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Yesterday for fun I took a daytrip from Greensboro, NC to Charlotte, NC on Amtrak's NCDOT supported 'Piedmont' service trains.
The day began upon departing home at 9:10am for the three hour drive to Greensboro..... they've talked about passenger service to Asheville since 1994 and I'm still beginning every train trip with a 190 mile drive.
After I stop for gas and grab a sandwich, I wheeled into the parking lot at Greensboro's marvelously restored Southern Railway station at 12:25pm. Finding no one in the ticket office, I ticketed myself at the Quik-Trak machine. I had just completed this task when the friendly agent reappeared..... which was good as I still needed the free permit to leave my car in the lot.
Note - Greensboro is worth a brief stopover on any trip simply to see what they have done with this station. Greensboro, High Point, Hamlet, and Rocky Mount are our four must-see NC station renovation projects.
At 1:10pm they called our train, #75 - the new midday frequency, checked our tickets, and turned us loose down the tunnel to platform #2. Platform #2 is the furthest from the waiting room and is the platform all Greensboro passenger trains except for the nocturnal Crescent use. This is because the Greensboro station is just north of the point where the Raleigh line diverges from the NS mainline to Lynchburg.
Our train rolled in on-time at 1:21pm. Consist was one locomotive, the combined baggage/lounge/automat car, and two of the former Kansas City Southern coaches built new in the 1960's and meticulously restored for NCDOT service. I marvel every time I get to ride in these cars at how big the windows are.... to cite an Amtrak poster I saw in Washington once, it's where my love of the recliner meets my love of the great outdoors.
About 20 passengers from Raleigh and Durham got off while another 20 or so boarded for points onward towards Charlotte. There were about 50 people altogether on board which I felt was not bad for a recently added midday, midweek train that connects to nothing on either end. The two coaches provided offered plenty of space and no one got in anyone else's way.
About the equipment - this baggage, automat, lounge car is a recent creation for the Piedmont trains. About a third of the car is given over for checked baggage and about 60% of the remaining space has tables and mounted chairs much the way the old Amtrak Heritage fleet lounges did. The floor is rubberized for easy cleaning and there is an 'auto-mat' section which has four vending machines offering chips, snacks, and sodas. Complimentary bottled water and coffee is also offered.
Of course I'd prefer a staffed lounge car with microwaved sandwiches but given that the Piedmont's are only on the road three hours each trip, the automat car is not an unreasonable thing.
One of the new automat cars was damaged in the Mebane grade crossing accident in May. I do not know whether that car can be repaired and restored to service or not. Currently train 73 (the early Raleigh departure) which returns from Charlotte as midday train 74 is running with a temporary snack bar set up in a combined coach, baggage car and two borrowed Amfleet coaches.
My return train 76 utilized the same consist I rode down on and boarded about 75 passengers in Charlotte.
In retrospect, it was kind of foolish to drive six hours for a pair of 95 minute train rides BUT I had not been on the line between High Point and Charlotte for about 18 months and I was eager to get a look at recent track work and the new platform (with roof) at Salisbury. Besides, even kudzu is interesting to look at when you've got the largest picture window available on any train in the Amtrak system to gaze out of.
-------------------- 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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That is true. Great report. I need to ride that route again. I haven't did it since '02. Now did you have the angular locomotive as I call it. With the new nose.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis:The day began upon departing home at 9:10am for the three hour drive to Greensboro..... they've talked about passenger service to Asheville since 1994 and I'm still beginning every train trip with a 190 mile drive.
Somehow, I doubt if my Sister, who has never put a dime in Amtrak coffers and having attended a conference in Black Mountain about two weeks ago, was thinking "why can't they have a train??" Her itinerary was KEWR-KAVL and return on Continental "puddle jumper" (whoops, Express) as well as Budget (she's loyal to them; like Hertz with me, "they once bailed her out').
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I think it's a little unfair to describe the aircraft used for EWR-AVL as a "Puddle Jumper". It's a 50 seat Regional Jet (RJ145) built by Embraer. I have found it to be a very comfortable, reliable plane in which to fly. I especially enjoy any of the "A" seats (Single seats on the left side of the aircraft) especially 12A which has extra legroom because it is an exit row.
Most of my flights on this type have been IAH-BNA but I have also flown it IAH-OAX and it was very comfortable for that international flight. I have also enjoyed it EWR-YOW-EWR. It's a hot little plane that does a great job on the routes where it is operated.
Frank in cool and clear SBA
P.S. I guess I need to mention that this is a Continental Airlines (coming up on 40 years of service) household.
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Except for AirTran and their Boeing 717's featuring 2-3 seating, the 50-passenger jets are the only thing anyone (Continental, United, US Air) flies into Asheville anymore. I drive past KAVL each way 5-days a week and feel like many federal dollars have been spent there on unneccessary improvement projects..... many, many people in this area just make the two-hour drive to Charlotte for much cheaper fares and much wider selection of non-stop flights.
I will fly from Asheville when I am flying alone and when I can get a fare within $50.00 of what is available from Charlotte, Atlanta, or Nashville.
My wife is also partial to Continental..... because they once bailed her out in Texas and because of their non-stop AVL-EWR flight
-------------------- 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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quote:Originally posted by amtrak92: That is true. Great report. I need to ride that route again. I haven't did it since '02. Now did you have the angular locomotive as I call it. With the new nose.
Nope - had locomotive 1797 aka 'The City of Asheville' (how ironic is that?) which is in it's 'as delivered' shape.
