New York City to Boston Onboard the Acela Express First Class Review

[@montyzumazoom1337]

We did the same journey on the Acela (although not in first class). In 2003 my wife and I took our 3 teenage kids on a mega holiday to the USA from the UK. We stayed in Washington DC for 4 nights, then took the Acela to New York City for a 5 night stay, then took the same train again to Boston where we stayed for another 5 nights before flying home. The train was seamless, paid for by credit card in the UK, picked up the tickets at the station in Washington. Plenty of porters to help with our luggage (something you don't get in the UK anymore!). The only issue we found was that our 3 kids (aged 15, 16 and 17 years) couldn't get enough hot dogs on the train! They went mad on them - it was the novelty of it😂 We thought the Acela was the best option and we all enjoyed it very much.

[@ksmith610]

Here’s why I like your channel: no idiot music that makes sane people want to retch! No annoying voices describing what we already see. Commentary in text at the bottom of the screen in easy to read words. Simple, clear scenes and shots that remain long enough on a set piece to be able to take in detail. In other words, a winner of a channel. Thanks. Please don’t change anything and whatever you do ... no idiot music!

[@urgdaddy]

I do agree as I took this trip 4-5 years ago. Sad to soooo many empty seats.

[@parker6227]

I fully agree

[@AmericansAlwaysFree]

Agree too many channels weather it’s transit or cooking or whatever are obnoxious with music

[@urgdaddy]

Silence is Golden when beautiful scenery is involved.

[@vrfvfdcdvgtre2369]

Yes, many vloggers are interested in getting their own face recorded, instead of content.

[@larryschweitzer4904]

I'm now retired but used to travel a lot. I've never been on a US train. All over Europe and Japan though. In 1964 I took the New Tokydo Express from Tokyo to Kyoto. 150mph+-, pressurized comfortable cars, smooth tracks. There was talk in the US Congress of studying the feasibility of HS rail. (it already existed why study it!) That was 56 years ago and still nothing! I got to hating air travel, several flights every month. It's been a long time since I was in LaGuardia but it was a dump. TSA is a disaster, slower than molasses, long lines. Twice they demanded that I take my insulin pump off and put it in the basket. I refused and then got the interrogation, body search treatment after standing waiting for 15 minutes for some rude bastard to show up.. Welcome to air travel. As long as I'm at it, late planes that make you miss the last connecting flight of the day, then having to argue with the airline about getting accommodations for the night. I think HS rail has a huge advantage over air travel but I'll die before/if it ever happens in the US. Where I live Amtrak has one east and one west stop a day, just after midnight.

[@Jodyrides]

I find train travel much more relaxing, much less stressful especially if it’s raining or storming or windy or snowing or icy or busy.. and, if the train was to have mechanical issues, such as a flock of birds,they don’t fall off the ground

[@spaceboy3101]

In the U.S., the airline and auto industry have purchased the appropriate parts of the government to ensure that it never happens, although there is one minor HSR in Florida last I read, and they tried to build one in California but everyone involved was corrupt and just pocketed the money so the project is basically bankrupt. Our government at every level is corrupt beyond comprehension.

[@larryschweitzer4904]

@H. Nguyen I'd love to but my body isn't in great condition now. Getting old sucks.

[@Neville60001]

@@spaceboy3101, the CHSR is still being built; where did you get your info?

[@ronclark9724]

Simply put Penn Station is Amtrak's busiest station, with some ten million passengers annually. The Atlanta airport serves more than one hundred million annually. New York's JFK, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and Los Angeles not that far behind. America flies long distances, not take short regional train rides like most Europeans. The flight from London to Tel Aviv is five hours, the flight from New York City to Los Angeles is five and a half hours, six hours from Boston... There is a reason why the USPS terminated the railroads mail contracts. There is a reason why UPS and FedEx fly their packages instead of using trains...

[@werksdesign]

When Amtrak introduced Acela the first class service was superb. It actually rivaled first class service on trans continental airline flights. Over time, though, they started getting really sloppy with their service so much so that a first class ticket isn't worth the cost. COVID is just another excuse to cut back service when Amtrak has everything they need right there to provide superior service than any of the airlines possibly can. Also, one has to remember that the current president of Amtrak is the former president of Delta Air Lines. He is famous at that airline for cutting back service and routes. Although he says he is committed to Amtrak's long distance routes, he still has dreams of discontinuing them and just concentrate on regional rail services. With all that said, your review is excellent as all of them are.

