Amtrak
I am sitting on an Acela train traveling back to Boston from New York. They predicted really bad weather in the northeast and the flights were starting to get backed up.
This is my first time on the Acela, Amtrak’s high speed train. My first impression after sitting on it for a while is that for a high speed train it’s not very high speed. We’re strolling along like it’s a Grand Canyon site seeing tour. I was imaging streaming through the countryside like a fighter pilot in a freakin metal bullet. I had an image of zipping past old barns and warehouses so fast you could only make out the color of the building. I’ve taken the regular Amtrak train enough to realize that we are not going any faster than that. It’s pretty…unimpressive.
I will admit I like the seats. They seem more comfortable and spacious than the regular trains. And I saw a pretty cool thing by Amtrak. Sitting in the row in front of me was a guy who got on the wrong train. Instead of going to Boston he was suppose to go to Philadelphia. When the conductor took his ticket they both realized the mistake. So the conductor, an older woman, walked away for a bit and came back and said they would stop at the next available stop, Stamford, which is not a normal stop, so this guy could get off and head back to NY to catch a train to Philadelphia. The stop only had a minor impact on the train schedule and made a huge difference for this poor guy. Nice move on Amtrak’s part since it was not their fault. They get a gold star.
I might get up in a little bit and explore the café car. I heard a guy who I think is a frequent customer of this route say “Do you want today’s coffee or yesterday’s?” while walking from the car “Today’s will cost you extra” he finished as he sat down next to his friend. I love the Delta Shuttle but the travelers are grumpy, in a rush and keep to themselves. The mood on the train seems much more relaxed and jovial. And I love that I have space, a plug for my laptop, I can talk on my cell phone and I didn’t have to go through the normal security hassles. But, and this is the HUGE reason why I don’t take the train, it is almost 4 hours to get from Penn to South Station and the Delta Shuttle is 40 minutes wheels up. I can leave the client location in NYC at 4:15, get on the 5:30 Shuttle, and walk in my door at 7:30 or earlier. With the train, it is much easier to get to Amtrak but if the train leaves at 5, I get to South Station at 8:45, and then have to get home which could take another 30-60 minutes. Flying is just quicker than the train.
Thought I’d share.