The angular locomotive is it's FP59 sister, 'The City of Salisbury' which had a resourceful rebuild after a grade crossing accident a couple or three years ago..... local craftsmen doing the best the could with what materials they had in the shop.
-------------------- 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 report, David! I have still not been to Greensboro, nor on the Piedmont, but some day I promise I shall do it! I would love to go to Ashevile too, as you know . . . I'm waiting on the train . . . .
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by amtrak92: That is true. Great report. I need to ride that route again. I haven't did it since '02. Now did you have the angular locomotive as I call it. With the new nose.
Nope - had locomotive 1797 aka 'The City of Asheville' (how ironic is that?) which is in it's 'as delivered' shape.
The angular locomotive is it's FP59 sister, 'The City of Salisbury' which had a resourceful rebuild after a grade crossing accident a couple or three years ago..... local craftsmen doing the best the could with what materials they had in the shop.
I didn't know that. It makes for interesting pictures. I think it looked better as built, but it makes a nice change of scenery for awhile. Thanks for the information. That is so ironic.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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Frank, sorry if my reference to the Embrarer Regional Jet as a puddle jumper caused any concern to anyone here. As far as my Sister was concerned 'it got me there (KAVL) and back (KEWR) and didn't do a "number' on my ears (she has "issues' and I also have in the past)'.
I fly 'em too, and in fact my flight last August KBOS-KACK on Cape Air (Jet Blue's "partner') aboard a Cessna 402 could be described as "fun". The Embrarer E-190 that Republic/Shuttle America (United partner) flies KORD-KHPN has any amenity found on a full sized aircraft. The Bombardier CRJ that SkyWest flies on same route is 'perfectly adequate for a two hour flight". However, for the April trip to Salt Lake, I thought that 3.5hr KORD-KSLC in a noted Bombardier would be a 'bit much"; therefore I drove (did consider a CHI-5-SLC-5-COX-6-CHI, but that too, especially traveling West just to travel East, also was "a bit much"). I would also consider KIAH-MMOX "a bit much", but not too many other ways to safely make that journey - I don't think the Drug Lords' pop guns can shoot 30Kft straight up.
Flight Attendant neighbors Leslie (American) and Maureen (United) refer to such aircraft - and their operators - as puddle jumpers. After all, these "partner carriers" represent jobs taken from their "legacies' - and guess who chose to contract, as distinct from passengers defecting, with them!! But then, perhaps there is magnanimity on the Continental property regarding partner carriers instead of the apparent acrimony on the United. Good luck on that point when they hook up.
On that note, I can recall having 'a few nice words' with a young American Flight Officer at KDEN during 2008 (good looking gal may I add), she wasn't sure how much longer she could hang on. 'Well can you go over to Eagle?". "Afraid not; different Union, different (seniority) list..and they don't like us too much over there (presumably same goes other way)". 'Well, where can you go to fly airplanes for a living?'. 'There is a Lithuanian freight carrier that's hiring and they have said I'd be a Captain as soon as I was qualified on their aircraft....but my home and family are all Dallas...I'll just wait it out for a recall...do what I must to keep my license good". 'Good luck, Ma'am".
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Last summer, I flew for the first time on a regional jet from YXE-ORD---a CRJ-700 with United (I forget what the actual airline name is, but it's painted in UAL livery). I was in Seat 2A, and I felt like I was in my own private business jet. Very smooth and quiet! My only concern is that the pilots of these regional jets do not have the hours and experience of airline pilots in the past. I just had a long discussion two weeks ago with a UAL 747-400 pilot friend, and he was telling me about the internal problems with all of these regional carriers and their training. While meeting FAA standards, of course, it still does not make me feel as safe as when I walk onto a 777 and see two grey-haired guys in the cockpit!
For David's trip on the Piedmont, I've never taken these trains. Does anyone know where I can view a photo of the passenger equipment used on these trains? I just assumed that they were either Horizons or Amfleets---I had no idea they were a whole different animal from the rest of the AmEquipment.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Thanks for the link Richard..... FWIW - the coach pictured 'Cardinal' is the one I rode in both directions Thursday.
As noted in my report - currently a ride on trains 73 and 74 might land you in a borrowed amfleet coach..... but the schedules for 75 and 76 are being maintained with these 1960's coaches from the NCDOT fleet.
-------------------- 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 link. The coaches do look very nice. NC can be proud of what they are doing.
Smitty--
My money would be on Skywest for at least part of the trip. I just checked the UAL website and couldn't find any non-stops YXE-ORD. There were some "interesting" routings. Other carriers involved were Shuttle America and Trans States all operating as United Express.
Frank in overcast, again, SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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I'm headed down to the Piedmont later this week, but not (unfortunately) by train. I'll be flying Airtran BWI -- Charlotte and USAir GSO-PHL. I will, however, be riding a special train on the Lancaster and Chester Railway on Friday.
Later in the year, I'll be back in the Piedmont and I've decided to make that trip by Amtrak, so I'm looking forward to seeing the renovated stations and those nice cars.
By the way, my current favorite commercial jets are the Embraer 170-175-190 series. Very nice planes, with seats just a bit wider than most, and two abreast! Right behind them I'd put the Embraer 135-145. I also like those "A" (single) seats. Call them puddle-jumpers if you must, but I'd take any of them over an Airbus (aptly named) or even a 737.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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I actually like the smaller planes like Embraers. I just wish some of the pilots would stop flying them like fighter pilots trying to dodge a mid-air bullet. If I want high G forces then I'll go on a rollercoaster.
B737s? Common as muck. Airbus? Don't really notice the difference once you're inside.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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