[@svenlohrmann5791]

At least the "Careful, train approaching!" announcement comes right before the train reaches the actual platform and not 30 seconds after the train has passed by like in Germany.

[@johnkramer8091]

Yeah, either that or like 5 minutes in advance, so that everyone has forgotten about it when it's actually happening :D

[@minicooper321]

Quatsch! This is nonsense!

[@seanthiar]

depends on the train station - most of the times the alarm sounds when the train passes at the track signal.

[@thomascook578]

An announcement I like in Scotland is "fast train approaching", then it bounces through the station at 10mph

[@damascus6478]

As someone who lived in New York City for 41 years I can say you nailed this perfectly. The very first shot was you stepping over a homeless person.

[@KFCJones]

And then down the stationary escalator

[@srgtjyn2765]

The giant billboards and a homeless person within the first 30 seconds of the video confirmed that this is NYC indeed

[@BlacqueJacqueShellacque_]

Bonus points for making no mention or even glancing at the homeless person. Kudos though (to the homeless guy). I don't think I've seen someone sleeping in that spot before. Sometimes you just end up where you end up. :P

[@RicksTravelogue]

@@srgtjyn2765 All that is missing is someone begging the videographer for their spare money.

[@nyoni_tour6677]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/goiXlJaPrJt1hNE

[@Quietloud]

"Welcome to New York!" And then there's some guy just passed out at the steps of Penn Station. Yep, Welcome to NY.

[@markanthony6220]

Lol

[@pharkasj]

Just chillin.

[@markjonesse2556]

Yikes. What kind of life do you have to lead to be passed out cold on the steps of Penn station, in your best khakis and new white shirt, Your lunch beside you half in its wrapper on the cold wet ground and some you tube vlogger stepping around you to get a shot... I repeat Yikes.

[@josfitz]

@@markjonesse2556 Unfortunately, a drunk or an addict.

[@bingobongo9521]

Wouldn’t it be a human reaction to check if this person is living and call an ambulance?!

[@afcgeo882]

This Penn Station is now the old one. The new one, located across 8th Avenue, under the main post office, is almost completed.

[@moishglukovsky]

Ha! It’s been “almost completed” for the last decade.

[@cosmo5164]

@@moishglukovsky Construction hadn't even started a decade ago so... what?

[@cynterslave]

The “old” Penn Station will still operate. It will just be connected to the post office side (which will be called Moynihan Train Hall), giving riders more access points and trains will have more tracks.

[@afcgeo882]

cynterslave You got your information wrong. While the current platforms will still operate, the Amtrak and LIRR halls will move to the Moynihan Hall and NJT will take over the current Amtrak area. Platform access has been modernized and the majority of the current station will be demolished, as will be the Madison Square Garden. nec.amtrak.com/project/moynihan-station/ www.6sqft.com/first-look-at-amtraks-new-amenity-space-in-revamped-moynihan-train-hall/

[@cosmo5164]

@@afcgeo882 No, @cynterslave was correct. The current station will not be demolished and neither will MSG. NJ Transit will control the majority of the current station as you said but there is no way the Knicks and Rangers owners or the city of New York are going to allow the iconic MSG to be demolished, especially after that massive renovation. The Moynihan Train Hall will be added on, not as a replacement. And your sources don't say that either so I don't know why you cited them. Hopefully, in the future, the current station will undergo massive overhaul.

[@Cobras7111]

Back in 2012 my dad took me on a weekend trip from Boston to NYC on the Acela for my 10th birthday. It was so magical to see the world whizz by at 150 mph. Even though US high speed rail frankly sucks, it was still a special time for me and I still love the Acela in all its mediocre glory

[@neutrino78x]

Its average speed for the whole trip is more like 60 mph though. It can only go 150 for what, 20 miles? Of course since cities are much closer together in the NEC than out here in California, train travel is a lot faster than it is in most of the USA. Just don't lose sight of the fact that for the most part, cities are too far apart here to justify it. For example, if you leave the NEC and go to the next population center to the west, probably Chicago, you have to go 790 miles. A plane can do it in 2.5 hours, a TGV averaging 173 would take 4.5 hours, so the plane is saving two hours of your life.

