Crescent discussion 2023 Q4 - 2024

[JoeRids]

Does anyone know the current climate in the lounge car for sleeper passengers? Is the section closest to the sleepers usable only for sleeper customers, or is it a "crew lounge"? Is it based on whatever the crew feels like on that particular run? The Amtrak website does indicate that sleeper passengers on all flexible dining trains have an "exclusive onboard lounge to dine and socialize". I would even be OK if the whole lounge was open to the whole train, with space reserved during meal times for sleeper customers.
I can tell you that if the crew decides to make it their personal space, I will be sending in a complaint, as this is unacceptable. There should be no more than one table in a lounge set aside for crew during normal hours (say 6AM to 10PM). Other than that, crews can utilize open coach seats or open rooms as they are available throughout the trip (a train is almost never fully sold out from start point to end point). Crews can also use more lounge tables in the overnight hours.
It's sad that Amtrak makes this dining so much worse than it has to be. Quality of food notwithstanding, it wouldn't be difficult to take tapered reservations for lunch and dinner and have one person serving food at the tables closest to the sleeper. I remember during the days of the Three Rivers, and when the Cardinal lost its diner, they did this VERY successfully, to the point that the experience was almost better than a dining car (where, let's face it, you sometimes get mediocre food and a surly crew anyway).

 

[dadonatrain]

I just finished a round trip on the crescent in a roomette. Here’s my take on your question.

Amtrak calls the car the cafe. On both my trains it has the snack sale counter amidship and tables on both sides of the aisle on either end of the car. It was behind the coaches and just before the first of the three sleepers. The rear half in each case seemed to be where the entire crew hung out. The front half seemed to be for the passengers. I did not use it long enough in either trip to discern if coach passengers could or did use it or not.

I hope this helps.

I should add that the “dining” experience for sleeping car psgrs is heated up semi complete meals, incl an entree of some sort, from a list of four or five choices, a small plastic dish of rabbit food, a warm roll wrapped in foil, and a dessert from some choices. Also one complimentary glass of red or white grape juice with a bit of a kick to it. When you board, the sleeping car attendant takes your meal order and at the appointed time it is prepared by the staff and brought to you by the attendant, for you to enjoy in your compartment. It was not clear to me if I could have eaten mine in the cafe part of the car or not. I think yes but I’m not sure.

 

[justinslot]

Crescent should be running the entire way daily in December. Usually mid January to mid February it only runs ATL-NOL on Fr/Sa/Su, with the other four days a bus substitution, due to NS track work.

Thank you for this comment, that I am replying to months later, as I could not figure out why the Crescent was only running to New Orleans Thursday/Friday/Saturday in January. You would think this would be worth mentioning in the "service alerts" section on Amtrak's website.

My follow up questions are: for the days that the Crescent ends in Atlanta, is the bus to New Orleans a dedicated Amtrak bus? It says it's an "Amtrak Chartered Vehicle" so I assume it is but I was hoping for one of those white Amtrak branded buses. And what is the difference between the two buses? Like...why wouldn't I pick the bus that gets to New Orleans at 5:30?

 

[west point]

Crescent #19 on Saturday took another 45 minute delay just south of ATL station. It was all about CSX blocking the NS main that crosses at CP Howell. CSX trains are getting longer which blocks the NS while waiting for re crewing CSX trains.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Crescent #19 on Saturday took another 45 minute delay just south of ATL station. It was all about CSX blocking the NS main that crosses at CP Howell. CSX trains are getting longer which blocks the NS while waiting for re crewing CSX trains.

"Precision Scheduled Railroading" strikes again!

 

[Septa9739]

Thank you for this comment, that I am replying to months later, as I could not figure out why the Crescent was only running to New Orleans Thursday/Friday/Saturday in January. You would think this would be worth mentioning in the "service alerts" section on Amtrak's website.

