# Atlanta trip report



## Superliner Diner (Nov 13, 2002)

The trip report of our recent Atlanta excursion is now on On Track Online. You will enjoy reading of all our adventures, including two CRESCENT trains that came in early, a minor power failure at Washington Union Station, summer-like temperatures in Atlanta, and yet more new heavy rail trackage added to my collection.

Click here to get to the report.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Nov 15, 2002)

Superliner Diner, as an Atlantan I certainly did enjoy your report. I live about 4-5 blocks north of the Amtrak station, away from town. My normal route to work consists of boarding the #23 bus in front of my apartment building, riding to the Arts Center Station and making an automatic transfer to a southbound train. At night, I can take any northbound train, since I live south of the Lindbergh station, and change at the arts center station back to a #23 bus.

Actually, though, I walk a lot ,so, sometimes at night I leave town on the train, then walk home from the Arts Center station, going right by the Amtrak Station. Other nights I ride the train all the way to Lenox and walk back from there, about an hour 15 minute walk for me.

On the bus between home and Arts Center, I do, of course, go by the Amtrak station. If I work late I keep an eye out for the Crescent at night. Of course I would never see the southbound unless I am busing around or driving around on Saturday or Sunday.

MARTA is a pretty good system for what it does---but does not go to nearly enough places very well, such as .Stone Mountain Park, which you mention. At work I get a reduced rate on the monthly transcard, only $35.Quite a deal. I do not need the car in my work so only drive on weekends. Otherwise MARTA, and walking.

Oh yes,...you can see my apartment (a 16 story building) from the Crescent if you know where to look for it. coming south it is on the right hand side of the train, off in a distance. The Crescent also goes over familiar places where I drive or shop.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Nov 17, 2002)

Superliner Diner, when I read your report the first time, and responded to it, I had read it quickly. Thought I would re-read it and see if there was anything I could expand upon and clarify about Atlanta or the Crescent for you....but you did an extremely good job of describing and undersanding everything, etc far better than I would have done.

One thing which disturbs me is that your northbound train only had one sleeper. I have NEVER seen that--hope that is not a sign of bad things to come. It quite commonly through the years has had only one sleeper SOUTH of Atlanta.....but north.....never! Sometimes 2 or 3 or more sleepers north of Atlanta.

ALso, you may have wondered why the station is so small, though it is adequate for today's needs. The explanation is that was formerly a suburban station. There were two big stations downtown, which were destroyed. SInce the trains which still existed were already using the suburban stop, anyway, plus one of the downtown stations, it was a comparatively simple matter to tear down the big ones and re-designate the suburban stop as the one stop.

You mention the zoo, which time did not permit you to visit. It went from being one of the nation's worst(filthy, unkempt ,animals sick and dying) to one of the best, for its moderate size, i.e. all natural habitats, etc. That transformation began about 10 or 12 years ago, I guess, and is a work in progress.

Anyway I am glad you enjoyed your trip and you certainly know how to write a good detailed report.


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## Superliner Diner (Nov 18, 2002)

Bill,

Thanks for the kind words about the report. Had I not planned this at the last minute you might have been able to see our very brief appearance in town.

The last time we were in Altanta was in 1997. I know the year because it was one year after the Olympics, and they had already converted Centennial Olympic Park back into the fountains that you can walk through (and we did). On that trip we took the Silver Meteor Philadelphia to Jacksonville, waited 10 hours (it's now down to a 5-hour layover due to the rescheduling of the Sunset Limited) during which time we went downtown and took in museums and other downtown attractions. Then the Sunset Limited to New Orleans. On that trip we got into a rail traffic jam between Pensacola, FL & the Alabama border, stuck for an hour or so while they sorted out the mess between our train and two freights. I think one was supposed to be in a yard but it was fouling the mainline track. Once in New Orleans we spent a couple of days there, and then took the Crescent to Atlanta.

On that trip since we both arrived and departed on #20, we had 24 hours rather than 11. We stayed at a Travelodge that was just across the bridge over the freeway from the Amtrak station. I recall during that trip we did in fact use the #23 bus from Lenox to the Amtrak station, approaching it from the north rather than the south. Had we more time on the trip last week we would have done the same thing because we would have been coming back from the Doraville terminus. On this recent trip it looks like that Travelodge is now a Super-8. You definitely can verify that because you said you walk right by it. Our 1997 trip resumed with the Crescent back to Philadelphia.

Regarding the one sleeper we had on our 2002 trip on #20, I surmise it might have been because the autumn months are traditionally when they take a coach or sleeper from a train here or there in order to cycle the cars through maintenance. Miami Joe might know for sure since these same Amfleet II cars and Viewliners pass through Miami when they get assigned to Silver Service trains.


