# Northeast Regional overnight



## TimePeace (Apr 9, 2012)

Wondering how it is to ride the Northeast Regional #66, overnight from WAS-BOS -

What is the layout of the business class seats, is it the 2X1 seating or just slightly longer legroom 2X2?

And would you say that business class is significantly better for overnight sleeping as compared with coach?

Thanks...


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## Swadian Hardcore (Apr 9, 2012)

It has the 2-1 seating in BC, but I would still prefer a day train instead of a night train without Sleepers.


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## TimePeace (Apr 9, 2012)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> It has the 2-1 seating in BC, but I would still prefer a day train instead of a night train without Sleepers.


I would too, but the question pertains to sleeping on that train, not riding on one that doesn't exist.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Apr 9, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> Swadian Hardcore said:
> 
> 
> > It has the 2-1 seating in BC, but I would still prefer a day train instead of a night train without Sleepers.
> ...


Well, it is like sleeping in a Superliner or Amfleet II Coach overnight.


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## TimePeace (Apr 9, 2012)

Swadian Hardcore said:


> Maine Rider said:
> 
> 
> > Swadian Hardcore said:
> ...


Well, what's that like? What's the difference between the two, in both business class and coach? Which of those kinds of trains is #66? Or does it vary?

Not to put too fine a point on it, I am looking for actual information, not pat answers.


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## thully (Apr 9, 2012)

I rode #66 in business class overnight recently - on this train, the business class is 2x1 seats in the same car as the cafe (a curtain separates the two sections of the car). Difference between coach and BC is basically more legroom (and the 2x1 seating) - I'd say it's on par with (if not better than) the overnight long-distance coaches (I.e. the Amfleet IIs and Superliners). In comparison, coach on the Northeast Regional usually has less legroom than the overnight LD coaches - though the equipment sometimes may vary...

As for sleeping on #66 (or #67, for that matter) in BC - I'd say it's definitely doable. If you are able to sleep in coach on an Amtrak long-distance train, you will be able to sleep on #66/67 in BC. In fact, it might be a bit nicer than sleeping in LD coach - there is slightly more legroom and you can often get a seat by yourself in the 2x1 configuration. The same advice that applies to sleeping in LD coach applies here - bring earplugs, a sleeping mask, a blanket, and a pillow. When I slept on #66 a few weeks ago, I laid down right after BWI and the next stop I remember was Providence (after which I dozed off again until Rt. 128).

I don't have any experience with 66/67 in coach to compare with, unfortunately...


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## amamba (Apr 9, 2012)

66 normally runs with the half bc/half cafe car at the front of the train. It has the 2 x 1 seating with calf rests and curtains over the window.

The coach cars do not generally have the curtains and the lights can be very bright during the dwell in NYP.

I would highly recommend riding BC if possible on this route as I think you will get a better ngiht's sleep. but bring earplugs, because if people are chatting in the cafe the sound will reach into the BC section.

My H rides the 66 every day from PVD - BOS. There will be many commuters boarding in PVD for the ride up to BOS. If you are in coach and stretched across multiple seats, you will be generally forced to sit up and share your seat pair by this point.


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2012)

Is the cafe open all night on this train?


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## TimePeace (Apr 9, 2012)

Well it's sounding pretty good. I am thinking of a trip to Charlotte to see a cousin, and the trip back on the Crescent and then the late night NE regional looks like a good way to do it....

Thanks for the info - more is always welcome!


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## Acela150 (Apr 9, 2012)

I did 66 on April 2 last year.. Didn't sleep much but got a nice sunrise on Long Island Sound North of KIN.


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## Acela150 (Apr 9, 2012)

Guest said:


> Is the cafe open all night on this train?


Yes.


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## Heading North (Apr 9, 2012)

I've made maybe 10 trips on 66/67 between NYP and Virginia in both business class and coach (and twice to Boston back in the sleeping-car days). It's not a bad trip, but I've had good coach trips, bad business class trips, and vice-versa. Business class you may still get cafe noise or noisy neighbors (or in one case, a ticketless passenger escorted off the train by police); in coach you may still get snorers, etc. I like business but if the fare is really high I'll typically skip it and do just fine.

On the best trips, I've fallen asleep shortly after NYP and woken up around New Carrollton. Depending on the day, I've often had two seats to myself until Baltimore southbound but not always to DC. Also note that northbound, WAS-PHL can be very heavy and may be sold out.


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## Ashland Train Enthusiast (Apr 10, 2012)

I've ridden WAS to NHV on 66 before both in coach and BC, and while it's not a bad trip, I'll agree w/ everyone here and say that the upgrade to BC is worth it. The seats are more comfortable, and at least in my experience, the car was quieter (When I took it, they had a curtain that they hung between the BC section and the Cafe, and that plus the curtains on the windows really help in comparison to coach, as NYP is noisy and bright for the amount of time you spend there. Coach is certainly an option , as especially north of PHL it's pretty quiet, and they have the lights in the car off, however as mentioned by others, earplugs/headphones and a sleeping mask make a world of difference.

~ DCTE


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## fairviewroad (Apr 10, 2012)

Acela150 said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > Is the cafe open all night on this train?
> ...


