Palmetto Questions

[National Limited]

I'll be taking a short trip on the Palmetto in mid July going from Savannah to Charleston SC. I've seen comments about food service on other trains not opening untill an hour or so out of the station of origination. Is this the case with the Palmetto? What type of breakfast items are available in the cafe?

Does anyone know how far the Charleston station is from the center of town?

Anyone know how full the train usually is for this short trip? I'm asking just to see if I can still get the $30 round trip now showing on the web site if I walked up on the day of departure and purchased a ticket at the window. I have been at the Savannah station when the southbound Palmetto arrives in the evening and only a handfull of passengers get off the train so I'm assuming there is about the same amount getting on it in the morning.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

The "Palmetto" is a train which caters mainly to the Carolina/Virginia folks. CHS is has always been one of the busier stops for that train even when it went to FL. I am sure that train may be somewhat busier now that it is the only train through CHS at a decent time of day being it is daylight when it departs SAV. But getting on at SAV should be a piece of cake unless there is some large group boarding on the day you are traveling.

As far as food service is concerned I am not fully aware, however, one of my coworker friends who works out of the NYC crewbase(which handles that train nowdays) says the LSA usually opens the lounge within a few minutes (not more than 20-30min) after departing SAV. There is no stock loaded on that train being NYC loads that train for an entire round trip as it did in the past. As far as your question regarding the location of the train depot in relation to the city center, the station is actually located in North Charleston. I believe that is about eight or ten miles from the dowtown area of CHS if memory serves me correct. I haven't been there (other than passing through the station while working) for several years now.

And BTW if you know you are traveling and the dates exactly, my advice is to go ahead and at least book the reservation to lock in the lower fare. You might not get that $30 fare at the window. OBS...

 

[Guest]

What type of breakfast items are available in the cafe?

The cafe car sells those breakfast sandwiches and those little boxes of cereal you can buy at a drug store. You can order the other things on the menu, too. If it were me on that short a trip, I would stop at a Cracker Barrel and have a hearty breakfast before catching the train. I think it leaves Savannah around 7:00 AM.

 

[railfangns]

Or stop by a dollar store,target or walmart before you leave you can get good snack food there cheaper there than on the trains.A can of pepsi costs $1.50 on the train, i bought a 12 pack carton at target for $2.50 today.Just pack a small cooler with ice and you are set.Warning do not carry outside food and drinks into any food service car or you will get tossed out of that car.FDA regulations and amtrak rules prohibit outside food and drinks in any food service car, however you are welcome to consume them in your coach or sleeper room.Before i went to Boston i bought canned meat, spaghetti o,s, cookies,crackers, chips and drinks so i would not have to pay the high prices on the train.Also drinks seem to be high priced in the hotel and train station vending machines so i saved there as well.

 

[Niko]

More Palmetto questions:

I, along with my husband and our 4-yr old) will taking the line (daytime) from Newark down to Charleston.

Since it is a very long trip in Coach... I would like to hear any tips/suggestions as to what the ride will be like and what to expect.

Thanks!

Niko

 

[WICT106]

First of all, the seats will be equivalent size to first class aboard an airplane. I've found the trip south of D.C. to be more relaxing than driving or flying. Having written that, I know what to expect. The track south of D.C. is owned outright by CSX. IOW, the track isn't public in the same sense that the highways are. CSX does all of the maintenance and traffic control, and the passenger trains are subject to whatever restrictions that CSX places upon them. In all fairness, car travel isn't perfect, neither is air travel. CSX has to pay its own way for all maintenance, like most other freight railroads, it has no access to the tax money that highway users take for granted. I'd just sit back and enjoy the trip.

Be certain to bring along some games for the young one, something to keep the child occupied. I'd also look into grabbng one of the route guides that are found in the station, so that you can see what there is to see along the route. Unlike driving, you can always go to the lounge car if you feel the need to get out of your seat. I don't know of any construction or maintenance projects that CSX has in the Carolinas, so you should be able to get where you're going in a decent amount of time. I'd also bring along a mobile phone, so that you can phone ahead to anyone waiting to pick you up, and give them updates.

 

[Trogdor]

Amtrak seats are generally more comfortable (and slightly wider) than airline seats, and they offer more legroom. But to say that Amtrak coach seats are equivalent in size to airline first class is a vast overstatement.

 

[Niko]

 I'd also bring along a mobile phone, so that you can phone ahead to anyone waiting to pick you up, and give them updates.

That's sound advice. Where might I find an outlet to plugin the charger if needed?

Niko

 

[IceColdMintJulep]

I would agree: not first class airline seats. Somewhere between coach and first class on an airline. Basically you have plenty of room, you can recline much further, and their should be a kick-out to put your legs up on. Definately bring something for the kids (coloring, gameboy w/headphones, portable dvd w/headphones, travel games).

 

[AmtrakWPK]

Charleston Amtrak is in North Charleston, not far from the Charleston primary commercial airport, maybe 5-10 minutes' drive, max. We took Amtrak's Silver Meteor from Winter Park FL (WPK) to Charleston three years ago, rented a car at the airport, and drove up to the Asheville NC area for a couple of weeks, drove back to CHS, spent a couple of days there, turned in the rental car, and took Amtrak back to WPK. Nice train trip, nice drive, great couple of weeks in NC. On Amtrak's web site, you can find the address of each Amtrak station, and then just you can just map it online.

 

[guest_jeffw]

Hang on. How different are the seats on the single-level cars on the east coast compared to the Superliners on the Empire Builder?

