Train from South Carolina -NY/NJ

Ok, so now that I have 2 weeks left in NFAS and I'm about to head up, anything I have to know about the train ride, how to pay for meals, anything to look out for, how does boarding work, etc? (Taking the 98 up)

I'm assuming you're getting coach. If you're traveling by yourself, most likely you will be seated next to a stranger. You can buy a fast food style meal in the cafe car or a sit down meal in the dining car (which is more expensive). You can pay with cash or credit. The stationmaster and/or conductor will explain boarding. Just show up, and they will guide you through the process. There isn't much more to say.

If you take the Palmetto (trains 89 and 90), then you can get free wifi but no dining car.

Hey everyone, read the original post. The post said he wanted to stay at EWR because the hotels were cheaper. So here's what I would do:

1) Take either Palmetto (business class) or Meteor from Charleston to Newark (not the airport, the downtown station).

2) Stay at the Robert Treat Hotel, recently refurbished (60 years ago they advertised in the "Official Guide of the Railways"). The Treat is right off the light rail between Newark Penn and Newark Broad Street, so you can get NJT trains to just about anywhere. It's also respectable and cheap, and not in a bad area at all (next to the NJ Center for the Performing Arts -- yes, there is one in Newark).

Cabs are cheap from Amtrak Newark to the Treat, and the light rail (once you drop your bags) is even cheaper. Nice ride, too. Downtown Newark is not even a third as scary as you might think. Try to have dinner at one of the Portuguese restaurants in the Ironbound. There are a number of very good ones and a couple of good tapas places too.

Of course, you *could* just fly Charleston to Newark (Continental or US Airways), but then you wouldn't get a train trip. I'd price it, though.

And stay away from LGA. I say that as someone who lived in NYC for five years. I lived in Brooklyn and almost always flew out of EWR. JFK is also best avoided.

Remember that there it will cost you an additional $5.50 access fee for using the Newark Airport train station, since the only way in and out of the station is via the Air Train. You would take the Air Train to the first station (don't go all the way to the terminals) and get off, where you could then transfer to a (free) hotel shuttle bus.

Sorry to commit thread necromancy, but I have arrived safe and sound. The ride wasn't that bad honestly, though sleeping was weird and mainly in fits (I sleep for 2 hours, up for half an hour, repeat till I hit DC, then I didn't sleep anymore.) I was by myself till North Carolina, but the other passenger who came in had some issue, and I don't even know what happened. Talked to another Navy person (some Corpsman) for a bit. All in all, it was a good fun ride, though I had noticed they changed engines from the P40(?) to the AEM-7DC in Washington. Why not just keep a straight P42 and go to Penn, and why is only 1 AEM-7 needed while 2 P-40s are needed.

Also, one annoying thing. The ride was pretty rough, not going to lie, the train was shaking, much more than say NJ transit trains, or LIRR, but it felt like the oldest subway cars (R-62 and earlier for NYC friends), or the pre PA-5 PATH trains. Otherwise, if I do this again (and if I get some leave before Prototype, Creator willing I will) I will buy my own car and sleep in a real bed (Took the Silver Meteor, ate the fast food style meals up, may try to eat the real meals going back down).

It was better than flying in terms of seating comfort and size and food. The roughness was really bad in the south, got much better, and on the NEC was.. not that bad, but when it was bad, it was BAD.

Solid 8.5/10, would recommend to a friend.

Ryand-Smith wrote:Sorry to commit thread necromancy, but I have arrived safe and sound. The ride wasn't that bad honestly, though sleeping was weird and mainly in fits (I sleep for 2 hours, up for half an hour, repeat till I hit DC, then I didn't sleep anymore.) I was by myself till North Carolina, but the other passenger who came in had some issue, and I don't even know what happened. Talked to another Navy person (some Corpsman) for a bit. All in all, it was a good fun ride, though I had noticed they changed engines from the P40(?) to the AEM-7DC in Washington. Why not just keep a straight P42 and go to Penn, and why is only 1 AEM-7 needed while 2 P-40s are needed.

Glad you enjoyed your trip!

Diesel engines are generally prohibited from operating in the tunnels that lead to New York City. Washington is the scheduled engine change location. The AEM-7s are stronger than the P42s and 98 had 12 cars. 1 P42 probably would have affected the OTP.

