New train (40-41 Floridian) between Miami and Chicago via Washington DC

[danasgoodstuff]

Technically PDX does too as it's an intermediate stop for Cascades trains, and I think they can access the Metropolitan Lounge there. Used to be able to say the same for Los Angeles but I don't think Surfliner business class passengers have access anymore.

PDX is intermediate on the Coast Starlight too, and it has sleepers unlike the Cascades. It's only a terminal stop on the Empire Builder.

 

[marvinrb]

It was cool to see my favorite unit (301 - Day 1 livery) leading on tonight's (12/5) eastbound #41 out of Chicago. (It also has a phase 7 P42 behind it as well).

View attachment 38527

That's neat. Here is the same unit outside of Raleigh, NC on Wednesday morning (12/4).

 

[Lisa Fox]

That's neat. Here is the same unit outside of Raleigh, NC on Wednesday morning (12/4).

That's neat. Here is the same unit outside of Raleigh, NC on Wednesday morning (12/4).

My big day is finally here! The Floridian 40 picking me up in Southern Pines, NC this morning. Less than 5 minutes late. Strong, good coffee, hot, creamy eggs, roses on the table and served with a smile by a lovely young lady named Brandy. Now I'm snuggled into my roomette with a blanket and pillow, living my best old lady life!

 

[marvinrb]

My big day is finally here! The Floridian 40 picking me up in Southern Pines, NC this morning. Less than 5 minutes late. Strong, good coffee, hot, creamy eggs, roses on the table and served with a smile by a lovely young lady named Brandy. Now I'm snuggled into my roomette with a blanket and pillow, living my best old lady life!

So this was your train going by my house in Raleigh this morning. Enjoy the ride.

 

[Lisa Fox]

Thank you!

 

[frequentflyer]

I noticed pretty descent time keeping so far for this train.

 

[PaTrainFan]

I was on 41 (5) this morning to Orlando from Pittsburgh. We ran on schedule and even early most of the way, a pleasant change from what I've seen since the service was introduced.

I decided to detrain at DeLand to try Sunrail, taking it to the other terminus at Poinciana.

We got to just north of the Tupperware stop and held. Our conductor said the issue was a broken air hose. After several minutes, we switched to the other track and bypassed the disabled 41.

Later, the conductor said he heard it was leaves that caught on fire, though details were sketchy. Ironically, when I exited at DeLand I noticed a bunch of leaves in a vestibule which I thought was weird. I later noticed in the alerts that a fire company was called due to a "fire near the tracks."

On my return trip on Sunrail to Sand Lake Rd, 41 was on the move, an hour and 45 minutes behind.

I just checked, and it is now caught behind a disabled freight! What a mess. So glad I hadn't planned to go to Miami today. Tomorrow, it's Brightline!

 

[Qapla]

It was cool to see my favorite unit (301 - Day 1 livery) leading on tonight's (12/5) eastbound #41 out of Chicago.

While it is true, #41 heads east out of Chicago towards WDC on the old Capitol Limited route ... apparently, Amtrak views the Floridian as a north-south route that connects Chicago and Miami, with stops along the East Coast

I'm sure it will take us a while to get used to referring to the CL portion of the route as a north-south train.

 

[jis]

While it is true, #41 heads east out of Chicago towards WDC on the old Capitol Limited route ... apparently, Amtrak views the Floridian as a north-south route that connects Chicago and Miami, with stops along the East Coast

I'm sure it will take us a while to get used to referring to the CL portion of the route as a north-south train.

It is OK to use geographical direction and not railroad direction for the normies. May be unacceptable for the rail geeks though

 

[PaTrainFan]

While it is true, #41 heads east out of Chicago towards WDC on the old Capitol Limited route ... apparently, Amtrak views the Floridian as a north-south route that connects Chicago and Miami, with stops along the East Coast

I'm sure it will take us a while to get used to referring to the CL portion of the route as a north-south train.

Interestingly, dispatchers still use 29 and 30 on the CSX.

 

[railiner]

Interestingly, dispatchers still use 29 and 30 on the CSX.

That is interesting. Do they still have an employee timetable with train numbers? Maybe they haven’t revised it? And what does the C&E refer to it on their radios? Or the automatic detectors?

 

[Acela150]

That is interesting. Do they still have an employee timetable with train numbers? Maybe they haven’t revised it? And what does the C&E refer to it on their radios? Or the automatic detectors?

