I tried to redeem one of my one class upgrade coupons, but they told me 1st class was full.
I got a seat in business class, and I noticed that the outlet was not working. It started getting warmer and warmer. Someone asked the conductor if the air conditioning was broken. The conductor said that the AC was broken on that one train car.
I went to the Café car where it was much cooler. Much of the train empties out in NYC, so decided to wait until then to try and get a seat in another car. As I was waiting, I saw someone from my old train car visiting the café car with a blue buttoned down shirt that was soaked in sweat.
We were extra long in NYC, and we seemed to take on a maintenance person. A bit later they said that the car would have to be evacuated. Shortly after the evacuation, they said that the man upstairs had heard someone’s prayer and the AC was working.
The train was about 10 minutes late.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
May 23rd Ride #26 BOS –PHL.
A couple weeks ago, I cashed in some of my Amtrak Guest Rewards and got 5 coupons for space available upgrades. I am taking the Acela, so it means that I can try for an upgrade to 1st class. It’s about $100 more, and as a weekly commuter it would mean an extra $5,000 a year.
I take the train Friday evenings and Sunday evenings, when the train is usually very full, so I was viewing my coupons as more like lottery tickets.
My train leaves at 4:30pm, so at 3:45pm I got in line to see if I could get an upgrade. The ticket agent said that because of the holiday (Memorial Day), that there where plenty of 1st class seats available.
Even though the train was boarding in a couple of minutes, I decided to go up and take a look at Club Acela, which is the 1st class lounge. At South station, it’s above the ticket office. What struck me is how quiet it was. As you come up the stairs, there is some kind of attendant. My next impression was that the scene suddenly changed from being loud and crowded to being spacious and quiet. I usually run in into the station, print my ticket and then quickly get something to eat. The tables in the terminal are rarely available, and I end up eating standing up. Because you get fed in 1st class, I could now take my time.
There were other amenities, such as free coffee, free soda, Internet stations, fax machine, courtesy phone. There was also a nice conference room.
The upgrade coupons can also get you into Club Acela, which could come in very handy if you are stuck waiting. Almost like a get out of jail free card. I’ll soon be up to 10,000 rail Amtrak Guest Points which will put me up to Select Plus status, which will give me a pass that will let me hang out in the 1st class lounge for the rest of the year.
When I got into 1st class, the attendant came over, and asked me if I wanted something to eat. She brought me a soda and a very heavy glass full of ice. The attendant also asked me if I wanted some peanuts, which were in a little ceramic bowl which was also very heavy. On the airplane, everything is lighter than normal. On the train, it’s heavier than normal.
There are about 8 Japanese business types in suits. The four near me are playing some kind of card game with playing cards with some kind of Harvard crest on them. They are kind of rowdy in a restrained way. One of the card players ripped a piece of paper napkin into a strip about an inch wide, and hung it on his glasses. There is a bunch of Japanese writing on it. As soon as he hung it, two or three cameras appeared to take pictures.
Dinner was actually worth eating. I got a salad with smoked salmon. The portion was a little small, compared to a restaurant, but very satisfying.
I get in at about 9:20pm, and club Acela closes at 9:00pm. Maybe I can see the one at 30th Street on Monday when I come back.
The train was about 15 minutes late into 30th street.
I take the train Friday evenings and Sunday evenings, when the train is usually very full, so I was viewing my coupons as more like lottery tickets.
My train leaves at 4:30pm, so at 3:45pm I got in line to see if I could get an upgrade. The ticket agent said that because of the holiday (Memorial Day), that there where plenty of 1st class seats available.
Even though the train was boarding in a couple of minutes, I decided to go up and take a look at Club Acela, which is the 1st class lounge. At South station, it’s above the ticket office. What struck me is how quiet it was. As you come up the stairs, there is some kind of attendant. My next impression was that the scene suddenly changed from being loud and crowded to being spacious and quiet. I usually run in into the station, print my ticket and then quickly get something to eat. The tables in the terminal are rarely available, and I end up eating standing up. Because you get fed in 1st class, I could now take my time.
There were other amenities, such as free coffee, free soda, Internet stations, fax machine, courtesy phone. There was also a nice conference room.