[@pattycarljackson]

@@neutrino78x as if everyone taking the train and “wasting” 2.5 hours more actually cares that much and if they did they’d take a place.

[@neutrino78x]

@@pattycarljackson explain why Americans currently fly then? Why not drive across the country and save money? Because they need to get there in a reasonable period of time, and to do that they need to fly. Why the fuck would you want to waste two hours of your life and when another vehicle is available that saves that time? Maybe in Europe where they salivate over public transit and feel compelled to use it even if it sucks, but here On The Frontier -- USA, Canada and Australia -- the product has to actually be good. And HSR, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DISTANCES HERE, NOT IN EUROPE WHERE IT WORKS OK, sucks. The TGV's average speed of 173 mph seems really fast when you're going 200 miles. But major cities are usually more like 500 or 1500 miles apart here. So that's slow as fuck out here.

[@vidalvidal9418]

En Florida hay un tren como el ave en España aunque la velocidad es inferior es de Miami a Orlando es nuevo

[@MrSneaksful]

@@neutrino78x No no no, cities being far away is NO excuse for not having highspeed rail. China has highspeed rail all over their country and theres parts were it traverses hundreds of miles between cities, China is a huge country with most of its major cities on the east coast.....So NO. stop making excuses for our pathetic government. Highspeed rail shouldve been a priority years ago. anything "infrastructure' related should have been #1 priority. Now we are paying for it. literally.

[@samtrak1204]

Acela Express Amtrak crew members - including conductors, engineers (train drivers) and attendants - hate this so-called Acela high speed train because of chronic mechanic breakdowns, onboard computer glitches, shoddy construction, faulty doors, rough ride and I could go on and on and on...but I won't bore you now. The cars were built too wide to utilize tilt for faster speeds through curves so when train sets were taken out of service for extended periods of time the Swedish designed AEM7 and Amfleet cars covered Acela schedules with no problem! I hope the new train sets have ironed out all the mega problems that make working Acela a daily nightmare. Passengers love Acela despite the delays and outrageous fares (paid by corporate employers) because most have never ridden true high speed trains in Europe, China, Japan and other countries embracing the dynamic technology. On a positive note, I agree Amtrak seats are far more comfortable with more leg room than any trains I've ridden all over the globe. Samuel Augustus Jennings Retired AMTRAK Conductor

[@billgracey6369]

Only seats I've used comparable to Amtrak coach seats, are Deutsche Bahn's ICE first class seats.

[@nabeelsherazi8860]

Very interesting info thank you! I also find it amusing how popular the Acela is given that the Northeast Regional for the same route is only about 10 minutes slower and often half the price 😂

[@helloworldstein]

Acela between Boston and NYC saves time over the regional (about half an hour usually) and is very scenic, but IMO by far the more important segment is NYC to DC which contains some of the more consistent segments of the entire line. Its quicker than flying if you account for the fact there's no security lines and its essentially downtown to downtown instead of having to go out of your way to an airport. Especially during pre-COVID times when they ran that express service from NYC to DC direct. It was a huge time saver and I have used it many times. I hope it comes back and I anticipate it'll be a lot better with the new rolling stock coming in 2021 as it can better handle curves at speed.

[@banksrail]

autismspeaks on the NYC to DC segments the trains only reach 125mph compared to 150mph on NYC to Boston even though there are plans to change that. And I agree the limited stop Acela should come back when there is more travel demand. The biggest improvement for the Avelia Liberty is that it should be cheaper because it has a larger capacity and can fill demand better.

[@helloworldstein]

Banks Rail maybe sustained speed is a better metric? I’ve taken both legs off the journey fairly often and I usually run the speedmeter app and the NYC to Boston leg is always very inconsistent. You’ll go 150 in one segment for a few mins and then crawl below 40. In my experience NYC to DC is more consistent with less swings in speeds but you’re right, over all top speed is lower.

[@banksrail]

autismspeaks Yeah, I agree it’s more consistent. You travel at high speeds for more of the journey.

