vinceg723
Train Attendant
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2009
- Messages
- 44
Greetings from Car 1910, Room 7 of Amtrak’s Train 19, the southbound Crescent. Eight years ago, as I boarded the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago for the first time, a not-so-mentally-stable woman across the aisle from me announced to the car “I’ll be working on my thesis on this trip," and then, after waiting for a reaction from people, she had to reiterate, "I really am.”
Fast forward today and I really am wrapping up my master’s capstone project on a long-distance ride — and the capstone itself is on long-distance rail travel in the United States. You can check out a working, not-so-finished draft at slowspeedrail.com.
While I love Amtrak’s western trains, I wanted to experience a region of the country that would be relatively new to me. So I am taking the Crescent this evening, and the northbound City of New Orleans Friday to Chicago, where I will visit family for a day before flying home.
I was especially excited to have a roomette for the entire length of the Crescent, thanks to a “bid up” offer from Amtrak. Just a few nights ago, an upgrade for just a portion the trip — from DC to Atlanta — was more than $400. But I responded to Amtrak’s email and bid $245, just a little above the opening bid of $215, and my bid won me a roomette, which will also include four meals and access to Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge at Penn Station. I don’t want to spend the entire trip secluded, as I’d like to chat with people along the way, and I hoped that the dining and cafe cars would offer that opportunity (though I later realized there was no dining car, just a cafe car).
I thoroughly enjoyed the Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan station, though I wasn’t there long enough to fully take advantage. Still, I had some fruit, oatmeal and cold brew, possibly my last bit of healthy food for a few days.
I love my roomette, too. I was able to get some work done as we left NYC — until we came to a stop around 3 pm. There was a fire on the tracks at Edison, and service was stopped in both directions. I was sad to think this portion of my trip might be canceled. I figured at the very least, I could fly to New Orleans tomorrow to catch up with the rest of my trip.
At 5:45 pm, we were still stuck, but had backed up a ways to the Rahway train station, so that we can get off the train and walk the platform. Twitter told me that some NEC service had resumed, but Amtrak people told us there was no change.
With my work day finished, I broke open the first of my purchases from Threes Brewing at Moynihan Station — a Sidenote hard seltzer with lemon, hibiscus and pink peppercorn, 5 pct ABV, drinking it as I sat in my roomette.
I walked the platform several times, up and down, up and down. People didn't seem angry or annoyed, just puzzled.
As our delay went from two to three hours, I realized I might not get to New Orleans in time for a visit to the Sezerac bar at the Roosevelt in New Orleans. I tell people that when you travel by train, you cannot be focused on the destination. It’s all about the journey. It was time to take my own advice and let go of New Orleans.
By 6:45 pm, we still had no sense of when we might be leaving. Meals were served, brought to us in a box and bag to the roomette, with the option of bringing them to the cafe car to eat, which is what I did.
I sat across from a blind African American singer en route to Baltimore for a singing gig tomorrow. When we said we were in the sleeper cars, he said, “ah where all the millionaires are.” The people at the next table said “do we look like millionaires?“ and he responded, “are you asking a blind man how you look?”
I felt bad eating in front of him, maybe a little less bad when I learned he could not see me. He was eventually served his food, though other coach passengers were not allowed in the cafe car yet — which would have had me fuming mad if I were in coach.
By 7:50 pm, the train was finally moving again. We passed the site of the fire in Edison. I didn’t see any flames, but plenty of fire engines.
I chatted with a couple here from upstate New York, who were en route to DC to spent tomorrow visiting the capital and enjoying the cherry blossoms. The husband asked what I did for work. When I explained it to him, he said “you know, I meet the most interesting people on a train!”
I said, “funny you should say that, because I am finishing a master’s degree and doing my capstone on long-distance train travel, and I have a page dedicated to this topic, posing the question of whether more interesting people travel, by train, or whether everyone has an interesting story to tell, and a train fosters interactions where you can hear those stories." We had a great conversation.
