NEW RIDER

[Goldigger]

I have new to this so forgive me for some of the questions I will ask, I live in Pensacola , FL which is the Panhandle next to Mobile AL was thinking about taking wife and 2 boys ages 19 and 17 to New York this summer thought it might be nice to ride Amtrac up there. First question do I get on in Jacksonville New orleons or Birmingham AL all about same distance I would like to ride the one with best views. Could i get some insight into this from all you train travelers . Someone did mention ffast train from New York to Boston was also pretty neat ride. Thanks for input,David

 

[dart330]

I'd do either Birmingham or Jacksonville, if you get on in New Orleans you would most likely go through Birmingham on the train anyways (unless you want to have a transfer in Chicago). Don't know that either has better scenery, I'd prob just go with whichever is cheaper or the shortest trip since it is your first time.

Edited to say that Jacksonville to NY is 5 hours faster than getting on in Birmingham. Probably your best bet if going coach and you don't have to change trains.

 

[Rail Freak]

Welcome,

First off, the 3 options you mentioned are all doable! The first question is money! You can go coach where you sleep in your seat, pay for your meals and rough it with out a shower. -OR- You can go Sleeper which means you sleep in a bed, have meals included & have access to a shower! The 2nd question is the route to take. If money isnt a problem I would take NOL-CHI-NYP! This way you take 3 days & 2 different trains, get to see the Chicago Station & maximize scenery!! With this direction you still have 3 different route options between CHI & NYP.

LOL, this is turning into a difficult question to answer! Go to Amtrak .com & pick July 18th for NOL-NYP,BHM-NYP & JAX-NYP.

You've got a lot of homework to do & decisions to make. But, I believe you & the boys would enjoy the train trip as much as NYC!

I guess I would vote to Take NOL-CHI-NYP, taking the Capitol Limited between CHI & NYP, all in a sleeper!

HAVE FUN

 

[AmtrakBlue]

And remember the cost of a room is NOT per person, but per room and it includes meals for all occupants of the room.

 

[AlanB]

I'd do either Birmingham or Jacksonville, if you get on in New Orleans you would most likely go through Birmingham on the train anyways (unless you want to have a transfer in Chicago). Don't know that either has better scenery, I'd prob just go with whichever is cheaper or the shortest trip since it is your first time.

While true that getting on in New Orleans brings one through Birmingham, arguably the most scenic part of that trains ride is the trip across Lake Pontchartrain & bayou's right after leaving New Orleans. So that could be a good argument for going to New Orleans to board.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

You could also depart from ATL. The station is better than BHM, and it's not that far from Pensacola.

I found some fares for ya from Amsnag.

If you go ATL-NYP, looks like your best bet would be 4 July, base fare $168, Roomette supplement (two people per room) is $288. Fare breakdown:

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

20 Crescent (ATL - NYP)

Depart:

8:04 pm, Wed, Jul 4, 2012

Arrive:

1:46 pm, Thu, Jul 5, 2012

Duration:

17 hours, 42 minutes

• 4 Adult $840.00
• Discount - $304.00
• 2 Viewliner Roomettes $850.00
• Subtotal $1,386.00
• Rail Discount
• - $304.00

Total$1,386.00

From BHM would probably be slightly more expensive.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

And here's a cheap fare JAX-NYP:

Wednesday, July 11, 2012 92 Silver Star (JAX - NYP) Depart: 10:57 pm, Wed, Jul 11, 2012 <BR class=clear_both>Arrive: 7:18 pm, Thu, Jul 12, 2012 <BR class=clear_both>Duration: 20 hr, 21 min <BR class=clear_both>Amenities

• 4 Adult $652.00
• Discount - $152.00
• 2 Viewliner Roomettes $586.00
• Subtotal $1,086.00

Rail Discount- $152.00 <BR class=clear_both>Terms & Conditions Total$1,086.00

 

[George Harris]

I would suggest Hattiesburg or Meridian. These would be closer to Pensacola than any of the other places listed. In part it gets around to how are you getting from Pensacola to your starting point. If driving to your starting point, it also entails consideration of where to leave your car, cost, safety, etc. Going out of Mobile, bot 45 and 98 are good divided highways once you get into Mississippi.

