Lake Shore from BOS or NYP

[Big Iron]

Which section of the LSL would you prefer to CHI, BOS or NYP? I'm planning a round trip RVR-CHI, 1/6/12 - 1/8/12, and would like to figure in the westbound LSL as I haven't ridden it since the mid 80's. I've never ridden the BOS section. Will be taking advantage of sleepers.

I'd like some insights from the AU community to help shape my decision. Thanks.

 

[amamba]

Does anyone know when the track work will be done between BOS - ALB? There have been frequent bustitutions this year on the BOS section of the LSL. The nice thing about taking the LSL from NYP is that you can eat in the diner before Albany. But, if you go from BOS, you get more train time.

Personally if you are going to be coming from the south, I would just take it from NYP because I would be too nervous about the bustitutions

 

[stntylr]

I rode the LSL from BOS to CHI last week, no bus in sight. The ride is bumpy and nice scenery but nothing exceptional. I've heard the NYP section has great views of the Hudson River.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Since your are coming from the South, no contest IMHO! The NYP-CHI Section(#49) is the one to take! You get to see the Hudson River in Daylight (best on the left side of the train), and you are on the back of the Train close to the Diner and Cafe/Lounge (which is not open from NYP-ALB). Taking the Boston Section(#449), as was said,means you have to get to Boston very early since the Train leaves before noon, and it's a much longer trip to Albany where the two sections are joined! Also the Boston Sleepers are on the front of the Train, and it's a long walk to the Diner and Cafe/Lounge on the back of the Train!

 

[Mark]

Do both! BOS one way and NYP the other and fill the gap with an Acela trip between the two!

 

[AlanB]

They won't be doing track work in January, unless a rail breaks, as it's way too cold to perform normal track work at that time of the year.

And while you'll lose the daylight Big Iron as you run up the Hudson at that time of the year, I'd still recommend that over Boston. The best part of the run from Boston is the second half, and much of it will be in darkness.

 

[jis]

They won't be doing track work in January, unless a rail breaks, as it's way too cold to perform normal track work at that time of the year.

And while you'll lose the daylight Big Iron as you run up the Hudson at that time of the year, I'd still recommend that over Boston. The best part of the run from Boston is the second half, and much of it will be in darkness.

Additionally, the best part of the New York - Albany route as far as Hudson and Mountain scenery goes is the first half. Once you get past Poughkeepsie it becomes just the river with very little mountains, though there are a few intriguing lighthouses in the river to see. The best overall scenery IMHO is between Croton-Harmon and Beacon where the river and the railroad passes by the Peekskill eddy in a sweeping left curve to Roa Hook and then makes a sharp right turn to enter the Bear mountain gap and then passes by Cold Spring and Storm King Mountain across the river, and of course the remains of the eccentric Bannerman's Castle in the middle of the river. This is where the spine of the Appalachian range is crossed. The Appalachian Trail actually crosses the river on the Bear Mountain Bridge, which is the first river crossing north of the Tappan Zee. You also pass by West Point Military Academy across the river at Garrison about two thirds of the way between Peekskill and Cold Spring.

 

[had8ley]

Do both! BOS one way and NYP the other and fill the gap with an Acela trip between the two!

Now that's a plan~ the Berkshires are snow covered that time of year and the train meanders across MA

 

[ThayerATM]

I'd opt for the New York end just for the scenery along the Hudson between NYP and ALB. Also, you'll have easier access to the diner for the whole trip on the New York end.

Another consideration might also be if you enjoy "smoking" stops along the way. If you smoke, it's easier to step off if you're on the Boston end. That's a long train between ALB and CHI, and some of the platforms aren't long enough for the New York end to be able to easily step off, especially between ALB and ROC without walking through 3 or 4 cars.

If you aren't a smoker, the New York end sure has my vote. It's much more conveneint.

 

[Big Iron]

Thanks for all the info everyone!! I thought about doing both but can't come back by way of BOS unless I spend the night as the 448/67 connection is way too tight.

I was thinking of doing business class on 66 to BOS then LSL to CHI and Cardinal back to CVS/RVR. I've ridden superliners plenty and want to get in some viewliner time. I have enough AGR points for a two zone roomette one way.

I'm a newb to AGR and have never booked a trip using them so, hijacking my own thread, anybody that has any AGR suggestions for using 22,887 points for an RVR-CHI turn, I'm all ears/eyes.

 

[spidersfan351]

My dad and I are here in the RVA area. We really enjoy taking the Cardinal west, but as you may know AGR has a dividing line at Cincinnati and Cleveland, so it's tough to go out without using a ton of points. Next week, for example, we were able to route ourselves "west" by way of CLP-NYP (Crescent), NYP-CHI (LSL), then the Cardinal CHI-CLP. Of course, this is 20,000 pts both ways, but it is an efficient way to spend the time.

When it comes to getting to CHI and back, there really isn't a good way to do it on that points total - you'd end up spending 20k on one night on the train. For example, for that same redemption you could ride from El Paso, TX to Chicago, ELP-LAX-PDX-CHI using the Sunset Ltd, Coast Starlight, and Empire Builder and spending five days/four nights aboard the train. We try to be as efficient as possible and get the most for our points.