The train moved fast down the northeast corridor, and the speed felt good, pushing 110 mph. It’s not Europe, but it’s a good clip.
We departed DC at 11:30 pm, FIVE hours late!
Fast forward today and I really am wrapping up my master’s capstone project on a long-distance ride — and the capstone itself is on long-distance rail travel in the United States. You can check out a working, not-so-finished draft at slowspeedrail.com.
While I love Amtrak’s western trains, I wanted to experience a region of the country that would be relatively new to me. So I am taking the Crescent this evening, and the northbound City of New Orleans Friday to Chicago, where I will visit family for a day before flying home.
I was especially excited to have a roomette for the entire length of the Crescent, thanks to a “bid up” offer from Amtrak. Just a few nights ago, an upgrade for just a portion the trip — from DC to Atlanta — was more than $400. But I responded to Amtrak’s email and bid $245, just a little above the opening bid of $215, and my bid won me a roomette, which will also include four meals and access to Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge at Penn Station. I don’t want to spend the entire trip secluded, as I’d like to chat with people along the way, and I hoped that the dining and cafe cars would offer that opportunity (though I later realized there was no dining car, just a cafe car).
I thoroughly enjoyed the Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan station, though I wasn’t there long enough to fully take advantage. Still, I had some fruit, oatmeal and cold brew, possibly my last bit of healthy food for a few days.
I love my roomette, too. I was able to get some work done as we left NYC — until we came to a stop around 3 pm. There was a fire on the tracks at Edison, and service was stopped in both directions. I was sad to think this portion of my trip might be canceled. I figured at the very least, I could fly to New Orleans tomorrow to catch up with the rest of my trip.
At 5:45 pm, we were still stuck, but had backed up a ways to the Rahway train station, so that we can get off the train and walk the platform. Twitter told me that some NEC service had resumed, but Amtrak people told us there was no change.
With my work day finished, I broke open the first of my purchases from Threes Brewing at Moynihan Station — a Sidenote hard seltzer with lemon, hibiscus and pink peppercorn, 5 pct ABV, drinking it as I sat in my roomette.
I walked the platform several times, up and down, up and down. People didn't seem angry or annoyed, just puzzled.
As our delay went from two to three hours, I realized I might not get to New Orleans in time for a visit to the Sezerac bar at the Roosevelt in New Orleans. I tell people that when you travel by train, you cannot be focused on the destination. It’s all about the journey. It was time to take my own advice and let go of New Orleans.
By 6:45 pm, we still had no sense of when we might be leaving. Meals were served, brought to us in a box and bag to the roomette, with the option of bringing them to the cafe car to eat, which is what I did.
I sat across from a blind African American singer en route to Baltimore for a singing gig tomorrow. When we said we were in the sleeper cars, he said, “ah where all the millionaires are.” The people at the next table said “do we look like millionaires?“ and he responded, “are you asking a blind man how you look?”
I felt bad eating in front of him, maybe a little less bad when I learned he could not see me. He was eventually served his food, though other coach passengers were not allowed in the cafe car yet — which would have had me fuming mad if I were in coach.
By 7:50 pm, the train was finally moving again. We passed the site of the fire in Edison. I didn’t see any flames, but plenty of fire engines.
I chatted with a couple here from upstate New York, who were en route to DC to spent tomorrow visiting the capital and enjoying the cherry blossoms. The husband asked what I did for work. When I explained it to him, he said “you know, I meet the most interesting people on a train!”
I said, “funny you should say that, because I am finishing a master’s degree and doing my capstone on long-distance train travel, and I have a page dedicated to this topic, posing the question of whether more interesting people travel, by train, or whether everyone has an interesting story to tell, and a train fosters interactions where you can hear those stories." We had a great conversation.
The train moved fast down the northeast corridor, and the speed felt good, pushing 110 mph. It’s not Europe, but it’s a good clip.
We departed DC at 11:30 pm, FIVE hours late!
