NYP-ROC and back on the LSL - Live Report!

[cpotisch]

Just left Schenectady. Got these shots going around a curve as we left:

 

[cpotisch]

In Albany now. Dad went to the Sleeper Lounge just before arrival to get some coffee before we lost power. I’m currently chilling solo in the Roomette.

Two very different kinds of “P32s”/monthly_2019_02/4C5BC92F-6A19-4CBA-ADC7-8664A1B64133.thumb.jpeg.0adf9a4d279f833092ff9ebb0927e7a6.jpeg

This one isn’t looking so great:/monthly_2019_02/8BD8487D-116B-488C-92E7-03FB621C8F05.thumb.jpeg.ddd58b86b1069d11baa53ab74a88df85.jpeg

And look what we have over in the back! The one and only Great Dome #10031 Ocean View!

/monthly_2019_02/22B0E8D8-1D48-45C2-9386-3C6BA3EAEEED.thumb.jpeg.f64c634ad4fd377905e65382926e70f1.jpeg

Another P32AC-DM:/monthly_2019_02/3B87A1DB-9BF2-4125-8455-60C1C8D55853.thumb.jpeg.2caa6173bab5dfc271e9ba82ccdf26a2.jpeg

And another one, which also isn’t looking so great./monthly_2019_02/708CA188-C8AC-4AB5-AFE9-99831F110ED1.thumb.jpeg.1523dfd4dd96db45e69900f004704b51.jpeg

Stopped on track 4:

(Continued in next post)

 

[cpotisch]

(Continuing from last post)

A northbound Ethan Allen Express departing:/monthly_2019_02/5E5BE129-0BC1-4073-B791-60D08545E751.thumb.jpeg.e3fc5db84eea4eadfac94bc9f6840de9.jpeg

And us departing:

 

[cpotisch]

We left Albany maybe half an hour ago, and are now approaching Rhinecliff. They loaded on some sandwiches and snacks in ALB, and I had a choice of either a vegan wrap or another Asian Noodle Bowl. I played it safe and got the Noodle Bowl, and this time she put in a special large brownie from the cafe car! 



EDIT: Argh. Thought this went through at like 6:00 PM. Good brownie, though.

 

[cpotisch]

In Croton-Harmon now:

 

[cpotisch]

Got these pics between ALB and POU:

 

[cpotisch]

Back in the Roomette now for the final 45 minutes or so of this trip. I’m chilling in the top bunk (though the SCA forgot to provide blankets!) and dad’s getting a bit of work done down below. I can just barely see the river in this dark.

 

[cpotisch]

I did get a few pics at POU station, including some of Metro-North’s diesel through-trains. Unfortunately it was dark and I took the pictures when we were going at a good clip, so they're a bit blurry.

 

[como]

Arriving in Syracuse.

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It's nice seeing the pictures of the Syracuse station.  I lived in Syracuse for 4 years in the mid 1980's and took the LSL to New York City and Chicago several times.  The station was in Liverpool.  It was inconvenient and not a nice place so the "new" station is much better.  If you go to  RIT you'll probably get used to the snow.  After a while you appreciate the beauty and learn to deal with the rest!

 

[PVD]

The new Syracuse station (not so new anymore) is much better situated, and the ability to connect to both local and regional buses is a big plus. So is the easy access to the highways....

 

[Rasputin]

Thanks for your report and glad to hear that you had a good trip.  Was there a Boston sleeper on both trains?  Did you notice what the patronage was on the New York sleepers?  Did your train only have one New York sleeper coming back?

 

[PVD]

I was thinking about some of the same things, but in one of the pictures going around the curve you can see the Boston sleeper so I figure it was there at least coming back....He mentioned one of the NY sleepers was out of service for frozen pipes..... Don't remember the commentary on sleepers for the trip up, we'll have to wait for a CP update....

 

[cpotisch]

There was a Boston sleeper both ways. I'm not sure what patronage was on the way there, but on the way back it was sold out.

Departing Schenectady now. Should be arriving in Rochester in about 3 1/2 hours.

BTW, I got these shots of #449 across the platform at ALB before it was combined with the #49. One Boston section passenger who had hopped off for some fresh air started freaking out when it started to pull away, and was very hesitant to accept that it would be back in literally two or three minutes, and was just going forward 500 feet or so to back into our track. As I’ve said before, some people really can’t handle the idea of trains splitting or combining. /monthly_2019_02/9B663EE9-35F9-4A7D-9D75-A9D23F73E1DF.thumb.jpeg.e3400c11b4ff9495bab138c26dd596e1.jpeg/monthly_2019_02/7EA51502-9C32-4D31-831E-DDB49B328FE0.thumb.jpeg.1e3a43d65341127361d2aeb103cdccb4.jpeg/monthly_2019_02/FE8DDEA8-13E1-4BF3-9C83-A4B0FDE86F3F.thumb.jpeg.48cca6f745924f358ba902104e6d98da.jpeg

And I definitely wouldn’t want to be in a Bedroom or high number Roomette in that sleeper!

 

[Rasputin]

Was there only one New York sleeper on your return trip?  Maybe that was why the Boston sleeper was sold out - to accommodate some passengers who would ordinarily have been in a New York sleeper.  Thanks.

 

[cpotisch]

Was there only one New York sleeper on your return trip?  Maybe that was why the Boston sleeper was sold out - to accommodate some passengers who would ordinarily have been in a New York sleeper.  Thanks.

There were two NY sleepers, but as I said in the below post, 4812 was out of commission due to a couple pipes bursting.

