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  • Philly 30th street station

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1190188  by gprimr1
 
It's a decent sized station but not huge by any means. You can see one end from the other.

Check the gate when you get there to see where it's coming in and then line up. You def will want to get their early to be first in line.

It doesn't stay very long. Just enough time to board and go.
 #1190211  by 25Hz
 
Meenie wrote:Can you tell me about the size of this station? I'm taking the cardinal on Sunday - do I need extra time to get to my gate? How long does the train stop there? I want to get on as soon as possible to get a seat. No business or roomette a were available :(. And it's an overnight trip for me , sigh.
Might be wise to bring a neck pillow & something to cover your eyes.
 #1190245  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Mr. Meenie, I can only presume your destination is other than Chicago, for if it is that, you are about to "take a ride on the Masochist Express" and as of a few moments ago, Sleepers are available on 29 (2), Capitol Limited, at Wash.
 #1190258  by ThirdRail7
 
There is a loading plan for the Cardinal. It is likely you will be assigned a seat in a specific car. I suggest you keep trying to upgrade. If there is a no show, they will sell sleeping on board train.
 #1190313  by LIRR272
 
There are elevators and escalators to take you down to platform level. It's not that far down. The Cardinal (50/51) usually gets fill up leaving NY. A few more get on in Newark and Trenton. By the time it reaches Philly, usually single seats are available and not next to a window.

The problem with taking Train 29, is it doesn't come north of DC, so if your traveling from Philly to Chicago, Train 50 is your only tickect. Changing at DC to catch 29 may not work depending on connection times, transfer of luggage and getting over to the platform where 29 whould be located. And of course cost. I wanted to do the same from NY and was told the connection times were too tight and was better to take 49. The schedule may have changed since then (about two years).

Unless you want to stand around in DC to wait for 29, you can do that too.
 #1190340  by hi55us
 
LIRR272 wrote:There are elevators and escalators to take you down to platform level. It's not that far down. The Cardinal (50/51) usually gets fill up leaving NY. A few more get on in Newark and Trenton. By the time it reaches Philly, usually single seats are available and not next to a window.

The problem with taking Train 29, is it doesn't come north of DC, so if your traveling from Philly to Chicago, Train 50 is your only tickect. Changing at DC to catch 29 may not work depending on connection times, transfer of luggage and getting over to the platform where 29 whould be located. And of course cost. I wanted to do the same from NY and was told the connection times were too tight and was better to take 49. The schedule may have changed since then (about two years).

Unless you want to stand around in DC to wait for 29, you can do that too.
Another great way from Philly to Chicago (Assuming that's where you're going, since you said you're going overnight), is taking the Pennsylvanian to the Capitol Limited. If you're traveling to Chicago, the travel time is 17 hours vs. 26 hours. The connection at Pittsburgh is guaranteed (meaning Amtrak will hold the capitol limited for the Pennsylvanian). Plus you get to ride the Capitol Limited which uses superliner equipment and has a full dining car and a full sightseer lounge car. If this is your first Amtrak ride, you'll most likely be disappoined by the Cardinal.
 #1190462  by mtuandrew
 
I'll be optimistic and hope the original poster is going to Indianapolis or another point in Indiana, so the masochism isn't so pronounced. :wink: Either way, bring some snacks and a good facial wipe (you'll feel a lot better) along with the aforementioned sleeping accessories. Also, make sure you have a camera - the New River Gorge is absolutely amazing even from an Amfleet window.

As for PHL, it is one of the most straightforward Amtrak stations. If you do have any trouble navigating it, inquire about a Redcap at the info desk - it will cost a few dollars in tip, but that might just be worth it for you.
 #1190574  by LIRR272
 
If the train is packed, the "loading plan" usually has the car attendent with a list of empty seats depending on where you are going. The empty seat will then be assigned to you by giving you a seat check to place over the seat.

As for scenery, the Cardinal doesn't reach the New River Gorge till after sundown and it's all ready dark when it goes west. However on the return trip east, you will pass through the area in day. I beleive it will be around morning. If your into rail history, you may pass many steam era structures and see numerous coal drags. That's if they haven't been torn down. There is alot of C&O history along the line which I learned about going to and from college. In either direction there is some cool sites. It is the slow route to Chicago.

Have fun.
 #1190576  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Mr. Meenie, I think you have done yourself a service when you chose to report your destination of Lafayette here.

If the only constraint against you from traveling Sleeper has been the non-availability of space, then I would suggest traveling from Wash on 29(2), Capitol Limited, to South Bend. From there, simply rent an auto from an in-town outlet (always less expensive than at an airport; maybe even Zip Car if you are into that kind of stuff) and drive the 2.5 hours South starting on US31. Between Philly and Wash? there's a train every half hour.

If Coach is how you are traveling regardless of Sleeper space availability, the previously suggested change at Pittsburgh will shorten the ordeal of a Coach journey provided that the South Bend auto rental would work for you.

disclaimer: author is age 72 and "not exactly into roughing it".
 #1190577  by Tadman
 
Lafayette is a 90 minute ride from South Bend (I grew up there). Perhaps a friend can pick you up if you take 29. The Cardinal in coach is a long ride...
 #1190707  by khecht
 
gprimr1 wrote:It's a decent sized station but not huge by any means. You can see one end from the other.

Check the gate when you get there to see where it's coming in and then line up. You def will want to get their early to be first in line.

It doesn't stay very long. Just enough time to board and go.
For boarding at 30th, I actually usually wait until the line has almost completely gone down the escalator before joining it rather than stand around a while waiting for them to start letting you head down. Why? Because they aim to have everyone down at track level several minutes before the train pulls in to speed boarding. This still allows plenty of time to get to any boarding location on the platform (such as the first car for Regional business class, Acela First etc) and avoids pointlessly standing around upstairs. Those who do don't generally get better seating.

That said, with significant luggage, I'd recommend a red cap, who can help get that (and the passenger) down to track level
 #1190753  by ThirdRail7
 
Meenie wrote:
ThirdRail7 wrote:There is a loading plan for the Cardinal. It is likely you will be assigned a seat in a specific car. I suggest you keep trying to upgrade. If there is a no show, they will sell sleeping on board train.
A loading plan? Is this something new? I've ridden the cardinal many times to & from Virginia - to Baltimore, Boston, and Lafayette, IN, and seats were never assigned on this train. I prefer an aisle seat since I travel alone (wish the had the business class 2/1 seating some trains have so I could have a solitary seat
I meant a seat in an assigned coach. Does that still occur?
 #1193104  by LIRR272
 
ThirdRail7 wrote:
Meenie wrote:
ThirdRail7 wrote:There is a loading plan for the Cardinal. It is likely you will be assigned a seat in a specific car. I suggest you keep trying to upgrade. If there is a no show, they will sell sleeping on board train.
A loading plan? Is this something new? I've ridden the cardinal many times to & from Virginia - to Baltimore, Boston, and Lafayette, IN, and seats were never assigned on this train. I prefer an aisle seat since I travel alone (wish the had the business class 2/1 seating some trains have so I could have a solitary seat
I meant a seat in an assigned coach. Does that still occur?
Yes that still occurs. This makes it easier for the conductor to go to a specific car and let passengers on/off without walking the entire train. Keep in mind the coaches used are Amfleet II which have only one door at the end of the cars. All the doors on the train do not open at each stop like on the Amfleet I coaches.