- Joined
- Dec 25, 2012
- Messages
- 8
Alright, so I'm new here, but have been riding Amtrak since 2006.
Yesterday I took (yet another) trip on the Northeast Regional (specifically train 176) from Washington Union Station to Providence. Being Amtrak, it didn't go without a few hitches.
Since I had already checked the timetable the previous day, I knew that it would be coming from Lynchburg, VA, but hadn't realized that during booking (which caused me to full-out facedesk when I double-checked the schedule). Anyone who's boarded one of the Virginia service trains coming north from DC probably knows why I was a bit unhappy. For one, they board at the lower-level platforms because they're the only ones carrying thru trains south of the city, so you have to lug your suitcase up those steps (though that's really because I'm normally a pampered NEC passenger who's used to high level platforms and multiple daily departures). Secondly, people who board in Virginia always seem to like to spread themselves out through the coaches, which is hard when you're with someone else and can't find a lousy twosome together. And third, the cafe car is already half out of food because they never put in enough (one time, they stocked two gardenburgers on a southbound Acela from Boston, and sold out before the train even made it to Providence).
/rant
Anyways, it turns out that they hadn't switched out the engine yet, so about five minutes after we got on the head-end-power cut out as the P42 was detached. An AEM-7 didn't show up for a good five more minutes, and we left Union Station about ten minutes late. Okay, expected.
The ride was fairly uneventful until some loud family boarded at Baltimore and sat in the four facing "party seats" at the end of the car, which I had foolishly chosen to sit right behind. They reclined their seats to an obnoxious level so that the tray table was jabbing into my chest, but asked me to move my legs so that they could put their seat back further (it was already reclined to the maximum, anyways). They then proceeded to just lean forward and play Mario on their DS (on high volume without headphones, of course). When they all got up to go to the cafe, I reached up and set it back to the upright position, then set my feet up on the seatback to as to prevent them from reclining again. Luckily, they got off at Philly and the next passenger to occupy that seat was someone's backpack.
Once again, peace returned to the Amcan as we hurtled through New Jersey, but pulling out of Newark, the brakes went into emergency and I heard the telltale sound of a disconnected air hose. The lead conductor and cafe car attendant stepped out and chatted for five minutes, and we then sat for ten more minutes while they hooked the hose back up.
Luckily, the rest of the trip went smoothly, save for our idling in New London for five minutes, blocking the Water Street grade crossing and creating a semi-large traffic jam.
We finally arrived in Providence about ten minutes late, concluding my 32nd trip on Amtrak. Will be going back on the 27th, and might post another travelogue if something interesting happens.
Yesterday I took (yet another) trip on the Northeast Regional (specifically train 176) from Washington Union Station to Providence. Being Amtrak, it didn't go without a few hitches.
Since I had already checked the timetable the previous day, I knew that it would be coming from Lynchburg, VA, but hadn't realized that during booking (which caused me to full-out facedesk when I double-checked the schedule). Anyone who's boarded one of the Virginia service trains coming north from DC probably knows why I was a bit unhappy. For one, they board at the lower-level platforms because they're the only ones carrying thru trains south of the city, so you have to lug your suitcase up those steps (though that's really because I'm normally a pampered NEC passenger who's used to high level platforms and multiple daily departures). Secondly, people who board in Virginia always seem to like to spread themselves out through the coaches, which is hard when you're with someone else and can't find a lousy twosome together. And third, the cafe car is already half out of food because they never put in enough (one time, they stocked two gardenburgers on a southbound Acela from Boston, and sold out before the train even made it to Providence).
/rant
Anyways, it turns out that they hadn't switched out the engine yet, so about five minutes after we got on the head-end-power cut out as the P42 was detached. An AEM-7 didn't show up for a good five more minutes, and we left Union Station about ten minutes late. Okay, expected.
The ride was fairly uneventful until some loud family boarded at Baltimore and sat in the four facing "party seats" at the end of the car, which I had foolishly chosen to sit right behind. They reclined their seats to an obnoxious level so that the tray table was jabbing into my chest, but asked me to move my legs so that they could put their seat back further (it was already reclined to the maximum, anyways). They then proceeded to just lean forward and play Mario on their DS (on high volume without headphones, of course). When they all got up to go to the cafe, I reached up and set it back to the upright position, then set my feet up on the seatback to as to prevent them from reclining again. Luckily, they got off at Philly and the next passenger to occupy that seat was someone's backpack.
Once again, peace returned to the Amcan as we hurtled through New Jersey, but pulling out of Newark, the brakes went into emergency and I heard the telltale sound of a disconnected air hose. The lead conductor and cafe car attendant stepped out and chatted for five minutes, and we then sat for ten more minutes while they hooked the hose back up.
Luckily, the rest of the trip went smoothly, save for our idling in New London for five minutes, blocking the Water Street grade crossing and creating a semi-large traffic jam.
We finally arrived in Providence about ten minutes late, concluding my 32nd trip on Amtrak. Will be going back on the 27th, and might post another travelogue if something interesting happens.
