Passenger Trains > Amtrak Addiction

We spent a full day in Washington, DC including a fair amount of time doing business on Caoitol Hill.  We stepped off our NEC Express in Wilmington, DE and I told my friend that "Amtrak is toxic.  I could sit in that coach and ride all the way to the end of the line, Springfield Mass."  Perhaps toxic wasn't the right word.  Now that train had me in a state of total relaxation.  Cruising at 120-125 mph, this 50 year old Budd rode like a dream  We were straight line almost the entire way so very few track changes in bumpy interlockings.   There were few if any sqeaks or sqeals.   The passengers were quiet, and the white noise of the ventilation put me into a trans halfway between sleeo and alertness of surroundings.  The Amfleet 1seat has to be among the most comfortable of any basic economy mode of transportation.    50+ years and these coaches roll on Millions of miles.  If there is a Railroad Hall of Fame, the Amfleet needs to be in there.  

BUT>>>>  Southbound to Washington, we were nearly stranded on the train last month.   The train originated in Springfield, Mass.   And was on time.   There had been heavy snow that way and heavy snow squaws through NJ.   We arrived in DC on time but we arrived on one of the lower tracks even though it was terminating there.  Some of the doors were frozen shut an would not open.  But because we arrived on the lower tracks it is a low level platform and had to use the vestibule steps   The steps were clogged with snow and iced closed.  That's not an issue on the corrior because of high level platforms every other stop.  The crew had to summon a maintenance crew to dig out the car steps which created a healthy
delay in diemnarking.   But I am still impressed that Amtrak has done a decent job this harsh winter.

1.  Addiction  Pushing 125moh in 50 year old  Amfleet 1.   I could ride to the end of the line.
2.  All Aboard. High level platforms ( southbound Wilmington, DE---(Joseph R Biden Station)
3. Snow will collect in stairs, not a problem with high level platforms.  But when you hit low level in DC.   


 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/26 18:32 by Tominde.

---

---

---

I  miss  Amfleet  already.  Bet  some  aroind  another  five  years!!

Remember, spell check is your friend...
 

When it comes to passenger cars, there's Budd, and then there's everything else.    BSB

BigSkyBlue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When it comes to passenger cars, there's Budd, and
> then there's everything else.    BSB

The only problem being that Budd went out of business decades ago...

What is "Amreaj?"

amtrakbill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is "Amreaj?"

A fat finger Amtrak.