Railroad Forums 

  • Search

  • Search it up!

Search found 495 matches

 Return to the advanced search

Re: Connection policy on LD trains?

 by EastCleveland ¦  Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:06 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Connection policy on LD trains? ¦  Replies: 16 ¦  Views: 2342

On three occasions during the past fifteen years, I've been on long distance trains that arrived in Chicago many, many hours late due to track flooding, breakdowns, etc. I was traveling by sleeper. There was never a bustitution. And all three times, I missed my connecting train to California. In eac...

Re: Has anyone ever ridden Amtrak's Pennsylvanian?

 by EastCleveland ¦  Tue Aug 11, 2015 8:27 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: All things Pennsylvanian AND Keystone West ¦  Replies: 769 ¦  Views: 182391

During the early 2000s, I took several trips on the Philadelphia-to-Chicago version of the Pennsylvanian. Each time, the lineup seemed headed for the scrapyard: one beat-up Amfleet coach, one equally battered Horizon coach, one Amfleet cafe car with zero customers, plus a lengthy string of Amtrak ma...

Re: How do you sleep (quality of slumber) in a sleeper car?

 by EastCleveland ¦  Sun May 17, 2015 10:16 am ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: How do you sleep (quality of slumber) in a sleeper car? ¦  Replies: 25 ¦  Views: 5295

It took a few trips to get my formula right: 1) Roomette in the center of the car (lower level on Superliners, Roomette #11 or #12). 2) Feet first (it feels more 'natural' to me). 3) Eye mask (blocks light leakage -- corridor and exterior -- through gaps in the curtains). 4) Ear plugs (sudden noises...

Re: How Sold Out is "Sold Out"?

 by EastCleveland ¦  Fri Apr 18, 2014 6:41 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: How Sold Out is "Sold Out"? ¦  Replies: 14 ¦  Views: 7882

A few years ago, I was traveling on the northbound City of New Orleans when it was waylaid by track flooding near Memphis. I arrived in Chicago eight hours late, missing my connection to the California Zephyr. Amtrak put me up in a Chicago hotel. And although the sleepers on the next day's CZ were o...

Re: Writer Residencies -- Amtrak's Best Idea Lately

 by EastCleveland ¦  Sat Mar 15, 2014 4:21 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Writer Residencies -- Amtrak's Best Idea Lately ¦  Replies: 17 ¦  Views: 4141

Amtrak has no legitimate grounds for claiming any rights to those samples. It's pure corporate exploitation. Not really. Nobody is being forced to do this. Writers can simply choose to apply for other topics or projects. Hmm. Let's see. . . . To be considered for a "residency," you're req...

Re: Writer Residencies -- Amtrak's Best Idea Lately

 by EastCleveland ¦  Fri Mar 14, 2014 11:47 am ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Writer Residencies -- Amtrak's Best Idea Lately ¦  Replies: 17 ¦  Views: 4141

This appears to imply even if you apply, they can use your writing sample in marketing, advertising. That seems a bit extreme. And personally I disagree with. It's basically saying, "you're not good enough to ride, but we'll use your stuff anyway." I make a full-time living as a writer, a...

Re: Hints for rinding the Silver Service from Phl Tampa

 by EastCleveland ¦  Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:07 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Hints for rinding the Silver Service from Phl Tampa ¦  Replies: 31 ¦  Views: 5906

Other items to bring along: 1) Sleep masks 2) Ear plugs 3) A short length of duct tape wrapped around a pen. It may help silence any squeaking panels or fixtures beside or above your seat. As for all the repeated suggestions (on this and other threads) to go by sleeper instead. . . . Yes, sleeping c...

Re: What will happen to old Acela trains?

 by EastCleveland ¦  Sun Dec 15, 2013 7:06 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Acela Replacement and Disposition Discussion ¦  Replies: 1571 ¦  Views: 294517

Image


In the end, the final stop for most of Amtrak's current equipment -- including the Acela -- will probably look something like this.


-----------------------------------------

Re: Why Not A 3rd Class Car?

 by EastCleveland ¦  Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:28 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Why Not A 3rd Class Car? ¦  Replies: 33 ¦  Views: 5395

How about 16th class?

Image


(Looks like my last five trips on the Lake Shore Limited)

Re: Rainbow Years question

 by EastCleveland ¦  Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:53 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Rainbow Years question ¦  Replies: 3 ¦  Views: 870

For all you appreciators of the Rainbow Era, here's a highly impressive gallery of photos:

http://www.flickriver.com/groups/909201 ... teresting/


---------------------------

Re: Why does Amtrak find it necessary to split their windows

 by EastCleveland ¦  Sat Nov 02, 2013 1:12 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Why does Amtrak find it necessary to split their windows? ¦  Replies: 39 ¦  Views: 4399

I contacted Amtrak to ask why the new Viewliner II windows will be split into two panels, much like their predecessors. A gentleman there was kind enough to forward my question to Amtrak's Mechanical Department. Their response: "Primarily, the windows are meant to match the arrangement on the V...

Re: Elyria Station Burns

 by EastCleveland ¦  Mon Oct 28, 2013 6:43 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Elyria Station Burns ¦  Replies: 11 ¦  Views: 2614

I was amused to see the news reports refer to Amtrak's double-wide shipping container as a "building." As the only passenger waiting at Elyria one wintry night ten years ago, for a much-delayed Lake Shore Limited, I had the dubious privilege of having the so-called waiting room all to myse...

Re: Why does Amtrak find it necessary to split their windows

 by EastCleveland ¦  Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:24 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Why does Amtrak find it necessary to split their windows? ¦  Replies: 39 ¦  Views: 4399

Split windows are cheaper because you replace half a pane vs one big piece. Plus it allows for easy movement of the window in the frame as temperatures rise and fall. Large one piece windows often get warped and lose optical clarity over time due to internal stresses. During the late 1960s -- and t...

Re: The most and least comfortable seats on Amtrak

 by EastCleveland ¦  Fri Oct 25, 2013 5:40 pm ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: The most and least comfortable seats on Amtrak ¦  Replies: 17 ¦  Views: 2459

Even within a specific Amfleet, Superliner, Horizon, or Acela car, the condition (and comfort) of the cushions can vary enormously from seat to seat. Whenever I board a train -- just like Goldilocks -- I always try out several unoccupied seats before settling in for the long haul. "This one is ...

Re: Amtrak Blog- "Train Manners" - For real?

 by EastCleveland ¦  Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:56 am ¦  Forum: Amtrak ¦  Topic: Amtrak Blog- "Train Manners" - For real? ¦  Replies: 11 ¦  Views: 1603

Yeah, seriously, we all know Amtrak isn't for commuters, that's what LIRR, NJTransit, Caltran, etc are for! Actually, many passengers do utilize Amtrak as a short-haul commuter railroad to get to work each day. On any given weekday, the Northeast Corridor, Keystone, and Empire Service trains are fi...

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 33