Amtrak Fall Foliage trips out of Philly

[AmtrakBlue]

WIL to PHL to WIL - they got my $ too.

 

[benjibear]

The Keystone line will probably not have any increased revenue, at least on Saturday, The earliest train into Philly arrives at 9:05AM so it is unfeasible anyone will take the Keystone for this trip unless you are going to stay overnight.

I heard there was a group trying to petition Amtrak to depart the excursion after the Keystone arrives.

They should have planned the excursion to leave at 9:30 so people could take the Keystone in.

 

[fairviewroad]

The Keystone line will probably not have any increased revenue, at least on Saturday, The earliest train into Philly arrives at 9:05AM so it is unfeasible anyone will take the Keystone for this trip unless you are going to stay overnight.

I heard there was a group trying to petition Amtrak to depart the excursion after the Keystone arrives.

They should have planned the excursion to leave at 9:30 so people could take the Keystone in.

Good point, though hard to make the case for that if Amtrak had no trouble selling out the trip as it was

currently scheduled. And some may make the trip into Philly on Friday night (as some AU'ers are planning

to do from various destinations) so that could help the Keystones, albeit in a small way.

That said, it IS possible to take a westbound Keystone to Philly on Saturday morning in time to catch the

excursion. In fact, 661 arrives into PHL at 8:20 which would work quite nicely for those coming down from

NYP or NWK. So there is, in fact, the possibility of increased revenue on Keystone trains. (But I know

what you meant.)

 

[jis]

Looks like quite a bit of the AU gang is making it a mini gathering in Philly starting Friday evening. So any of that group can still use the Keystone without any trouble.

 

[mignyc]

A friend told me he heard about thus excursion on NPR today, so I was concerned about the publicity.

I too really wish the trip start time was coordinated with the arrival of the Keystone coming from Harrisburg. Seems like a glaring oversight.

 

[railiner]

In consideration of all above, and more, I am confident Amtrak will do very well financially with these Special's......

 

[benjibear]

I wasn't implying that if the excursion would line up with the Keystone, more people would want to ride the excursion. But for me, I will probably be driving to a SEPTA station to get into 30th street station or just drive and park in Philly all day. Made me think twice about booking. I only did when I saw it was selling out and am worried this is a once and done trip on some tracks I cross everyday.

I think Amtrak underestimated the amount of people that would come from really far away for this trip. The only reason I was interested is because it is local. If I read about a similar trip, far away, I would not do it. I think the excursion is going to be slow and I am finding it interesting because there are many spots that I will recognize.

 

[mignyc]

On the phone with Amtrak now to book. Excited.

 

[mignyc]

BOOKED. The agent told me I was the first person to buy Sunday tickets

 

[jis]

It appears to have sold out already, and it is not even 11am!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

How many tickets were sold for Saturday? Man, 30th Street station is going to be a mad house both days.

 

[afigg]

It appears to have sold out already, and it is not even 11am!

I tried the reservation system at 10:25 AM out of curiosity and it was showing sold out for November 3. I'm wonder if it is really sold out or just that the reservation system was not designed to sell a lot of tickets for 1 train in a sbort time, so there could be a glitch in the process.
A market survey to find out how many people are taking the trains just for the fall colors and how many are rail fans primarily taking them for the rare mileage would be interesting. Driving trips on weekends to see the fall colors are a big deal in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. Amtrak may have discovered a nice niche market with train excursions to see the fall colors in October and November from the major cities on the NEC. Just have to work out scenic 6 to 7 hour loop or partial loop trips over interesting routes from WAS, PHL, BOS, maybe NYP and run a few of those each year. Change up the routes and cities each year to keep the railfan market interested. Additional weekend ticket sales on the NEC for connecting trains are a bonus.

 

[mignyc]

WOW, in that case, I'm very glad I was neurotic about being on the line/online at 9:55!

 

[Ryan]

Just have to work out scenic 6 to 7 hour loop or partial loop trips over interesting routes from WAS, PHL, BOS, maybe NYP and run a few of those each year. Change up the routes and cities each year to keep the railfan market interested. Additional weekend ticket sales on the NEC for connecting trains are a bonus.

From WAS, north on the CSX Metropolitan Sub to Point of Rocks. Hang a right on the Old Main line through beautiful Frederick and Carroll counties until you get to Relay, then hang another right on the Capitol Sub and head back to DC.
The Capitol and Met Subs see passenger traffic (MARC Camden and MARC Brunswick/Capitol Limited), but nothing across the Old Main in quite some time that I'm aware of.

 

[jis]

I would like to see an excursion from Albany NY to Scranton PA and back through upper Susquehanna Valley and across the Nicholson Viaduct. but I doubt that will ever happen.

It will just have to remain my usual fall weekend drive trip.

 

[the_traveler]

I've taken a steam excursion from Steamtown to Binghamton over the Nicholson Viaduct, but I thing Albany is a dream that will never happen! Although I wish it could/would.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Just have to work out scenic 6 to 7 hour loop or partial loop trips over interesting routes from WAS, PHL, BOS, maybe NYP and run a few of those each year. Change up the routes and cities each year to keep the railfan market interested. Additional weekend ticket sales on the NEC for connecting trains are a bonus.

From WAS, north on the CSX Metropolitan Sub to Point of Rocks. Hang a right on the Old Main line through beautiful Frederick and Carroll counties until you get to Relay, then hang another right on the Capitol Sub and head back to DC.
The Capitol and Met Subs see passenger traffic (MARC Camden and MARC Brunswick/Capitol Limited), but nothing across the Old Main in quite some time that I'm aware of.

The only problem with using the 'old main' as I understand it - and this may not be correct, as it is something my Dad told me back in the late '60s or early '70s while watching trains at Point of Rocks - is that its curves are too sharp for today's longer cars. What makes me think the 'Old Man' was on to something is that in recent times I've only ever seen coal on it, and this is why CSX sends frieghts that are not hoppers south through DC via the Met. sub.

 

[The Metropolitan]

I tried booking at 10:05am this morning and it was already sold out. That is a certain barometer of unmet demand!

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I've taken a steam excursion... ...Binghamton over the Nicholson Viaduct...

Me too! But my steam excursion was r/t Hoboken, with an overnight in Binghamton.

 

[Metropolitan]

Oh, and rode a charter on the B&O OML back in 1985 that used RDC coaches 85' in length with no issues, so I think it could accomodate similar Amtrak coaches

 

[mignyc]

I wonder how many tickets were sold for each train. I am indeed not looking forward to the crush/line to board....

 

[jis]

What is it 12 or 13 Horizon cars? Should be easy to compute the number if it is a sold out train?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

What is it 12 or 13 Horizon cars? Should be easy to compute the number if it is a sold out train?

Not if you're clueless about the equipment, as I am.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Oh, and rode a charter on the B&O OML back in 1985 that used RDC coaches 85' in length with no issues, so I think it could accomodate similar Amtrak coaches

See - why I don't ever quite trust what the old man told me...

 

[railiner]

I've taken a steam excursion... ...Binghamton over the Nicholson Viaduct...

Me too! But my steam excursion was r/t Hoboken, with an overnight in Binghampton.

I may have been on the same one.....it was back around 1970 or so, run by Ross Rowland's High Iron Company, with NKP Bershire No. 759 for power. We went west from Hoboken on the Lackawanna via Scranton, and returned the next day on the Erie via Port Jervis. Spent the night at the Treadway Inn in Bingo....A great trip!