"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
12/09/2019 at 09:30 • Filed to: good morning oppo
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"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
12/09/2019 at 09:30 • Filed to: good morning oppo | 3
| 20 |
This will be my chariot today. It is not a Delta Air Lines 737.
I’ve been in NYC for the last few days with my dad and brother. M y dad, who will be 80 next year, was scheduled to go home on the train from Penn Station to Norfolk (VA), but he had a wicked back spasm and is unable to travel alone. S o, instead of flying home to Austin, I am accompanying him on the train. I’ll fly back to Austin Tuesday morning.
I think business class on the train has wifi and power plug ins, so I’m hoping to get some work done during the 9.5 hour train ride. I haven’t ridden on a train in ages , and while this might be a bit of an adventure, I’d much rather be flying home. But, as Vonnegut said, “So it goes.”
TheRealBicycleBuck
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 09:41 |
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How did the AirTrain work out for you?
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ttyymmnn
> TheRealBicycleBuck
12/09/2019 at 09:49 |
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I took the express bus to the Port Authority (and am now eating my return fare for breakfast). Super smooth and easy.
Sammyno55
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 09:58 |
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Slaughter house Five is such a great book. And I didn't realize that trains were that slow! I'm sure I've driven that in less than 8 hours.
Aremmes
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 10:03 |
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Even Amtrak’s
coach class has wifi and power outlets. The wifi service might be kinda
slow and disconnect randomly, though.
thejustache
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 10:06 |
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I hope your time on an Amtrak is better than any time I’ve been on one - slow, with occasional unplanned stops for track issues or something else . Still kind of neat to be on a train, and I hope your time is better
Chuckles
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 10:08 |
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When we lived in NC, my girlfriend would occasionally take Amtrak back to PA. It was absolutely slower than driving the speed limit to get home. The upside is that you can relax.
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ttyymmnn
> Sammyno55
12/09/2019 at 10:19 |
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It stops in DC and switches engines from electric to diesel. Or something like that. Not sure how long that takes.
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ttyymmnn
> Aremmes
12/09/2019 at 10:20 |
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I’m just going to be working on my aviation posts, so it should be okay.
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ttyymmnn
> thejustache
12/09/2019 at 10:21 |
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We are already 8 minutes behind and haven’t boarded. We’ll see how it goes. We don’t have to make a connection.
Ash78, voting early and often
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 10:21 |
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Should make for some decent scenery of the Eastern Seaboard Megalopolis. Follow along with google maps!
It’s been a long time, but coastal VA is some pretty nice scenery once you get outside the DC burbs.
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ttyymmnn
> Chuckles
12/09/2019 at 10:22 |
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It would have been 1.5 hrs max on a plane. But Penn STA is three blocks from the hotel, so he didn’t have to worry about ground transportation.
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ttyymmnn
> Ash78, voting early and often
12/09/2019 at 10:23 |
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The bit through Philly is bound to be lovely.....
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Ash78, voting early and often
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 10:26 |
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“How did people manage to steal the wheels off the train while it was moving?!” :D
facw
> thejustache
12/09/2019 at 10:45 |
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The good news is the Northeast Corridor is the best Amtrak route on account of Amtrak actually owning everything between New York and DC. The bad news is it’s still not great, and even then they’ll have to wander onto freight tracks to get from DC to their destination.
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facw
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 10:48 |
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Philly’s train station is actuall y a nice building , but I guess you won’t have time to hop off and take a look:
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facw
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 10:49 |
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Oh well, you still get to experience the train (and the warrens that are Penn Station) this way!
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facw
> Sammyno55
12/09/2019 at 10:52 |
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Most of the bit between NYC and DC can handle 125mph travel, but they still stop at lots of crappy little places and the non-Acela trains don’t go quite as fast, or get up to speed as quickly. Plus as ttyymmnn mentioned, things are only electrified to DC so you need to change trains or equipment, and then fight with freight and lower speed limits south of DC.
Cé hé sin
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 11:35 |
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Ju
st out of curiosity, how much does it cost? You can go from Moscow to Vladivostok, which is an awfully long way, for about €600 and it would be interesting to see how it compares.
Grindintosecond
> ttyymmnn
12/09/2019 at 12:54 |
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Travel sucks. If one can keep the get-home-itis at Bay, trains are a relaxing enjoyable experience. Big windows and your not strapped down all the time against strangers. Tables to play cards on. Get up and walk around, get snacks. It’s nice. True, a plane is faster. But taking time out is a good thing.
Speaking of plane stuff, when we get the max back, I'll review it's bathroom.
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ttyymmnn
> Grindintosecond
12/09/2019 at 12:59 |
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The Max saga drags on, though there have been some promising signs.