Just got back from a ride on #30 and #19

[NativeSon5859]

Well, the trip started out in Atlanta where I flew to Chicago and then to Milwaukee. There, I took the 3:10pm Hiawatha down to CHI and connected with #30 to WAS. No problems there...on time run through the frozen tundra on a very full train!

I had a Roomette on #30, room 4 in the 3000 car. Boarding started at 6:00pm and I had dinner at 6:30pm. The diner was not too full. I had the "nightly special" as I have sort of made it a tradition to do so when on Amtrak. Unfortunately, they didn't have any gravy for the steaks or for the mashed potatoes. And when it was time for dessert, no fruit was available, since they only stocked enough for breakfast. Service was generally good the whole way, as was the timekeeping: only 30 min late into WAS. The refurbished cars were very nice and clean. It was my first time on #30 and although the weather was pretty nasty (think mist and fog the whole way between Pittsburgh and D.C), the scenery was nice. Oh and BTW, lunch before arrival into D.C was an abbreviated version...offered a choice of three sandwhiches and a salad, and no dessert.

I had coach back to ATL on #19. Train was sold out until Charlottesville. From there on South I had two seats to myself and the ride was smooth and comfortable. The train was less that half full. Dinner was a ham and cheese sandwhich from the lounge (an old, unrefurbished Amfleet lounge with the brown seats), and I called it a night after we left Lynchburg. I slept all the way until we arrived in Toccoa one hour behind schedule.Made up some time between there and ATL and arrived ATL about :30 down. The coach attendant on the trip was excellent...very friendly and seemed to be genuinely enthused about doing his job.

Overall, it was a nice trip, with the exception of the dining experience on the Capitol. No reason to not stock the train fully when it leaves its originating city, IMO. Everything else was fine.

 

[MrFSS]

Well, the trip started out in Atlanta where I flew to Chicago and then to Milwaukee. There, I took the 3:10pm Hiawatha down to CHI and connected with #30 to WAS. No problems there...on time run through the frozen tundra on a very full train!
I had a Roomette on #30, room 4 in the 3000 car. Boarding started at 6:00pm and I had dinner at 6:30pm. The diner was not too full. I had the "nightly special" as I have sort of made it a tradition to do so when on Amtrak. Unfortunately, they didn't have any gravy for the steaks or for the mashed potatoes. And when it was time for dessert, no fruit was available, since they only stocked enough for breakfast. Service was generally good the whole way, as was the timekeeping: only 30 min late into WAS. The refurbished cars were very nice and clean. It was my first time on #30 and although the weather was pretty nasty (think mist and fog the whole way between Pittsburgh and D.C), the scenery was nice. Oh and BTW, lunch before arrival into D.C was an abbreviated version...offered a choice of three sandwiches and a salad, and no dessert.

I had coach back to ATL on #19. Train was sold out until Charlottesville. From there on South I had two seats to myself and the ride was smooth and comfortable. The train was less that half full. Dinner was a ham and cheese sand which from the lounge (an old, unrefurbished Amfleet lounge with the brown seats), and I called it a night after we left Lynchburg. I slept all the way until we arrived in Toccoa one hour behind schedule.Made up some time between there and ATL and arrived ATL about :30 down. The coach attendant on the trip was excellent...very friendly and seemed to be genuinely enthused about doing his job.

Overall, it was a nice trip, with the exception of the dining experience on the Capitol. No reason to not stock the train fully when it leaves its originating city, IMO. Everything else was fine.

Thanks for the good report.

Guess you can always tell a railfan - one who changes planes in a city they will eventually take the train from anyway. Why go to Milwaukee other than to ride another train? Better price on the flight from Atlanta? Just curious.

 

[NativeSon5859]

Actually Milwaukee and Chicago were virtually the same price, just within a few dollars of each other, so I figure I might as well head to MKE so that I could get on another train and also to add 500 more miles to my Mileage Plus account on United. So it worked out.

