Amtrak Fall Foliage trips out of Philly

[amamba]

Yeah I was trying to see if I could pair this with a visit to a friend in Philly which is why I was holding off. Honestly if its going to be that much of a madhouse I probably won't enjoy it. I hate crowds.

So you all have an amazing time and then report back. Then you can all gloat about what an amazing time you had and I will be kicking myself....

 

[railiner]

Anyone interested in an Amtrak run fall foliage trip over tracks that do not normally host passenger service, on Nov 2, check this out:
http://www.amtrak.com/fall-foliage-aboard-the-autumn-express

The scuttlebutt is that more seats are being added today, so may be worth trying again. OTOH, it is now all over every railfan board in the US railroad universe. We were lucky to get a heads up soon after it was announced, and before all of the railfan boards came to know abut it.

It appears that it was you, jis, that we who are booked, have to thank.....so.....Thanks! :hi:

 

[Erin Cox-Holmes]

new member here! With a railfan husband! Just got this notice via amtrak's email to rewards members yesterday. I tried to book within the hour, and it was sold out. If they reopened briefly, it missed my numerous checks.

We live in Lancaster county PA. My hubby would love to go on this. And I thought it would be his birthday present.

Are there any railfan clubs that might have available tickets. Or is it impossible to hope for tickets?

thanks!

Erin C=H

 

[jis]

Anyone interested in an Amtrak run fall foliage trip over tracks that do not normally host passenger service, on Nov 2, check this out:
http://www.amtrak.com/fall-foliage-aboard-the-autumn-express

The scuttlebutt is that more seats are being added today, so may be worth trying again. OTOH, it is now all over every railfan board in the US railroad universe. We were lucky to get a heads up soon after it was announced, and before all of the railfan boards came to know abut it.

It appears that it was you, jis, that we who are booked, have to thank.....so.....Thanks! :hi:

Well there was a deep throat at Amtrak who gave me the heads up as a starter. Actually we got the heads up within hours of it being publicly available. I extend our collective gratitude to said deep throat. You know who your are.

 

[railiner]

Anyone interested in an Amtrak run fall foliage trip over tracks that do not normally host passenger service, on Nov 2, check this out:
http://www.amtrak.com/fall-foliage-aboard-the-autumn-express

The scuttlebutt is that more seats are being added today, so may be worth trying again. OTOH, it is now all over every railfan board in the US railroad universe. We were lucky to get a heads up soon after it was announced, and before all of the railfan boards came to know abut it.

It appears that it was you, jis, that we who are booked, have to thank.....so.....Thanks! :hi:

Well there was a deep throat at Amtrak who gave me the heads up as a starter. Actually we got the heads up within hours of it being publicly available. I extend our collective gratitude to said deep throat. You know who your are.

Okay, then....thanks to both of you!

For those that missed out, I suggest keep trying, Perhaps Amtrak will add more cars, or run another train....it is still a long time off.....

 

[chakk]

Word by an Amtrak Insider on the flyertalk form for stuff Amtrakian is that when the train first sold out, four additional coaches were added to the consist. And after those four coaches sold out a few hours later, that is all there would be and there won't be any more. So, if you don't already have a confirmed ticket, you are SOOL for this excursion ride.

 

[jis]

That's going to be a long train. Maybe Amtrak should do more of these next year, possibly on other routes around the area.

I would love one from Albany to Scranton and back perhaps overnighting in Scranton... a somewhat more elaborate thing. But riding across the Tunckhannock (Nicholson) Viaduct would be an awesome thing.

If only the Lackawanna Cutoff had been rebuilt such could be run out of Hoboken. but the rate at which NJT builds things, we will have to wait until the 24th Century for that to come to pass.

 

[rrdude]

One can hope that Execs at Amtrak will realize that there is a market (very limited, but during the right time of year, and if not abused) for "Special Trains". I think in the past they have been "Gun Shy" of running such excursions, as they might be seen by detractors (Mica) as "follies for fans or the rich"....