My follow up questions are: for the days that the Crescent ends in Atlanta, is the bus to New Orleans a dedicated Amtrak bus? It says it's an "Amtrak Chartered Vehicle" so I assume it is but I was hoping for one of those white Amtrak branded buses. And what is the difference between the two buses? Like...why wouldn't I pick the bus that gets to New Orleans at 5:30?

View attachment 35198

One runs express past some less busy stations, one makes every stop the train does.

Crescent #19 on Saturday took another 45 minute delay just south of ATL station. It was all about CSX blocking the NS main that crosses at CP Howell. CSX trains are getting longer which blocks the NS while waiting for re crewing CSX trains.

I for the life of me can’t understand why NS has tolerated that. I’d be in with the FRA within weeks of that nonsense starting. This has gone on for close to a decade.

 

[joelkfla]

Crescent #19 on Saturday took another 45 minute delay just south of ATL station. It was all about CSX blocking the NS main that crosses at CP Howell. CSX trains are getting longer which blocks the NS while waiting for re crewing CSX trains.

Doesn't NS have anything to say about it?

 

[jis]

Doesn't NS have anything to say about it?

Cynically speaking, they may have a mutual tacit agreement that they will occasionally block the others track in a sacrifice to the Precision Railroading God, so they won't complain to each other unless the holdups become grossly unbalanced between the two.

 

[Septa9739]

Doesn't NS have anything to say about it?

I would think that they would have standing with the Federal Railroad Administration if they wanted to push the issue. Their primary competitor routinely blocks a major mainline for hours. Additionally that piece of the Crescent Corridor is a Stracnet Corridor, so it could be argued that regular interruption could affect national readiness in the event it becomes necessary to move significant resources quickly, though that argument is less convincing, especially since the CSX main also is. A lot of this k8nd of law falls to who was there first, a question to which I do not know the answer.

EDIT: I also fully accept Jis’s cynical solution.

 

[west point]

Cynically speaking, they may have a mutual tacit agreement that they will occasionally block the others track in a sacrifice to the Precision Railroading God, so they won;t complain to each other unless the holdups become grossly unbalanced between the two.

Unfortunately, NS operations do not block Howell unless there is undesired emergency brake application. The CSX line was there first. Goes back to pre civil war times. NS (SOU) sometime after 1870s. CSX northbound trains often have to wait for crew changes that have the locos stop about 1-1/2 miles north of the CP Howell. That is part of the old Tilford yard that was once a hump yard. That has long trains hanging over Howell CP and further south towards downtown Atlanta.
Back in legacy days there were never any long freights thru Howell but just transfer runs between A&WP, C of GA, GA RR from the south to SOU, L&N, NC&SL, ACL, SAL to north. Howell was covered by a tower maned by SOU that kept the CP always clear. Now it is all automated.

 

[jis]

Unfortunately, NS operations do not block Howell unless there is undesired emergency brake application. The CSX line was there first. Goes back to pre civil war times. NS (SOU) sometime after 1870s. CSX northbound trains often have to wait for crew changes that have the locos stop about 1-1/2 miles north of the CP Howell. That is part of the old Tilford yard that was once a hump yard. That has the trains hanging over Howell CP and further south towards downtown Atlanta.
Back in legacy days there were never any long freights thru Howell but just transfer runs between A&WP, C of GA, GA RR from the south to SOU, L&N, NC&SL, ACL, SAL to north. Howell was covered by a tower maned by SOU that kept the CP always clear. Now it is all automated.

I am not as sure as you about Howell being the only place where NS and CSX collide with each other at a crossing.

 

[west point]

I am not as sure as you about Howell being the only place where NS and CSX collide with each other at a crossing.

They do twice in BHM. Amtrak does not usually have problems there.
In Atlanta CSX (A&WP) and now ACL line from Manchester joins NS (C of GA) in East Point. At Dalton GA NS (SOU) crosses CSX (Atlantic & Western pre civil war )

 

[joelkfla]

Cynically speaking, they may have a mutual tacit agreement that they will occasionally block the others track in a sacrifice to the Precision Railroading God, so they won't complain to each other unless the holdups become grossly unbalanced between the two.