By the way, I am well familiar with Pensacola as my wife is from there and I have relatives there. We have decided that the easy and fastest way to go between Memphis and Pensacola is 78 to Tupelo, 45 to Mobile, going through Meridian, by the way, and then 10 across.

On thing to be aware of, to/from points Washington DC and north, the Crescent and the Florida trains are drop of northbound and pick up southbound only. Therefore, the northbound trains are required to wait for the times given in the schedule, so if on time into DC, the can be early, I have heard by as much as an hour, into New York City. The amenities on these trains are also better than the corridor trains.

(While the Acela is the fast way to go on the Northeast Corridor, it is expensive, and it is not really that much faster than the other trains. While the bayous and Lake Ponchatrain are interesting, I would consider that close enough to home to not be a factor in choosing your starting point.)

A point also to consider: For your nights in the New York area, consider getting a motel on the New Jersey side and using New Jersey Transit or PATH to cross the Hudson. It will be much cheaper. Find a place close to one of the NJT stations. Get acquainted with the New York City subway and bus system for getting around the city. You can get a good view of the Statue of Liberty by going back and forth on the Staten Island ferry. If you just want to see it and not climb it this is better than taking the boat to Liberty Island.

Everything in New York is expensive. In general, people there are not so nice.

 

[Goldigger]

Guys I really appreciate the advice I never thought about where I would leave my car but that is a issue. Are some of these stations by me better secured or are they all the same no security. Thanks a lot everyone I feel better already. Any one have any advice on what month to go July or August. Thanks again David

 

[MiRider]

......etc.

Everything in New York is expensive. In general, people there are not so nice.

I absolutely hate it when people say that! HATE IT!

It's not true at all, never has been for me or my husband.

Not saying that George has one but, I find that if you have an attitude or act entitled, you will find people to be not so nice to you no matter where you are. JMO.

Things are expensive in NYC, hotels especially though there are bargains to be had - just depends on how *fussy* you are and, of course, what your budget is.

But food runs the gamut - you can eat like the people that live there eat and do it inexpensively enough or you can go whole hog and go to the best restaurants.

Sorry for the hijack, I'll address your trip in another post.

Do you have an idea of when you'd like to go, do you have a budget ,and are you totally opposed to riding in Coach?

 

[me_little_me]

You are probably going to have to pay to park your car in any major city. Anniston, AL might still have free parking and I have seen prices from Anniston to NYC cheaper than ATL to NYC even though it is one stop further!

Someone might want to chime in on parking but I know ATL will cost $9/day which has to be added into your overall cost compared to other cities.

 

[me_little_me]

A point also to consider: For your nights in the New York area, consider getting a motel on the New Jersey side and using New Jersey Transit or PATH to cross the Hudson. It will be much cheaper. Find a place close to one of the NJT stations. Get acquainted with the New York City subway and bus system for getting around the city. You can get a good view of the Statue of Liberty by going back and forth on the Staten Island ferry. If you just want to see it and not climb it this is better than taking the boat to Liberty Island.

Everything in New York is expensive. In general, people there are not so nice.

Queens and Brooklyn hotels will also be less expensive but I'd spring for staying in Manhattan after looking for deals!

Meals in NYC can be very cheap if you walk a few blocks away from the high tourist areas. For example, 8th Avenue, just a few blocks from Times Square has inexpensive restaurants with good food.

Your comment about the people is flat wrong. The days of nasty New Yorkers are long gone. Everyone was so much nicer (and this ex-NYC boy saw it for himself) than years ago. Even the police are much nicer. When my son went there last month, he said the only boors he met were tourists. Our daughter-in-law with our sub 2yo grandson were always offered seats on the subway. Big change from 40 years ago! I'd take NYC to the unfriendly Philadelphians we encountered.