However, even the most ardent opponent would have a difficult time criticizing an event that not only breaks even, but:

• Covers All costs
• Adds to the bottom line (profit)
• Is good publicity
• Improves market awareness, and exposes new clientele to rail travel
• Utilizes equipment that would otherwise be dormant (weekend utilization of equip only normally needed M-F)

Bee-Atch of this all is that most of us die-hard pax rail fans have pretty much known this for years, while Amtrak may be just figuring this out, and only with the current mgmt in place.

Help me out here, 'cause as most members know, (and many will admit openly to me) I'm a dumb-*** when it comes to memorizing things, has Amtrak ever run their own excursions before?

 

[Ryan]

Dangit.

Looks like I'll on on the chase for this one...

 

[Acela150]

Be careful Ryan.. You might get run over by other Foamers.. :lol:

 

[Trogdor]

I am sure Trog can give a more informed view on this, but I suspect that even if and when the Horizons come east they will not be deployed on Regionals, until they replace those doors with trainlined doors. Without that, either NEC's schedules will be shot or NEC's cash surprlus will disappear as more conductors will be required on trains to operate individual doors. I don't see this happening.
They might get placed on Empire Service or other primarily off corridor use, e.g. Downeasters, Springfield Shuttles, Palmetto, Carolinian etc. But not on any Corridor Regionals, Keystones or anything like that.

And if they are going to redo the doors, they might as well do the full length trainlined doors like NJT has which can operate on both high and low level platforms.

Horizons have operated on the NEC in recent times. I rode one on the Vermonter a couple years ago (the cars had been out east for the Florida Palm Beach special, and hadn't yet gone back west).

While not ideal, there's nothing to say you couldn't run a Horizon on a Regional. The key would be to make sure that you don't have two consecutive Horizons. With an Amfleet on either side, you'd still have trainlined doors available to passengers exiting. You'd just have to put up a little sign that directs passengers to the next door on the other side of the diaphragm. They do have signs on the Superliners that run Surfliner service telling passengers that doors in that car won't open, and to board/exit, they have to go to another car.

 

[jis]

So there could be a few but not too many in a Regional. The more you have per train the more it will impact schedules at the bigger stops. Makes sense. After all it is just a trade off between capacity and end to end running time. They could be used on those schedules like the Vermonter which have more padding in their schedules to some extent anyway.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Even though the 'early word' was great for fellow AUers - and other crazed foaming creatures whose prime habitat is near dual steel ribbon - I think the only place Amtrak has screwed up on this trip - so far - was to let word get out before the general email notification went out. Folks who are more 'normal' :giggle: (and who might not be such ardent Amtrak supporters) and didn't get the inside scoop, must be frustrated that the train was basically sold out before they even knew about it.

I'm thinking they don't have 'the warm fuzzies' about this trip the way so many of us do. I'll bet they see it as Amtrak acting like, well, Amtrak at its not-so-best. hboy:

 

[benjibear]

I don't see Amtrak getting into the excursion business. I can see them having occasional trains like this. If they made this same trip a regular fall occurrence, the crazed rail fans may get less in quantity and more 'normal' people will get an opportunity. If NS thinks that Amtrak is making too much money on this or it becomes a hassle for NS, I can see this trip not being a regular occurrence. NS may be a little more willing and accommodating for this, but what will they think in the future.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Hmm? Maybe I should switch my NER ticket to the 1st one that morning so I can get in line early. How many will be boarding at PHL?

Those coming into Philly the day before may want to camp out in the station rather than at their hotels.

 

[jis]

I will get into PHL a little after 7. Those who are already in Philly may consider getting positions in line for the group. But even if that does not happen I am not worried. The worst that can happen is one gets an aisle seat, and that will not really be the end of creation disaster either.

The last trip that I went on this route, It was an NRHS trip may years back and I somehow landed a window seat without trying too hard.

 

[benjibear]

An aisle seat may actually be better because it will be easier to look out both sides of the train. If you are in a window seat, it will be more difficult to look at the views on the other side.