[@paulw.woodring7304]

@@helloworldstein Acela top speed between DC and NY is 135 mph, with the longest stretch of that between Trenton and Metro Park, NJ, where Amtrak set the North American rail speed record of over 160 mph. Regional Amfleet trains are now allowed up to 125 mph. Penn Station NY is a total pit. A humid sauna in the Summer and an icebox in the Winter. I worked for Amtrak out of DC in OBS for 14 years in the '80s and '90s and always tried to avoid working trains that had NY as an end-point. Having a separate monitored Amtrak waiting area in that station is a major improvement, as petty street crime used to be an issue in the station concourse. When the producer talked about exclusive content coming up I thought he was referring to a view of General Dynamics Electric Boat plant on the Thames at Groton, CT, which makes nuclear submarines. Sometimes you can see an almost complete one sitting outside the main assembly building. Hell Gate Bridge crosses the beginning of Long Island Sound where it meets the East River.

[@josfitz]

@@paulw.woodring7304 Hell Gate railroad bridge is spectacular. It was deliberately overbuilt to accommodate vastly expanded railroad and local rail transportation should the need arise. Beginning in Queens the tracks begin to rise to an astonishing height before the bridge that does provide a photogenic view of the iconic Manhattan skyline. As the tracks enter the Bronx one's attention is again captured by the high-level views of the park below before the tracks gently resume their downward path.

[@wurm90125]

Blame Connecticut for the low speeds. Metro North and CDOT run the stretch between New Rochelle and New Haven. Lack of investment in maintenance and upgrades of infrastructure. Also, under normal conditions, both Acela and Northeast Regional trains are very crowded. They may be able to provide distancing now, but I’ve never been on a Washington/NY run that wasn’t full.

[@Relics_tv]

you're correct there is a lot of tight turns and bridges here. I live near one of them.

[@s0nnyburnett]

Blame NY too. The New Haven to NYC lines date back to before the turn of the previous century. If you want to do high speed rail right you need to do a dedicated brand new line but there is nowhere to build around that area with eminent domaining thousands of people and seizing untold lots of land. It's also completely retarded how they never integrated Hartford into the high speed network, favoring the eastern coast where no one is over the state capital and all the surrounding cities. But Hartford is a dump anyway so no big loss.

[@wurm90125]

s0nnyburnett New York has at least down a better job. The catenary and tracks have been replaced and modernized to allow somewhat higher speeds between Rye and Pelham. Let’s also face the fact that we don’t invest in this sort of thing as a country. You can take a modern high speed train from Vienna to Frankfurt for less money than it costs to take Metro North from Westport to GCT.

[@PGHammer21A]

@@wurm90125 Under normal conditions, Business Service (not merely Acela, but Metroliner Service before it) was notoriously overbooked and thus overcrowded - it's why I only took Metroliner Service *once* between Philadelphia and New Carrolton - and still had to stand all the way to Baltimore.

[@andrew_ray]

Blame Amtrak and the feds. If they cared, they could invest in the line. Connecticut is effectively bankrupt and doesn't have any money to put into infrastructure projects.

[@bryanjk1971]

Another fun fact, before Acela, the stop in New Haven, CT was where the train switched from electric to diesel engines. There were no electric lines north of New Haven.

[@3hukwuma]

Yeah, and as part of the Acela project it was electrified, that's why there are the better cantenary wires are past new haven

[@adam-the-gainer]

Its like for my area on the North Jersey Coast Line train at Long Branch. Long Branch is electrified due north towards New York Penn Station. The line will soon be fully electrified from Bay Head to NYP. But, it won't be until 2022

[@MattMcIrvin]

I remember it well, riding the old Northeast Direct trains between Boston and DC.

[@ianforfun1]

At New Year in 1995/96 my friend and I were in NYC for the new year and then a trip to visit friends in Boston. As we arrived at Penn Station it to began to snow heavily so the journey was a white-out but what amused us at New Heaven all the smokers got off the train and smoked as many cigarettes as they could while the Electric locomotive was changed to Diesel power! Boston was several feet deep in snow but we had a great time. On the return, we had brilliant sunshine and the views were stunning, New England is beautiful and approaching NYC saw the most beautiful skyline as it was dusk, the colours were a brilliant reds purples above the silhouette of the Manhattan skyline. A memory to be treasured forever as I had run out of camera film!

[@ProfessorPancakes420]

@@adam-the-gainer Still waiting on NJCL eletrification past Long Branch lol.

