http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1430221
Great pics! Thanks for sharing. Did the B&O call those Speedliners?
Most of the NEC trains are going too fast to really see much that is close to the RoW.
Interesting as the seat alignment with windows was a big issue in the UK with the new generation of class 800 IEP trains. Guess 125 is slow enough to enjoy the scenery.
Yup.
https://archive.org/stream/Classic_Trains_Special_Edition_No.19_Great_Trains_East#page/n91/mode/2up/
https://archive.org/stream/Classic_Trains_Special_Edition_No.18_Great_Trains_West#page/n0/mode/2up
In my humble opinion, not quite, perhaps likely nope. B&O called the specific train the Daylight Speedliner, and despite what the B&O museum seems to say, I don’t think the railroad actually used just the ‘Speedliner’ term for RDCs in general, as NYC did with “Beeliners” and B&M did with “Buddliner”.
Airline sardine class standards is an abomination. It’s about time that people start protesting such treatment.
Fortunately the trains can add coaches to take almost an unlimited number of people in relative comfort. With my long legs, I like when the adjacent seat is vacant so that I can periodically really stretch out. On my last long train trip, I watched the guy across the aisle try every which way to lay across the two seats in order to get some sleep. At one point his legs were in the aisle.
This reminded me of a bus I saw that was converted to take people on a sightseeing trip from London to India in what could be called a rolling hotel. It had Japanese style sleeping cubicles that could be used for lay flat lounging during the day if needed, and then for sleeping when the bus parked for night at a campsite.
Amtrak management should be thinking of ways to improve the train riding experience and stay far away from canning sardines.
I was referring with a lack of clarity to the name of the train service, not the RDC units.
If Amtrak coaches are so empty one person can use two seats, it’s lucky for you but pretty inefficient. If you want more room and comfort on airlines, try business or first class or at least the extra legroom coach seats, but you’ll pay a lot more. If you don’t mind using up most of a vacation in getting to and fro, take the long distance train.
Maybe that’s the whole idea with all the baggage cars? No seats = lots of people room.
https://www.classicstreamliners.com/npt-daylight-speedliner.html
Originally operated between Philadelphia & Pittsburgh and was truncated to Baltimore & Pittsburgh when the B&O eliminated passenger service East of Baltimore in April 1958.
What is more amazing is that one manually operated crossing gate is down and it’s companion is still in the raised position.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2975379
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2944349
Excerpt from Baltimore Sun, Jan. 8, 1993
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-01-08/news/1993008201_1_budd-cars-diesel-cars-passenger-cars
“They are the last and oldest Budd car fleet in daily use in this country,” says John Hankey, curator of the B&O Museum and a former railroad engineer…
“There was an interesting little quirk about car No. 9913,” says Hankey, a former B&O-CSX engineer. “There was a low-level conspiracy about it on the railroad. Even though the name Baltimore and Ohio had ceased to be, the car’s name was never painted over. Officials looked the other way. It was a sentimental thing.”
Mystery solved! Cordwood.
Good points. Amtrak did do a bunch of heritage coaches back in the late 1980s for Harrisburg and Clocker service. 100 seats, rubber floors, no recline. They were very tolerable for < 2hr trips.
If Amtrak can do legroom with the equivalent of airline 32" seat pitch, that should be fine. Airlines do less than that on their long haul 15 hour flights in coach.
https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Delta_Airlines/Delta_Airlines_Boeing_777-200ER.php
In my experience the passengers in the NEC could care less about the scenery. The first thing some of them do when they get in their seats is to close the curtains to lessen the glare on their PC or tablet screens. Some even choose the end seats that don’t have any windows. These days only railfans care about what is outside the windows.
BaltACDC,
That is a nice looking RDC!
The point is well-made. Many NEC trains are not that different from suburban trains with a lot of work performed while riding to and from the job.
What would youexpect when you hire an airline exec to run a railroad? To be able to stretch out in your seat and move about the train is one of the plusses of train travel.
Exactly.