Atlantic Coast Service discussion

[jis]

jis or all: To the best of your knowledge, is the Crescent running stlll with just Viewliner 1 sleepers? Trip soon ATN-WAS-ATN and I frequently upgrade as a non-ADA passenger to the H bedroom if available--a space I have always loved in the Viewliner 1 but NOT SO MUCH in the Viewliner 2 because of the toilet location (have never seen it on the Viewliner 2--but have been told on this forum's discussion). Thanks!

IIRC Crescent is still all Viewliner I usually, except for the Bag-Dorm. I don;t recall whether they sell any of the Roomettes in the Bag-Dorm to customers on the Crescent as they do on the Cardinal.

 

[Palmland]

Silver Star at Winter Park- 3 coaches, amcafe, diner. 9110-VI, 9111-VII Raritan River, baggage.

 

[Keith1951]

I remember when roomettes had toilets traveling from NYC to MIA. Now, I dont see any roomettes with a toilet. Have they stopped putting toilets in all the roomettes?

 

[zephyr17]

Viewliner Is from the 1990s have in room toilets. The fairly recently delivered Viewliner IIs do not and have a toilet down the hall, which I prefer.

Whether you have a toilet in your room will depend on whether the equipment assigned for your sleeper is a Viewliner I or II. For example, on my recent trip from NYP to CHI on 49, both NY sleepers were Viewliner IIs. On last year's trip, 4911 was a Viewliner I and 4912 was a Viewliner II.

 

[pennyk]

I remember when roomettes had toilets traveling from NYC to MIA. Now, I dont see any roomettes with a toilet. Have they stopped putting toilets in all the roomettes?

Most of the Silver consists currently have one sleeper with toilets in roomettes (VI) and one sleeper without toilets (VII). It appears that the 10 car is now VI and the 11 car is VII, but, of course, that could change.

 

[Oreius]

I’m onboard 91 right now. And there’s a special treat. My car is a VL2!! It’s Roanoke River. I am pleasantly surprised!

 

[jis]

I’m onboard 91 right now. And there’s a special treat. My car is a VL2!! It’s Roanoke River. I am pleasantly surprised!

Is it car 9111?

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I’m onboard 91 right now. And there’s a special treat. My car is a VL2!! It’s Roanoke River. I am pleasantly surprised!

Wonderful—it looks very nice!

Glad you got such a nice surprise and hope you have a good trip!

 

[Oreius]

Is it car 9111?

No 9110!

Both sleepers are VL2s

 

[jis]

No 9110!

Both sleepers are VL2s

That seems to be happening somewhat more frequently these days. They do not quite have enough VLIIs to make it so on all runs without stealing a few from the LSL or Cardinal.

 

[Oreius]

This is the consist of 91: 3 Amfleet 2 coaches, 1 Lounge, 1 Viewliner 2 Diner, 2 Viewliner 2 sleepers, and a baggage car. My sleeper car’s name is Roanoke River, and 9111 is Westfield River. The Diner is named “Montgomery.”

Interestingly, I saw Silver Star 92 pull into DC just as we left. It too had 3 coaches, lounge, diner. But Car 9210 was a VL1 Sleeper and 9211 was a VL2. I must have finally got lucky this time!

 

[Anderson]

Eventually I think, if they are really serious about an overnight train on the NEC extending into Virginia or beyond, they would be better off running an honest to goodness full fledged LD train. Maybe they could rejigger the schedule of the existing LD Palmetto and have it originate.terminate at Boston, and at the other end extend it to JAX and have it carry Sleepers, Diner etc.. But of course more equipment will be needed for such.

I think you've got two options here:
(1) Run the NEC portion as a day train. For this, you'd extend the Meteor to BOS (this was done for a bit back in the 70s). Given the scheduled times (IIRC the Meteor hits NYP at about 1115 and leaves at 1515) the equipment sits overnight regardless, so hitting BOS at 1515 and departing at 1115 (allowing four hours) wouldn't actually "waste" a set. The bigger issue, IIRC, is the yard situation in Boston plus the question of spare equipment. There's also the issue of "blocking" space all the way from WAS to BOS, especially given frequency limits in eastern CT. A variant of this might run over the Inland Route (which I think is mostly state/agency/Amtrak-owned, and picking up any stray portions might be feasible) - going with the 5.5-ish hours for the old Inland Route trains, that'd put arrival into BOS around 1645 or so (there's probably some time savings from track upgrades on the NHV-SPG section, and some stops could be skipped) and a departure around 0945 (ditto). Again, the question becomes one of capacity controls - but I'd like to think that Amtrak could partially handle this manually to avoid blocking out through traffic, and I'd hope that 13-14 hours was enough time to comfortably turn a train. I'd hope.