Which one takes the hit on Amtrak's tally of host railroad delays?

 

[TheVig]

Cynically speaking, they may have a mutual tacit agreement that they will occasionally block the others track in a sacrifice to the Precision Railroading God, so they won't complain to each other unless the holdups become grossly unbalanced between the two.

They look the other if it means screwing with Amtrak.

 

[west point]

Which one takes the hit on Amtrak's tally of host railroad delays?

That is a question that have not been able to find out. As well the possible 2 - 3 CSX delays at BHM. That depends on routing.

 

[west point]

The many different delays Amtrak's Crescent has at CP Howell needs more visibility. NS tracks cross CSX at CP Howell. The CSX tracks were there before the civil war. That is what was known as the Atlantic and Western RR. Later NC&SL, then L&N, and finally CSX, Long CSX freight trains from Manchester, Montgomery, and to lesser extent August pass northbound toward Tilford yard to the CSX line north, & the ex-SAL line toward Athens. About 1 to 1-1/2 miles north of Howell the CSX freights to Marietta stop where some but not all change crews. The SAL trains stop closer but do not know exactly where crew change happens. That SAL line begins about 2000 ft north of Howell.

The track Amtrak uses is about 6000 feet long with max speeds 40, 30, 25 until clear Howell. See open Railway map.

For Crescent #20/01 Jan took 42 minutes to cover that about 1 mile.

 

[dadonatrain]

I have not seen service alerts yet but I wonder if the usual January NS track work has begun M-Th, meaning 19/20 begins/ends in Atlanta, not New Orleans. Anyone know for sure? And how long might this prevail typically?

 

[west point]

I have not seen service alerts yet but I wonder if the usual January NS track work has begun M-Th, meaning 19/20 begins/ends in Atlanta, not New Orleans. Anyone know for sure? And how long might this prevail typically?

This year reservation show 19 cancelled thru FEB 29. That is longer than in past years. Anyone know if any additional sidings are to be constructed? Now if Amtrak had an early daytime departure from ATL northbound then an overnight train could be run from NOL <> ATL.

This every year shutdown will play havoc with any DFW / FTW - Meridian extension to ATL if it combines with Crescent at Meridian. That schedule is going to require much thought DFW<> Meridian as to continuation to ATL. Not really a option yet is using KCS Meridian - Maplewood and CSX Maplewood - Montgomery - ATL for that train.

 

[dadonatrain]

Thx

 

[west point]

On today's #20 / 06 Jan took just 24 minutes to transit CP Howell. Minimum time is ~ 12 minutes. Delay was not enough to cause #20 to arrive late at ATL due to schedule padding from Anniston.

 

[dadonatrain]

Reply to West Point:

I see your point about blocking CP Howell. I just saw Amtrak 19 go through fairly easily, and then a long CSX went EB for about five minutes!

 

[west point]

Reply to West Point:

I see your point about blocking CP Howell. I just saw Amtrak 19 go through fairly easily, and then a long CSX went EB for about five minutes!

Yes, 19 made it thru today in about 6 minutes. Due to location history of transitdocs.com only showing locations every 3 - 4 minutes anything 5 - 12 minutes thru Howell can be without any delay.

 

[BarryATL]

The Crescent always seems to be in need of a bath. The train seems to never be washed. I see either the 19 or 20 almost everyday and the train sets are dirty. Isn't there a train wash somewhere that the Crescent has access to?

 

[cassie225]

That bath and some traditional dining. Now that the door blew off a plane and I was actually considering getting on one and giving up trains to head to NJ. I guess I will have to go back to trains and keeping tabs on the Crescent and pay for a sleeper what I could get a first class seat on the plane for. Lol

 

[west point]

Today Friday #19 / 11 Jan passed thru Howell in about 6 minutes. No delays today.