My NEC baggage odyssey - the tale begins

[MARC Rider]

I checked my bags from Baltimore to Boston this evening for my New Hampshire ski trip this weekend. I'm riding out Thursday on Acela Express 2150, and there's no way I'm going to lug my skis and the big 28" roller duffel that contains my snowshoes, ski boots, and assorted winter survival outdoor gear on board. The lady at the baggage counter checked her computer and told me that maybe this evening's #66 (the only baggage car to Boston) didn't have a baggage car. She wasn't sure, so she called Richmond (apparently 66 had already been through Richmond) to verify the computer. No one answered. I checked my bags anyway, after all, they can go up on tomorrow's #66, or maybe they'll just find some space for the bags on the train like I've seen done other times I've ridden #66 and 67. They charged me $10 for the skis, by the way.

I joked with her that she must be looking forward to the new baggage cars, whenever the come, and she agreed, and, this is interesting, she mentioned that they're planning at least one other Northeast Regional train to Boston with baggage service, they just haven't decided which one.

Anyway, I got the number of the baggage office, and I'll call tomorrow just to be sure that my stuff either got out tonight or will go out Wednesday night. If not, I might have to retrieve my baggage tomorrow night and carry it on anyway. (My train leaves at 5:30 AM, the Baltimore baggage office is still closed.)

My return trip is next Monday night on Northeast Regional #67. I'll report back how things go.

 

[Ryan]

I know that the stations that the LD trains serve between WAS and NYP have checked baggage service, are there any stations between NYP and BOS that do?

 

[the_traveler]

NHV, PVD and BOS only. And only for 66/67.

 

[amamba]

I had a lengthy chat with the baggage guy at PVD once. As mentioned we have service but only on 66 and 67. He said the bags run about 50% of the time. He recommended that if traveling LD to carry on the regional to NYP or BOS and check there.

 

[SubwayNut]

A daytime Regional with a baggage car just makes sense especially because of the fact they can handle unboxed bikes and taking a bike LD is a hassle (LD buses are equally unaccomidating). I've considered trying to head up to Boston with my bike and realized that probably the easiest way would be just to ride the 44 miles between New London (the end of Shore Line East) and Wickford Junction (the beginning of the MBTA Commuter Rail).

Marc strangely doesn't allow bikes at all, I hope this changes now that they have weekend service (with the normal middays and weekends only restrictions).

 

[the_traveler]

on 66 and 67...the bags run about 50% of the time.

I find that hard to believe. Whenever I've been on 66/67 or been to the station to see it, there has always been a baggage car on it. Or have I just been lucky each time? :huh:

 

[MARC Rider]

on 66 and 67...the bags run about 50% of the time.

I find that hard to believe. Whenever I've been on 66/67 or been to the station to see it, there has always been a baggage car on it. Or have I just been lucky each time? :huh:

I see #67 on a semi-regular basis, as it sometimes comes in before my usual morning MARC to Washington leaves. (And sometimes I ride it down if I miss my train or there's a MARC meltdown. I have occasionally seen it without a baggage car, but it usually has one. However, this is third year I've checked my bags northbound, and it's the second time that a baggage handler in Baltimore has expressed concern that the consist of 66 was going to run without a baggage car. I also had a baggage handler in Boston express similar concern, except I don't care as much if my bags are delyaed going southbound because I don't need any skis in Baltimore.

 

[Acela150]

I've been on 66 w/o a baggage car. Quick running I'll tell you that much.

 

[gdj]

Over the holidays I had a similar situation. I was returning to RVR from BOS on 67. I got to the station several hours early and checked a bag. About 15 minutes prior to departure they announced that people with checked baggage on 67 should report to the area out by the platforms. They said that we would either have to take our luggage on the train or leave it until the next time 67 had a baggage car - presumably the next night. The good thing about this was that when I said I wanted to take my bag on board, I was escorted directly to the train just as though I had a red cap handling it We were allowed on board before they officially opened the gate.

 

[MARC Rider]

I stopped by the Baggage department at BAL last night and checked on my bags. It seems they went out Tuesday night with no problems. I just left NYP, so in a few hours I should see if everything's OK. (It better be OK, or I'll have to waste a day of my vacation driving back ot Boston from the White Mountains just to pick up my bags.)

 

[Nathanael]

Apparently the new baggage cars cannot arrive soon enough. If 66/67 are being shorted on baggage cars, that's a bad sign for equipment availability.

 

[Acela150]

66/67 doesn't need the baggage car as bad as the LD routes. If you put the EB on the road without a Baggage Car you'd have some PO'ed riders. 66/67 is low on the totem poll for a baggage car.