(2) If you extend the Palmetto, you'd probably want to rejigger the schedule. Probably a "better" option would be to extend the Shoreliner somewhere further south (I might suggest CLT as a southern terminus, and you can pick which line you run it on). Honestly, extending the Shoreliner to CLT and having folks transfer at WAS (or doing through cars) wouldn't be absurd, and at that point you're looking at needing...three sleepers, maybe?

 

[west point]

BOS does have a platform length problem. Will a possible 11 car train eventually even fit? Might need to have drop and add cars at either WAS or NYP?

 

[jis]

BOS does have a platform length problem. Will a possible 11 car train eventually even fit? Might need to have drop and add cars at either WAS or NYP?

There are at least 4 platform tracks at BOS that can hold 14 car trains. So no problem.

 

[Oreius]

I just arrived in Kissimmee. My ride on 91 was very nice overall. The VL2 sleeper is more comfortable than the VL1 both in terms of furnishings and ride itself. It doesn’t rock and shimmy like the VL1, which wasn’t as hard on my bad back. I had a young SCA named Monique. She was helpful. My only concern with the VL2 was the constant whirring whenever someone flushed a toilet in the car. I guess the sanitary system is right where the bedroom side of the car is. But, it wasn’t loud. I also liked the power outlets above the couch as well as the sink, sure beats using a 12 foot charging cable for the phone. I also checked out an unoccupied Roomette, and I think those look more comfortable than in the VL1 despite no potty. Overall, a great trip.

 

[jis]

I will be on 91 on Monday (12/5) traveling from Deland to Tampa and then back the same day on 92, both ways in Roomette in Car 11, which should be a Viewliner II.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I just arrived in Kissimmee. My ride on 91 was very nice overall. The VL2 sleeper is more comfortable than the VL1 both in terms of furnishings and ride itself. It doesn’t rock and shimmy like the VL1, which wasn’t as hard on my bad back. I had a young SCA named Monique. She was helpful. My only concern with the VL2 was the constant whirring whenever someone flushed a toilet in the car. I guess the sanitary system is right where the bedroom side of the car is. But, it wasn’t loud. I also liked the power outlets above the couch as well as the sink, sure beats using a 12 foot charging cable for the phone. I also checked out an unoccupied Roomette, and I think those look more comfortable than in the VL1 despite no potty. Overall, a great trip.

You picked a great day to be in Florida instead of the mid-Atlantic! Steady rain all day today here.

Glad you liked the new Viewliner!

 

[Oreius]

I decided to book a trip on the Meteor (97) when I go down again in March. I’ll be in Car 9711 this time. I know the Meteor usually has 3 Sleepers, but I’m not sure which one(s) are the VL2…

It said “Only 1 Room Left” and I scarfed it. But, does that mean price wise or did I actually scarf the last available room?

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

It said “Only 1 Room Left” and I scarfed it. But, does that mean price wise or did I actually scarf the last available room?

I believe it used to say “Only one room left at this price” when it was the last one at that bucket before it jumped.

And “sold out” when there really were no more left.

It’s been a while since I’ve been in an LD sleeper car, though, so I don’t know if that is still true—mire recent travelers will know better than I do

 

[jis]

I decided to book a trip on the Meteor (97) when I go down again in March. I’ll be in Car 9711 this time. I know the Meteor usually has 3 Sleepers, but I’m not sure which one(s) are the VL2…

It said “Only 1 Room Left” and I scarfed it. But, does that mean price wise or did I actually scarf the last available room?

Meteor has only two Sleepers until January.

Usually 10 is VL I, 11 is VL II when it runs with two Sleepers.

 

[joelkfla]

92 (09) had 2 VL II's.

 

[jis]

92 (09) had 2 VL II's.

Was it actually two VL IIs or was one of the cars the Phase III striped VL I? That car has been on Silvers quite often these days.

 

[joelkfla]

Was it actually two VL IIs or was one of the cars the Phase III striped VL I? That car has been on Silvers quite often these days.

Pretty sure it was actually 2 VL II's. It was too dark to see the underskirting, but both cars had the missing rear-most side window.

I'll double-check after it passes thru Ashland, where both sides of the car and the top conduit strip are visible.

 

[joelkfla]

Was it actually two VL IIs or was one of the cars the Phase III striped VL I? That car has been on Silvers quite often these days.

Confirmed: 2 VL II's on 92(09).

 

[UhClem]

12/12 9810 is a VL1 car 62011, 9811 is a VL2 Rivanna River
On board.