Lakeshore Limited to/from Boston

[gmhtrains]

Prior to the past month, I had not ridden the Boston section of the Lakeshore Limited since returning home from the National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland, ME, in 2007. At that time trains 448/449 offered no through Chicago-Boston cars. The Portland to Portland trip was routed via the Lakeshore Limited, Texas Eagle and Coast Starlight over six days and five nights, at the same cost in first class Guest Rewards points as a Lakeshore Limited/Empire Builder routing. The continuous journey was ticketed a week apart as two-zone and single-zone segments of Portland, ME, to El Paso and El Paso to Portland, OR.

Last month I rode the Lakeshore Limited from Eugene, OR, to Albany-Rensselaer, and was surprised to find that Boston trains 448/449 now have both through coaches and a sleeper, and that the eastbound train now splits from the New York City section at Schenectady rather than Albany. A friendly coach attendant suggested that move ahead to a Boston coach prior to arriving in Schenectady so that I would reach Albany 10 to 15 minutes sooner.

Is splitting the eastbound train at Schenectady now daily practice? And when did through cars to Boston return to this train?

 

[J-1 3235]

Is splitting the eastbound train at Schenectady now daily practice? And when did through cars to Boston return to this train?

The train splits/joins in Albany/Rennselear, not in Schenectady. I had a trip scheduled in December of '09 in a roomette on 448, so, at least since then. I cannot say exactly when the through cars returned, but I was quite pleased when they did.

 

[Trogdor]

Typically, the split occurs in the yard just outside Albany-Rensselaer station. They might close off access between the two sections at Schenectady, and perhaps that's why the attendant suggested moving before Schenectady.

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, the split/combine occurs at ALB, not SDY. For one thing, ALB is where the switching crews and locomotives are located at. The other is that there are no spare tracks at SDY.

 

[TCRT]

Typically, the split occurs in the yard just outside Albany-Rensselaer station. They might close off access between the two sections at Schenectady, and perhaps that's why the attendant suggested moving before Schenectady.

I agree with this. Based on my (one) experience, you will get to ALB faster on the Boston section because the split is done prior to entering the station and the Boston section gets to enter the station about ten minutes before the New York section.

 

[johnny.menhennet]

From one month old experience, the switching is still performed at Albany, and will always continue to be. However, I was in the lounge reading an Economist at Schenectady when the attendant told me he was closing down and I needed to head back to my car. I asked when he would reopen, and he said immediately upon departure from Albany (I was heading to Boston BTW). They just routinely shut the lounge down so that the NYP-bound and BOS-bound pax separate and gives more time for them to make sure they are in the right car before the split or something like that.