Amtrak Crescent Discussion

On my first trip on the Crescent in more than 2 years I have discovered that there is now wifi and its very good! (although the relatively low load in the sleepers may help)

Very impressed!

I also found the wi-fi to be good; I had no problem using a laptop to work while on the train.

Separately: any updates on the congestion between Birmingham and Charlotte, and steps being taken to reduce it? The timekeeping of the northbound Crescent is just totally unpredictable so I'm reluctant to take it, even though I like the train.

SouthernRailway wrote: Separately: any updates on the congestion between Birmingham and Charlotte, and steps being taken to reduce it? The timekeeping of the northbound Crescent is just totally unpredictable so I'm reluctant to take it, even though I like the train.

Charlotte to Atlanta was fine and basically on time, things really slowed down west of Anniston. There was lots of track work in Alabama, including a significant stretch west of Tuscaloosa that looks like might be double tracked?

What's changing May 1? It will no longer be possible to book business class then, from the looks of it.

Might be NS is about to do trackwork south of Atlanta again.

No more business class on the AutoTrain and Crescent starting May 1st.

I think this is sort of a shame, but while I enjoyed BC on the Crescent the one time I took it, it seemed like a mixed bag.

Certainly fewer people and quieter, which was nice. But... from Amtrak's POV, sort of a waste of an Amfleet II car with the load.

On the other hand a 2-1 seating with meals included would probably hit the sweet spot for me.

I chatted with a few folks in business class (in the diner) on a Southbound Crescent last week. They said it was busy until Charlottesville, less than half full to Atlanta and had fewer than 5 passengers after Atlanta.

This train is begging to be rerouted to from NOL to DFW area. Should increase traffic southbound after ATL.

Is this change going to continue indefinitely, or is it only for the summer?

BC was flat empty NOL-BHM and back last week. Maybe it fills up north of ATL, but it certainly doesn't pay for itself down south.

frequentflyer wrote:This train is begging to be rerouted to from NOL to DFW area. Should increase traffic southbound after ATL.

We posters think that would be a great possibility. However the delays between Laurel ( south of Meridian ) and Atlanta must be mitigated before Amtrak would even consider. Maybe having the Crescent split at Meridian would be a possibility with just a coach and lounge to NOL ? The rest to DAL / FTW ? Any connection to the Eagle would require at least 4 hour connection at DAL southbound to guarantee making the connection ? More needed equipment of course and somehow making necessary maintenance work at DAL or FTW ?

This idea of a split at Meridian was proposed many years ago. And we all know how that turned out. In the current climate of things at Amtrak, I believe the thought of expansion is anathema to the powers that be. I like the idea, though. I think the endpoint would be FTW where there is already support for trains.

ATL-DAL passenger rail sounds tailor-made for an administration that wants to court conservative votes while also making good on some of its infrastructure goals. Unless it runs along the top of a wall, it won’t happen under the 45th administration, nor a quite-likely foreshortened 46th admin, but three to fifteen years from now in the Great American Reconciliation, the 47th will have a shot at creating a passenger rail network across the Mid and Deep South.

More likely would be an extension of the Crescent to Houston after the Sunset Limited is retired.