NYP to WAS on LD trains

I don't think that's true. I don't know if you couldn't book 90 before, but you can now, and it's an unpleasant experience.

Speculation------- If Amtrak has a LD train booked full south of WASH then why not sell fill ins NYP - WASH ? Leave a few seats open in case of any WASH south cancellations. You can bet that happens around very high volume trains especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.. North bound sell the LD maybe 4-6 hours before expected departure time from WASH.

ryanov wrote:I recently was booked on 90 from Wilmington to Newark, and I remember thinking "there was another regional after 188 that wasn't 66" and that the number was 198, but it never occurred to me that it could have been removed from the schedule. Let me tell you, that's not a positive change. 66 arrived before 90 did at Wilmington, and I got rebooked over the phone. We had a nice walk around downtown to kill the time, but I don't know that I'd plan on 90 again as an option.

If the train is delayed enough, they used to run an extra on 90's schedule for DC-NYP passengers with an enginer and 3-4 cars

CNJGeep wrote:

ryanov wrote:I recently was booked on 90 from Wilmington to Newark, and I remember thinking "there was another regional after 188 that wasn't 66" and that the number was 198, but it never occurred to me that it could have been removed from the schedule. Let me tell you, that's not a positive change. 66 arrived before 90 did at Wilmington, and I got rebooked over the phone. We had a nice walk around downtown to kill the time, but I don't know that I'd plan on 90 again as an option.

If the train is delayed enough, they used to run an extra on 90's schedule for DC-NYP passengers with an enginer and 3-4 cars

They still do this but it has to be like 2 hours late before Alexandria for them to even consider it. Very rare anymore, esp since DC is short crews to run anything anyhow.

mohawkrailfan wrote:People posting on this thread know the deal. But I feel bad for anyone who just books a train from WAS to NYP that looks as good as any other and then, on the day of travel, finds out it's the one that's four hours late every day.

Other than 90, they are not doing this with any of the other trains. 98,20,92,80 all WILL leave early from WAS if the train arrives on time. As soon as new engine is on, brake test and baggage work complete its shooting north. They do not sell tickets for these. 90 has tickets for sale since as i mentioned before, is a combined canceled regional train. (198)

Does the southbound Crescent always have assigned seating out of New York? I saw them boarding today and they must have spent 15 minutes on the platform slowly giving everyone a number.

One Amtrak employee watched and loudly blamed it on the decision to sell tickets to people only traveling as far as DC.

yes all of the long hauls have assigned seating in both directions. Why they are assigning DC travelers seats I do not know. they should just be putting them all in one car.

mohawkrailfan wrote:Does the southbound Crescent always have assigned seating out of New York? I saw them boarding today and they must have spent 15 minutes on the platform slowly giving everyone a number.

One Amtrak employee watched and loudly blamed it on the decision to sell tickets to people only traveling as far as DC.

I've found it hit or miss. Sometimes they would simply assign me to a car for Atlanta.

Sometimes, a seat. The worst was the car attendant who freaked out when a few of us changed seats to check out the view on the other side of the train. Even after calmly explaining to her we'd move back w/o an issue, she practically screamed at us to get back in our seats and how now she had to redo all the seating arrangements and we were simply out to cause her problems.

Even after we all moved back she continued to berate us.

So... it's not just do to recent changes.

ApproachMedium wrote:yes all of the long hauls have assigned seating in both directions. Why they are assigning DC travelers seats I do not know. they should just be putting them all in one car.

Maybe just out of NYP, or heading south from there? I ask because I've never been assigned a seat on 449/448 going to/from upstate NY.

When i rode the lake shore 5 years ago they assigned seats, at least on the NY section. They probably assign them on the boston section between boston and chicago, or at least keep all of the albany to boston people in those couple cars, so they are less complicated. The auto train also assigns seats and cars as well.

I've taken 49 out of NYP maybe 10 times in the last 5 years and only seen assigned seating once.

This is still not a great experience.

They crowd all the NYP-WAS passengers into the front, so they don't get to sit with their partners, families, etc., while a ton of seats stay empty in the other coaches. They say this is necessary because not all doors will open at WAS and if you're in the wrong car you won't be able to exit.

So guess what happens at WAS? They don't open the car they told everyone they had to be in. People have to walk back two cars to exit.

The crew keeps apologizing to people and saying "It's not your fault, you probably didn't know this was a long-distance train when you booked." So was I not supposed to book it?

It’s a good option so as to add revenue to the long distance trains traveling over the NEC, which have the demand, and the LD trains typically have the capacity till Washington DC. Unfortunately, it only does work if passengers traveling exclusively on the NEC are corralled to one car.

The benefit, you get an Amfleet II coach seat with more leg room. You can enjoy a meal in the dinner if so desired. You get accommodated on perhaps the time you were looking to depart, as opposed to waiting around for an Acela Express or Regional that may be running late. Course if the LD train doesn’t get out on time, hugely defets the purpose.

If they can fill a LD coach with NEC fares - I say why not.

Typically this only happens southbound (RR West). If the LD train is on time heading north (RR East) or Amtrak can figure out a way to do last minute bookings - I say do it in both directions. It’s only going to increase and help the LD revenue performance!

If something happens to delay or cancel a train, sometimes the LD train traveling on the NEC comes in handy.

They are doing this so much now. And yes, they do try to put them up front. Another issue here is the car attendants. They usually have to deal with loading and unloading the cars. I dont know if they are aware, or are told to deal with the NEC travel. But the perks of getting the bigger seats and the diner access... well that could be something to be studied

I have a novel idea for Amtrak:

Treat adults as though they are adults:

Let them board when they want to.

Let them sit where they want to

And let them get off when they want to.