North Carolina NCDOT-Amtrak Carolinian Service

I'm wondering why the Carolinan even goes north of union station. It would appear easier if the passengers just switched trains when they got to union station. The Carolinian is rarely on time heading up north and needs an engine change when it gets to DC. Does baggage tend to be heavier on this train? I don't remember if it specifically has a baggage car. I know it doesn't have sleeper service. Does Amtrak need this train to head up North due to equipment shortages?

blockss wrote: I don't remember if it specifically has a baggage car. I know it doesn't have sleeper service. Does Amtrak need this train to head up North due to equipment shortages?

The typical consist is a baggage car, Amfleet II coach (business class), Amfleet I cafe, and four Amfleet I coaches.

blockss wrote:I'm wondering why the Carolinan even goes north of union station. It would appear easier if the passengers just switched trains when they got to union station. The Carolinian is rarely on time heading up north and needs an engine change when it gets to DC. Does baggage tend to be heavier on this train? I don't remember if it specifically has a baggage car. I know it doesn't have sleeper service. Does Amtrak need this train to head up North due to equipment shortages?

It needs to go up north in order to turn for the next day's Carolinan 79. The engine switch can also be done at 30th Street in Philadelphia if neccessary.

How does a late Carolinian impact the schedules of all the other trains operating into Penn Station? I used to take it a lot when it was an unreserved train. Now that they moved to an all resevered system, I would be hesitant to book travel on the Carolinian heading north because I can't just jump onto another train when it is late.

I am planing to take a trip on the Carolinian this summer from Philly to Charlotte NC. I have a few questions about this train. I will be traveling with two other people. What are the chances all of us will be sitting together? Is the train crowded? What kind of food choices are on the train? Thanks.

1. Boarding at Philly, sitting together shouldn't be a problem, especially if you don't travel on Friday or Sunday. The peak load is between Washington and Richmond, often at Quantico. A number of the coaches will have the seats arranged to face, usually at the lead end of the car, and they will have notices referring to groups riding together over them. The coach attentent is pretty good about enforcing this.

2. Will it be crowded? Fri and Sun yes, as I said, peaking in the DC Richmond section, often with 300+ on this days. Other days, load runs in the 250 range. Train seats about 350.

3. Have you considered "Carolina" Business Class- extra space, free drinks- hot and cold (sorry no free booze), an attendent, and more quiet. $35 more.

4. Food- a sad story, usual Amtrak cafe fare. Pizza is popular, and the Sierra Chicken is pretty good.

NC Train Hosts on board, once you reach NC at Rocky Mount.

The food isn't fantastic, but I do enjoy eating it. I think people are too hard on it.

The people in North Carolina are paying for the Carolinian and they have
a perfect right to expect a one seat ride through to New York. If I was a
paying passenger from lets say Raleigh to Philadelphia I would not like
having to change to another train at Washington.
Noel Weaver

I think the burgers are pretty good.

Beer is a food group isn't it?

Noel Weaver wrote:The people in North Carolina are paying for the Carolinian and they have
a perfect right to expect a one seat ride through to New York. If I was a
paying passenger from lets say Raleigh to Philadelphia I would not like
having to change to another train at Washington.
Noel Weaver

The right they have is to simply be represented by their taxes. I would think most passengers would prefer a reliable ride over a non-stop ride. If I was a passenger I would prefer a one seat ride to anywhere in the I wanted to go, but the truth is that some destinations require a transfer and many require multiple transfers. I would prefer a transfer over a ride that was 2-3 hours late. The beauty of the old reservation system was that unreserved trains used to run about once an hour. If the Carolinan runs late into union station and the tickets are good for transfers to the next train regardless of arrival, it would usually not be a long layover in DC.

Except if you didn't ticket it that way (i.e. NC-WAS & WAS-NYC) then you wouldn't have a ticket to hand over to another train. Your's was already collected enroute to WAS.

And IMO, the people have a right to the kind of service their state chooses to sponsor. If they sponsor a service with a connection thats what they get, if they sponsor thru service then thats what they should get and Amtrak shouldn't even think of cutting it back.

blockss wrote:How does a late Carolinian impact the schedules of all the other trains operating into Penn Station? I used to take it a lot when it was an unreserved train. Now that they moved to an all resevered system, I would be hesitant to book travel on the Carolinian heading north because I can't just jump onto another train when it is late.

you can't just jump onto another train anyway, since now those are all reserved trains too. There are no unreserved Amtrak trains on the NEC anymore.

As for impact on other trains at Penn Station, Carolinian is scheduled to arrive into Penn Station pretty late in the day, past the rush hour anyway, so effect should be minimal. And the later it gets the fewer trains it has to contend with at Penn Station too.

blockss wrote:How does a late Carolinian impact the schedules of all the other trains operating into Penn Station? I used to take it a lot when it was an unreserved train. Now that they moved to an all resevered system, I would be hesitant to book travel on the Carolinian heading north because I can't just jump onto another train when it is late.

I've found that it's no big deal to change a ticket at the station to get an earlier train. Done it at least a couple of times when I got the station early and I think at least once when a train I had a ticket for was late.

Its usually no big deal to change tickets (unless you are downgrading, in which case you don't get a refund) except for the possibly long wait in line.