 

[benjibear]

This brings up one of the biggest gripes I have with traveling Amtrak, parking at stations. There is no good resource to tell you what the parking situation is like. Yes, Amtrak.com tells you how many short term and long term spaces there are but does not idicate the cost. It does also does indicate other local parking that may not be part of Amtrak. Also, it does not say how full the lot typcially gets.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

This brings up one of the biggest gripes I have with traveling Amtrak, parking at stations. There is no good resource to tell you what the parking situation is like. Yes, Amtrak.com tells you how many short term and long term spaces there are but does not idicate the cost. It does also does indicate other local parking that may not be part of Amtrak. Also, it does not say how full the lot typcially gets.

Just curious, do airports or bus stations? I wouldn't know because I always take a shuttle to the airport. And took a shuttle to the train station when I took my LD trip last year.

 

[me_little_me]

This brings up one of the biggest gripes I have with traveling Amtrak, parking at stations. There is no good resource to tell you what the parking situation is like. Yes, Amtrak.com tells you how many short term and long term spaces there are but does not idicate the cost. It does also does indicate other local parking that may not be part of Amtrak. Also, it does not say how full the lot typcially gets.

Just curious, do airports or bus stations? I wouldn't know because I always take a shuttle to the airport. And took a shuttle to the train station when I took my LD trip last year.

Airports definitely tell you what they charge. They don't tell you about off-airport parking because those are competition and when it comes to price, airport parking is hands-down more expensive than off-airport.

 

[Dangerous Johnny O'D]

I would definitely encourage the trip.. If you went all the way to Chicago, you should consider taking Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited to Boston. That is one of my favorite trips,

Admittedly, I am from New England, so I am biased, but I do prefer Beantown over the Big Apple. Why? Cause Boston is more human scale, a safer, & more affordable. Plus it has a lot of historical and cultural attractions that New York lacks (Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, the Boston Science Museum, Harvard & MIT, and various activities they sponsor).

And finally, in the summer, Boston is appreciably cooler.

 

[NY Penn]

Everything in New York is expensive. In general, people there are not so nice.

Thanks for the compliment...

OP: You'll be sure to enjoy New York. Try the link in my signature for a starting point as for things to do and places to see in NY.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Guys I really appreciate the advice I never thought about where I would leave my car but that is a issue. Are some of these stations by me better secured or are they all the same no security. Thanks a lot everyone I feel better already. Any one have any advice on what month to go July or August. Thanks again David

I must note that BHM station is awful. The tracks are on an embankment, and the shelter is stuck below the embankment. There is a open lot in front, but it's not a parking lot, and the pavement is broken, cracked, or even flipped over. Across the street are abandoned old building with cracked windows.

They must have messed up big time when they demolished Terminal Station. I'm not from BHM so I don't know what happened.

 

[George Harris]

Your comment about the people is flat wrong. The days of nasty New Yorkers are long gone. Everyone was so much nicer (and this ex-NYC boy saw it for himself) than years ago. Even the police are much nicer. When my son went there last month, he said the only boors he met were tourists. Our daughter-in-law with our sub 2yo grandson were always offered seats on the subway. Big change from 40 years ago! I'd take NYC to the unfriendly Philadelphians we encountered.

I hope they are. We took a trip mid 1970's, with a slightly over year old and a mild case of pregnancy. Up and back from DC by train. We left saying it was two in one: Our first and our last. However, the place where we felt unsafe was riding the Philly subway between Independence Hall and 30th Street. I ended up working in New York for a few months some 20 years later and again was happy to see the place dissapearing behind me in the distance. Considering the New York experiences of some people that drove up going by train was definitely the way to do it. Regardless of what else may have changed, I would think that would certainly still be true.

Still, no matter how much nicer New Yrokers have gotten or are perceived to have gotten, I would not expect to see the sort of behavior that we would expect in the South.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming:

There are two main things to consider about parking: cost and security. I would say for some of the smaller places check with their chamber of commerces and askk the question.

