New Long Distance Idea

[Acela150]

I was sitting eating breakfast this morning and got thinking what are the chances that Amtrak add a Long-Haul train from Boston South Station to say Miami or New Orleans, or even Texas? I think it would be nice when they get more sleeping cars. I'd love to be on the first run! What should they call it?

Talk it out

Thanks,

Stephen

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

One problem in the short term is the number of trains Amtrak can run over the Connecticut River bridge.

If the northbound train was discharge-only, that would also increase the number of miles the cars would be hauled mostly empty.

 

[PRR 60]

Another problem is the ability to service long distance trains in Boston. The Boston maintenance facility is limited in scope and physical size. Right now they service Amfleet and motive power (plus Acela in a connected but seperate facility). They are not set up to service Viewliners and this is the continuing reason that the sleeper has not returned to the Lake Shore Limited.

What I would rather see is enhanced connecting service between New England and New York for the LD's. Once upon a time, sleeping car passengers on the NEC heading to and from Washington for the Capitol Limited were entitled to use the Metroliner at no additional cost. A similar arrangement for use of Acela between New England and New York would be a nice perk for sleeping car passengers on the Silver Service and Crescent.

 

[Tony]

What I would rather see is enhanced connecting service between New England and New York for the LD's. Once upon a time, sleeping car passengers on the NEC heading to and from Washington for the Capitol Limited were entitled to use the Metroliner at no additional cost. A similar arrangement for use of Acela between New England and New York would be a nice perk for sleeping car passengers on the Silver Service and Crescent.

I think that is a great idea. Possibly even a "special" connecting service, complete with checked-thru luggage, to the Silver Service and the Cresent? Sleeper passengers would get "bumped" to First Class Acela, and with that, get their first Sleeper Class meal onboard the Acela.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

For what it is worth there has been service from Boston in the distant past. The Crescent (or maybe it was the Southern Crescent at the time) has been known to have a through sleeper and coach from Boston. In fact I just pulled out from my desk drawer a 11/14/71 Southern Railroad time table showing

the Southern Crescent with Boston to NOL coach and Boston to Los Angeles sleeper, transferred to the Sunset in NOL. It ws not daily since the train went for a time not being daily south of Atlanta.

And way back when- maybe no later than the 50's ---not sure off hand, there was winter season Boston to Florida service. That train was called the Vacationer. It only ran from Dec 16 of one year to April 24 of the next--the official railroad winter season. Looking at the 12/16/54 Atlantic Coast Line RR timetable we see that it had a section from NYC to MIA, the usual route, including, of course, Florida East Coast Line from Jax to MIA. But it also had a section from Boston which somehow by passed NYC proper from New Haven and Bridgeport and at some point joined the consist from NYC on in to WAS and points south. It had coaches from Boston to Miami and sleepers from Boston to both to MIA and Tampa/Sarasota.

It was mentioned above about the discharge only factor going north from Alexandria and WAS. Well, actually that is not set in stone. Many times in the past LD trains did handle local traffic in the NE Corrider. In the RR business it is hard to make fast and hard rules, so many things may have changed more than we know.

.

 

[BobWeaver]

I was sitting eating breakfast this morning and got thinking what are the chances that Amtrak add a Long-Haul train from Boston South Station to say Miami or New Orleans, or even Texas? I think it would be nice when they get more sleeping cars. I'd love to be on the first run! What should they call it?
Talk it out

Thanks,

Stephen

Well since anything to Miami would essentially turn into another Silver Service train, I think anything running to/from Boston would a) be far too long of a feasible trip, b ) the demand probably isn't there, and c) a new service would simply overlap one of the 2 current routes. I don't think CSX would take a liking to yet another passenger train on the A/S lines..

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Boston doesn't need another LD train. It has a direct link to CHI and NYP... That will get you anywhere in the country.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Boston doesn't need another LD train. It has a direct link to CHI and NYP... That will get you anywhere in the country.

Really? How long does the trip from Boston to Madison, or Boston to Sioux Falls, take?

