JackieTakestheTrain
Lead Service Attendant
Hi:
A few folks have asked me to write a brief travel report, so here is my first crack at it. I fear it will bore most of you to death -- I didn't write anything about the train consists, equipment, speeds, etc. and there were no derailments, natural disasters, etc. (thank goodness!)
This was my "luxury" holiday trip from Boston to Cincinnati (and really southern Kentucky) over the holidays using LimoLiner, Cardinal, Acela First Class and a car.
LimoLiner - First leg of the journey.
If you don't know, LimoLiner is a "luxury bus service" that is similiar to first-class air travel. It has 28 leather seats, an attendant, meal/snack/beverage service, magazines and newspapers, movies and satellite radio. The seats are very comfortable and has the widest width for legroom I have ever seen on any mode of public transportation. From Back Bay to NYC, it makes only one stop at Framingham, MA. On our trip, it took about 5 hours to get into NYC (at the Hilton New York at West 56th street, as I recall). Since the bus travels on the highway, we came in through Brooklyn, Harlem and down toward Manhattan. I am a geek as I love riding the bus in New York. I love seeing all the various neighborhoods, people, etc. that isn't all the tourist stuff. I tell myself, however, that is not how my experience would be if I actually lived in any of these places -- it would just be the typical commute like I have now in Boston -- but there is something fun for me to daydream about as I go along.
Bathroom on LimoLiner is a really nice!
We got caught in all kinds of rush-hour/holiday traffic since we arrived around 5:30 p.m. The best part was seeing all the fancy stores' Christmas displays, especially at Bergdorf-Goodman's and Mikimoto jewelry stores. I saw the largest strand of pearls ever! When we were finally off the bus, I went into the cabline at the Hilton and a private car service guy plucked me out of the line and for a few extra dollars I was whisked away down to the Affinia Manhattan down by Penn Station. My mom told me this was a really silly thing for me to do -- get into a car with a complete stranger -- but you know, some times you have to go with the moment. I would still be waiting for a cab!
I would give LimoLiner a B+. The movie equipment hardly worked but luckily for me it worked at my screen and one other. We watched "It's a Wonderful Life" and "WallStreet 2" , which was an odd combination.
If you decide to take the LimoLiner, be sure to ask where your seat is located as they do have some cell-free zones. Also, figure in a cost for a taxi or other public transportation if you aren't staying in the general area. They claim this is close to Times Square and it sorta is, but I think it would be a hike with luggage.
Affinia Manhattan -- great, renovated hotel. Can choose choice of pillows, amenities, etc. before you arrive. Not quiet, however, as it is right near a fire or police station and lots of foot traffic late at night. My room had a small kitchenette. I also got a free bottle of wine for giving up my Facebook information (what can I say, I like the word "free.") Incredibly friendly staff. For the girlie-girls out there like me, they have mini-Philosophy toiletries in the bathrooms!
Cardinal -- NYC to Cincinnati == second leg of the trip
No issues here -- we were even on time!!! I was in Roomette #3 as the accessible room was already booked. Other than my legs cramping up on me for being in tight quarters, it was not so bad.
Loved dessert -- lemon fruit cheesecake. Yummy!
Quirky thing: If you order the continental breakfast, you do not get fresh fruit from NYC heading Westbound, but you do coming from Chicago Eastbound, according to the sleeping car attendant. I guess there is no fruit in NYC???? I find that really hard to believe.
Once in Cincinnati, my parents picked me up, took me back to their house where I got about 4 hours of sleep before being pushed into a car and heading down the highway for the 4-hour drive to see my Grandmother.
Visit was good, until she had to go the hospital for a bad bout of pneumonia. She is 92, so they have kept there since Christmas. She is doing much better but won't leave until her lungs are all clear.
Cardinal -- Cincinnati to Washington DC -- leg 3 of the journey
Train was nearly 1 hour late - something I would not have ordinarily would have minded but since I was dropped off at the station at 11:30, I had gobs of time to kill. To make matters worse, when the sleeping car passengers got on, we had to wait in the dinette because the attendant needed to make up our rooms. Apparently, all the rooms were in use and he had to remake our beds/etc. I was glad because there were a bunch of kids in my roomette who apparently thought the TP was confetti. It looked like NYE had come early on the Cardinal! I finally got to bed around 5 a.m. -- not a happy camper. The latch on my roomette -- #8 -- didn't work properly so I had to lock myself in.
I haven't slept in a roomette for a number of years, so I am not sure if this is everyone's experience, but I think the car could use repainting or replacing of some of the items.
The train was 3 hours late in Washington and I am not exactly sure where we lost the additional 2 hours because I don't recall us stopping for any length of time.
Thankfully, my hotel -- the Phoenix Park -- was right across the street from Union Station. A really great boutique hotel recommended by a fellow AUFer.
Acela First-Class Washington DC to Route 128 (Boston)-- 4th and final leg of the trip.
So, I had a few Amtrak vouchers and I decided to splurge and was glad I did. This was not my first time on the Acela in First-Class.
I had asked in AUF chat awhile ago if they serve champagne in the Acela first-class and the answer is yes. I had mimosas with my egg tart for breakfast and champagne for lunch with my chicken enchiladas. Considering I never hardly imbibe, this was a real treat for me and a champagne buzz while moving really fast on the Acela is actually kind of fun!
Attendants offered impeccable service despite a few of the riders who really showed their ugly sides. The conductors even got involved. I do not know the nature of the dispute.
Well, I am back to reality and sadly, no more trips planned for some time.
-- Jackie
p.s. For those of you wondering why I rode the LimoLiner, I wanted to be sure I got a seat. Since I was going to close to Christmas, I feared the trains would be really/over crowded so it was a good time for me to try it. Ditto: Acela First-Class.
