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I'm thinking about taking the Crescent sometime. Has anyone here been on this train? How are the Viewliner accomodations? What's the ride like down in freight RR territory (I've never been on Amtrak south of Washington DC)? Based on the published timetable, the average speed is about 44 mph. Not fast, obviously, but not that bad either when you consider all the stops and speed restrictions the train must encounter. That must mean there are some decent "high speed" stretches as well. (Though I'm guessing that 79 mph is as fast as it gets south of DC.)
jimmymac Member # 1182
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I was on the Crescent bewteen Charlotte NC and Philadelphia in April. Viewliner rooms are what you would see on the Silver Star. The lower bed is too narrow. Food in the diner was good. Service was about average for the east coast, (I am partial to Superliners). The train was 20 min. early getting into Philadelphia. On the return trip 6 days later it was dead on time arriving in Charlotte. It was a good trip.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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I was privileged to ride the pre-Amtrak Crescent on several occasions, with my first trip being August 1962 Altanta (Terminal station) to New York (Old Penn). I also had several rides Aboard the "Amtrak era" "Southern Crescent", several of which were with the "Crescent Dining Club", which was a group of Washington area fans that would buy coach transportation to Alexandria, but "make it" to the diner as soon as it was opened at Union Station (usually right after the through NY cars were attached). Believe it or not, dinner was never rushed, and usually were done while going by National Airport.
Since to me there is nothing First Class about any Amtrak single level long-distance train, let's pass on any comments regarding their operation.
kingqueen Member # 846
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Hello there, I'm from a Crescent hometown, Atl, Ga. Our frist exp was a sad occasion, in june 2000, we went coach to Washington, DC and the two coaches from Atl are drop off in Atl on tr 19 from New York, They sit in a yard all day and this day it must had been around 90 degrees, so you can guess that the air condition was slow. Our trip to Washington started out in misery.for about 90 miles until the conductor must had got tired of my complaining and said me and my wife could move to a better seat, we went up 3 cars and the cars from New Orleans were freezing, so things got better. When I got back home. I lashed at Amtrak about the trip, they sent me a $200 voucher to try Amtark again. So we went to New Orleans and rode the City to Chicago we did't take a coach chance and rode the superliner sleeper, the best paid off it was the trip from heaven. The next year Mar 2001 we rerode the Crescent to Baltimore Md from Atlanta in the Sleeper and the crew seen to must had heard about my last call because the trip was better, I even went back to visit the coaches to check out the seen. Then this year we took the kids to Charlotte on a turnaround on trains 20 and 19 in coach, I could not beleive the friendly crew all were nice and lovely my wife said during the whole trip this can't be the Crescent. it was peace of mind, and then in Feb 2002 two weeks later it was back to DC in the Viewliner Sleeper the trip was a train ride from Heavennnnnnnnnnnnn So try it out it's gotten better, remember they(Amtrak) don't need no bad dispositions Peasceeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Good luck God's speed Ed and Rhonda riding the wheels of steel.
reggierail Member # 26
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I just got back from a 2 week Amtrak journey & the Crescent was my best experience on the trip. The accomodations were clean, the crew was excellent and the food very good. The train was on time the whole trip from New York to New Orleans and I would recommend the Crescent to anyone.
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