Crescent #19 route Qurestion

[TishaNola]

I am riding Amtrak for the first time the first week of August my 9 year old daughter and I bought a Viewliner Roomette for the trip since when we get on the train in Greensboro, NC (GRO)its going to be around 12:30 in the morning . I figure it will be nice to be able to get on and have a bed to go to after sitting at the GRO station for 5- 6 hours waiting for the train.

But I was wondering more is the 19 Crescent route normally late getting to New Orleans ?

I was looking at this weeks status and it looks like the last few days it has ran about an hour to and hour and half late everyday. Does anyone know if that is standard on this route?

I am trying to prepare the best I can for our trip home to NOLA we took the greyhound up here and my daughter ended up getting really sick about two days after we got here and i think it was from the bus ride.

Also the station in GRO we will be there from like 6.45 - 12.30 when the train gets there , is that station semi safe? Does it have any little restaurants in it ? or lounge ?

 

[TVRM610]

The Greensboro station is a lovely restored station. The station itself should be quite safe. I'm not from Greensboro, but I have visited a few times and have never felt like it was particularly safe or dangerous, pretty average city. There are several restaurants around the downtown area near the station, they are walkable. If you didn't feel comfortable walking I'm sure a taxi would be quite cheap.

I would recommend going to a nearby restaurant for dinner, then heading over to the station, maybe even linger at dinner awhile and stretch it out, the station is gonna get boring after a little while. ha.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The Greensboro station is a lovely restored station. The station itself should be quite safe. I'm not from Greensboro, but I have visited a few times and have never felt like it was particularly safe or dangerous, pretty average city. There are several restaurants around the downtown area near the station, they are walkable. If you didn't feel comfortable walking I'm sure a taxi would be quite cheap.

I would recommend going to a nearby restaurant for dinner, then heading over to the station, maybe even linger at dinner awhile and stretch it out, the station is gonna get boring after a little while. ha.

The Greensboro Station is a Restored Southern RailRoad Station, very nice! It is manned, has Checked Baggage Service and as the previous poster said is not noted for having trouble! The suggestion to go to a resturant for dinner is excellent, taking a taxi is a good idea if you're not familiar with the area, Greensboro is a moderate sized City. If youd like to see pictures Google up USARail Guide.com, should give you an idea, there are 6 Trains a day that stop in this station so it's pretty active Trainwise Day and Night! Youll love the ride on the Viewliner Sleeper, will have Breakfast before Atlanta, Lunch in Alabama and an Early Dinner in Southern Mississippi! The trip across the Water in to new Orleans is a Highlight, youll think you're on a boat! Dont worry, you shouldnt be too late getting into New Orleans, if you are Taxis are plentiful and there will be lots of people getting off the Train there so no problem!

 

[TishaNola]

Thank you both I am just trying to prepare in my head So that way I can have confidence with my daughter and let her know what to expect. She tends to have anxiety and the best way for me to keep her secure is for me to be prepared .

My other question is I am transferring from the cardinal line to the crescent line in GRO do they transfer my checked baggage for me? Or do i need to claim my luggage and recheck it at the gro station?

I am extremely excited and I really honestly don't care if the train runs late I think I am going to enjoy being on it I am hoping this will be the first of many trips.

We wanted to take the route from petersburg va that went up through Chicago but part of that route is closed so we had to take the route down instead of up then down. But if this goes as good as I hope maybe next summer we will take a train ride to no where lol just to see the country.

 

[the_traveler]

My other question is I am transferring from the cardinal line to the crescent line in GRO do they transfer my checked baggage for me? Or do i need to claim my luggage and recheck it at the gro station?

I'm confused!

You will transfer from the Cardinal to the Crescent in Charlottesville, VA (CVS), not in GRO. And in CVS, they will transfer your checked bags for you. (Assuming you checked them thru to GRO,)

 

[The Journalist]

The Cardinal doesn't go to Greensboro.... if that's what you're riding, it transfers to the Crescent in Charlottesville, VA. Based on your schedule, though, it sounds like you mean the Carolinian, which does stop in Greensboro as well as Petersburg.

In any case, yes, checked baggage is transferred for you; you don't have to pick it up and re-check it.

 

[TishaNola]

i was confused my itinerary says the Carolinian I got confused because at first we were going to go up and go through Chicago from petersburg but One of the routes is down so we couldnt. We start our trip in Petersburg from my sisters house and then have our lay over in GRO from 6.27 until when ever the Crescent arrives . Below is the info I was emailed. It has my correct trains on it. But yes thank you for letting me know the GRO station is a manned station and pretty safe. Being that we will be there at such an odd hour i WAS WORRIED

Service: 79 Carolinian

Duration: 4 hr, 44 min

<Departs>

Petersburg, VA (PTB)

06-AUG-11; 1:43 pm

<Arrives>

Greensboro, NC (GRO)

06-AUG-11; 6:27 pm

------------------------------------------------------------

Service: 19 Crescent

Duration: 20 hr, 10 min

<Departs>

Greensboro, NC (GRO)

07-AUG-11; 12:22 am

<Arrives>

New Orleans, LA (NOL)

07-AUG-11; 7:32 pm

So yes its the Carolinian I was asking about if they transfer my luggage for me

 

[Acela150]

You have me confused now! If your getting on at GRO why are you booked from PTB???