[@nks9694]

Incredible insight. I work in the airline industry as an engineer and you are SO spot on about how Amtrak could and SHOULD be taking pax away from the airlines....and with apparently so little effort on their end. Amazing how they don't. Again, another great and informative video. I never imagined I could learn so much good stuff from a KZbin video. Keep'em comin' !

[@PGHammer21A]

It DOES take passengers away from airlines - why do you think that even the Trump Shuttle - which served the DC-NYC-Boston air corridor - an NEC overlay in the air basically - went *splat*? Compare Acela Express - which is now back in operation - to the Delta Shuttle (Reagan National to Boston Logan). Then get back to us. (And stop wishing for champagne at Coca-cola Classic prices.)

[@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm]

Let's see if I inderstand government operations. They should attempt to compete with private industry even though the taxes paid by private industry partly goes to subsidize Amtrak. Fair? Only to a government bureaucrat; not a politician. Governments do not vote, the taxpayers do. It is a fine line upon which Amtrak struggles along. Helped, but never to to the point of really doing anything well. And, the National system is just a PS to the Northeast Corridor where people in DC often ride. There are very logical reasons for this insanity. You just have to know what they are and who pulls the strings.

[@ThruAWiderLens]

17:37 Lack of service in First. I had a different experience riding the same route in August 2021. Though our First class car was nearly full, we had two great attendants who kept the snacks, meal and drinks flowing constantly. And we had a real meal. Thumbs up to them!

[@bailsafe2017]

13:41 The boxed meal is a temporary measure due to COVID-19. Typically Acela first-class passengers do get a hot meal!

[@thomasstambaugh5181]

Sure it's "temporary". Just like the "temporary" closure of the A and E lines of the Green Line in Boston. No reduction in the fare, no mention of the "temporary" reduction in the reservation and ticketing system. The "first class" premium on the Acela now buys a seat at the end of the train and a box of rubbish.

[@robertbrown4872]

Still looks far more substantive than what you'd receive on a business flight NYC-BOS: fancy snack pack (ie: very small upgrade from pack of peanuts). And no traffic and TSA to contend w/as well.

[@thomasstambaugh5181]

@@robertbrown4872 : Absolutely. I've booked a round-trip from Boston to Seattle next month, just to ride the train. I love Amtrak. I hate what this administration is doing to the trains I love to ride.

[@josfitz]

@Ann Hanover More than what Ann?

[@pedrorubiotejero_aka_prt]

Fun fact: The Acela Express Train links the most important corridor of population of America: The Northeast Corridor, going from Washington D.C. to Boston, passing by cities like Philadelphia, New York City and other cities north of it

[@TheOwenMajor]

* self-important

[@London755]

@@TheOwenMajor you may not like to admit it, but the tax dollars generated in the NEC pay for the investments the federal government makes in the rest of the US.

[@s0nnyburnett]

Except for most of the major cities in CT, including the damn capitol.

[@damnimloomin]

@@London755 "investment" lol what investment? they let the infrastructure crumble then shell out the smallest amount of cash possible to keep trains slow and unreliable to appease the car and oil industry. Once Amtrak invests in a train that is not as old as my grandparents or in a high speed train that saves you more than 20 minutes we can call it investing but at this point amtrak is slowlyy rotting away until there is an excuse to gut trains more.

[@SBCBears]

@@TheOwenMajor 😄😄😄👍

[@dragon32210]

The last point of dislike: Penn Station. I burst out LAUGHING

[@bistroofdoom2651]

why though lmao

[@PrimiusLovin]

@@bistroofdoom2651 I don't think most people like train stations/airports with those low ceilings and a claustrophobic never-ending maze of corridors with no natural light at all.

[@budisoemantri2303]

@@PrimiusLovin true i really hate that

[@justsamoo3480]

@@bistroofdoom2651 It didn’t show on video, but Penn station is usually PACKED with people. So it feels even more claustrophobic.

[@hyett1954]

There used to be a joke about the commuter's prayer......"Lead us not into Penn Station".

[@paterpull]

As a young boy, I enjoyed many trips from Chicago to New Mexico, Los Angeles and Omaha. Those pre Amtrak trains from Santa Fe such as the Super Chief, El Capitan et. al. were some of my best memories of how travel used to be and could be again. Thanks for letting me ride along today. You would have loved the Super Chief. Service, Food, Ambience all superb.

