Amtrak advice

[bibliophage]

[Quote=Ruken]
Amtrak publishes on-time performance for each line for anyone interested in facts.
[/quote]
The figures are available here. As noted above, outside the Northeast Corridor (Washington-Boston), Amtrak trains often have to yield to freight trains. Some lines like the Vermonter have better on-time records than the NEC, but most including the Carolinian are worse.

@romansperson

Yep. Flying these days has all the charm of third-world bus travel, minus the livestock.

Dude, we are the livestock.

[romansperson]

@Mama_Zappa

Oh dear. I hope that doesn’t mean you just paid a nonrefundable fee for a room there? If so, and you do stay there, leave your luggage behind - DO NOT BRING IT HOME WITH YOU unless you’re eager to spend the next 18 months trying to rid your house of bedbugs.

Seriously - the place has a pretty bad reputation for bedbugs.

No, I wouldn’t be staying there, but the event I was considering attending will be there. Maybe my choice of dress for the evening should be a hazmat suit?

[aruvqan]

@even_sven

I adore long train rides. For me, there is something infinitely relaxing about sitting down in my seat and know there is absolutely nothing I will need to do for the next X hours beyond looking at the scenery. I love train stations. I love packing a little picnic. I love everything about it.

If you have time and have never done a long train ride, I say go for it. It’s an adventure of its own and worth doing at least once in a lifetime. Bring a couple good books and a bag of snacks and enjoy the ride.

For most routes it won’t be as efficient as air, especially given Amtrak’s notorious delays. That’s not usually the best lens to look at it. A long train trip is something else, the way that a road trip or ferry ride are different creatures.

Back in the early to mid 90s I did the Newport News VA to New London CT trip a couple times each year.

I will say that getting on the train in NN I could have my choice of seat [not sure if they have changed to assigned seating now?] however the closer one gets to NY the more people are aboard and the more difficult it is to find a good seat [IE not next to the bathroom] so that may come into effect.

I do like a long relaxing train ride [don’t have to drive =) ] and made sure to have adequate reading material, a walkman with a decent selection of music and headphones instead of earbuds, and I always packed a couple bottles of water and snacks [I took homemade granola bars and a couple sandwiches, with whatever fruit we had on hand] and my own throw blanket so I had a comfy sort of nook-experience going on.

[tim-n-va]

I’ve stayed at a hampton inn about a block from Madison Square Garden/Penn Station. Typical of that chain, free continental breakfast. Generally have found that if it the next day is a business day the rates are high, you can catch good deals for a Fri/Sat or even a Sun of a holiday weekend.

[JRDelirious]

Depending on dates, I have found good deals in the past at the La Quinta and NYMA hotels ( same owners, Apple Core Hotels) on E 32d near 5th, 2 blocks from the East entrance to Penn Station.

[alphaboi867]

@Peremensoe

You don’t have to eat the train food at all. Bring your own basket, and a bottle of wine.

IIRC you need to have a sleeping compartment to drink your own alcohol on board, but I could be wrong.

[Peremensoe]

@alphaboi867

IIRC you need to have a sleeping compartment to drink your own alcohol on board, but I could be wrong.

That does appear to be the official policy. But if you’re low-key, nobody’s going to ask what’s in your cups.