C & E. Conductor and Engineer.

 

[PaTrainFan]

That is interesting. Do they still have an employee timetable with train numbers? Maybe they haven’t revised it? And what does the C&E refer to it on their radios? Or the automatic detectors?

Haven't any idea. I'm still learning how to use my scanner and the jargon.

On this trip I heard those references in communications between dispatchers and engineer. I don't recall what the automatic detectors said. I'll pay closer attention on my return. I don't know what C&E is.

Come to think of it, I believe south of DC they used 91 as well, although I didn't listen nearly as much.

 

[PaTrainFan]

C & E. Conductor & Engineer

Sorry, I couldn't tell on this. As I said, I'm a newbie to eavesdropping on scanner. I'm sure that dispatchers were using the old train numbering designations.

 

[railiner]

C & E. Conductor and Engineer.

Right…what I was asking what number does the C say to the E, such as: “Highball Connellsville, Number 30”

 

[Cal]

My big day is finally here! The Floridian 40 picking me up in Southern Pines, NC this morning. Less than 5 minutes late. Strong, good coffee, hot, creamy eggs, roses on the table and served with a smile by a lovely young lady named Brandy. Now I'm snuggled into my roomette with a blanket and pillow, living my best old lady life!

That looks like a charming little station, my favorite kinds. Glad you're enjoying it!

 

[Lisa Fox]

It was a great trip! The train got into Toledo 13 minutes early. The roomette is worth it if you value privacy, very compact, like a cacoon with your own sink and toilet. Love sleeping to the rhythm of the rails and Cliff knocked on my door 20 minutes before arrival. Dinner last night(flatiron steak, cooked to perfection) and blueberry cheesecake delicious. The Toledo station is very clean and well lit, but outside looked sketchy to me, so I stayed inside until my ride came.

 

[B&Ofan]

It was a great trip! The train got into Toledo 13 minutes early. The roomette is worth it if you value privacy, very compact, like a cacoon with your own sink and toilet. Love sleeping to the rhythm of the rails and Cliff knocked on my door 20 minutes before arrival. Dinner last night(flatiron steak, cooked to perfection) and blueberry cheesecake delicious. The Toledo station is very clean and well lit, but outside looked sketchy to me, so I stayed inside until my ride came.

Likely not as sketchy as it looks, as there need to be people around and the station is in a rather unpopulated section of town. Still staying in the station until your ride came was a good idea. When I was there with my bicycle waiting for the old Capitol to Washington, I did ride to a nice brewpub near the station. Despite not seeing anyone, I'm not sure I would of walked there. The walk would of been through a rather old and abandoned section.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Thanks very much for the trip report and pictures. Glad it went well.

 

[Acela150]

Sorry, I couldn't tell on this. As I said, I'm a newbie to eavesdropping on scanner. I'm sure that dispatchers were using the old train numbering designations.

All good

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It is OK to use geographical direction and not railroad direction for the normies. May be unacceptable for the rail geeks though

Most of the NEC is east/west. But there’s at least one section, and I think it includes Delaware, that is north/south. So I use N/E or S/W when referring to directions through NRK.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Most of the NEC is east/west. But there’s at least one section, and I think it includes Delaware, that is north/south. So I use N/E or S/W when referring to directions through NRK.

Geographical direction also helps for those of us who love trains, but haven't been on the NEC in a very long time (like me).

 

[railiner]

Geographical direction also helps for those of us who love trains, but haven't been on the NEC in a very long time (like me).

IIRC, Timetable direction between Boston and Philadelphia is west, between Philadelphia and Harrisburg is west, between Philadelphia and Washington is south, also, between Springfield and New Haven is south…

 

[Literalman]

I traveled between Virginia and Toledo about 20 years ago. I didn't like the look of the neighborhood either. The crazy thing I remember: this was only a few years after the terrorist attacks in New York and Virginia, and somebody left a bag on the connecting bus from Detroit; one of the Amtrak people carried the bag around the station asking whether it belonged to anyone. (Now, 23 years into the terrorism panic, there's an announcement at the Honolulu airport saying that unattended bags will be confiscated and destroyed.)

 

[PaTrainFan]

Right…what I was asking what number does the C say to the E, such as: “Highball Connellsville, Number 30”

On my return trip through Florida I've heard it all. For awhile they referred to the road number of the locomotive and as 92 and 40. I even heard the dispatcher get caught between and say "Ninety, uh...forty..."