2 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

I took a round trip today down to the Washington area, in order to get some more mileage and GR points, and also continue the documentation of Metro routes that I started last February in preparation for some future Fest down there.

I took Amtrak Regional 131 south from Metropark to New Carrollton, Orange Line from New Carrollton to Stadium-Armory, Blue Line Stadium Armory to Addison Road/Seat Pleasant to Metro Center, Red Line Metro Center to Union Station, and Acela Express 2254 Washington to Metropark.

131 was running 6-7 minutes late because the train in front of it, 79, was 1/2 hour late originating from New York. 2254 was 15-20 minutes late due to some problem that needed to be addressed by technicians before the train could leave Washington.

I scrubbed a previous plan to also do the Shady Grove side of the Red Line, because single-tracking was fouling operations through the downtown area.

Edited by KevinKorell, 01 September 2004 - 10:25 PM.

[KevinKorell]

Another quick round trip to Washington, this one a round trip between Metropark and Washington on Acela Express Business Class, on consecutive days with a hotel stay in between.

Both Acela Express trains ran a little late. Train 2159 on Friday afternoon was about 7 minutes late into Washington, DC, while 2250 on Saturday morning was almost 20 minutes late when it arrived in Metropark. I'm not sure what delayed either one; just like last time the northbound did not leave from Washington on time.

On our southbound trip, in the rest room in our coach there was no toilet paper. This was probably not the crew's fault, as the toilet paper apparatus was on the floor, so the paper and spares were probably stolen. That says much about the clientelle that the trains are carrying.

On our northbound trip, there was an announcement shortly after departure from Baltimore that the cafe car was "closed permanently". The announcement said that there was "a substance" on the floor, making it slippery. They later repeated out of Philadelphia that the floor was slippery and dangerous in the cafe car, so the car was closed for the remainder of the trip. Had I been going all the way up to Boston, I would have been livid. Since a bad-ordered car cannot be swapped out of a fixed consist, I at least hoped the lack of food service was announced to boarding passengers up the line... before they got on the train.

We rode the Red Line to Shady Grove and back, and the Orange Line to Court House, where our hotel in Arlington was located. We also rode further out the Orange Line to Ballston to have dinner at the mall near that station.

[BillMagee]

On our northbound trip, there was an announcement shortly after departure from Baltimore that the cafe car was "closed permanently".  The announcement said that there was "a substance" on the floor, making it slippery.  They later repeated out of Philadelphia that the floor was slippery and dangerous in the cafe car, so the car was closed for the remainder of the trip.

I hope the Amtrak five year plan includes funds to buy a mop!