The upgrade coupons can also get you into Club Acela, which could come in very handy if you are stuck waiting. Almost like a get out of jail free card. I’ll soon be up to 10,000 rail Amtrak Guest Points which will put me up to Select Plus status, which will give me a pass that will let me hang out in the 1st class lounge for the rest of the year.
When I got into 1st class, the attendant came over, and asked me if I wanted something to eat. She brought me a soda and a very heavy glass full of ice. The attendant also asked me if I wanted some peanuts, which were in a little ceramic bowl which was also very heavy. On the airplane, everything is lighter than normal. On the train, it’s heavier than normal.
There are about 8 Japanese business types in suits. The four near me are playing some kind of card game with playing cards with some kind of Harvard crest on them. They are kind of rowdy in a restrained way. One of the card players ripped a piece of paper napkin into a strip about an inch wide, and hung it on his glasses. There is a bunch of Japanese writing on it. As soon as he hung it, two or three cameras appeared to take pictures.
Dinner was actually worth eating. I got a salad with smoked salmon. The portion was a little small, compared to a restaurant, but very satisfying.
I get in at about 9:20pm, and club Acela closes at 9:00pm. Maybe I can see the one at 30th Street on Monday when I come back.
The train was about 15 minutes late into 30th street.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Possible Steve Forbes sighting
I saw Mr. Forbes, or someone who looks just like him, milling around Philadelphia’s 30th street station about 4:00pm EDT on 5/18/08. He was carrying a black shopping back that said something like “Forbes capitalist tool kit.”
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
NEC bridge work June 14 - June 17
I got an e-mail from Amtrak on 5/15/08 that states:
"Please be advised that from June 14 through June 17, Amtrak will replace the movable span of the Thames River Bridge between Groton and New London, CT. As a result, Acela Express and Regional service between New York, New Haven and Boston will be affected."
I tried to book a trip from PHL to BOS on 6/15, and there is one and only one train that day. The same is true for BOS to PHL on 6/15.
"Please be advised that from June 14 through June 17, Amtrak will replace the movable span of the Thames River Bridge between Groton and New London, CT. As a result, Acela Express and Regional service between New York, New Haven and Boston will be affected."
I tried to book a trip from PHL to BOS on 6/15, and there is one and only one train that day. The same is true for BOS to PHL on 6/15.
Monday, May 19, 2008
May 18th Ride #25 PHL-BOS part 2
The train departed from PHL on time.
Saw a flock of wild turkeys on a golf course just outside of New York city.
Somewhere between New London and Providence, we were stopped for something like an hour. Fortunately we where near civilization (i.e. cell phone towers.) They said there was only a single track available, and that we had to wait our turn.
The train arrived at BOS 1 hour 13 minutes late.
Saw a flock of wild turkeys on a golf course just outside of New York city.
Somewhere between New London and Providence, we were stopped for something like an hour. Fortunately we where near civilization (i.e. cell phone towers.) They said there was only a single track available, and that we had to wait our turn.
The train arrived at BOS 1 hour 13 minutes late.
May 18th Ride #25 PHL-BOS part 1
Like an idiot, I ordered the wrong tickets on-line. I only noticed after I got to the station and printed them out at the ticket kiosk. I went to the ticket agent, at booth 6, to exchange them and she told me that there were no seats available. She told me that some of the universities had graduations this weekend and that she might be able to get me to New York on a midnight train, or I could take a train the next morning.
I called my wife and asked her to turn around to because I might need to go to the airport or something.
I went over to the ticket kiosk, and to my surprise, I was able to get tickets for my train that was supposedly sold out.
I called my wife and asked her to turn around to because I might need to go to the airport or something.
I went over to the ticket kiosk, and to my surprise, I was able to get tickets for my train that was supposedly sold out.
May 16th Ride #24 BOS-PHL
Probably the roughest train ride I have ever had. Sometimes you have a rough plane ride, but who would think a train could be so rough? We kept accelerating and decelerating abruptly. The train stopped in the middle of a forest in CT. The conductor came on the PA and said that the engineer was going to the back of the train to look at the brakes. I think we were about an hour late.
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