to be made, and in that case you will have ample time to eat at one of the 20+ restaurants in the station.

Bon voyage!

Now we are wondering if we shouldn't take the Carolinian instead because my wife fears that if the Crescent runs late, we won't get to our destination in suburban Greensboro until 1 a.m or later. The Crescent if on time would arrive at 12:15 a.m.

Anyone have experience with the Crescent's running time usually on schedule or not? If we take the Carolinian instead, is it a good idea to book biz class, or is that paying extra for nothing? And does the Carolinian have any food except vending machines?

(As you might tell, I'm still leaning toward the Crescent but the other half is lobbying strongly for the Carolinian, even though that means losing most of a day's sightseeing in DC)

 

[benjibear]

The day I was on it going south, they were doing some track work on the NEC which was causing delays on the NEC. All trains coming into Baltimore were about a half late including regionals and acela. Amtrak appeared very flexible and I did see they allowed a family to board in Baltimore only to get off in DC becaause they had a little boy that was very sick and the next regional train was at least a half an hour behind us. The schedule states that they only recieve passenger until beyond DC. When we got to DC, they change head end power from electric to diesel which took about a half hour. I was thinking we should be ready to leave when I heard that we were waiting for a connecting passenger. That wait added the other half hour to make us an hour late coming out of DC. The good news was the train made up time in route and by time I got the my destination Charlotte NC, we arrived only a few minutes late. Northbound home, we actually arrived in Baltimore a few minutes early.

The staff was really good on this train. They grouped all passengers by their destinations so only one car got disturbed for station stops. They did walk through probably 15 minutes before your stop to let you know your stop is next. When we got to the station, they made sure all passengers to get off, did get off.