There and back on Amtrak #65 and #66

[Gilbert B Norman]

Mr. Charles River , maybe you'll get lucky and at such time there are enough VII-S on the property, AND if someone is looking for new routes for assignment, you'll get lucky and won't have to put up with what, as you reported, you did.

[Matt Johnson]

I took the 3 am departure out of New York Penn once when I was still living down in Williamsburg, VA. Even in business class, my takeaway was never again, or at least not until sleeper service gets restored to the route!

[MACTRAXX]

It seems pretty unlikely that there is a fraud problem on the Owl. It's a night train, and there are plenty of cheap daytime alternatives like the Chinatown bus and the MARC/SEPTA/NJT/MN/SLE chain. Of course there are breaks in the chain but by now we're assuming a fraudster is (a) in a hurry; (b) nocturnal; (c) averse to buses and commuter trains; (d) riding the entire line.

I think not.

Tad and Everyone: Back in the day when riders were allowed to board trains without transportation
there would be instances of those with sticky fingers that would try and steal a seat check from a sleeping
rider or at some point during a long station stop such as what trains #66 and #67 make at NYP trying to
beat the fare. Train Crews are vigilant and there is usually an Amtrak Police presence during the boarding process at NYP. Required reservations along with limiting cash fares paid on board make it easier for crews.

The topic of sleeping cars between BOS and WAS two instances come to mind:

When the train title for #66 and #67 was "Twilight Shoreliner" there was a sleeping car each night each way.
Was the reason for the discontinuance low ridership or a shortage of actual sleeping cars or both?

Does anyone remember the "Executive Sleeper" service that was once provided between NYP and WAS
each night in both directions? In the evening after 9:00 PM a single sleeping car was available. At NYP
a passenger would "check in" at Station Services and would be escorted down to the car - which was on
Track 5 normally. The Car Attendant would check the reservation and ticket upon entry. Space would
sometimes be available by either the NYP ticket office or by calling Amtrak 1-800-872-7245 (USA-RAIL).

The car would be coupled onto #67 west during the overnight and was allowed to be occupied at WAS
until 8:30 AM. This was a good combination of an overnight hotel and train ride into one.

Would there be a market for a similar Executive Sleeper service today? MACTRAXX

[Greg Moore]

I believe the removal of the sleeper was in due to a shortage of sleepers and was dropped at about the same time as the Boston leg of the LSL lots its sleeper for awhile.

If anything, adding a sleeper now (with the V-IIs coming on property) starts to become more likely and feasible as it allows easier switching out the Boston sleeper if/when needed.

I know I'd be far more likely to take this train if I could get a roomette.

As for the executive sleeper, I know we've discussed this in another thread. I think the concern was the rules for adding/removing cars.

[phllax]

I took the night owl back in the mid-90’s, and when I got on in NYP, I remember they had assigned cars for the different destinations so as to let people going to WAS have total quiet all the way, and a separate car for Baltimore and 30th. Do they still do that?

[R36 Combine Coach]

The current consist configuration for the overnight Regional is three or four Amfleet coaches, one Cafe/Business Class and Viewliner baggage. I don't believe passengers are segregated by final destination nowadays.

66/67/65 are the only trains to provide baggage and express service from Boston to points south.

[Backshophoss]

Getting a pair of View II Bag/Dorms on the Twilight Shoreliner/Night Owl for Sleeper Service is now possible,however this "ticket check drill"
at the crew change points needs to "calm down" some how!
A clear plastic sleeve could be used as long as that plastic doesn't interfere with the scanner, attached to the passenger with an ID badge clip
but visable at all times should allow for sleep,but keep Homeland security happy without the yelling at every crew change point.
install a light on the scanner if needed to read the Barcode

[danib62]

Getting a pair of View II Bag/Dorms on the Twilight Shoreliner/Night Owl for Sleeper Service is now possible,however this "ticket check drill"
at the crew change points needs to "calm down" some how!
A clear plastic sleeve could be used as long as that plastic doesn't interfere with the scanner, attached to the passenger with an ID badge clip
but visable at all times should allow for sleep,but keep Homeland security happy without the yelling at every crew change point.
install a light on the scanner if needed to read the Barcode

They manage to change crews at NHV without rescanning tickets so it's not every crew change.