Ryand-Smith wrote: Also, one annoying thing. The ride was pretty rough, not going to lie, the train was shaking, much more than say NJ transit trains, or LIRR, but it felt like the oldest subway cars (R-62 and earlier for NYC friends), or the pre PA-5 PATH trains. Otherwise, if I do this again (and if I get some leave before Prototype, Creator willing I will) I will buy my own car and sleep in a real bed (Took the Silver Meteor, ate the fast food style meals up, may try to eat the real meals going back down).

It was better than flying in terms of seating comfort and size and food. The roughness was really bad in the south, got much better, and on the NEC was.. not that bad, but when it was bad, it was BAD.

Solid 8.5/10, would recommend to a friend.

The train is in the yard. Do you happen to know the car number?

25029, it was some sort of Amfleet car, at least this is what my camera is telling me. Is this shaking a normal part of the train riding experience in the south. Also, the nice touch of outlets helped with entertainment down the NEC, though there was some random delay in SC, at some station where there was a CSX train passing through, but otherwise it was a decent ride. Thanks!

25029 is an Amfleet II coach.

Ryand-Smith wrote:25029, it was some sort of Amfleet car, at least this is what my camera is telling me. Is this shaking a normal part of the train riding experience in the south. Also, the nice touch of outlets helped with entertainment down the NEC, though there was some random delay in SC, at some station where there was a CSX train passing through, but otherwise it was a decent ride. Thanks!

I just took the Crescent and the shaking was much worse on the Northeast Corridor but the ride was smoother in the South, on Norfolk Southern rails. I was in a sleeping car and the upper berth rattled constantly during parts of the Northeast Corridor but not a sound south of Washington.

SouthernRailway wrote:

Ryand-Smith wrote:25029, it was some sort of Amfleet car, at least this is what my camera is telling me. Is this shaking a normal part of the train riding experience in the south. Also, the nice touch of outlets helped with entertainment down the NEC, though there was some random delay in SC, at some station where there was a CSX train passing through, but otherwise it was a decent ride. Thanks!

I just took the Crescent and the shaking was much worse on the Northeast Corridor but the ride was smoother in the South, on Norfolk Southern rails. I was in a sleeping car and the upper berth rattled constantly during parts of the Northeast Corridor but not a sound south of Washington.

Wow, I would have thought the smoother part of the ride would have been on the NEC and the shaking part would have been on freight rails.

SouthernRailway wrote:

Ryand-Smith wrote:25029, it was some sort of Amfleet car, at least this is what my camera is telling me. Is this shaking a normal part of the train riding experience in the south. Also, the nice touch of outlets helped with entertainment down the NEC, though there was some random delay in SC, at some station where there was a CSX train passing through, but otherwise it was a decent ride. Thanks!

I just took the Crescent and the shaking was much worse on the Northeast Corridor but the ride was smoother in the South, on Norfolk Southern rails. I was in a sleeping car and the upper berth rattled constantly during parts of the Northeast Corridor but not a sound south of Washington.

I have to admit, NS' trackwork is impeccable, at least on the 30 or so miles of the Washington District I run on(Manassas to Alexandria)......

I am on the train now (4G is awesome) and I have a question. From Washington to most of virgina there seemed to be a lot of dead spots and blackness outside the windows. Are there a lot of tunnels in this area, or just poor phone service?

Wi-Fi is only on the Palmetto and only on the Amfleet I cars, as for the reception, it may vary from each area. Coverage is not guaranteed.

SouthernRailway wrote: I just took the Crescent and the shaking was much worse on the Northeast Corridor but the ride was smoother in the South, on Norfolk Southern rails. I was in a sleeping car and the upper berth rattled constantly during parts of the Northeast Corridor but not a sound south of Washington.

Obviously NS keeps their tracks in good shape but I think the discrepancy is just because of the speed difference (110mph on the NEC and 80mph on NS).

I am on the train now (4G is awesome) and I have a question. From Washington to most of virgina there seemed to be a lot of dead spots and blackness outside the windows. Are there a lot of tunnels in this area, or just poor phone service?

No tunnels, just extremely rural areas with no development or phone service whatsoever.

Have been reading this thread with interest as am contemplating doing the reverse trip. I will be arriving in US from London and need to get down to South Carolina after a stay in Connecticut to visit relatives. I thought the train would be a great way to see some of the countryside especially since we are from UK and don't want to drive on right hand side. So we'd thought we'd work out a way to take day train to Charleston. I have found the Palmetto timetable and looks like we can get a train from Washington DC to Florence SC which I think is the closest spot to where we want to get off - this would only be about 7 hours of travel although we'd have to work our way over to Washington first. Do you think the scenery would be nice on the way? and should we pay the extra for a business seat? Is that train ok, or is it really rough and bumpy?