 

[MrFSS]

Actually Milwaukee and Chicago were virtually the same price, just within a few dollars of each other, so I figure I might as well head to MKE so that I could get on another train and also to add 500 more miles to my Mileage Plus account on United. So it worked out.

Yep - only a railfan would do that!!!

 

[NativeSon5859]

Actually Milwaukee and Chicago were virtually the same price, just within a few dollars of each other, so I figure I might as well head to MKE so that I could get on another train and also to add 500 more miles to my Mileage Plus account on United. So it worked out.

Yep - only a railfan would do that!!!

People at work thought I was insane. But, you know, i'm doing what I can to get the Amtrak name out there to a bunch of people who don't even know Amtrak serves Atlanta.

 

[MrFSS]

Actually Milwaukee and Chicago were virtually the same price, just within a few dollars of each other, so I figure I might as well head to MKE so that I could get on another train and also to add 500 more miles to my Mileage Plus account on United. So it worked out.

Yep - only a railfan would do that!!!

Just out of curiosity - how long is the flight from ORD to MKE?

 

[NativeSon5859]

Actually Milwaukee and Chicago were virtually the same price, just within a few dollars of each other, so I figure I might as well head to MKE so that I could get on another train and also to add 500 more miles to my Mileage Plus account on United. So it worked out.

Yep - only a railfan would do that!!!

Just out of curiosity - how long is the flight from ORD to MKE?

It was 18 minutes wheels up to wheels down. Pretty fun actually.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Actually Milwaukee and Chicago were virtually the same price, just within a few dollars of each other, so I figure I might as well head to MKE so that I could get on another train and also to add 500 more miles to my Mileage Plus account on United. So it worked out.

Yep - only a railfan would do that!!!

People at work thought I was insane. But, you know, i'm doing what I can to get the Amtrak name out there to a bunch of people who don't even know Amtrak serves Atlanta.

Given the location and street level dinkiness of the Atlanta station it's not really surprising that many don't know Amtrak serves the city. The cabbie, of all people, from my hotel had to call somebody to ask directions. Almost unthinkable in most major cities that a hack wouldn't know how to get to the train station (and he was a local). Then again, Atlanta's station is not exactly an imposing historical edifice/landmark.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Actually Milwaukee and Chicago were virtually the same price, just within a few dollars of each other, so I figure I might as well head to MKE so that I could get on another train and also to add 500 more miles to my Mileage Plus account on United. So it worked out.

Yep - only a railfan would do that!!!

People at work thought I was insane. But, you know, i'm doing what I can to get the Amtrak name out there to a bunch of people who don't even know Amtrak serves Atlanta.

Given the location and street level dinkiness of the Atlanta station it's not really surprising that many don't know Amtrak serves the city. The cabbie, of all people, from my hotel had to call somebody to ask directions. Almost unthinkable in most major cities that a hack wouldn't know how to get to the train station (and he was a local). Then again, Atlanta's station is not exactly an imposing historical edifice/landmark.

That is all true. But just to add to it, I live in a "landmark" apartment building which dates from the early 50's, is in an easy to know location, and is unique in several respects....and the cabbies do not know where it is, or what I am taking about. when I give the name of it. We have some bad cabbies in my view.

 

[Sam Damon]

Given the location and street level dinkiness of the Atlanta station it's not really surprising that many don't know Amtrak serves the city. The cabbie, of all people, from my hotel had to call somebody to ask directions. Almost unthinkable in most major cities that a hack wouldn't know how to get to the train station (and he was a local). Then again, Atlanta's station is not exactly an imposing historical edifice/landmark.

The same could be said of Pittsburgh as well. PRR commuter service was killed off in late 1964, and Amtrak promotion of their train service on #29/30 and #42/43/44 has been next to nonexistent.

In fairness to Amtrak's marketing types, NS and CSX have not exactly delivered the best of timekeeping over the years. It has gotten somewhat better lately, but within this context, one can somewhat understand the lack of promotion in the Pittsburgh area on Amtrak's part.