Tracktwentynine
OBS Chief
Last weekend, I took a trip up to Buffalo [all photos]. My primary goals were (1) to ride my 21st American light rail system [photos] and (2) to tour Buffalo Central Terminal [photos]. I accomplished both of those. I also made 2011 my most Amtrak-traveled year ever, adding 672 miles and passing my (2010) record by 268 miles.
Unfortunately, it was not feasible to take the train both directions. I just couldn't make the schedules work without an overnight in New York City. So, I flew from Baltimore to Buffalo and took the train back.
I decided, however, to take the train to BWI. It's only one stop for me, since I live close to New Carrollton, and there's a convenient bus to the airport that I could have taken. However, it's possible that I might make Select status this year, and I figured, what's a could extra bucks. Why not? Big mistake.
Getting there is 95% of the frustration:
I had a 2:10p flight from BWI last Saturday. I prefer getting to the airport about 2 hours early, just to cope with any delays that might happen. Amtrak #88 is scheduled to depart NCR around 11:30, and if it were on time, would be a perfect train. But it starts in Richmond. And last month, I took it to Baltimore and it was an hour late. That was too risky, I thought.
I decided to play it safe, and book #82, with a 10:30 departure from New Carrollton. If everything went according to plan, I'd get into BWI around 10:45, and be on my way to the terminal, with plenty of time for lunch. But I knew that #82 also started in Richmond. Unfortunately, I'd have to leave an hour earlier to get something that started in Washington, and I didn't want to get up that early.
I got to New Carrollton about 9:45. I needed to pick up my tickets for both legs of the trip, and I wanted to get a pasty at the station, too. When I got there, #82 was showing as 20 minutes late. No big deal. I took care of the tickets and breakfast. At about 10:25, I decided to head topside. It was a beautiful morning, and I hoped to watch some trains while I waited on #82. It was now 30 minutes late.
At 10:50, the platform signs revised their estimate for #82 to 11:15, 45 minutes late. I decided to go check on #88 and the possibility of switching my ticket, should #82 get later. But the station's departure board showed #88 as being 30 minutes late. I wondered whether I should start trying to find an alternate route to BWI. I went back to the platform.
At 11:30, #88 began showing as the next train to arrive, ETA at about 12p. Alarmed, I went to the ticket office. The agent couldn't help me. She didn't know which train would arrive first. Neither train was yet in Washington. It was a CSX problem, she said, and there was nothing Amtrak could do about it.
I went back upstairs and called Amtrak. I had to hang up and try a second time when Amtrak's "be on the lookout for suspicious behavior" announcement confused Julie. The agent I spoke with was very helpful. I was mainly concerned that #82 had broken down and wouldn't come at all. She was aware of the situation, and told me that I should get on whichever train came first. That they were both still moving.
At 11:45, a boarding call was made for #88, but the station manager immediately came on the PA and told everyone to stay put, as neither train was yet in Washington. Finally around 12:00, the station manager announced that #88 would be next to arrive. Furthermore, she announced that they would accept tickets for train #82, which would be arriving 10 minutes behind #88. I boarded #88 when it arrived 45 minutes late at 12:15, almost 2 hours after I should have been aboard #82.
We arrived at BWI without further incident. And after a frustratingly slow security check (Concourse D had only one lane open), I managed to grab a burger right before boarding my flight.
I wonder if it might be worth it for Amtrak to have a spare set of Amfleets and crew at Washington to run on the corridor during disruptions like this one. Both #82 and #88 are Richmond-Boston trains and their delay meant that for almost 3 hours, there were no northbound NE Regionals in the corridor.
I did learn my lesson: Never again will I take Amtrak to BWI to catch a flight.
Coming home is smooth sailing:
With my time in Buffalo at a close, I wandered over to Buffalo - Exchange Street for the Monday morning train (#284, Empire Service) to Penn Station. She came in right on time at 7:47. Unfortunately, the crew only opened one door on the train, and it wasn't where the crowd was standing, so we all had to hustle down the platform to board.
I made sure to grab a window seat on the right side of the train, so as to be able to see the Hudson, though that wouldn't be for a few hours. My first trip on the Water Level Route was great. Speeding by the farms and fields of upstate New York was pleasant. So were the glimpses of the Erie Canal and the towns dotting the line.
We stayed on time the entire journey, despite trackwork near Amsterdam. The landscape of the Mohawk River Valley was spectacular, though it was nothing compared to running alongside the Hudson. I was literally glued to the window, unwilling to miss a second of the scenery.
All-to-soon, we were passing under the George Washington Bridge and approaching Penn Station. We were a few minutes early. I grabbed my bag and headed upstairs. I had several hours until my train south.