So I learned from the diner/sleeper-lounge/whatever attendant, that the 4812 sleeper (car 62040) is actually out of commission due to the discovery last night in Chicago that some pipes had frozen, burst, and subsequently flooded the entire car with waste. It turns out this is the reason why one lady we met on the platform in Rochester who is also going to NYP in a Roomette, had without any explanation received a new e-ticket that has her in coach on the LSL to Albany, at which point she then has to transfer to Business class on a different train to NYP.

Particularly striking here is the fact that that was the exact car we were in two days ago on the way to Rochester, and apparently would have even had the same SCA (Melanie) had it run today.  :unsure:

That said, we checked Amtrak.com and rooms were all sold out between ALB and BOS anyway, so I don't see how the "issue" with 4812 would have been the reason for the Boston sleeper being sold out.

 

[Rasputin]

 So the 4812 car was still on your train 48 but it was out of service.  I guess I had thought that it had been bad--ordered in Chicago and left there.  Sorry if I misunderstood this.  Thanks.

 

[cpotisch]

 So the 4812 car was still on your train 48 but it was out of service.  I guess I had thought that it had been bad--ordered in Chicago and left there.  Sorry if I misunderstood this.  Thanks.

Not an issue.

Our Sleeper Lounge attendant explained that Chicago isn't quite as suited to fixing Viewliners as Sunnyside is, so they felt that bringing it back to NYC was the best option. Another factor I imagine may have played a role in this decision is the fact that NYP is served by five single-level LD trains vs Chicago's two, making it that much more likely that they will be able to use that car the moment it gets fixed.

 

[PVD]

If it is beyond what ssyd would handle, and needs to go to Hialeah, it would be added to a train in ssyd

 

[cpotisch]

We ended up arriving in NYP at 8:07 PM, which is 1h 45m late. That’s late enough for it to be annoying and to keep me from seeing the Hudson in daylight, but still not late enough for us to get a voucher or anything.

Out of the entire 8 hour ride, I only spent the final 45 minutes or so in that upper bunk, which I do sort of regret considering how cozy it is and that I didn’t give myself the chance to enjoy it.                     /monthly_2019_02/DD44F404-8850-4756-A531-2B0181897ECD.thumb.jpeg.223f2f542f9ec501a0474543249755b1.jpeg

I’m sort of kidding but sort of not when I say that they should probably update this sign:

Here we are. The Lake Shore Limited at NYP, with an Acela across the platform:/monthly_2019_02/4C0C91D4-AB3E-43EC-8AB5-C50CB8553F3C.thumb.jpeg.f74e5ac754e172d75be28c1d5ef78d77.jpeg/monthly_2019_02/9A05112D-9BD8-4F6B-8557-05D48E4477E2.thumb.jpeg.39802ec6c3fddefd381192977fb57994.jpeg

4811 and ViewDiner Sleeper Lounge 68008 Columbus:

So my take on contemporary dining? I’m actually very happy with it. Sleeper passengers now have a genuinely nice place to stretch out, take in the views, and socialize with others (without being restricted to specific meal times). Service was superb on the way there, in that the attendant came over the moment I sat down, asking if I would be eating now and if I wanted anything to drink. When I ordered a beverage or my meal, he had it in front of me within a minute or two. And he even gave us the choice of a large, separately packaged blondie or dark chocolate brownie (in addition to the little vegan brownie bar that was already in my box) for dessert. And from my dad’s perspective, the free booze didn’t hurt either.

While I do enjoy the classic Amtrak communal seating that makes it so easy to chat with other passengers at while we eat, I have to confess that it was quite nice to have a table to ourself. And I suppose if both parties are cool with it, there still isn’t anything keeping you from sharing a table with others, though asking them might be a bit awkward.

I do feel for the people in coach who can’t have a full hot meal onboard anymore, especially when you consider the fact that the LSL had a particularly high rate of diner utilization of coach passengers before it got all contemporary. But the Lounge attendant on #49 explained that the main issue that prevents them from serving coach pax, is that they just can’t fit all the boxed meals it would take to do so. That sounds about right when you consider the fact that they needed FOUR full size trash cans to dispose of all the boxes on this trip.

TLDR: The service was good, the food was tasty, and the LSL *finally* has a pleasant lounge for (sleeper) passengers to relax and enjoy the scenery. It could benefit from more vegetarian options and maybe a bit more of a selection for dessert, but you’re going to be onboard for three meals at most, so even that isn’t a huge issue.

 

[neroden]

[SIZE=12pt]But the attendant on #49 explained that the main issue with that is that they just can’t fit all the boxed meals it would take to serve coach passengers. That sounds about right when you consider the fact that they needed FOUR full size trash cans to dispose of all the boxes on this trip.[/SIZE]
 

That sounds like a "fix the packaging" problem.  They should fix it.

 

[cpotisch]

 That sounds like a "fix the packaging" problem.  They should fix it.

As long as they stick with boxed meals, I don't think they really can fix that.

 

[daybeers]

Aren't the boxes recyclable?!? :angry2:

 

[cpotisch]

Aren't the boxes recyclable?!? :angry2:

Oh right, they are. Thinking about it now, the four bins they had out were blue, so they must have been recycling. Still doesn’t solve the issue of them not having the storage space to serve coach passengers, though.

 

[Seaboard92]

If you have any questions about colleges I'm more than happy to give advice. I went to all small schools and was very happy. Go to a school in the south and you get snow days

 

[cpotisch]

If you have any questions about colleges I'm more than happy to give advice. I went to all small schools and was very happy. Go to a school in the south and you get snow days

Thank you!