Lake Shore Limited discussion

[daybeers]

@barskin Welcome to AU, and thanks so much for supporting the site! I hope your questions have been answered, but feel free to ask more! Enjoy your trip.

 

[barskin]

Thank you so much for all your answers. As to traveling lighter, well, you see, I am spending a week in San Antonio, and I am, well, how you say...a woman. So, I will try valiantly to streamline my take alongs, but I need stuff. I think I will use the upper berth as luggage rack solution. Fortunately, I'll be able to check my luggage when I get to Chicago.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

Just booked a round-trip on 49 (4911) and
48 (4812) in August from NYP to TOL. Are the VLII sleepers on this route yet? Are either of these cars a VLII? Just curious. Thanks

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Just booked a round-trip on 49 (4911) and
48 (4812) in August from NYP to TOL. Are the VLII sleepers on this route yet? Are either of these cars a VLII? Just curious. Thanks

4812 should be a VLII. 4911 should be a VLI

 

[amtrakpass]

a few weeks ago I had 4812 and it was a Viewliner 2 and 4811 and the Boston section was a Viewliner 1. It was my first time in the newer car. One unexpected issue for me in the lower bunk was the fixed bracket that sticks out from the wall with the cupholders seemed to me to be somewhat wider than the Viewliner 1's and protrude too much toward the mattress where I kept bumping into it and disturbing my sleep. Not sure why that couldn't be made to fold away or be a little narrower. But depending on your own body you may not even notice it. Other than that, it was nice to ride in a newer car. I actually would rather have the newer config restroom down the hall although I know some will always prefer the old style in room restroom

 

[Chellerz]

 

[Chellerz]

View attachment 28889

 

[Chellerz]

In 4911 Roomette 2. Best way to travel!!!

 

[Amtrak25]

Get a load of the consist numbers of the Amcoach-2's. When they Capstoned them 15 years ago, they paneled over access to them. Same is true of the end doors. A sheet of stainless covered up access to the rollers. Sloppy engineering. The correct numbers must be known internally to the crews, and the Superliners display them correctly.

 

[Chellerz]

Get a load of the consist numbers of the Amcoach-2's. When they Capstoned them 15 years ago, they paneled over access to them. Same is true of the end doors. A sheet of stainless covered up access to the rollers. Sloppy engineering. The correct numbers must be known internally to the crews, and the Superliners display them correctly.

I wish I understood what you were talking about! How can I learn? I’m newly fascinated by this stuff.

 

[Amtrak25]

I wish I understood what you were talking about! How can I learn? I’m newly fascinated by this stuff.

Look at the Amcoach-2 car photos, which are car numbers in the 25000-series. Then behind a little window, you see 2508, 9777, 9843. Those are consist numbers, like the sleepers are 4911 and 4912 in LED. These others are old-fashioned mylar roll signs for each digit like you once saw on buses and subways.

The first 2 digits are the train's number, followed by a 2 digit consist number. Trains 97 and 98 are the Silver Meteor. The next 2 digits are random settings as they make no sense. These cars never ran on Train 25 - the Pioneer. They probably should be in the 30-series.

 

[joelkfla]

Get a load of the consist numbers of the Amcoach-2's. When they Capstoned them 15 years ago, they paneled over access to them. Same is true of the end doors. A sheet of stainless covered up access to the rollers. Sloppy engineering. The correct numbers must be known internally to the crews, and the Superliners display them correctly.

They're obviously not significant for coaches. The ones that are still visible have random numbers displayed.

Sleeper Passengers have a car number on their ticket, but coach seating is either open or assigned by crew.

 

[Chellerz]

Interesting! So how did they end up on train 49?

 

[Amtrak25]

Amfleet-2's were always on all the eastern long-hauls.
They are pretty good about setting them properly on the Superliner coaches.

 

[Chellerz]

a few weeks ago I had 4812 and it was a Viewliner 2 and 4811 and the Boston section was a Viewliner 1. It was my first time in the newer car. One unexpected issue for me in the lower bunk was the fixed bracket that sticks out from the wall with the cupholders seemed to me to be somewhat wider than the Viewliner 1's and protrude too much toward the mattress where I kept bumping into it and disturbing my sleep. Not sure why that couldn't be made to fold away or be a little narrower. But depending on your own body you may not even notice it. Other than that, it was nice to ride in a newer car. I actually would rather have the newer config restroom down the hall although I know some will always prefer the old style in room restroom

I’m in a Viewliner I right now but I’m still wandering down into the Viewliner II restrooms…

 

[glensfallsse]

Coincidentally, I was on 448 today, from Chicago to Albany. There were five coaches and it was full. End of a x-country journey also involving the Sunset Limited and the City of New Orleans.
The Boston passengers were bussed. Anybody know why? I didn’t know about it until I got to Albany.

 

[user 14106]

Coincidentally, I was on 448 today, from Chicago to Albany. There were five coaches and it was full. End of a x-country journey also involving the Sunset Limited and the City of New Orleans.
The Boston passengers were bussed. Anybody know why? I didn’t know about it until I got to Albany.

CSX track work.

 

[John Santos]

CSX track work.

... Which, according to Amtrak's Service Advisory page Service Alerts & Notices | Amtrak was supposed to end today (July 21, 2022), though someone on the other thread said Amtrak informed them yesterday morning that they were being bustituted between Albany and Boston. But they didn't specify train number or direction (east or west) or departure date, so I don't know if CSX has extended the construction or not.

 

[user 14106]

... Which, according to Amtrak's Service Advisory page Service Alerts & Notices | Amtrak was supposed to end today (July 21, 2022), though someone on the other thread said Amtrak informed them yesterday morning that they were being bustituted between Albany and Boston. But they didn't specify train number or direction (east or west) or departure date, so I don't know if CSX has extended the construction or not.

According to what I have heard they have extended their work.

 

[amydeg]

... Which, according to Amtrak's Service Advisory page Service Alerts & Notices | Amtrak was supposed to end today (July 21, 2022), though someone on the other thread said Amtrak informed them yesterday morning that they were being bustituted between Albany and Boston. But they didn't specify train number or direction (east or west) or departure date, so I don't know if CSX has extended the construction or not.

That was me. It was the 448 departing Chicago on 8/2.

 

[zephyr17]

Both 448 and 449 show up today (7/22) on asm.transitdocs.com

 

[west point]

May be heat has slowed the work? More employees dropping out for cooling down? Equipment might be up to higher temps for northern assigned track work.?

 

[Rasputin]

May be heat has slowed the work? More employees dropping out for cooling down? Equipment might be up to higher temps for northern assigned track work.?

Whatever the reason, legitimate or not, one thing is true in these annual projects: The Boston section of the Lake Shore (448 and 449) and its passengers always take it on the chin.

 

[PVD]

And since the line is in the hands of the MBTA at one end, and CSX at the other, there is very little Amtrak can do.

 

[zephyr17]

And since the line is in the hands of the MBTA at one end, and CSX at the other, there is very little Amtrak can do.

Well, at the very end into Albany, the Post Road branch is dispatched by Amtrak.

But CSX has it between MBTA and a few miles short of Albany.