A few folks have asked me to write a brief travel report, so here is my first crack at it. I fear it will bore most of you to death -- I didn't write anything about the train consists, equipment, speeds, etc. and there were no derailments, natural disasters, etc. (thank goodness!)
This was my "luxury" holiday trip from Boston to Cincinnati (and really southern Kentucky) over the holidays using LimoLiner, Cardinal, Acela First Class and a car.
LimoLiner - First leg of the journey.
If you don't know, LimoLiner is a "luxury bus service" that is similiar to first-class air travel. It has 28 leather seats, an attendant, meal/snack/beverage service, magazines and newspapers, movies and satellite radio. The seats are very comfortable and has the widest width for legroom I have ever seen on any mode of public transportation. From Back Bay to NYC, it makes only one stop at Framingham, MA. On our trip, it took about 5 hours to get into NYC (at the Hilton New York at West 56th street, as I recall). Since the bus travels on the highway, we came in through Brooklyn, Harlem and down toward Manhattan. I am a geek as I love riding the bus in New York. I love seeing all the various neighborhoods, people, etc. that isn't all the tourist stuff. I tell myself, however, that is not how my experience would be if I actually lived in any of these places -- it would just be the typical commute like I have now in Boston -- but there is something fun for me to daydream about as I go along.
Bathroom on LimoLiner is a really nice!
We got caught in all kinds of rush-hour/holiday traffic since we arrived around 5:30 p.m. The best part was seeing all the fancy stores' Christmas displays, especially at Bergdorf-Goodman's and Mikimoto jewelry stores. I saw the largest strand of pearls ever! When we were finally off the bus, I went into the cabline at the Hilton and a private car service guy plucked me out of the line and for a few extra dollars I was whisked away down to the Affinia Manhattan down by Penn Station. My mom told me this was a really silly thing for me to do -- get into a car with a complete stranger -- but you know, some times you have to go with the moment. I would still be waiting for a cab!
I would give LimoLiner a B+. The movie equipment hardly worked but luckily for me it worked at my screen and one other. We watched "It's a Wonderful Life" and "WallStreet 2" , which was an odd combination.
If you decide to take the LimoLiner, be sure to ask where your seat is located as they do have some cell-free zones. Also, figure in a cost for a taxi or other public transportation if you aren't staying in the general area. They claim this is close to Times Square and it sorta is, but I think it would be a hike with luggage.
Affinia Manhattan -- great, renovated hotel. Can choose choice of pillows, amenities, etc. before you arrive. Not quiet, however, as it is right near a fire or police station and lots of foot traffic late at night. My room had a small kitchenette. I also got a free bottle of wine for giving up my Facebook information (what can I say, I like the word "free.") Incredibly friendly staff. For the girlie-girls out there like me, they have mini-Philosophy toiletries in the bathrooms!
Cardinal -- NYC to Cincinnati == second leg of the trip
No issues here -- we were even on time!!! I was in Roomette #3 as the accessible room was already booked. Other than my legs cramping up on me for being in tight quarters, it was not so bad.
Loved dessert -- lemon fruit cheesecake. Yummy!
Quirky thing: If you order the continental breakfast, you do not get fresh fruit from NYC heading Westbound, but you do coming from Chicago Eastbound, according to the sleeping car attendant. I guess there is no fruit in NYC???? I find that really hard to believe.
Once in Cincinnati, my parents picked me up, took me back to their house where I got about 4 hours of sleep before being pushed into a car and heading down the highway for the 4-hour drive to see my Grandmother.
Visit was good, until she had to go the hospital for a bad bout of pneumonia. She is 92, so they have kept there since Christmas. She is doing much better but won't leave until her lungs are all clear.
Cardinal -- Cincinnati to Washington DC -- leg 3 of the journey
Train was nearly 1 hour late - something I would not have ordinarily would have minded but since I was dropped off at the station at 11:30, I had gobs of time to kill. To make matters worse, when the sleeping car passengers got on, we had to wait in the dinette because the attendant needed to make up our rooms. Apparently, all the rooms were in use and he had to remake our beds/etc. I was glad because there were a bunch of kids in my roomette who apparently thought the TP was confetti. It looked like NYE had come early on the Cardinal! I finally got to bed around 5 a.m. -- not a happy camper. The latch on my roomette -- #8 -- didn't work properly so I had to lock myself in.
I haven't slept in a roomette for a number of years, so I am not sure if this is everyone's experience, but I think the car could use repainting or replacing of some of the items.
The train was 3 hours late in Washington and I am not exactly sure where we lost the additional 2 hours because I don't recall us stopping for any length of time.
Thankfully, my hotel -- the Phoenix Park -- was right across the street from Union Station. A really great boutique hotel recommended by a fellow AUFer.
Acela First-Class Washington DC to Route 128 (Boston)-- 4th and final leg of the trip.
So, I had a few Amtrak vouchers and I decided to splurge and was glad I did. This was not my first time on the Acela in First-Class.
I had asked in AUF chat awhile ago if they serve champagne in the Acela first-class and the answer is yes. I had mimosas with my egg tart for breakfast and champagne for lunch with my chicken enchiladas. Considering I never hardly imbibe, this was a real treat for me and a champagne buzz while moving really fast on the Acela is actually kind of fun!
Attendants offered impeccable service despite a few of the riders who really showed their ugly sides. The conductors even got involved. I do not know the nature of the dispute.
Well, I am back to reality and sadly, no more trips planned for some time.
-- Jackie
p.s. For those of you wondering why I rode the LimoLiner, I wanted to be sure I got a seat. Since I was going to close to Christmas, I feared the trains would be really/over crowded so it was a good time for me to try it. Ditto: Acela First-Class.
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