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I return my rental car at BWI and took a Marc to Union Station last Wednesday to board the Crescent to New Orleans. I arrived early at BWI and discovered I could ride Marc to DC for $6 or use my $17 Amtrak ticket later. I took the refund. After a nice afternoon on the Capitol Mall I gathered my belongings to get on the Crescent. I had booked a Bedroom instead of Roomette because my wife feels too cramped and agreed only if...... I was very disappointed to find that the chair had been removed from the Bedroom and only one window seat was available to us. I expressed my disappointment , however nothing could be done so I moved forward not wanting to let that ruin my vacation. The Crescent was on time at nearly every stop and would fall behind at times but always made it up. Our Car Attendant, Rob , was excellent and made the trip very enjoyable. The food was good except for the veggies, they were a bit wooden. There didnt seem to be many riders. No lines in the lounge and the dining car was always nearly empty. We arrived in New Orleans on time and I was happy to rid of some of my foam. After a night of fun and raw oysters I put the better half on a plane and continued to LAX on the Sunset. What a wonderful ride. I enjoyed all of the ride to Los Angeles. I found the first day as scenic as the second. Kathy, my car attendant, did a fine job and I tried to eat the same wooden veggies. The Sunset was on time nearly the entire trip. The highlight of the trip was passing over the Pecos River. In El Paso there was a lady selling burrito's......I bought one and after eating it tried in vain to find her again on the platform. It was very good and I'm so sorry I didnt buy two. Exxcept for the missing chair in the Bedroom it was a wonderful trip.
Posts: 139 | From: myrtle creek oregon | Registered: Jul 2006
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Was the missing chair just a fluke in your particular room, or have the chairs been removed from every room?
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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The Car Attendant told me that the chairs were disappearing and not coming back as he was told they would. You can not book a Bedroom and be sure you will have a chair is what I have learned.
Posts: 139 | From: myrtle creek oregon | Registered: Jul 2006
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The vanishing chairs are a result of Crescent City from which the NTSB recommended that they be gone.
The Superliners have been fitted with fixed chairs, and I'm surprised to learn that Viewliners, where accommodation charges often rival rates at The Carlyle (NY 76th and Fifth), have not been so retrofitted.
I;ve been known to "treat myself" to a single occupancy Bedroom on Auto Train (well at least before my portfolio tanked); now that I have learned of this "disenhancement", guarantee you I would not consider same in a Viewliner.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Gilbert, I didn't see anything in that NTSB summary that suggested the chairs should be removed. Did they figure in the injuries? Also, I notice that the report was issued 6 years ago, and the chairs are only now being removed?
Finally, and it's with some trepidation that I mention that I believe the Carlyle is on Madison. TB
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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The chairs are addressed within the Executive Summary.
However ref The Carlyle; guess I had best stand corrected. Suffice to say, I've never stayed there but have been to a Bobby Short performance in the Cafe. I was loaded into a taxicab by my Brother in Law after I "popped" for a concert at Carnegie Hall - and he wanted to "get the bookkeeping straight" - I'll thank him for that in this life.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Wellll......for my next Viewliner Bedroom accomodation I might bring my very comfy, folding camp chair as carry-on.......just in case!
-------------------- 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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Thanks for the excellent trip report. I have only been on the Sunset Ltd eastbound (twice); will have to catch it in the other direction one day!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Last December I had a bedroom on the Lake Shore, and I noticed that the chair was folded up and placed under the sofa. Since I was travelling alone and only going from Chicago to Buffalo, it didn't bother me, however, if I was going any longer distance I would want the chair as sometimes you want to move to look forward or backward which is impossible if the chair has been removed. Maybe it does have something to do with Amtrak not wanting to have things flying about in the event of a collision. Possibly why the moveable chair is now in a fixed position in the Superliners, which I find annoying as I like moving the chair around. Almost nothing is movable in an Amtrak train, unlike Via that has moveable chairs in the bedrooms, dining cars and lounge cars (that become missiles in a train wreck).
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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I fail to understand why moveable chairs are now a problem after existing for 100 years or more. Sure there is always a risk, but at some point we have to determine what is an acceptable risk. Another example of the government trying to save us from ourselves.
I do wonder though why Amtrak can't retrofit the Viewliners as they did the Superliners with fixed chairs. Nothing like paying a thousand buck for a bedroom and then having to bring your camping chair (but that is a good suggestion Notelvis). I am sure it will be more comfortable than the fixed ones. So one more thing to add to the Amtrak travel list right after the duct tape.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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