If you want to know any more of the good routes, feel free to PM me and I can fill you in. I feel like I've spent hours trying to make it work for some trip we've done!

 

[Big Iron]

My dad and I are here in the RVA area. We really enjoy taking the Cardinal west, but as you may know AGR has a dividing line at Cincinnati and Cleveland, so it's tough to go out without using a ton of points. Next week, for example, we were able to route ourselves "west" by way of CLP-NYP (Crescent), NYP-CHI (LSL), then the Cardinal CHI-CLP. Of course, this is 20,000 pts both ways, but it is an efficient way to spend the time.

When it comes to getting to CHI and back, there really isn't a good way to do it on that points total - you'd end up spending 20k on one night on the train. For example, for that same redemption you could ride from El Paso, TX to Chicago, ELP-LAX-PDX-CHI using the Sunset Ltd, Coast Starlight, and Empire Builder and spending five days/four nights aboard the train. We try to be as efficient as possible and get the most for our points.

If you want to know any more of the good routes, feel free to PM me and I can fill you in. I feel like I've spent hours trying to make it work for some trip we've done!

Thanks spidersfan. You may not be so willing to help when I tell you I'm a JMU Dukes fan. My brother-in-law is a Spider, his wife a Duke, his daughter a Duke. It will be a fun time at JMU Homecoming when the Spiders come to town. Now that I said this I'm hoping that you are a fan of the University of Richmond and not just a lover of spiders.

I'm not so concerened with maximizing points efficiency as I am with defraying costs. Given my purchase and travel history I'm not going to rack up points like other AU'ers. I try to take an annual RVR-CHI turn for fun and destressing. It's upsetting that the regions are crafted to burn points. I just didn't want to miss something obvious. My thinking was to use the points for the Cardinal roomette as that is the most expensive aspect of the trip.

 

[gatelouse]

Will AGR permit a RVR-BOS-CHI itinerary? If so, you get business class on 66 since you're redeeming for a sleeper. If not, then you can book a 3000-point day train RVR-BOS, enjoy a night in Beantown, and just do BOS-CHI for 20,000 points or cash, whichever makes more sense.

RVR-NYP-CHI ought to be a valid routing for 20,000.

While you're just shy of 23,000 points, you can pull off a 23,000 point itinerary if you have the AGR credit card, thanks to the 5% redemption rebate. This might open up some more possibilities for cost savings.

If you don't have your heart set on the Card this year, the Capitol Limited tends to offer some pretty good sleeper rates in the offseason.

 

[B&Ofan]

I've done both living in Boston and having family in Toledo. The Boston leg is much longer and can be relaxing if you are not in a hurry as it does seem to creep along. One time a while ago I was able to take advantage of a now plugged loophole and favorable scheduling. For the same price as a direct ticket, you could take an early morning train to NYC, have about 5 hours to hang around the city and then catch the LSL out of Penn station. The schedule was such that we were heading up the Hudson at sunset and I had a river side sleeper.The view was nothing short of amazing. So maybe since I have done the BOS to ALB so many time, I would have to suggest the shorter but more scenic ALB NYP.

 

[Big Iron]

Will AGR permit a RVR-BOS-CHI itinerary? If so, you get business class on 66 since you're redeeming for a sleeper. If not, then you can book a 3000-point day train RVR-BOS, enjoy a night in Beantown, and just do BOS-CHI for 20,000 points or cash, whichever makes more sense.

RVR-NYP-CHI ought to be a valid routing for 20,000.

While you're just shy of 23,000 points, you can pull off a 23,000 point itinerary if you have the AGR credit card, thanks to the 5% redemption rebate. This might open up some more possibilities for cost savings.

If you don't have your heart set on the Card this year, the Capitol Limited tends to offer some pretty good sleeper rates in the offseason.

I'm not sure what AGR would say about the RVR-BOS-CHI routing. I'm going to call this weekend and find out. I'll be around 25,000 points soon, just paid a semester of college tuition with it.

I need to dig through the AGR website and determine all of the restrictions. In my limited, uneducated thinking I figure I pay cash for most of the trip and get a two zone roomette free.

 

[AlanB]

I'm going to call this weekend and find out. I'll be around 25,000 points soon, just paid a semester of college tuition with it.

Expect that all phones to Amtrak will be very, very busy this weekend with the hurricane disruptions that Irene is sure to cause.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see 1 hour hold times for both AGR & Amtrak.

 

[had8ley]

I don't think too many people are going to be riding the NEC this week-end since the shut down has already been announced...

 

[Big Iron]

I'm going to call this weekend and find out. I'll be around 25,000 points soon, just paid a semester of college tuition with it.

Expect that all phones to Amtrak will be very, very busy this weekend with the hurricane disruptions that Irene is sure to cause.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see 1 hour hold times for both AGR & Amtrak.

Point taken. I'll have the time as I'll be hunkered down with Irene skirting by RVR. Best of luck to you, looks bad for NYC folks. Take care.