@Mannyrock posted:Until some rail road creates "non-stop" routes between major cities, you can forget it as something that a lot of people want to do.
I can remember 30 years ago, taking the Amtrack from D.C. to NYC. Seems like there were 20 or more stops along the way. Go 13 miles, come to a lurching stop. Get started again, go 16 miles, come to a lurching stop. And on and on and on.
On top of that, the cars were filthy and stunk.
Want to go D.C to NYC today? Get on a non-stop private bus that pulls up next to the curb in Alexandria, Virginia or downtown D.C., pay $40.00, and take off. Last I checked, one leaves about every 45 minutes.
And, whatever happened to the plan to have little Smart Cars available for rent at every train stop??
Never happened
Mannyrock
30 years is a long time ago Manny. Even then what you describe seems exaggerated.... at least I never experienced back then what you claim to have experienced. The train stops where the most customers will embark and disembark so the railroad ( Amtrak ) can earn revenue. Stops ... yes there are a few somewhat close together at the beginning of the trip to NYC ... as the train comes out of DC Union station with a stop at the Capital Beltway Station ( DC suburb ) where there is an ample amount of passengers waiting to board ... because of easy access to parking, subway, and other modes of ground transportation. Next stop is BWI Airport with connections to rental cars, light rail, air, and other modes of ground transportation and plenty of parking. Next stop Baltimore City's Penn Station with access to all forms of ground transportation, and light rail. After Baltimore the stops are much less frequent. What you describe in terms of the, cleanliness of coaches, sounds like the waining years of the Pennsy. Never was my experience as I used Amtrak pretty frequently even 30 or more years ago.
In the mid 2000s as the AEM7 locos began wearing out due to age there were lots of delays because of locomotive mechanical failure. That could be frustrating and deter one from taking the train.
My experience with Amtrak ( NEC ) over the last 10 years from BWI airport to NYC ( round trip ) has been nothing but positive. Clean coaches, stops at major cities, and trains run on time ( at least the vast majority of the time ). If I book early enough I can get a round trip ticket for less than what I pay in tolls and gas when driving my car not to mention the wear and tear. I can grab a snack in the cafe car and walk around to stretch my legs a bit. The additional perk is I can see what's going on alongside the railroad and where the former Pennsylvania RR, and Penn Central left there mark. It's always fun to peer through the glass of the rear coach's back door and watch the rails go by. I learn a lot about the current and former railroads that way.
My experience with the inexpensive bus over the last 10 years is most of the time I get a clean coach. On time arrival is dependent on traffic conditions on I95 and the NJT. One accident and the arrival can be delayed from 1 - 4 hours depending on the severity of the accident. It's up to the whim of the bus driver as to if the bus stops at a rest stop ... and of course when they do there is always those one or more passengers who are late back to the bus causing a late departure. Yes, the $40 bus is a good deal and much cheaper than making it by car ... but my preference is Amtrak over the bus round trip from DC/Baltimore/ BWI. Now that 30 years has passed you yourself might want to try Amtrak on the NEC. Doing so just may change your tune. Just sayin.
