Acela 1st Class PVD-PHL

[amamba]

So let's just say that this trip didn't start out on a good note. I booked my trip as business class from RTE-PHL so that I could get the AGR select city pair route of 500 points. I used a 48 hour upgrade coupon to 1st class.

I arrived at PVD for train 2171 (departs 3:50) at about 3:30. Went right down to the platform to wait. At about 3:45 an announcement came on that 2171 was still in Back Bay with mechanical issues. I headed upstairs and got right in the ticket line - mechanical issues sounded ominous.

I waited in the ticket line for about 20 minutes until I got to the front. Right when I was up there, the ticket agent fielded a call and told me that 2171 was being cancelled. She transferred my ticket to first class on 2173, departing PVD at 5:05. I went to wait in the hall and that is when all hell broke loose.

First, the agent announced that anyone with a ticket on 2171 should take regional 175, which was held in BOS after 2171 backed up to BOS from BBY. No changing tickets was necessary. She then announced if you wanted 2173 to get in line and change your ticket in. 10 minutes later, she announced 2173 was sold out but she could put you on 2193 if and only if you were going only as far as NYP.

10 minutes later, she announced that anyone with a ticket for 2171 could board 2173. Bizarre. Unfortunately I didn't notice during the ticket switching process that my ticket was changed to PVD-PHL, so I guess I won't get those 750 points for select city pair.

Anyways, lots of people got off the 175 at PVD. They were originally from the 2171 and were told they could switch to 2173 at PVD. I started to get concerned that there might not be seats available.

When I boarded in PVD, I was the second to last person onto the 1st class car. I got the second to last seat. I am currently traveling between PVD and HVN and the first class car is 100% full.

I'll let everyone know how this goes when the trip is over

 

[amamba]

Well I am continuing to have a lovely ride on the Acela. I seriously will consider paying the money to upgrade in the future, because I do think its worth it on the Acela. I had the thai peanut chicken with edamame for dinner which was quite good, and they are pretty good about refilling the drinks. The attendents came by with hot towels and then ghiradelli chocolate after they cleared all the dinner trays away sometime before HVN.

However, it was interesting because a few people boarded in HVN and there were no seats!

I am thinking it must have something to do with them just telling the 2171 people that they didn't need to be reticketed and could just board 2173. Some people are standing and I guess hope to get seats after NYP? I am not sure.

Also, my only complaint is that the wifi is VERY slow. But all in all, a very good trip.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

By HVN I assume you mean NHV, for New Haven.

 

[acelafan]

Thanks for the reports; that's too bad you had so much drama with the train breaking down. Hopefully the ride in 1st class makes up for the fiasco.

 

[amamba]

By HVN I assume you mean NHV, for New Haven.

Yes, yes I do. Thanks for catching that.

 

[user 683]

Sorry to hear about the initial complications with your trip, but glad to hear it ended up well. I was on 2173 on Thursday out of BOS and had a great ride. I didn't go first class; however, business class was pretty nice. OTP was pretty much on the mark all along the way.

 

[amamba]

Rode 2250 home today and it was GLORIOUS. Train on time all the way, excellent car attendents (Andy - very, very prompt and good). I enjoyed the stuffed french toast for breakfast out of PHL and the small plates for lunch somewhere around Stamford. The wifi was still pretty slow and spotty for me - I had a lot of trouble trying even to just browse this board on my laptop. Got slightly held up for around 10 minutes around New London as they said there was only one track open for a while, after a SB acela passed we continued on our way and made up the time.

Great trip today.

 

[the_traveler]

I was on #66 Sat night/Sun morn, and we were NB on track 1 from before NLC until well after WLY! I don't know the reason.

 

[amamba]

Wow, an amazing update! I sent in some feedback to Amtrak customer service to commend the station agent in PVD for her handling of unruly pax during the disruption, plus to commend my awesome 1st class car attendant. Amtrak called me last night to thank me for sending in the feedback and also offered to send me a travel voucher for my trouble with the cancelled train! Very impressive.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

wonder what the problem was that the train couldn't run. if one loco is down the other can still pull or push the train to 150MPH that's how overpowered they are and theirs a youtube video to prove it.

 

[amamba]

No clue what was wrong, they said "mechanical issues". Probably since it broke down in back bay it made more sense to just leave the whole consist behind, since the train was still in boston. it really wasn't that inconvenient to accomodate all of the pax on the acela that left 50 minutes after the one that was cancelled, it was more inconvenient for the folks on 175 that got delayed for 45 minutes and that they put some of the pax on.