Lake Shore Limited discussion

[IndyLions]

And here's a way to let management know that she did a good job:

https://www.amtrak.com/email-us

Thanks for that - done!

 

[BlackDiamond]

I had to do that once, and they put me in business class between Boston and Albany (both ways) and fed me. (I had a roomette in the New York sleepers between Albany and Chicago.) On the east-bound trip, however, dinner was a salad that was mostly still frozen. Fortunately, I was planning to take the Red Line from BOS to Alewife and meet up with some friends for dinner at Jasper White's Summer Shack (fantastic seafood next door to the Alewife MBTA station) and a ride home, so I didn't really want to eat anyway.

Same here. I haven't bothered with the flex dinner on 448. We usually get off in Worcester where our kids pick us up then we go to one of the areas fine restaurants, usually the Bollywood Grill in Shrewsbury our favorite Indian restaurant.

 

[TimePeace]

It doesn't seem that this question has been asked lately:

How has on time performance into Boston been lately (these last few months)? I too have missed the last Concord Coach run back to Maine once or twice over the years.

One time I think I was issued a small refund from customer service - but what I'd prefer would be a hotel room! Tough to sleep anywhere in the train or bus station... especially at age 74!

 

[jis]

Your best bet maybe to try using the following site and see what you can extract from it:

https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/home.php

 

[TimePeace]

Thanks.

 

[acelafan]

It doesn't seem that this question has been asked lately:

How has on time performance into Boston been lately (these last few months)? I too have missed the last Concord Coach run back to Maine once or twice over the years.

One time I think I was issued a small refund from customer service - but what I'd prefer would be a hotel room! Tough to sleep anywhere in the train or bus station... especially at age 74!

448 into BOS:



https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/a...end=01/11/2023&sort=d_ar&chartsize=2&smooth=0
Could be worse...

 

[TimePeace]

Yes, it looks pretty good. Thanks for the reply.
D.

 

[TimePeace]

OK, I'm getting closer to actually booking a trip Boston to Seattle in Mid-March, with the first leg(s) being the Lake Shore Limited. I have taken this train several times in the past, but not in at least 6 years or more.

If I'm in a sleeper, and If the train is more or less on time, which meals should I expect to have available? I have read here about Flex Dining and sort of know what to expect.

Also, will I be in the roomette all the way, or will I be in Business or Coach for the Boston to Albany section?

If, on the way out, I decide to go Coach to Chicago, will I be able to hang out in the 1st class Lounge in Boston if I have a sleeper ticket from Chicago to Seattle?

Thanks,

David

 

[fdaley]

OK, I'm getting closer to actually booking a trip Boston to Seattle in Mid-March, with the first leg(s) being the Lake Shore Limited. I have taken this train several times in the past, but not in at least 6 years or more.

If I'm in a sleeper, and If the train is more or less on time, which meals should I expect to have available? I have read here about Flex Dining and sort of know what to expect.

Also, will I be in the roomette all the way, or will I be in Business or Coach for the Boston to Albany section?

If, on the way out, I decide to go Coach to Chicago, will I be able to hang out in the 1st class Lounge in Boston if I have a sleeper ticket from Chicago to Seattle?

Thanks,

David

There is a through sleeper car from Boston to Chicago, so you can book a roomette for the whole distance if you like. If you do, the fare includes lunch departing Boston, which will be your choice of items from the regular cafe car menu. West of Albany, where the train picks up its through cars from NYC, sleeper passengers also get flex meals for dinner and for breakfast the next morning on the approach to Chicago. The dinner and breakfast will be available from the "sleeper lounge," the former dining car, which will be adjacent to the New York sleepers -- i.e., at the opposite end of the train from the Boston sleeper.

You might be able to save money by booking a coach seat from Boston to Albany and then a roomette from Albany to Chicago. From Albany west, you can book rooms on either train 449 (the Boston section) or train 49 (the New York section). Because 49 has two sleeper cars and 449 only has one, there sometimes are rooms available at lower rates on 49. If you choose this option, the price only includes dinner and breakfast, and you likely don't get to use the first-class lounge at Boston unless you have some other credential (e.g., guest rewards pass) that allows you in.

 

[TimePeace]

There is a through sleeper car from Boston to Chicago, so you can book a roomette for the whole distance if you like. If you do, the fare includes lunch departing Boston, which will be your choice of items from the regular cafe car menu. West of Albany, where the train picks up its through cars from NYC, sleeper passengers also get flex meals for dinner and for breakfast the next morning on the approach to Chicago. The dinner and breakfast will be available from the "sleeper lounge," the former dining car, which will be adjacent to the New York sleepers -- i.e., at the opposite end of the train from the Boston sleeper.

You might be able to save money by booking a coach seat from Boston to Albany and then a roomette from Albany to Chicago. From Albany west, you can book rooms on either train 449 (the Boston section) or train 49 (the New York section). Because 49 has two sleeper cars and 449 only has one, there sometimes are rooms available at lower rates on 49. If you choose this option, the price only includes dinner and breakfast, and you likely don't get to use the first-class lounge at Boston unless you have some other credential (e.g., guest rewards pass) that allows you in.

Thank you!
D.

 

[zephyr17]

You won't be able to hang out in the Metropolitan Lounge if your sleeper is only on the Builder. That's only for same day sleeper travel and your sleeper would be for the following day. If you were coach to Albany and picked up a sleeper there you would, you would have lounge access, since that's the same day.