As someone who travels between DC and Boston frequently I really do hope sleepers come back to this route. I only took 67 once and only because my flight was cancelled. I will not do this again unless there's another similar emergency or sleepers are brought back on the route.

[Gilbert B Norman]

With five VII-BD's on the property, you'd think they could be in revenue service - somewhere.

I'd think the likely candidates would be either 50-51, Cardinal, or 66-67.

Either way, there would be two cars in line, two protects at end points, and one for shop. What's an "airline alum" to think that kind of utilization?

I would think the best utilization for restored Sleeper BOS-WAS would be the previous CHI-BOS-WAS-BOS-CHI line, which means for the VII's to be complete.

For 50-51, Cardinal, the assignment would both augument Sleeper space, and, if enough space for the baggage, allow more 610XX "boxcars" available for axle counts.

But maybe they could be converted to sone kind of revenue equipment - gee, what a brilliant idea!!!

[n2cbo]

It seems pretty unlikely that there is a fraud problem on the Owl. It's a night train, and there are plenty of cheap daytime alternatives like the Chinatown bus and the MARC/SEPTA/NJT/MN/SLE chain. Of course there are breaks in the chain but by now we're assuming a fraudster is (a) in a hurry; (b) nocturnal; (c) averse to buses and commuter trains; (d) riding the entire line.

I think not.

Tad and Everyone: Back in the day when riders were allowed to board trains without transportation
there would be instances of those with sticky fingers that would try and steal a seat check from a sleeping
rider or at some point during a long station stop such as what trains #66 and #67 make at NYP trying to
beat the fare. Train Crews are vigilant and there is usually an Amtrak Police presence during the boarding process at NYP. Required reservations along with limiting cash fares paid on board make it easier for crews.

The topic of sleeping cars between BOS and WAS two instances come to mind:

When the train title for #66 and #67 was "Twilight Shoreliner" there was a sleeping car each night each way.
Was the reason for the discontinuance low ridership or a shortage of actual sleeping cars or both?

Does anyone remember the "Executive Sleeper" service that was once provided between NYP and WAS
each night in both directions? In the evening after 9:00 PM a single sleeping car was available. At NYP
a passenger would "check in" at Station Services and would be escorted down to the car - which was on
Track 5 normally. The Car Attendant would check the reservation and ticket upon entry. Space would
sometimes be available by either the NYP ticket office or by calling Amtrak 1-800-872-7245 (USA-RAIL).

The car would be coupled onto #67 west during the overnight and was allowed to be occupied at WAS
until 8:30 AM. This was a good combination of an overnight hotel and train ride into one.

Would there be a market for a similar Executive Sleeper service today? MACTRAXX

I used to use the "Executive Sleeper" all the time. I would arrive in DC fresh and rested rather than having to get up at 4AM to drive to the airport, go through security, take the 6AM flight to DCA. I would do the same thing on the way back as well.

[danib62]

Here's are links to a brochure for the executive sleeper service from 1985 and review of the service from the NY Times

[MACTRAXX]

Everyone:

GM mentioned a past discussion about the topics of trains #66 and #67 and the Executive Sleeper service:
https://www.railroad.net/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=7210
17 pages 255 posts. This also includes the Twilight Shoreliner and Federal name services...MACTRAXX

[ExCon90]

I sometimes wonder whether the reexamination of tickets following the crew change at NYP is nothing more than a survival of the days when two different railroads were involved; tradition dies hard in the railroad business.

[R36 Combine Coach]

I sometimes wonder whether the reexamination of tickets following the crew change at NYP is nothing more than a survival of the days when two different railroads were involved; tradition dies hard in the railroad business.

I believe "through fares" to/from New England via Hell Gate Bridge had special tickets with a "toll" levied. Closest modern analogy would be BART with all travel via Transbay Tube with a surcharge included.

[ExCon90]

The tickets made no reference to tolls--the amount was included in the published fare on tickets from NH points to points west of NYP. New York tickets did not include the toll in order to keep the fare to NYP equal to GCT. In the days of the Federal, the NH crews might have been interested in how the tickets read, but PRR crews on the westbound train wouldn't be concerned about Hell Gate tolls, but might be about honoring a NH seat check from New York to Washington. I remember that delayed westbounds coming from Boston were announced in NYP as "being delayed on the New Haven Railroad" for well over a year after the NH was merged into PC.