 

[TishaNola]

You have me confused now! If your getting on at GRO why are you booked from PTB???

because my trip starts in Petersburg Then I have the layover in gro waiting for the next train like I said I was wondering how safe the gro station was during my layover with my daughter waiting for the crescent, and wondering how late the crescent train normally runs because we will be getting on it in the middle of the night.

 

[the_traveler]

The Carolinian does not go to Chicago. It goes to New York City. You would transfer at Washington to get to/from Chicago, and part of that route is currently closed. The Cardinal is not affected at all.

 

[TishaNola]

The Carolinian does not go to Chicago. It goes to New York City. You would transfer at Washington to get to/from Chicago, and part of that route is currently closed. The Cardinal is not affected at all.

I know I am starting my trip in Petersburg and was going to go the northern route but because of this service alert

Cardinal Trains 50 and 51 & Hoosier State Trains 850 and 851: Bridge Closure Affects Service between Indianapolis and Cincinnati

Effective Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Due to a bridge outage, CSX Transportation has closed the track between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. The bridge is expected to be back in service by mid-August. This temporary closure affects the Cardinal and Hoosier State services resulting in the suspension of service between Indianapolis, Connersville and Cincinnati, without alternate transportation.

I can not go that route so we have to go the southern route and take the Carolinian to Gro then take the crescent to Nol .

But I had first planned to go the other route but the amtrak website says that we can't because of the service alert that train from Charlottesville, va to Chicago is not selling tickets.

But I got the information I was asking about .

The GRO station is manned and preety safe for me and my 9 year old daughter and there are places to eat close by while we wait for our transfer from the Carolinian to the Crescent.

The only part I have not gotten answered is if the Crescent normally gets to GRO on time or if it comes in late often.

 

[Acela150]

19 depends by day. Just check Amtrak.com if you have a smartphone. Click Check Train Status then You'll have to change dates to the 7th and type in 19 and GRO. It'll give you the most up to date info. Or call 1-800-USA-RAIL and use Julie.

 

[jb64]

wow, you all are confusing the poor OP and everyone else including me. She listed the itenerary directly from Amtrak and stated she was starting from Petersburg and traveling to New Orleans with a layover in Greensboro. She was originally booked on the Cardinal but had to change due to the service disruption, which was probably what caused her initial mistake of saying that she was on the Cardinal.

I think you have your original questions answered regarding safety during your layover and transfer of luggage. Someone else has already mentioned checking train status for 19. You can also text "amtrakstatus 19 GRO" to 41411 to get a text message back with the eta.

Have a good trip.

 

[the_traveler]

I was not aware that the bridge fire around Indy closed the track for so long. I thought I read it was to be open "within a few days". I was referring to the CL, which also has a closure.

But, to make up for it, the scenery in the New River Gorge on the Cardinal is better headed eastbound!

 

[jis]

I was not aware that the bridge fire around Indy closed the track for so long. I thought I read it was to be open "within a few days". I was referring to the CL, which also has a closure.

But, to make up for it, the scenery in the New River Gorge on the Cardinal is better headed eastbound!

The Cardinal is down and out at least until early August. It is running only New York to Cinci with full service. At the other end Hoosier State is running 7 days a week with a food service car tacked on to cover Chicago to Indy. No service between Indy and Cinci for the duration.

The Cap does not have a closure. It just may not operate east of Cumberland if it arrives more than 90 mins late into PGH on Sundays through Thursdays. Friday and Saturday it will run all the way. This due to trackwork embargo between Cumberland and Martinsburg. Bustitution will be provided ex-PGH for dropoff for passengers coming from west of PGH, except for Connellsville and Cumberland passengers, who will stay on the train to their destinations. No pickups PGH and east, should the Cap miss its window on those days.

 

[TishaNola]

wow, you all are confusing the poor OP and everyone else including me. She listed the itenerary directly from Amtrak and stated she was starting from Petersburg and traveling to New Orleans with a layover in Greensboro. She was originally booked on the Cardinal but had to change due to the service disruption, which was probably what caused her initial mistake of saying that she was on the Cardinal.

I think you have your original questions answered regarding safety during your layover and transfer of luggage. Someone else has already mentioned checking train status for 19. You can also text "amtrakstatus 19 GRO" to 41411 to get a text message back with the eta.

Have a good trip.

Thank you lol I was wondering why what I wrote was so confusing . I wasn't sure how to explain myself any clearer