Recent content by dlagrua

The train conductor has a list of passengers and knows who will be boarding and leaving the train at every stop. The SCA usually goes to bed around 11pm and gets al rooms prepared for those boarding after that time. The then conductor takes over. If there are no passengers expected at a stop at...

It should be known that Detroit already has Amtrak service at a small station about 1/2 mile away from Michigan Central. The service there goes to CHI. The route that once ran through Canada from Niagara Falls and went to central station may be difficult to restore but it may be an easier move...

Our last experience with flex dining was two weeks ago on the Cardinal . We tried the Kofta Kebabs and they were passable at best. On the next meal we tried the Chicken enchiladas and the were so so. The first day to CHI we solved the food problem at Washington DC where we stopped for 50 minutes...

Did a Cardinal trip two weeks ago and the cars were filthy on the outside. I would guess that there is a maintenance issue.

There are websites where you can get "last minute" bargain prices on hotels. If a room is unsold many hotels will let it go for a low price, Hotel Tonight, Hotwire and even major hotels like Marriott have deals

Just to let everyone know that on our trips to and from Winslow, AZ on the Southwest chief in the last two weeks; both Superliner bedrooms that we had were completely refurbished with new rugs, upholstery and wall panels. On our return trip we did have Bedroom A that is a bit cramped but we left...

To answer the question; the only ones that boarded the Trailways bus at Galesburg, IL for IND were Amtrak SWC passengers. It was a thrilling ride as we had to go around a dust storm that closed the highway but five hours later we caught the Card. The bus driver was a senior but he did an...

Our recent trip on the SW Chief /Cardinal was less than desirable. The SW Chief coupled on two private cars in Anburqurque and took them off at Kansas City. This along with a line delay ate up 4 hours of time. This made it impossible to catch the Cardinal at CHI that would take us to PHL. As a...

National Train Day attracted big crowds, families and those unacquainted with Amtrak. It was a great occasion to show the general public what train travel is all about. Why this beneficial marketing event was cancelled is a mystery to me. For a company that does so little advertising NTD seemed...

Yesterday the Ft Madison, IA bridge over the Mississippi River was hit by a barge and the line was closed for about 4 1/2 hours. Bridge damage resulted but it was considered not serious enough to close the line further. The Amtrak SW chief uses that line and there were delays. Hopefully the...

I have many fine memories of National Train Day and the AU group that met up at that time. That's going back about 10 years or so. There would be free tours of Private, Amtrak, SEPTA and NJT train cars. There were model train exhibits, talks on trains, handouts of posters and even cooking...

The lounge and cafe cars are often taken over by the "lounge lizards". In the cafe cars you find people on their laptops taking up a table for most of their trip ( w no food BTW). As for the SSL some believe that its the sleeping car. I believe Amtrak needs rules that would allow everyone...

IMO, the shortage of Superliner equipment, especially sleepers will continue until new equipment is purchased and deployed. I can see the CL continuing as it links major cities but going to single level equipment. On our trips going west from PHL , on the first leg of our trips to CHI, we have...

For those taking the Autotrain I would caution you not to go during "snowbird months. I would guess that's Oct-Nov.-Jan going south and April-May going North. The train frequently sells out and the wait for meals can be significant. From past experience May was a good travel month on that route...

SEPTA and NJ Transit still generate paper timetables and we find them to be a very useful tool. Even if its a downloadable online timetable at least its something to reference but Amtrak no longer has that. Thank goodness for RPA that provides something..