Federal, Night Owl, Twilight Shoreliner (Trains 65, 66, 67)

From Boston Globe: 3/8/21:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/08/ ... t-trains/

Amtrak’s Northeast Regional trains will now include private rooms for select trains traveling overnight between Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York, officials said.

The rooms will be available on trains beginning April 5, Amtrak said in a statement. Trains will feature three kinds of private rooms — Roomettes, Bedrooms, and Accessible Bedrooms.

...

Rooms will feature seating that folds into a bed, “newly-upgraded” bedding, pillows, towels, and linens, the statement said. Bedrooms will have twice the space of a roomette and other amenities including a shower. Travelers can purchase adjoining bedrooms to create a “bedroom suite.”

artman wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 2:06 pm From Boston Globe: 3/8/21:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/08/ ... t-trains/

Amtrak’s Northeast Regional trains will now include private rooms for select trains traveling overnight between Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York, officials said.

The rooms will be available on trains beginning April 5, Amtrak said in a statement. Trains will feature three kinds of private rooms — Roomettes, Bedrooms, and Accessible Bedrooms.

...

Rooms will feature seating that folds into a bed, “newly-upgraded” bedding, pillows, towels, and linens, the statement said. Bedrooms will have twice the space of a roomette and other amenities including a shower. Travelers can purchase adjoining bedrooms to create a “bedroom suite.”

So is this the return of the Night Owl?

OK, now I believe!!!

For an April 15 departure on 67 BOS-WAS, the website shows Roomettes @ $288, Bedrooms @ $323

Maybe that 17yo kid from Wherever? will shame enough people off the final Jet Blue of the day and a hotel to fill the fifteen V-1 rooms.

Globe article is based off this press release:
https://media.amtrak.com/2021/03/amtrak ... al-trains/

The press release says private rooms, not sleepers, sleeping cars, sleeping accomodations... It takes several lines to get to "bed". I wonder how much of that is Covid -- assumption being that private = safer -- and how much of it is a sign that Amtrak's publicity people are trying to reach customers who don't know anything about long-distance trains.

$288 could easily be cheaper than plane + hotel -- in Boston or in Washington. Maybe not so easy right now, but when it is safer and more appropriate to travel again, definitely.

No official announcement that I could find but ==== Reservations now posts a sleeper BOS <> WASH every night. This has many possibilities somewhat with some speculation.

Expect that this will be a V-1 sleeper to allow for same type off LSL and being able to exchange sleepers. The scheduled 8 PM arrival of the LSL at BOS make it a problem to turn a sleepers to the night owl. Turns the other way very possible that would leave normal turn sleeper to make night owl. The sleeper ending in WASH also allows for a spare V-1 during day for the Crescent and Silver service.

It could be that in future cut off sleeper(s) from Cardinal, Crescent and Silver trains could be implemented . The only problem for that is storage capacity at Ivy city until VRE gets its new storage tracks completed there.

It's for real; BOS to WAS Apr 15 RM $288; BR $322

I would have loved that on my last trip from Lakeland FL, to Boston. Trying to sleep in the business class seat was (not unexpectedly) challenging . The room would have been worth the money to not live the following day in a haze.

Here’s the official press release

Arborwayfan wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:11 pm The press release says private rooms, not sleepers, sleeping cars, sleeping accomodations... It takes several lines to get to "bed". I wonder how much of that is Covid -- assumption being that private = safer -- and how much of it is a sign that Amtrak's publicity people are trying to reach customers who don't know anything about long-distance trains.

$288 could easily be cheaper than plane + hotel -- in Boston or in Washington. Maybe not so easy right now, but when it is safer and more appropriate to travel again, definitely.

Flights are averaging $75/flight, although getting as cheap as $40/flight, according to Kayak. Hotels... DC seems to hover north of $125, and Boston averages that. So for an overnight snooze that keeps you moving, over a flight that wastes more time in Security and still have to drop a day to rest... It's competitive at least.

Full text of press release:

Instead of catching a red eye, get some shut eye

WASHINGTON – Amtrak Northeast Regional service will now include private rooms, affording customers an opportunity to enjoy a distinctive travel experience. Private rooms will be offered on select trains operating overnight between Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston. Tickets are now available to purchase for travel beginning on April 5.