[@bereasonable8018]

One of the advantages of Amtrak first class is that you’re allowed to board the train before the other passengers. If you’ve travelled in other Amtrak classes from NY Penn you will know that passengers already know which platform and line up before it’s announced. It gets very hectic

[@mikeblatzheim2797]

The ride on the Acela is actually quite good, as in the Amfleets, which are generally comfortable, the bumping and shaking on some parts of the NEC can get rather ridiculous thanks to the bad track. Drinking a hot beverage on the Northeast Regional is sort of impossible without risking a spillage. From the looks of it, they have finally replaced some of the catenary masts up to New Haven, which are from the 1920s. That's also the reason why the Acela express has to go slower when it's hot, as the ancient catenary system doesn't have tensioners and sags as the wires expand. Occasionally the pantographs will catch the wires and tear them off.

[@milomhoek]

Why did have they not replaced them yet? It seems like a disaster waiting to happen

[@andrewzheng4038]

@@milomhoek Amtrak is broke AF, they are expected to run with low prices (since they are a public service and need to he affordable) but are also expected to fund themselves off of their own earnings. If they can't increase revenue then they must cut costs, which prevents them from things like modernizing their infrastructure. This also results in declining quality of services, which then decreases ridership and revenue, forcing more budget cuts in a never ending death spiral. Meanwhile Congress seems to have this idea that Amtrak should be profitable and self sufficient, so all they see is a declining service thats running at a loss and as a result decide to "fix" the problem by reducing subsidies Theres more to it than this very shallow explanation of course, but the end result is that Amtrak is simply too short on funds to provide service or conduct critical infrastructure upgrades

[@milomhoek]

@@andrewzheng4038 but does Amtrak also provide the maintenance for the infrastructure or is it a separate company

[@zackboone15]

A large majority of the New York to New Haven part of the route is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Mike Is exaggerating the degree of issues the infrastructure has, but he's right when he says its old, and since Amtrak doesn't own it they need to push CT to do improvements. Everything Amtrak owns it maintains which is the case with most railroads in the US and Canada.

[@mikeblatzheim2797]

@@zackboone15 Well, by European standards (which I'm used to), I'm certainly not exaggerating. The ride quality in the genuinely comfortable Amfleets was comparable to that of a tram, certainly no central European heavy rail service would be that rough. Whilst the track between New Haven and Boston was actually all right, as are the New Jersey transit and Metro North ones (minus the switches), between Philadelphia and DC (around Baltimore in particular) as well as most of the track up to Newark is horrendous. It certainly doesn't feel safe traveling at 120 mph, especially when your train is delayed because last night an Acela tore off some catenary wires (it was summer, and yes, the speed was restricted because of sagging wires). Granted, as US infrastructure goes, the NEC is quite excellent, and it's problems are not unique to it (I distinctly remember seeing washed out foundations of bridge pillars where the track runs parralel to an elevated motorway just behind Hell Gate Bridge. Something that shouldn't happen in the first place). As for the catenary, some parts will be reaching their centennial this year, and for the most part it's still the same technology, the same masts and the same foundations the Pennsylvania railroad built 100 years ago. Up to New Haven the NEC's electrification is literally just some wires suspended over the tracks, with none of the technological innovations of the last 100 years present. And that equipment was never intended for service above 100mph. My experience on the NEC was a few years back, so things will have hopefully improved by now. Top speed on equivalent track in Europe would probably be 60mph for safety reasons alone, and the catenary would have been replaced by a tensioned system by the 70s at the latest.

[@TuomasLeone]

I've found the northeast regional to more than meet my needs. The price difference between the Acela in my mind isn't worth the time saved or the product difference.

[@f.r.4329]

Yes indeed, i took the NE Regional on the same route as Simply Railway and i have to say between NYC and Boston there's no big difference.

[@PGHammer21A]

It's the overbooking (and thus overcrowding) of Business Service. If anything, Regional Service is underused for its capacity - and always has been (even back when smoking was permissible). In 1979, I could ALWAYS get a seat in the smoking car on Regional Service between Philadelphia and New Carrolton (smoking-car days) - and I took it on holidays (New Year's, Spring Break, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas) - Amtrak's five busiest travel weekends. And this was in either direction. The only minus was hitting the "stoning car" by mistake. (By "stoning car" I mean the one where pot was smoked freely; there would always be at least one such on a Regional Service run.)