@fdaley summed up the meal situation well. To continue it, your first meal on the Builder will be dinner, which will be quite good. Flex is on entirely different, and crappy, planet. The current version of traditional dining is an improvement on what it was immediately pre-COVID and the best it's been in years. Breakfast seating on the last day will stop at the west portal of the Cascade Tunnel, as usual, but that is quite a bit later on the current schedule.

 

[TimePeace]

What's the current (Winter 2023) Consist?

 

[joelkfla]

What's the current (Winter 2023) Consist?

VL I sleeper
Cafe
Coach
--------------
Coach
Coach
Diner
VL I sleeper
VL II sleeper
Baggage

I think the 1st 3 cars are the ones for Boston.

 

[zephyr17]

VL I sleeper
Cafe
Coach
--------------
Coach
Coach
Diner
VL I sleeper
VL II sleeper
Baggage

I think the 1st 3 cars are the ones for Boston.

They are

 

[jis]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: A number of posts about the Boston Lounge and other Lounge usage have been moved to the pre-existing thread on Metropolitan Lounges...

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/amtrak-metropolitan-lounges.79939/page-4#post-947253
Please post matters regarding Lounges to that thread and leave this train for discussing the Lake Shore Limited.

Thank you for your understanding, cooperation and participation.

 

[B&Ofan]

i just returned from a Boston to Toledo trip. We were early into Toledo but leaving we were left about 20 min late though after we started up we still stood in the station for another 20 min (or so) the rest of the trip was uneventful and were only a little late on the return trip. What I have to say is on the return trip I was to change sleepers in Albany (for some reason that was much cheaper, I have seen that before as well). I didn't mind as for much of the trip I don't have to walk through the coaches.

The rebuild of track 3 in Toledo has been complete for a while now though it looks like it was newer used, Amtrak always arrives on track 1. I suspect the rebuild was in anticipation of the expansion of passenger rail in Ohio, though I will believe it when I see it.

What enjoyed was sleeper 4812 was a viewliner II sleeper. It was quite nice. Very comfortable and much more quite then the Viewliner I.

What worries me is I remember on that trip there were as much as 4 NYC and 2 Boston coaches. On the trip there were only 2 NYC and 1 Boston coaches. I am hoping that this is only due to lower demand in the winter, though on my trips this summer it seemed there were still a reduced number coaches though I can't remember how many.

 

[mackinaw chief]

This has nothing to do with the lounge. But can someone explain the very jarring experience on the lake shore from CHI east bound. It's like your train developed square wheels that turned to jello. The constant side to side motion like a car crash. Is it the track that needs replacing or is it the trainset I was in ??? Happening every time I take the lake shore.

 

[rs9]

This has nothing to do with the lounge. But can someone explain the very jarring experience on the lake shore from CHI east bound. It's like your train developed square wheels that turned to jello. The constant side to side motion like a car crash. Is it the track that needs replacing or is it the trainset I was in ??? Happening every time I take the lake shore.

I have experienced this as well on the LSL. I think it's particularly noticeable eastbound because it's occurring at the point in time where you're trying to get to sleep, essentially east of South Bend.

While I am no expert, I've assumed it is the train switching tracks but doing so at a reasonable speed. Not saying it's unsafe, but Amtrak seems to take those switches faster than Metra does in Chicago.

 

[zephyr17]

While I am no expert, I've assumed it is the train switching tracks but doing so at a reasonable speed. Not saying it's unsafe, but Amtrak seems to take those switches faster than Metra does in Chicago.

I ride the LSL about once a year and honestly don't notice anything unusual about the ride compared to other trains.

It is quite dense with crossovers and junctions on NS' western end in Northern Indiana and Illinois. There can be significant motion in switches lined straight taken at 79 mph, kind of a wham-wham, lurching one direction, then the other. The amount depends partly depends on how worn the switch is. NS on that stretch didn't strike me as having unusually rough switches, but there are lots of them.

 

[TimePeace]

April 28 I will be boarding 49 in Albany headed for Chicago in a roomette . I wonder if I will have dinner and then breakfast in the "diner-lounge"? If so, will it be with "flex menu?" And is it true that those meals can include one free alcohol drink?

D.

 

[zephyr17]

April 28 I will be boarding 49 in Albany headed for Chicago in a roomette . I wonder if I will have dinner and then breakfast in the "diner-lounge"? If so, will it be with "flex menu?"

D.

Yes and yes

 

[TimePeace]

Ok, reading back through earlier posts: I believe if I understand correctly if I'm in sleeper on 49 or 48 the odd numbered rooms will be facing north, and even numbers facing south between Chicago and Albany. Correct?

 

[zephyr17]

Ok, reading back through earlier posts: I believe if I understand correctly if I'm in sleeper on 49 or 48 the odd numbered rooms will be facing north, and even numbers facing south between Chicago and Albany. Correct?

They turn the train.

Even rooms are on the left, so face west/south on 48, north/east on 49. Odd are on the right.

 

[TimePeace]

They turn the train.

Even rooms are on the left, so face west/south on 48, north/east on 49.

Well that works
. Of course I will not have Hudson River views because I'm going from/to Boston but I think that I can see the Erie Canal on both sides of the train at different times, daylight permitting.
D.

 

[joelkfla]

Just realized I won't be seeing the Hudson, from the 4911 Accessible Bedroom out of NYP in June. Guess I'll be spending the 1st few hours in the Diner (aka Sleeper Lounge) if they'll let me.