Does that make it unique in the Amtrak system? On most overnight trains (i.e. the "long distance" trains) the cafe

shuts down at the very least from midnight to 6 a.m. Of course 66/67 are unlike those trains. Wonder if there's anywhere

else on the Amtrak system you can buy a microwave hotdog at 2:45 a.m.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Apr 10, 2012)

Maine Rider said:


> Swadian Hardcore said:
> 
> 
> > Maine Rider said:
> ...


Actual information is that the regular Amfleet I Coaches have 40 inches of seat pitch, the 66/67 BC has about 50 inches. The Amfleet II has up to 55 inches.


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## GuitarChef28 (Jun 4, 2013)

I'm taking the advice posted here and riding the 66 from PHL - BOS tomorrow night in BC and returning on the 67 later that night (again in BC). I'll definitely have a sleep mask and earplugs/headphones with music and will report on my experience. Have a meeting on cape cod for an outdoor event in August and need to be back in philly friday am so have to take back to back overnight rides where the need for solid sleep is crucial. I once rode the 66 from PHL to RTE in BC and i remember sleeping well and being on the one seat side of a 2x1 config and being quite comfortable. The cost of the upgrade was worth it then - cant see how it would be different now.


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## MARC Rider (Jun 4, 2013)

Acela150 said:


> I did 66 on April 2 last year.. Didn't sleep much but got a nice sunrise on Long Island Sound North of KIN.


There's been a geological cataclysm that has moved Long Island Sound to the north of Kingston? 

My recollection of the route is that it diverges from the shore line somewhere between Mystic and Westerly, and Kingston is pretty far inland.


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## amamba (Jun 4, 2013)

You can see the water through some parts of RI that are between KIN and PVD on this train. I don't think it qualifies as the Long Island Sound, though. Don't forget that PVD itself is at the mouth of the Narragansett Bay/Narrow River.


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## Acela150 (Jun 4, 2013)

The post should say have the word "and" in it.


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## the_traveler (Jun 4, 2013)

Correct. The sunrise over the water you saw is on Narragansett Bay in North Kingtown!


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## the_traveler (Jun 4, 2013)

amamba said:


> Don't forget that PVD itself is at the mouth of the Narragansett Bay/Narrow River.


You of all people should know that PVD is not at the mouth of Narragansett Bay - Newport is! PVD is at the top or north end of the Bay. And the Narrow River begins near the RI-4/US-1 split in NK.


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## John (Sep 7, 2013)

The 67 has turned into a POS. I used to ride this all the time NHV-RVR and never had an issue. Now it's overcrowded; WiFi runs at ~2kbps when it's connecting, and they no longer dim the freekin lights in anything but BC. I am on the train now and it's brighter then day in the quiet car and has been all night. Walked back to the cafe car and BC was dark. Only two of the cars this time are the new ones with the nice seats, unfortunately NOT the quiet car. I was told by a conductor they removed a few cars to fill the train; meaning they took out cars so it would be more crowded. So far its been pretty miserable which is not the norm for this train in the past. Next time I drive.


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## battalion51 (Sep 7, 2013)

fairviewroad said:


> 'Acela150' said:
> 
> 
> > 'Guest' said:
> ...


I think the difference between this train and others in the system is that the LSA would be asleep for most of the trip if they did get a rest period, and there's no place for them to sleep. This probably is unique in the system though in being the only train to offer Cafe service all night.


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## amamba (Sep 7, 2013)

the_traveler said:


> amamba said:
> 
> 
> > Don't forget that PVD itself is at the mouth of the Narragansett Bay/Narrow River.
> ...


Learn something new every day.  and I did confuse mouth with the end.

So the narrow river is not just another name for the Bay? Someone told me that the other day, but I will admit that I am not a native RI'er so I am still learning. Does the narrow river go into the land on the west bay like near wickford?


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## Acela150 (Sep 7, 2013)

John said:


> The 67 has turned into a POS. I used to ride this all the time NHV-RVR and never had an issue. Now it's overcrowded; WiFi runs at ~2kbps when it's connecting, and they no longer dim the freekin lights in anything but BC. I am on the train now and it's brighter then day in the quiet car and has been all night. Walked back to the cafe car and BC was dark. Only two of the cars this time are the new ones with the nice seats, unfortunately NOT the quiet car. I was told by a conductor they removed a few cars to fill the train; meaning they took out cars so it would be more crowded. So far its been pretty miserable which is not the norm for this train in the past. Next time I drive.


This forum is not run by Amtrak, it's best to take your complaints directly to Amtrak.

As far as new cars.. Amtrak hasn't ordered any new cars for the NEC except Viewliners. For LD trains. New locomotives are testing.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Sep 7, 2013)

John said:


> The 67 has turned into a POS. I used to ride this all the time NHV-RVR and never had an issue. Now it's overcrowded; WiFi runs at ~2kbps when it's connecting, and they no longer dim the freekin lights in anything but BC. I am on the train now and it's brighter then day in the quiet car and has been all night. Walked back to the cafe car and BC was dark. Only two of the cars this time are the new ones with the nice seats, unfortunately NOT the quiet car. I was told by a conductor they removed a few cars to fill the train; meaning they took out cars so it would be more crowded. So far its been pretty miserable which is not the norm for this train in the past. Next time I drive.


Why are you complaining here? This isn't Amtrak's website. What "new cars with nice seats" are you talking about? Amtrak hasen't had new cars on the NEC in ages!

Seriously, we NEED that announcement at the top of every discussion section to thwart these misguided complaints.


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