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## EmpireBuilderFan (Nov 18, 2002)

Superliner Diner,

Boy, that sounds like you had a great trip. What a great way to spend a long weekend!


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## tp49 (Nov 19, 2002)

Diner,

One thing I noticed in your report that I cannot agree more with you on is how people get on the train and only look for seats/space in the car they board in. Must be the airplane mentality of cramming all the bodies in all the available seats before one moves to the next car. After boarding (my NB station has a short platform) I aways move to the car closest to the head end for more space.

I also love riding the LIRR and hearing the conductor announce that there are seats in the front or rear of the train if people would just walk that way to claim them. Must be laziness on most peoples part.


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## Amfleet (Nov 19, 2002)

Now I don't know if this is possible, but when on the Auto Train you get your seat assignments as you check in. Then once on the train and everyone has boarded you can move around. However, the Auto Train does not make any intermdiete stops.

On a side note, I've rode in Coach on the Auto Train and every single time we were put in the exact same car. I forget the number, but in was the second car behind Diner B.


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## tp49 (Nov 19, 2002)

Amfleet,

Most of the trains I ride are unreserved so it's the free for all. On the train I rode that had reserved coach we were asked at the originating station where we were going then assigned to a particular number of cars where we could sit anywhere in either coach. I don't know how it is on other routes or when you get on someplece that's not the originating stop. However, I'm guessing that cretain runs have a couple of intermediate stops where a lot of people board so they dedicate a coach for people going to that location.


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## Superliner Diner (Nov 20, 2002)

tp49 said:


> Diner,
> One thing I noticed in your report that I cannot agree more with you on is how people get on the train and only look for seats/space in the car they board in.  Must be the airplane mentality of cramming all the bodies in all the available seats before one moves to the next car.  After boarding (my NB station has a short platform) I aways move to the car closest to the head end for more space.
> 
> I also love riding the LIRR and hearing the conductor announce that there are seats in the front or rear of the train if people would just walk that way to claim them.  Must be laziness on most peoples part.


Nine,

Maybe it's me, but I prefer to have more space, rather than being near other people. At a place like Washington or Boston where everyone approaches the train from one end, I make a beeline for the other end of the train. And that is with a kid and heavy baggage. Eventually that coach may fill up as well, but at least I have my choice of seats, and can be assured that my child and I will be able to share adjacent seats.

I also chalk this phenomenon up to the "lazy" mentality. These people will just plop themselves in the first coach they come to, instead of looking for elbow room.

Same thing happens on NJ TRANSIT, and I suspect that once if it is enforced in New York Penn Station that passengers utilize the new NJT concourse, all the passengers will be in the rear cars and hardly anybody in the front.


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## jccollins (Nov 21, 2002)

A recent late evening (7pm) Capitol Corridor train I was on only had about twenty people on it. It was a five car train, too. When I got on the train I was in the rear car, and there was not a soul in the entire car. Same case with the coach car in front of it. It was actually kind of creepy!  The lounge car in the middle of the train only had the snack bar attendant in it, quietly reading a book. The coach car on the other side of the lounge had every seat filled for the closest half to the lounge. I found a seat there! There is something about riding in c ompletely empty train car that is just weird - it doesn't even feel like a train! I hope they don't cancel the eastbound 7:40pm Capitol Corridor weekend departure from San Jose. The conductor said our train is typical every weekend...


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## tp49 (Nov 21, 2002)

What day were you on that train? I take that one from Fremont nearly every Sunday night. When I boarded the head end where I like to sit was not open so I had to sit one car back (on the head end side of the lounge). That car is usually full because it is the one that platforms in Berkeley.


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## jccollins (Nov 22, 2002)

tp49 said:


> What day were you on that train? I take that one from Fremont nearly every Sunday night. When I boarded the head end where I like to sit was not open so I had to sit one car back (on the head end side of the lounge). That car is usually full because it is the one that platforms in Berkeley.


It was a Sunday night about five to six weeks ago. I remember from San Jose to Oakland had maybe 20 people and from Oakland to Martinez it might have doubled to at most 40, but the car definitely was not full. It was definitely the quietest train I'd ever seen.


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## tp49 (Nov 22, 2002)

The train is usually quiet during the Summer months but once school starts at UC Davis that train gets pretty full. At Fremont last Sunday night 12 people boarded the Sunday night train. Never take the train down Friday afternoon if you have issues about personal space as the train that leaves Sacramento at 5:40 to San Jose fills up at Davis and stays that way all the way south.


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## jccollins (Nov 22, 2002)

The Friday night Capitol train to San Jose is a model train - I can always find a seat on it and it carries a large number of passengers. Maybe Amtrak would actually break even more often if ALL of the trains ran this way.


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