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Boston doesn't need another LD train. It has a direct link to CHI and NYP... That will get you anywhere in the country.

Really? How long does the trip from Boston to Madison, or Boston to Sioux Falls, take?

Probably 9 hours from Logan with a connection in ATL.

Its not Boston's fault that some states don't get trains.

 

[Guest]

But it also had a section from Boston which somehow by passed NYC proper from New Haven and Bridgeport and at some point joined the consist from NYC on in to WAS and points south.

How could it bypass NYC? I didn't think there was any crossing of the Hudson between the Penn tunnels and Poughkeepsie. I suppose it could get to Poughkeepsie via (what is now) the Beacon Line, but that seems absurdly far out of the way.

 

[George Harris]

But it also had a section from Boston which somehow by passed NYC proper from New Haven and Bridgeport and at some point joined the consist from NYC on in to WAS and points south.

How could it bypass NYC? I didn't think there was any crossing of the Hudson between the Penn tunnels and Poughkeepsie. I suppose it could get to Poughkeepsie via (what is now) the Beacon Line, but that seems absurdly far out of the way.

The railroad bridge at Poughkeepsie is out of service and has been for quite a while. The most likely possibility is that it will become a trail, so the best you can hope is to either bicycle or walk it.

 

[cpamtfan]

But it also had a section from Boston which somehow by passed NYC proper from New Haven and Bridgeport and at some point joined the consist from NYC on in to WAS and points south.

How could it bypass NYC? I didn't think there was any crossing of the Hudson between the Penn tunnels and Poughkeepsie. I suppose it could get to Poughkeepsie via (what is now) the Beacon Line, but that seems absurdly far out of the way.

The railroad bridge at Poughkeepsie is out of service and has been for quite a while. The most likely possibility is that it will become a trail, so the best you can hope is to either bicycle or walk it.

O there is no way that bridge is becoming a trail. It looks like it could fall down any day now. Also, the Beacon line is barely used anymore.

cpamtfan-Peter

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Boston doesn't need another LD train. It has a direct link to CHI and NYP... That will get you anywhere in the country.

Why don't the airlines tell themselves that most of the destinations with direct service from Logan don't need direct service from Logan, then?

 

[soitgoes]

Why don't the airlines tell themselves that most of the destinations with direct service from Logan don't need direct service from Logan, then?

Well, most of the airlines *do* operate on a hub-and-spoke system, so they do sort of tell themselves that to some extent (i.e., either use BOS as a hub or as a spoke connecting to a hub).

Personally, what I would like to see is the return of a sleeper on the BOS-WAS overnight train and service to new stations around the country.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Why don't the airlines tell themselves that most of the destinations with direct service from Logan don't need direct service from Logan, then?

Well, most of the airlines *do* operate on a hub-and-spoke system, so they do sort of tell themselves that to some extent (i.e., either use BOS as a hub or as a spoke connecting to a hub).

Sure, but I've been able to get a one seat ride from Logan to Indianapolis by airplane. Why shouldn't I be able to get a one seat ride by train from BOS to Indianapolis?

 

[wrjensen]

I am not sure how you would route it but what about a train for BOS-NYP (I know there are bridge issues)-WAS-CIN-Nasville- MEM-DAL-El Paso- LA. I know it is a pipe dream but it would create a train from coast to cost without dealing with Chicago.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

But it also had a section from Boston which somehow by passed NYC proper from New Haven and Bridgeport and at some point joined the consist from NYC on in to WAS and points south.

How could it bypass NYC? I didn't think there was any crossing of the Hudson between the Penn tunnels and Poughkeepsie. I suppose it could get to Poughkeepsie via (what is now) the Beacon Line, but that seems absurdly far out of the way.

I have been looking at this very carefully. Keep in mind I only have the ACL timetable for 12/16/54 ,not the New Haven. The New Haven might show a little more detail.