 

[gatelouse]

I would definitely encourage the trip.. If you went all the way to Chicago, you should consider taking Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited to Boston. That is one of my favorite trips,

Admittedly, I am from New England, so I am biased, but I do prefer Beantown over the Big Apple. Why? Cause Boston is more human scale, a safer, & more affordable. Plus it has a lot of historical and cultural attractions that New York lacks (Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, the Boston Science Museum, Harvard & MIT, and various activities they sponsor).

And finally, in the summer, Boston is appreciably cooler.

Now there's a city with rude people. Hey, somebody had to say it.

If this is your first time riding, you might consider keeping it simple and save the more exotic routings for a future adventure. Having said that, if you are feeling a bit adventuresome, you'll find much better amenities onboard Superliner bi-level trains. Your best routing in this case is (origin)-CHI-WAS-NYP via the City of New Orleans and Capitol Limited, both Superliner. This is only a few hours longer than NOL-CHI-NYP via the single-level Lake Shore Limited. The CHI-WAS Capitol Limited is as good as you'll find for scenery on the east coast.

 

[benjibear]

I can't speak for bus stations. They typically are in cities and probably have the same issues as Amtrak. Airports, however, generally have enough parking. I have never seen or never heard that an airport ran out of parking spots. For me, I could go to several Amtrak stations. The most conveniant to get to you need to pay for parking and the lot does get full. There is no place that is advertised as overflow parking in the area. Alot of people park on the street. I usually choose to go to a station that is a little out of the way to get there but the parking generally is pletiful and free.

As far as New Yorkers, I don't find them as rude as what the stereotype is. I find Philadelphia more rude. Boston, I found very friendly. I think the bottom line is most places are OK but there are always a few in every city.

 

[George Harris]

I must note that BHM station is awful. The tracks are on an embankment, and the shelter is stuck below the embankment. There is a open lot in front, but it's not a parking lot, and the pavement is broken, cracked, or even flipped over. Across the street are abandoned old building with cracked windows.
They must have messed up big time when they demolished Terminal Station. I'm not from BHM so I don't know what happened.

Quick history of passenger stations in Birmingham: At one point way back there was one Union Station is the same general location as the Amtrak station. In the early 1900's, don't know exacly when, the Terminal Station was built. Awesome monstronsity. I am sure very expensive to maintain and the property tax collector's dream. It was used by all but the L&N and its major stockholder, ACL. That is Southern, SAL, SLSF, ICRR, CofG. SAL terminated, SLSF-Southern and ICRR-CofG trains ran through, and the Southern trains that did not terminate had to pull in back out or back in pull out. At some point in the 50's the old Union Station building was demolished and replace by a rather nice and appropriately sized new L&N station on the same site. It had 4 platform tracks. At some point in the late 60's to pre 1972, the Terminal Station building was demolished and replaced by a small station building on the same site. By that time the only trains left were the Southerner and the City of Miami, so one platform was sufficient. When Amtrak came into being, they selected the L&N's South Wind as the Chicago to Florida train, made it daily and the City of Miami dissapeared. When Amtrak took over the Southern Crescent and it became the Crescent, they moved it to the L&N station, eliminating the back up move to access the Terminal Station site. As is well known, the Floridian ultimately dissapeared, leaving the Crescent as the only passenger train through Birmingham. At some point, I do not know when the L&N's station building ceased to be used by Amtrak and was allowed to deteriorate to the point that it was demolished to put it out of its misery, and that is where things stand today.

Birmingham was built on the steel industry, whch was alive and well when I was there in the late 1960's, but all of which is now gone to the best of my understanding. The city has effectively lost its reason for existance and is in deep financial trouble, so that there are abandoned old buildings near the station and the station itself is now gone is no surprise at all.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Good stuff as usual George! Birmingham is fast becoming the Gary,Ind of the South, as you say there is no real reason for it to continue to exist as a City and that Pit of a Station needs to be turned into a hole in the ground and an Amshak built to replace it! Lots of similarities to Beaumont also!

 

[Goldigger]

how is new orleons parking verses atlanta parking

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

how is new orleons parking verses atlanta parking

NOL would work, IDK about ATL.