 

[battalion51]

With the new Viewliners being ok for 125 MPH that makes the pill much easier to swallow for one of the Regionals having baggage service, since it won't slow the train down. I would guess that 95/99 and 94/194 would be the prime candidates to get a bag car since they're the only other trains that run between NPN and BOS on a daily basis.

 

[Anderson]

With the new Viewliners being ok for 125 MPH that makes the pill much easier to swallow for one of the Regionals having baggage service, since it won't slow the train down. I would guess that 95/99 and 94/194 would be the prime candidates to get a bag car since they're the only other trains that run between NPN and BOS on a daily basis.

That's my guess as well. The numbers might be wonky on the weekends (the numbering of the VA trains can be more than a little confusing), but I suspect it'll be the NPN trains with it. 95 makes sense on another count: It's the designated connection for the Star (93 is the designated connection for the Meteor), and through baggage to/from the NEC-North would be a decent part of the reasoning for doing this.

Of course, this raises another question: Newport News and Williamsburg are both decent-sized stations (and WBG being college student/tourist heavy), and NPN is a terminal station for the train. Once NPN moves, I wonder if there might be baggage service added there, if both trains on the route are hauling bags anyway? Amtrak could probably get quite a few riders from the freshman/sophomore set (especially as many live in NOVA...being able to haul laundry home on break wouldn't be a bad selling point at all).

The other candidate for a bag is the Lynchburger. CVS and LYH both have checked baggage service, and the train schedules tightly enough with the Crescent that adding service to the second train would be a negligible issue.

 

[jis]

Baggage cars add dwell times at stations. How much depends on how much baggage work needs to be done at each baggage handing station. Then again the Regionals have pretty sloppy schedules anyway, in order to keep the Acelas sufficiently attractive to command premium fare.

 

[PRR 60]

I know where there are three baggage cars sitting and doing nothing. They are in Penn Coach Yard outside 30th Street Station, Philadelphia. These are the three baggage cars Amtrak removed from service and converted to display cars for the 40th Anniversary Train. Every time I hear that Amtrak is short baggage cars, I think of those three cars.

 

[Acela150]

I know where there are three baggage cars sitting and doing nothing. They are in Penn Coach Yard outside 30th Street Station, Philadelphia. These are the three baggage cars Amtrak removed from service and converted to display cars for the 40th Anniversary Train. Every time I hear that Amtrak is short baggage cars, I think of those three cars.

I agree with you Bill! I'm fully aware that the "Exhibit Train" is still used, but not as it was in 2011. I think Amtrak would have been better off making those cars into full use baggage cars.

 

[battalion51]

With the new Viewliners being ok for 125 MPH that makes the pill much easier to swallow for one of the Regionals having baggage service, since it won't slow the train down. I would guess that 95/99 and 94/194 would be the prime candidates to get a bag car since they're the only other trains that run between NPN and BOS on a daily basis.

That's my guess as well. The numbers might be wonky on the weekends (the numbering of the VA trains can be more than a little confusing), but I suspect it'll be the NPN trains with it. 95 makes sense on another count: It's the designated connection for the Star (93 is the designated connection for the Meteor), and through baggage to/from the NEC-North would be a decent part of the reasoning for doing this.

Of course, this raises another question: Newport News and Williamsburg are both decent-sized stations (and WBG being college student/tourist heavy), and NPN is a terminal station for the train. Once NPN moves, I wonder if there might be baggage service added there, if both trains on the route are hauling bags anyway? Amtrak could probably get quite a few riders from the freshman/sophomore set (especially as many live in NOVA...being able to haul laundry home on break wouldn't be a bad selling point at all).

The other candidate for a bag is the Lynchburger. CVS and LYH both have checked baggage service, and the train schedules tightly enough with the Crescent that adding service to the second train would be a negligible issue.

I don't disagree with your thought on the Lynchburger receiving the bag car, however they would have to change the trains that operate down there. Some days the train originates in SPG, some days the train terminates in NYP. With the 95/99 and 94/194 combo you keep the car confined to a designated route where the sets can always turn easily for the next day's train. Additionally, the Lynchburger has baggage service overlay from NYP-LYH with the Crescent and Cardinal, and the Crescent's schedule isn't too vastly different from the Lynchburger. By the same token, you could make the case for the bag car to go to the Norfolker, but again this would require tweaking which trains it represents on the corridor if you're going to have service on the full length of the corridor.

 

[jis]

Even after we get the new baggage cars there will not be a huge surplus of them, so do not expect wholesale addition of baggage cars to all Regionals that go off NEC spine.