The schedule:

Train 66 travels daily and departs Washington Union Station at 10 p.m., arriving at New York Penn Station at 1:55 a.m. and Boston South Station at 7:58 a.m.
Train 67 travels Sundays to Thursdays and departs Boston South Station at 9:30 p.m., arriving at New York Penn Station at 2:30 a.m. and Washington Union Station at 7 a.m.
Train 65 operates with slightly different arrival times on Fridays and Saturdays.
“We offer a one-of-a-kind way to reach your destination that is unique to Amtrak,” said Roger Harris, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer at Amtrak. “In addition to all the safety precautions we are taking to make rail travel a safe experience, a private room will enhance the trip and give customers the added benefit of more comfort, space and privacy.”

Sample itineraries with one-way fares for one person traveling in a private room (including continental breakfast) are as low as:

Destinations One traveler
Boston – Washington $288
Philadelphia – Boston $276
Baltimore – New Haven $256
Customers can select from three types of accommodations: Roomettes, Bedrooms and Accessible Bedrooms. Private rooms feature comfortable seating that folds into a bed, newly-upgraded bedding, pillows, towels and linens. A dedicated attendant provides turndown service, assists with meals, and helps with luggage.

An upgrade to a Bedroom offers a trip with twice the space as a Roomette as well as other added amenities including a private shower. Customers can opt to book two adjoining Bedrooms to create a Bedroom Suite for the ultimate private room experience.

Private room customers will be offered complimentary Metropolitan Lounge access at Washington Union and Boston South stations, as well as a complimentary alcoholic beverage upon boarding and continental breakfast before arrival.

Amtrak is leading the way by setting a new standard of travel with enhanced safety and cleaning measures. In an effort to simplify and safeguard the travel experience, several cleaning, contact-free and convenience measures have been implemented into every part of the customer journey, including:

Enhanced cleaning: Amtrak has enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols at stations and onboard our trains.
Face coverings: Per federal law and Amtrak policy, all customers and employees must wear a face mask or covering that fully covers the entire mouth and nose, fits snugly against the side of the face, and secures under the chin at all times while onboard and in stations. Neck gaiters, open-chin triangle bandanas, face shields, and masks containing valves, mesh material or holes of any kind do not qualify as acceptable face coverings. Face masks can be removed briefly while actively eating, drinking or taking medication. Children under 2 years old are not required to wear a face covering. Refusing to wear a mask is a violation of federal law; passengers may be subject to penalties under federal law, denied boarding, removed from the train and banned from future travel in the event of noncompliance.
Air Quality: All trains are equipped with onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every 4-5 minutes.
Physical distancing: Signage indicates safe distances in high traffic areas in our busiest stations and onboard leading up to the café car counter, and protective plastic barriers have been installed at customer counters in stations and at countertops in café cars.

"The Points Guy" article: https://thepointsguy.com/news/you-can-n ... -regional/

This could actually attract some business travel. Those departure times from Boston and Washington are late enough to allow you to have a dinner meeting before catching the train to NY.

I know for a fact that there are people in my company who prefer to travel by train but have flown instead because the last Acela left Boston too early and they didn't feel like sitting up for hours in an Amfleet.

Select overnight trains?. there's only one.

Eight hours...

Okay, you know what? I would do that. I would run up to Boston normally (maybe an Acella) from BWI and futz around that Saturday. Overnight in Boston. Hit up the MIT Flea Market that Sunday. Get a late dinner and the overnight sleeper down to DC. Then breakfast at Union Station and up to Baltimore to work that day in the office.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:09 pm Eight hours...

Okay, you know what? I would do that. I would run up to Boston normally (maybe an Acella) from BWI and futz around that Saturday. Overnight in Boston. Hit up the MIT Flea Market that Sunday. Get a late dinner and the overnight sleeper down to DC. Then breakfast at Union Station and up to Baltimore to work that day in the office.

Why wouldn’t you just get off at Baltimore and save yourself some doubling back? Or are the breakfast options at Union Station so much better than the ones in Baltimore?