 

[Slasharoo]

Good try Benjibear...you better get there early

 

[PRR 60]

Suggest a window on the left side. That would provide the best viewing heading up along the Susquehanna.

As for tickets, I would not be surprised to see some open up as the date gets close. Some may have bought tickets "just in case", then may decide not to go and cancel.

 

[railiner]

Even though the 'early word' was great for fellow AUers - and other crazed foaming creatures whose prime habitat is near dual steel ribbon - I think the only place Amtrak has screwed up on this trip - so far - was to let word get out before the general email notification went out. Folks who are more 'normal' :giggle: (and who might not be such ardent Amtrak supporters) and didn't get the inside scoop, must be frustrated that the train was basically sold out before they even knew about it.
I'm thinking they don't have 'the warm fuzzies' about this trip the way so many of us do. I'll bet they see it as Amtrak acting like, well, Amtrak at its not-so-best. hboy:

A solid dividend for AU membership......otherwise I would be among those missing out on this trip....

 

[railiner]

I will get into PHL a little after 7. Those who are already in Philly may consider getting positions in line for the group. But even if that does not happen I am not worried. The worst that can happen is one gets an aisle seat, and that will not really be the end of creation disaster either.
The last trip that I went on this route, It was an NRHS trip may years back and I somehow landed a window seat without trying too hard.

I suppose the Redcaps will make out nicely, preboarding those willing to tip for a 'headstart'?

 

[railiner]

An aisle seat may actually be better because it will be easier to look out both sides of the train. If you are in a window seat, it will be more difficult to look at the views on the other side.

If you enter a crowded lounge car, and want to grab a window seat for an upcoming scenic highlight, just go to the opposite side, point outside, and shout: "Buffalo!"

Guarantee the desired side will empty out.... .

Works on sightseeing boats too, only shout "Whale!"

 

[CHamilton]

If you enter a crowded lounge car, and want to grab a window seat for an upcoming scenic highlight, just go to the opposite side, point outside, and shout: "Buffalo!"

Boy, if we see Buffalo, we'll really be going in the wrong direction But then, it would get more reaction than shouting "Havre de Grace!"

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Even though the 'early word' was great for fellow AUers - and other crazed foaming creatures whose prime habitat is near dual steel ribbon - I think the only place Amtrak has screwed up on this trip - so far - was to let word get out before the general email notification went out. Folks who are more 'normal' :giggle: (and who might not be such ardent Amtrak supporters) and didn't get the inside scoop, must be frustrated that the train was basically sold out before they even knew about it.
I'm thinking they don't have 'the warm fuzzies' about this trip the way so many of us do. I'll bet they see it as Amtrak acting like, well, Amtrak at its not-so-best. hboy:

A solid dividend for AU membership......otherwise I would be among those missing out on this trip....

and possibly just a wee bit selfish? :unsure:

 

[jis]

Look, for those whose hearts are aching about some people getting on the trip and others not, this is completely par for the course for any of these railfan trips, and for that matter any once off event of this sort rail trip or otherwise. The people who are closer to the organizers come to know of them first and get first dibs. And there is a cutoff point at which others do not get on the trip. Considering the number of times when I have not gotten on a trip even after getting relatively early notification, I don't feel particularly good or bad with the way this trip was handled, and would not fault Amtrak. They notified on Facebook relatively early, and the trip actually filled up after that and other broader notification like to the Select etc. customers, not before.

If someone who managed to get on the trip and is feeling really bad, s/he can always cancel and let someone else get on. And for those that did not get on certainly there will be a next time for a railfan trip on the same route. It has happened before when the trip was run by Conrail and it was Newark to Newark, and there was the Trenton Cutoff thrown in for good measure on that one. It will happen again at some point.

But one thing that one can bet on is that even then everyone that wanted to get on the trip won't manage to do so. There will be those that manage to get a ticket and those that won't. If some folks in the AU community feels that it is selfish of them to be notified early, maybe we should set up a "Do not notify" list for them.