Unfortunately, it was not feasible to take the train both directions. I just couldn't make the schedules work without an overnight in New York City. So, I flew from Baltimore to Buffalo and took the train back.
I decided, however, to take the train to BWI. It's only one stop for me, since I live close to New Carrollton, and there's a convenient bus to the airport that I could have taken. However, it's possible that I might make Select status this year, and I figured, what's a could extra bucks. Why not? Big mistake.
Getting there is 95% of the frustration:
I had a 2:10p flight from BWI last Saturday. I prefer getting to the airport about 2 hours early, just to cope with any delays that might happen. Amtrak #88 is scheduled to depart NCR around 11:30, and if it were on time, would be a perfect train. But it starts in Richmond. And last month, I took it to Baltimore and it was an hour late. That was too risky, I thought.
I decided to play it safe, and book #82, with a 10:30 departure from New Carrollton. If everything went according to plan, I'd get into BWI around 10:45, and be on my way to the terminal, with plenty of time for lunch. But I knew that #82 also started in Richmond. Unfortunately, I'd have to leave an hour earlier to get something that started in Washington, and I didn't want to get up that early.
I got to New Carrollton about 9:45. I needed to pick up my tickets for both legs of the trip, and I wanted to get a pasty at the station, too. When I got there, #82 was showing as 20 minutes late. No big deal. I took care of the tickets and breakfast. At about 10:25, I decided to head topside. It was a beautiful morning, and I hoped to watch some trains while I waited on #82. It was now 30 minutes late.
At 10:50, the platform signs revised their estimate for #82 to 11:15, 45 minutes late. I decided to go check on #88 and the possibility of switching my ticket, should #82 get later. But the station's departure board showed #88 as being 30 minutes late. I wondered whether I should start trying to find an alternate route to BWI. I went back to the platform.
At 11:30, #88 began showing as the next train to arrive, ETA at about 12p. Alarmed, I went to the ticket office. The agent couldn't help me. She didn't know which train would arrive first. Neither train was yet in Washington. It was a CSX problem, she said, and there was nothing Amtrak could do about it.
I went back upstairs and called Amtrak. I had to hang up and try a second time when Amtrak's "be on the lookout for suspicious behavior" announcement confused Julie. The agent I spoke with was very helpful. I was mainly concerned that #82 had broken down and wouldn't come at all. She was aware of the situation, and told me that I should get on whichever train came first. That they were both still moving.
At 11:45, a boarding call was made for #88, but the station manager immediately came on the PA and told everyone to stay put, as neither train was yet in Washington. Finally around 12:00, the station manager announced that #88 would be next to arrive. Furthermore, she announced that they would accept tickets for train #82, which would be arriving 10 minutes behind #88. I boarded #88 when it arrived 45 minutes late at 12:15, almost 2 hours after I should have been aboard #82.
We arrived at BWI without further incident. And after a frustratingly slow security check (Concourse D had only one lane open), I managed to grab a burger right before boarding my flight.
I wonder if it might be worth it for Amtrak to have a spare set of Amfleets and crew at Washington to run on the corridor during disruptions like this one. Both #82 and #88 are Richmond-Boston trains and their delay meant that for almost 3 hours, there were no northbound NE Regionals in the corridor.
I did learn my lesson: Never again will I take Amtrak to BWI to catch a flight.
Coming home is smooth sailing:
With my time in Buffalo at a close, I wandered over to Buffalo - Exchange Street for the Monday morning train (#284, Empire Service) to Penn Station. She came in right on time at 7:47. Unfortunately, the crew only opened one door on the train, and it wasn't where the crowd was standing, so we all had to hustle down the platform to board.
I made sure to grab a window seat on the right side of the train, so as to be able to see the Hudson, though that wouldn't be for a few hours. My first trip on the Water Level Route was great. Speeding by the farms and fields of upstate New York was pleasant. So were the glimpses of the Erie Canal and the towns dotting the line.
We stayed on time the entire journey, despite trackwork near Amsterdam. The landscape of the Mohawk River Valley was spectacular, though it was nothing compared to running alongside the Hudson. I was literally glued to the window, unwilling to miss a second of the scenery.
All-to-soon, we were passing under the George Washington Bridge and approaching Penn Station. We were a few minutes early. I grabbed my bag and headed upstairs. I had several hours until my train south.
! I visited Buffalo during a Layover Last Year waiting on the Maple Leaf and was Impressed by all the Old Buildings and the Historic Hapenings that Occured in there! Lots of Good Eating and Drinking Joints too! :lol:
