Great Dome 2018 Schedule

[daybeers]

I may have to use this as an excuse to ride the Downeaster for the first time.

Is there any way to know which four trips the car will be on?

They published it last year. Hopefully they update that for this year.

Great, thanks! Does anyone know when this might be updated for this year, and if there is one for the Adirondack?

 

[cpotisch]

I may have to use this as an excuse to ride the Downeaster for the first time.

Is there any way to know which four trips the car will be on?

They published it last year. Hopefully they update that for this year.

Great, thanks! Does anyone know when this might be updated for this year, and if there is one for the Adirondack?

It’s only May, and it’s gonna be on the Addie late September, so we’ve probably got to wait a bit. If memory serves, last year they published it a couple months out.

 

[the_traveler]

For the Adirondack, in past years it ran from Albany to Montreal (northbound) on Thursday, Saturday and Monday. It ran from Montreal to Albany (southbound) on Friday, Sunday and Tuesday.

 

[cpotisch]

For the Adirondack, in past years it ran from Albany to Montreal (northbound) on Thursday, Saturday and Monday. It ran from Montreal to Albany (southbound) on Friday, Sunday and Tuesday.

How many consists are there, again? Two?

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, two. The one that goes northbound overnights in Montreal to return southbound the following morning.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I may have to use this as an excuse to ride the Downeaster for the first time.

Is there any way to know which four trips the car will be on?

They published it last year. Hopefully they update that for this year.

Great, thanks! Does anyone know when this might be updated for this year, and if there is one for the Adirondack?

It will probably take time. They'll have to figure which train is which,,,and which one isn't the Cardinal. It may take months.

 

[rtabern]

I may have to use this as an excuse to ride the Downeaster for the first time.

Is there any way to know which four trips the car will be on?

They published it last year. Hopefully they update that for this year.

Great, thanks! Does anyone know when this might be updated for this year, and if there is one for the Adirondack?

It will probably take time. They'll have to figure which train is which,,,and which one isn't the Cardinal. It may take months.

The updated version now reads this will be the dome's first appearance in Maine. Maybe I was just dreaming... But I swear I rode it to Brunswick in Summer 2016.
I guess the media relations folks swapped the press release from 2010 of it being on the Cardinal... for the 2016 release of it debuting on the Downeaster?

Maybe the third try will get it right?

 

[cpotisch]

The updated version now reads this will be the dome's first appearance in Maine. Maybe I was just dreaming... But I swear I rode it to Brunswick in Summer 2016.

You are 100% correct - this is the third year that Ocean View will run on the Downeaster. Amtrak publications like this aren’t exactly known for being particularly reliable when you get down to the details, but what are you gonna do.

 

[Amtrak706]

How hard is it to do this stuff. I mean, really. Sometimes it seems like Amtrak goes out of its way to be a stupid, incompetent mess of a railroad.

 

[rtabern]

I was hoping it was really going to be back on the Cardinal... Rode it in 2010 and 2011 several times from CHI to WAS. The scenery through WV and VA was fantastic. Didn't really care for the dome on the Adriondack (2016) or Downeaster (2017). Great scenery through NY, but the lack of dome from NYP to ALB... conductors refusing to open it until Saratoga... and sub-par Trails and Rails yacking made me not want to repeat it. On the Downeaster it was just too crowded. I like it on the Hiawatha or Midwest runs where it's a more chill experience through farm country.

 

[the_traveler]

Conductors refusing to open it until Saratoga?

Every time I have ridden it, they open it’s soon as all tickets are collected after departing Albany. That is usually 10-15 minutes or well before Schenectady.

I will agree with you about the narration. It is my home train, and once I knew more than “the expert”! He was listening to me instead!

 

[Thirdrail7]

I'm surprised that Anderson didn't make the dome go away like he did with the Pacific Parlor cars.

I suggest you ride it...while you can.

 

[Seaboard92]

I'm surprised that Anderson didn't make the dome go away like he did with the Pacific Parlor cars.

I suggest you ride it...while you can.

That's what I've been saying. If it isn't consistently full everyday it's on this will be the last year. So I implore everyone to go ride it as often as you can this year, and wear big smiles. That's not even a guarantee.

 

[Thirdrail7]

That's what I've been saying. If it isn't consistently full everyday it's on this will be the last year. So I implore everyone to go ride it as often as you can this year, and wear big smiles. That's not even a guarantee.

I don't think that factors into the equation. The states foot the bill when they use it. I just have the "sneaky"

suspicion that this car will get benched when it comes up for the federally mandated air brake service next year...like most of the rest of the old equipment (heritage cars, the AEM-7s, the HHp-8s.)

 

[Seaboard92]

That's what I've been saying. If it isn't consistently full everyday it's on this will be the last year. So I implore everyone to go ride it as often as you can this year, and wear big smiles. That's not even a guarantee.

