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

[cpotisch]

Backpack is bulging and devices are charging!



Tomorrow at 3:40 PM we catch Lake Shore Limited #49 (in a Roomette) to Rochester!

On Wednesday we will be touring Rochester Institute of Technology (the real point of this trip), and on Thursday we come home on LSL #49, boarding at 9:53 AM.

Not a long trip at all (unless the eastbound Late Shore is particularly tardy  ), but since this will be my first time ever dining “contemporary”, taking the LSL westbound, or even touring a college, it should be an interesting experience.

Brace for an unnecessary amount of commentary and photos over the next three days!  

 

[cpotisch]

Off to NYP!

 

[cpotisch]

Chilling in the ClubAcela now!

We grabbed lunch at Pret and my dad is now picking up a couple doughnuts at Krispy Kreme. The train is currently on time, so should arrive here from the yard around 3:10. At that point we’ll head down to the tracks and try to “pre-board”.

 

[cpotisch]

Greetings from car 4912 of the Lake Shore Limited!

 

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And we are whizzing through the Empire Connection. Hudson River coming up soon!



EDIT: Whoops. Didn’t realize that this only just sent. We have been on the Hudson for a while now.

 

[cpotisch]

Life is good. ^_^

 

[cpotisch]

Our SCA, Melanie (who seems lovely), just stopped by for the routine introduction/explanation, and when I mentioned that this would be my first time trying the boxed meals, she didn’t seem particularly fond of them.

ME: We’ve taken Roomettes many times, but this will be our first time trying the boxed meals.

MELANIE: Ah yes, the whole [puts air quotes up] “fresh and contemporary” [air quotes down] system. Quote unquote.

I do like how the staff don’t hide their true feelings about these clear service downgrades. It’s sort of comforting in a way. 

 

[cpotisch]

Chilling (not eating yet) in Viewliner diner Sleeper Lounge 68008 “Columbus”. The moment I sat down, the attendant walked over and asked me if I want to eat dinner now (i don’t) and whether I want a beverage. I asked for a ginger ale and he brought it over, with ice, pretty much instantaneously. So service has admittedly been pretty good so far, though that may just be up to the fact that there are only a few people in here right now.



I do have to say though, the persistent contemporary-ness is starting to get on my nerves. /monthly_2019_02/18FFF5D2-0EE3-4DA3-8155-FA940D019069.thumb.jpeg.682ac5b48027e47f4cbd72cdbf54c7c2.jpeg

 

[cpotisch]

We left Croton-Harmon several minutes ago./monthly_2019_02/8126D212-8DF7-46FF-B953-8CFF3024CC67.thumb.jpeg.d75f05dc54f5d4fc2b3ec4453a85a473.jpeg

I’ve gotta say, this scenery really is pretty shockingly gorgeous.

 

[cpotisch]

Having a fun conversation with the Sleeper Lounge attendant and another passenger. The attendant was convinced that the LSL is an “exception” to the rule that diesels can’t run into Penn Station, and therefore runs on diesel the whole way. Me and that other guy went into a whole explanation of how dual modes and traction motors work and such. He then had several more questions about how generators and steam heat and locomotives worked, and happily remarked on the fact that he’s been working the rails for 30 years and is still learning all this new stuff. Very nice guy.

 

[cpotisch]

Just left Rhinecliff Station.





Probably having dinner in not too long! 

 

[cpotisch]

Wow, these views really never get old.

(That’s the Rhinecliff-Kingston bridge, BTW)

 

[B757Guy]

Great trip report! Enjoy RIT, it was one of the schools I also visited when deciding on college. Of course that was 34 years ago! Great school, but Rochester in the winter was hard to consider!

 

[cpotisch]

So we got dinner around 5:40 PM. Dad ordered the Beef Provençal and I got the Asian Noodle Bowl. I did enjoy the much more laid back structure of the “Sleeper Lounge”, since we just ordered when we were ready and had the whole table to ourself (an Amtrak first for me). My meal box contained the noodle bowl, a super sweet sesame dressing, a warm roll and butter spread, a small side salad with balsamic vinaigrette, a vegan all natural “brownie bar” which tasted like slightly sour and chewy nothingness, and interestingly, a wet towel. Each of us then had a choice of either a separately packaged large dark chocolate actual brownie, or a blondie. I opted for the former, and it was pretty good.

Plenty of food, however the noodle bowl really didn’t have any flavor without that sesame dressing, and was way too sweet with it. I ended up putting a splash of the balsamic in and a sprinkle of salt, at which point it wasn’t bad at all, but still a far cry from the black bean veggie burger with Swiss that I know and love.

Unfortunately, it turns out I somehow didn’t take any pictures of my meal (though I would swear I did), so you will all have to wait until my Thursday lunch on #48 for pictures.

 

[cpotisch]

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!

 

[cpotisch]

Chilling with my iPad in the upper bunk. We’re currently stopped at William F. Walsh Transportation Center (Syracuse). Rochester is next.

 

[F900ElCapitan]

Nice report! Thanks!!

 

[cpotisch]

Nice report! Thanks!!

Glad to hear it and you’re very welcome!

 

[cpotisch]

We’re now due into Rochester at 11:02 (five minutes early). Only 17 minutes left onboard!

 

[cpotisch]

And here is our complimentary and contemporary amenity kit, which I think many AUers (such as me) had pretty much forgotten existed:

 

[PVD]

Trivia time. You showed a picture of the Rhinecliff-Kingston Bridge, designed by David Steinman one of the best known bridge engineers. He worked on many projects among the most famous, the Mackinac Strait, and the Henry Hudson amongst them. But forgotten is the fact that his firm lost out on the Tacoma-Narrows, his design was not selected, oh well.

 

[cpotisch]

Just finished an extremely crappy breakfast at the Best Western buffet. Everything (such as the waffles and the danishes) were just dry and salty and gross. Even the fruit punch just tasted like grape syrup. :wacko:

Here’s the highly unspectacular waffle bar:/monthly_2019_02/AADD4464-7B09-4FE8-87C0-C93E876BBB1B.thumb.jpeg.b821957d04e4ab66ea2c0558e3a80e62.jpeg

Still, I’m liking the morning views of the snow.



Now we’re off to RIT!

 

[cpotisch]

And from last night...

On the platform at ROC with the LSL.



The departure board in the waiting area of the new station building:

And the outside of said station building:

 

[Maglev]

I am enjoying your report and photos!  I hope the visit to RIT goes well!

 

[NEPATrainTraveler]

Great report so far! Makes me want to ride the LSL again. I love the scenery on the Hudson.