[@qjtvaddict]

The Acela is overpriced garbage

[@taoliu3949]

Thats why Acelas are all business/first class seats. There are no coach seats on the Acela. It's mainly businessmen who are on a time crunch who rides the Acela.

[@celebrityrog]

@@PGHammer21A and back in 1970 there was only 1/3 the population as we have now.

[@DelimiterFrameworks]

Eventually when I get my money right, I’ll go on every Amtrak train I can possible.

[@K.D-1109]

Whats your favorite Amtrak train

[@K.D-1109]

My is the 66 northeast regional or 97 silver meteor

[@DelimiterFrameworks]

@@K.D-1109 the only one I’ve taken so far was the Pacific Surfliner, I have parents that don’t let me travel far.

[@K.D-1109]

How old are you

[@monizdm]

I have now done more than half of the long distance trains - and I am trying to do them all. They are a delight. I hope that you get to realize your dream here. You will love it. And let's not even talk about the views.

[@Shamuss727]

Had a good enough experiance last month riding the full line from Boston to DC. only took 7 hours, was on time(actually arrived at DC 10 minutes early as our second to last stop had no scheduled passengers so we just blew right by) and the staff was nice enough, bathrooms were clean. Also there is plenty of leg space, like twice as much as an airplane I highly recommend the quiet car if your traveling on your own. Very easy to catch some sleep as people arnt aloud talking on their cell phone and headphones are required if you want to listen to music/watch videos.

[@urgdaddy]

I totally agree with your analysis. I took that trip NYC/BOS about 5 years ago and enjoyed it. I would prefer to travel anywhere domestically within 500 miles. Benefits are comfort, service, scenic landscapes of Americana, and no worry about turbulence, crowded seats and everything else that goes with flying. Love the train....it's needs a new message in this Co-Vid era as an alternative to air travel.

[@athulkrishnan9287]

I have been waiting for this video to release and finally the video has come I really love amtrak train service and their Acela express

[@ranjithbalasubramanian1545]

6:01 Travels first class but always on the lookout for the amenities to make full use of them... Mark of a true traveller!

[@parker6227]

Hey SR! I love your vids, I know it was not a perfect experience but remember that the new Acela trainsets are coming out late 2021 so 1: service will greatly improve along with the food, smoothness, and comfort. 2: please do a trip report on the avelias when they come out in late 2021 as I know you will be impressed and change your perspective on Amtrak. 3: these trains are 20 years and have not been refurbished ever. Amtrak finally got the funding for the avelias and ventures so be ready for a revolution on the amtraks nec!

[@johnnyboy3949]

13:10 in covid times a lot of trains and planes are doing away with proper meals. Maybe this happened here? Disappointing but if you travel in these times you have to understand you will not get the full normal service.

[@ohauss]

Not the least, I have yet to see someone capable of eating through a mask.

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

@@ohauss ha

[@slycat1939]

Has absolutely nothing to do with COVID at all. As of 2020 Amtrak will no longer serve hot meals on most trains for now on. It was announced on there website last year of that. Very few serve hot meals at all now only microwave warmed meals.

[@mattk9644]

@@slycat1939 you’re wrong it’s because of covid 😂

[@brybryguy6314]

I did the NER twice from Philadelphia to Boston. The views from hills gate Bridge is amazing when coming into NYC. The bridge itself is beautiful to see. I am soo happy that they preserved it.

[@rajappanpk9569]

I'm excited for the avelia liberty to start next year today, we are starting on of my most anticipated train trips: the Amtrak's Acela express between New York and Boston.

[@puchski1]

Unfortunately, throughout the entire AMTRAK system, the car attendants' (including sleeper cars) service and attitude is all over the map. They range from phenomenal to non-existent (like yours). A good attendant can really make the trip a memorable experience.

[@josfitz]

Not really expecting white glove service on a commuter train that nobody is on for more than three hours and change.

[@chrisinnes2128]

But that's what you get on the flying scotsman breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner all included in the price of a first class ticket

[@parker6227]

Amtrak staff are amazing from all my 32 trips with em

[@corystansbury]

I've actually had pretty great service across thousands of miles of Amtrak travel. Certainly better than the airline industry. Few bad apples, but not with any consistency.

