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PHL/NOL #19 The Crescent After breakfast at the hotel (included in the roomrate) we went downtown and toured the historic district including the oldest continuously inhabited street in the country; the Betsy Ross House and the Constitution Museum. The Museum had additional security on top of the normal level due to Sen Arlen Specter (R-PA) holding a public review of legislation on site. The Museum is one of the "musts" when in PHL. After we returned to the hotel we checked out and cought a cab to the station. The Club Acela at PHL is on the second floor/mezzanine; we found a redcap who took us and our baggage up to the club on an elevator(for which he had a key). The folks at the club were pleasant and helpful when we asked for a suggestion for lunch. There is a food court in PHL with a good selection of food types. We had excellent salads, with chicken. No Chardonay, so we washed 'em down with bottled water. After lunch we repaired to club to await the boarding of our train. Just a little before 4:00PM our redcap came and collected us and our baggage and took us down to the platform in the elevator. The elevator went directly to the platform level and it was a short walk to the spot where our sleeper would stop. Very soon the Crescent pulled by another HHP8 arrived, we boarded and were assisted to our (B/1910) accomodations. And then it was like a trip on any highway at drivetime...start/stop/start/stop. The scenery between BAL and WAS is quite nice especially in late afternoon. We crossed a number of rivers and streams that empty into the Chesapeake. After BAL is another round of stop/start/stop/start until we pulled into WAS at 7:10PM (we're scheduled to leave at 6:40PM).Motive power was changed from the HHP8 to Genesis for the trip on down to NOL. For the next 8 miles or so we're at the mercy of CSX and then our fate is in the hands of NS to NOL. The platform where we arrived and changed motive power looked worse than Toledo (and that looks like something bombed in WW2). I was truly ashamed to realize we were in a station in the capitol of the richest, most powerful country on earth. Dinner was served out of WAS, we had the second seating at 7:30PM. We sat with a pleasant couple, James and Dorothy, on their way back home from WAS to ATL. The food was good BUT TOO MUCH! We settled into bed a little after nine. Arose about 6:30AM and had breakfast an hour later. Our server gave us a little trivia (which we learned as our trip progressed was not necessarily so). She said the salt shaker is "always" (sic)on the side of the table facing the engine. We had breakfast with very pleasant chap with a very infamous name...Willie Horton. He was on his way from CHI to ATL. We departed ATL just about an hour behind schedule. At the station stop at ATL we talked with a number of folks on the platform, all of whom, were upset about the impending AMTRAK budget bill in congress. We had lunch with around noon with a women and her son from Anniston(AL) on their way to a "Beta Society" convention in NOL. She, as a teacher, and her two sons as students were members of the "honors" society. The station at Anniston is well preserved. The arrival into NOL on the Crescent is breathtaking; crossing the lake on tracks that seem to barely float above the surface. We arrived NOL just about an hour behind schedule...OT for Amtrak! With the risk of insulting our friends from Asia, the arrival at NOL was akin to what we used to call a "Chinese fire drill". The bride and I finally got our bags together and, thanks to her's being on wheels and mine being attached to a trolley, were able to get through the station, which was undergoing repairs/remodeling and out to the taxi line. Let me state here; I DO NOT LIKE "Nawlins". Except between mid Decmeber and mid February the climate is at best AWFUL. We arrived the middle of June! There is a fixed fare to all hotels within a certain distance from the station. Ours, Embassy Suites, was within the area. We had reserved a nonsmoking room, however when we arrived at our room it was definately a smoking room. After twenty minutes of going from nice guy, to upset guy, to angry guy and just as I asked to see the manager a nonsmoking room magically appeared on the clerk's computer. Finally about ten we were settled in our nonsmoking room. The "humdity", as we say in New England was awful. The windows were covered with condensation from the air conditioning. We spent a comfortale night (finally) and had a pleasant breakfast in the morning (again included in our room rate) Next leg: NOL/LAX on the Sunset Limited aka "the train from he**".
Posts: 83 | From: MERRIMAC,MA | Registered: Feb 2005
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Are you on Vacation or have you been kidnapped? Don't like the scenery, don't like the platforms. Other then the red carpets on the 20th Century Limited, are underground or covered platforms ever look other then what they are? If you have complaints about the NEC then we all can't wait for the inevidable stranding somewhere in West Texas on the Sunset Limited. Chin up man. PS your gonna love the NEW New Orleans the place is a mess but hey the bars are open for business.
Posts: 516 | From: New Haven, CT USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Tanner929: Are you on Vacation or have you been kidnapped? Don't like the scenery, don't like the platforms. Other then the red carpets on the 20th Century Limited, are underground or covered platforms ever look other then what they are? If you have complaints about the NEC then we all can't wait for the inevidable stranding somewhere in West Texas on the Sunset Limited. Chin up man.
Actually, I think this is an enjoyable and fair trip report. Credit is being given where due as to food portions and the scenery in rural Maryland. I agree that the lower platform area in DC for trains that continue southward is pretty digraceful. (should have seen Memphis 20 years ago.....)
One other note.....remember from 'leg 1' that this trip was made PHK - 'pre-hurricane katrina'. Looking forward to the next installment.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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