Passenger Trains > Lake Shore 49 of 4-30 with 822

Lake Shore 49 out of Rensselaer, NY on 4-30 has a very clean AMTK 203 followed by Phase III 822 elephant style and Viewliner II baggage 61004. The two Phase III's next to each other look great. Rest of consist is 5 amcoaches, one amcafe, one heritage diner, and 3 sleepers. Boston section is still not being added to 49 so NY baggage upfront tonight versus on rear.

John

According to the Amtrak website, CSX is doing track work in Massachusetts that necessitates the bustitution of 448 & 449 for the past 3 weeks.  As of today, supposedly, a 'substitute' train will be running for 448 & 449.  As I'm going out of Springfield on Sunday aboard 449, I was notified about a month ago to call Amtrak about the train.  They said it won't be running with a dinette.  I'm guessing no sleeper, either.  A few months ago, they did that trick as well, and 49 had extra coaches up front and the Boston sleeper in the rear coming from NYC. 

In actuality, it makes sense to me that they should continue running 448/449 as a stub train rather than a section of 48/49.  It greatly simplifies work at Albany/Rensallaer as all they have to do is change locomotives on the NYC section.  It also puts the lounge car out of NYC.  Living in Springfield, a number of NEC trains from WAS-BOS meet 2 car stub trains at New Haven to/from Springfield.  The cross-platform change isn't the end of the world.  I did that last week.  However, if the 448/449 stays as stub trains, they'll need a lounge car for the 5 hour trek to/from Boston. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/15 17:21 by BRAtkinson.

The 448-449 has been running as a stub train for a number of weeks now. I think there have been certain days that a bus runs and certain days the stub train runs. The typical stub train has been a single P42 followed by a Viewliner II baggage, an amcafe and 2 coaches. I have no idea if the amcafe is actually serving food or simply acting as a coach. There has not been a sleeper on any of the stub trains thus far. They are running 3 sleepers versus the normal 2 out of and into New York Penn.

John