Here is what gives:

There are two columns,the Boston to Florida "Vacationer" on the left, the NYC to Florida "Vacationer" on the right. NYC is not listed in the left hand column but maybe that is because it is not relevant, the Boston section stops only to discharge people at Richmond and beyond.

So I am beginning to think the Boston section was merged into the NYC section in NYC after all, but not listed in the timetable since it would be redundant, There is already a section originating in NYC and there are no stipulatons for its stops. On the NYC section people can get on or off anywhere unlike today. But the Boston section is apparently sort of a "dark horse" riding along. They are listed as two trains in one south of WAS to FLA, no question about that. But apparently they are really two trains in one from NYC to WAS even though they appear to not be listed that way.

The history of a Boston section is not very strong, I do not see one listed after the winter seaon timetable for the followng year so winter 1954 spring 55 was the last of it. That has been a long time.

 

[jackal]

Why don't the airlines tell themselves that most of the destinations with direct service from Logan don't need direct service from Logan, then?

Well, most of the airlines *do* operate on a hub-and-spoke system, so they do sort of tell themselves that to some extent (i.e., either use BOS as a hub or as a spoke connecting to a hub).

Sure, but I've been able to get a one seat ride from Logan to Indianapolis by airplane. Why shouldn't I be able to get a one seat ride by train from BOS to Indianapolis?

Hmm...all the nonstops between BOS and IND are regional jets--the airline equivalent of the corridor services.

Soitgoes is correct: virtually any direct service between two cities is because one of them is a hub (or at least a large focus city). Even from ANC, my choices of where to fly nonstop in the Lower 48 is limited to the hubs of the airlines that serve here along with a couple of Alaska Airlines' focus cities.

Unfortunately, BOS is not an Amtrak hub, just like it's not a hub for CO...and you don't see nonstop CO flights to IND or JAX or even ORD, or actually anywhere except their hubs of EWR, IAH, and CLE.

Not saying that BOS doesn't deserve more LD service or that Amtrak shouldn't look at making BOS a focus city (although it is on the edge of the network, which limits its usefulness as a hub), but just because one airline gives you regional jets to one city doesn't mean that Amtrak is being unfair by not matching that service.

 

[transit54]

What I would rather see is enhanced connecting service between New England and New York for the LD's. Once upon a time, sleeping car passengers on the NEC heading to and from Washington for the Capitol Limited were entitled to use the Metroliner at no additional cost. A similar arrangement for use of Acela between New England and New York would be a nice perk for sleeping car passengers on the Silver Service and Crescent.

I think that is a great idea. Possibly even a "special" connecting service, complete with checked-thru luggage, to the Silver Service and the Cresent? Sleeper passengers would get "bumped" to First Class Acela, and with that, get their first Sleeper Class meal onboard the Acela.

Why doesn't Amtrak offer the Acela as a connecting option to LD trains? I know that they reduce the price of the regional for connections, but why not also offer the Acela connection at nearly the full fare price? I'm sure some people would take it.

 

[AAARGH!]

Why doesn't Amtrak offer the Acela as a connecting option to LD trains? I know that they reduce the price of the regional for connections, but why not also offer the Acela connection at nearly the full fare price? I'm sure some people would take it.

I would take it (as would most on this board). But I think Amtrak sees the Acela purely as a business traveler's train and not for those travleing anywhere else outside of the NE Corridor. I wouldn't think they would ever consider this IMHO.

 

[haolerider]

Why doesn't Amtrak offer the Acela as a connecting option to LD trains? I know that they reduce the price of the regional for connections, but why not also offer the Acela connection at nearly the full fare price? I'm sure some people would take it.

I would take it (as would most on this board). But I think Amtrak sees the Acela purely as a business traveler's train and not for those travleing anywhere else outside of the NE Corridor. I wouldn't think they would ever consider this IMHO.

Actually baggage is one of the prime concerns. A family (or person) traveling on vacation comes with lots of bags and Acela has no baggage car - nor any place to put a lot of large bags. As noted above, Acela is a business/corporate mode of transportation and not geared or priced for the leisure market.