I don't think that factors into the equation. The states foot the bill when they use it. I just have the "sneaky"

suspicion that this car will get benched when it comes up for the federally mandated air brake service next year...like most of the rest of the old equipment (heritage cars, the AEM-7s, the HHp-8s.)

When it does I know a potential buyer for the car. Provided their soon to be announced train schedule is a rousing success. They also have an interest in any heritage cars Amtrak might want to sell. Especially diners.

 

[KnightRail]

* The Great Dome Car is available on the following Downeaster trains between August 11 and September 3, 2018*:

M-F Weekday Train #680, #681, #686, #687

Saturday Trains #690, #691, #698, #699

Sunday Trains #692, #693, #696, #697

http://amtrakdowneaster.com/dome-car

 

[cpotisch]

I'm happy to say that I'm almost certainly going to be on Ocean View in a couple weeks. It will be my first time and possibly one of my last chances to do so. Now I'm just hoping that they don't call it off at the last minute or something.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I'm happy to say that I'm almost certainly going to be on Ocean View in a couple weeks. It will be my first time and possibly one of my last chances to do so. Now I'm just hoping that they don't call it off at the last minute or something.

This is an excellent idea for anyone who hasn't ridden it before and can make it to Boston to make the trip!
Hopefully it will be on the Adirondack also after the Gathering so others can ride it too!

Catch it before it's Gone!

 

[cpotisch]

I'm happy to say that I'm almost certainly going to be on Ocean View in a couple weeks. It will be my first time and possibly one of my last chances to do so. Now I'm just hoping that they don't call it off at the last minute or something.

This is an excellent idea for anyone who hasn't ridden it before and can make it to Boston to make the trip!
Hopefully it will be on the Adirondack also after the Gathering so others can ride it too!

Catch it before it's Gone!

As of right now it is going to be on the Addie this year, so I'm not too concerned about that. It's next year that I'm personally really worried about.

 

[Bierboy]

...Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

The SSLs are such a poor excuse for a dome car. Absolutely no comparison. I really miss the Vista Domes of the Northern Pacific...

 

[cpotisch]

...Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

The SSLs are such a poor excuse for a dome car. Absolutely no comparison. I really miss the Vista Domes of the Northern Pacific...

They’re worse than a proper dome but they’re better than any other non-dome lounge out there. And considering how tall Superliners already are, a full 360 dome in a Superliner consist would have to be absolutely massive. My point is, considering what they had to work with. SSLs do the job pretty well.

 

[Bierboy]

...Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

The SSLs are such a poor excuse for a dome car. Absolutely no comparison. I really miss the Vista Domes of the Northern Pacific...

They’re worse than a proper dome but they’re better than any other non-dome lounge out there. And considering how y’all Superliners already are, a full 360 dome in a Superliner consist would have to be absolutely massive. My point is, considering what they had to work with. SSLs do the job pretty well.

I certainly understand the present-day limitations the original dome cars would have. But my observation (no pun intended) still stands -- there is nothing like the original dome cars for a beautiful, nearly unlimited view/

 

[railiner]

...Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

The SSLs are such a poor excuse for a dome car. Absolutely no comparison. I really miss the Vista Domes of the Northern Pacific...

They’re worse than a proper dome but they’re better than any other non-dome lounge out there. And considering how y’all Superliners already are, a full 360 dome in a Superliner consist would have to be absolutely massive. My point is, considering what they had to work with. SSLs do the job pretty well.

I certainly understand the present-day limitations the original dome cars would have. But my observation (no pun intended) still stands -- there is nothing like the original dome cars for a beautiful, nearly unlimited view/

Then you best head up to Canada, where they still use them on some trains...I did a couple of month's ago just for that purpose when they ran one on the Jonquiere train...

They are still regular on the Canadian and the Ocean...not sure about the Prince Rupert train...

 

[DevalDragon]

...Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

The SSLs are such a poor excuse for a dome car. Absolutely no comparison. I really miss the Vista Domes of the Northern Pacific...

They are a hell of a lot better than the lounge car options on the lower level trains.

 

[Seaboard92]

...Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

The SSLs are such a poor excuse for a dome car. Absolutely no comparison. I really miss the Vista Domes of the Northern Pacific...

They’re worse than a proper dome but they’re better than any other non-dome lounge out there. And considering how y’all Superliners already are, a full 360 dome in a Superliner consist would have to be absolutely massive. My point is, considering what they had to work with. SSLs do the job pretty well.

I certainly understand the present-day limitations the original dome cars would have. But my observation (no pun intended) still stands -- there is nothing like the original dome cars for a beautiful, nearly unlimited view/

Then you best head up to Canada, where they still use them on some trains...I did a couple of month's ago just for that purpose when they ran one on the Jonquiere train...They are still regular on the Canadian and the Ocean...not sure about the Prince Rupert train...

They run a park car on the Rupert Rocket. But for touring class passengers only.