On the empire builder, not only do I have a legrest thing, with wide seats, but I couldn't even kick the seat in front me of if I tried!! Show me an airliner with a 1st class section like that(Virgin Atlantic doens't count, I mean domestic). The business class(and coach) section of the Cascades trains seemed great too.

I've been curious if I should expect to see the same thing on the east coast trains as I do on the Superliners.

 

[PRR 60]

Here are some comparisons with domestic air. Note that domestic air service with about six hour maximum flight times, is not really set up for sleeping. That is what makes the red-eyes so nasty.

Amtrak Superliner Coach

Seat width: 20”

Seat pitch: 52”

American Domestic 737-800

First Class

Seat width: 21”

Seat pitch: 40”

Coach Class

Seat width: 17”

Seat pitch: 32”

Delta Domestic 737-800

First Class

Seat width: 20.5”

Seat pitch: 38”

Coach Class

Seat width: 17”

Seat pitch: 31”

Northwest Domestic 757-300

First Class

Seat width: 21”

Seat pitch: 37”

Coach Class

Seat width: 17”

Seat pitch: 31”

United Domestic 757-200

First Class

Seat width: 21”

Seat pitch: 38”

Economy Plus

Seat width: 17”

Seat pitch: 36”

Coach Class

Seat width: 17”

Seat pitch: 31”

United Premium Domestic 757-200

First Class

Seat width: 21”

Seat pitch: 68”

Business Class

Seat width: 21”

Seat pitch: 54”

Coach Class

Seat width: 17”

Seat pitch: 34”

 

[gswager]

Thanks PRR 60! Now, that the facts for comparision!

 

[Guest]

Hang on. How different are the seats on the single-level cars on the east coast compared to the Superliners on the Empire Builder?On the empire builder, not only do I have a legrest thing, with wide seats, but I couldn't even kick the seat in front me of if I tried!! Show me an airliner with a 1st class section like that(Virgin Atlantic doens't count, I mean domestic). The business class(and coach) section of the Cascades trains seemed great too.

I've been curious if I should expect to see the same thing on the east coast trains as I do on the Superliners.

PRR 60 can you also state the size diff b/t Superliner and Amfleet coach seats. Having rideen in both and frequently there seems to be some difference in not only that, but the windows I look out of...the Amfleet having smaller windows that the Panormaic windows of the Superliner coach section.

 

[dmwnc1959]

Sorry about not logging in before posting this post...

(guest_jeffw @ Tue, Oct 4, 2005, 06:14 PM) Hang on. How different are the seats on the single-level cars on the east coast compared to the Superliners on the Empire Builder?

On the empire builder, not only do I have a legrest thing, with wide seats, but I couldn't even kick the seat in front me of if I tried!! Show me an airliner with a 1st class section like that(Virgin Atlantic doens't count, I mean domestic). The business class(and coach) section of the Cascades trains seemed great too.

I've been curious if I should expect to see the same thing on the east coast trains as I do on the Superliners.

PRR 60 can you also state the size diff b/t Superliner and Amfleet coach seats. Having rideen in both and frequently there seems to be some difference in not only that, but the windows I look out of...the Amfleet having smaller windows that the Panormaic windows of the Superliner coach section.

 

[IceColdMintJulep]

Going by seat width and pitch, Amtrak beats the airlines. I got to move up to first class on United once and that's what I'm going off of. The seats were very soft with other amenities. Here are a couple of pictures:

United First Class seat:

An Amtrak seat (hard to find a pic)

Also this one:

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

That's sound advice. Where might I find an outlet to plugin the charger if needed?
Niko

Some of the coach cars have outlets at every seat, but there is only one there for two seats. I recommend a surge protected extension cord with use of no more than two outlets on that cord. Keep in mind that all the coach cars don't have outlets at every seat, only some of them. You will be seated according to your destination, not the availability of an outlet! If your assigned to a coach which is older and has no outlets at your seat, I reccomend the lounge car or an upgrade to the "Palmetto's Business Class" section.

A piece of advice from a seasoned employee (and traveler), just make sure your phone is fully charged before you leave. Todays cell phone batteries hold insane amounts of charge. I can charge mine the night before I leave out on a trip from MIA to NYP. And with a little use of about two hours or so, I can actually not charge it and return back to MIA from NYP before having to charge it again. That is your best bet, and then the outlet may not even be an issue regarding your trip. Good luck and hope you enjoy your trip. Keep an open mind and sit back and relax. You're not spending money on gas nor are you having to do the driving! OBS...

 

[Trogdor]

The other thing that probably makes the Amtrak seat wider is the lack of an armrest between the two seats.

 

[PRR 60]

The other thing that probably makes the Amtrak seat wider is the lack of an armrest between the two seats.

Which is great for parties of two, but for single travellers the armrest on a plane is nice to have.

I do not have seat dimensions for Amfleet cars but I doubt the Amfleet II's are any better than the Superliner. And I agree that airline first class seats are better seats than Superliner seats regardless of dimensions.

I feel that seating is a missed opportunity for Amtrak. With a shortage of single level sleepers, they could take a handful of Amfleet I's and retrofit airline long haul sleeper seats and improved bathrooms to make a sleeper coach. Maybe 40 seats per car with the seats sold at about half the roomette charge. It would be a nice half way measure between a room and a conventional coach seat and would provide a more comfortable option for the Palmetto in particular. Just a thought.

 

[battalion51]

Heck even the new Business Class style seating they have for some of the coaches in the Northeast is great. I know when Jon and I took the Federal (or whatever the heck it is) from BOS-NYP we upgraded to Business Class in a heartbeat after seeing that we had one of those Business Class cars. I know I slept like a baby for the most part (except for that damn woman behind me yacking on her cell phone).