[@acegarr22]

I'm excited for the Avelia Liberty to start next year.

[@EpicThe112]

Same the actual bonus is actually carrying Joe Biden on his inauguration on January 20th 2021 by winning against Donald Trump. Remember in 2016 he was the one that revealed the Avelia Liberty model.

[@ludwigvonkoopa4998]

gosh they found a way to make politcal a video about TRAINS

[@OfficialVoluntary]

@@ludwigvonkoopa4998 trains are always political these days

[@allws9683]

Am I correct that the Avelia Liberty is a HS train with speeds up to 300-350 kmh , that is gonna run on tracks and bridges with maximum speeds of 100-150 kmh?

[@EpicThe112]

@@allws9683 absolutely correct however the line speed between New Haven and Boston is 240 km per hour 150 mph in some portion 5 miles per hour 10 kilometers faster than the Austrian Railjet 145 mph 230 km/h. HHP 8 maximum speed 135 miles per hour is 220 km/h.

[@CrazyDash9]

Am I the only one who kinda likes Penn Station? I like how the entire station is underground, along with the trains going through the very long tunnels to reach the surface. If it was a bit more spacious in terms of interior and platform width, and maybe more modernish, it could be a pretty cool station.

[@fecardona]

Great trip report. Very enlightening to compare Acela vs Airline travel. Left without knowing if the train has WiFi, and if yes, it’s performance.

[@maxster_8989]

I used to commute along the northeast corridor. From NYC to Boston and to Philadelphia. I'm very familiar with the shaking trains. The shaking is caused by the poor state of track maintenance and track construction.

[@nicnacnic11]

1:45 Both companies offer "great" service. In my experience, especially during rush hour, the service is alright, but there are usually lots of delays. Especially NJ Transit.

[@cosmo5164]

That's Penn Station as a whole and more so headed Southbound due to the bottleneck of the 2 North River Tunnels compared to 4 East River Tunnels. If the Gateway Project had more funding and momentum, this problem could be solved.

[@justsamoo3480]

This is not really their fault, since the US government refuses to fund infrastructure projects.

[@OrangeSkeleton1]

24:14 you can see the Groton submarine base (if you got a shot to the north side you could have maybe seen the Coast Gaurd Academy)

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

Pennsylvania Station was patterned after the great edifices of ancient Greece and Rome. Opposition BASEBALL players arriving in NYC for a series said they had a "religious experience" upon detaining, entering and seeing the main gallery for the first time. It was THAT magnificent!

[@holnrew]

"Acela to Bawston" love that accent

[@masanobunishimura2637]

Hi Simply Railway This my first time seeing your video and I absolutely love it :) and I'm very excited to see the new Acela Express. If you have a chance I recommend using Japanese Shinkansen.

[@caressas]

I thought that it looked very dirty though, there was grime everywhere... and considering that you filmed this at the time of Covid, I am amazed that it wasn't looking spotless!

[@CorbanGarcia]

I’m surprised they had snacks in the lounge! I took the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to NY last week and the Amtrak lounge in Chicago had no food or drinks. Not even water!

[@qjtvaddict]

@Ann Hanover yup

[@epitacia]

probably covid regulations or something lol

[@martypatric1101]

Hallo sir, again a nice train video with Amtrack, here in the United states. Never travel this train route from Penn trainstation New york city to Boston city in masseseures state in the north east. Great to watch how impreesive the New york station is, very huge and clean too. The trains are so comfortable too and you reaaly enjoy this train ride of your life. Great video, i watch from Paramaribo Suriname

[@redsoxtrish]

I just took Amtrak from Providence to Penn Station for a nice 3 day visit(not Acela just regular Amtrak). Loved it,just 136 bucks rt for 2 people and just over 3 hrs.found the seats very comfy and roomy and the scenic route was very nice....Loved seeing the city getting closer and closer and peeking into the neighborhoods in Queens and The Bronx from the elevated track was cool.

[@34Packardphaeton]

... The price for that trip in 1969.. was only.........$9.39 one-way, or a bit less than twenty dollars round trip! It sure has gotten a lot higher in 51 years!

[@davidmdomingo]

Excellent report. Thank you !

[@elliottswanson9307]

When traveling on a train, it's •always• worth saving up and going first class, or in the case of long distance Amtrak, getting a roomette.

[@Just.A.T-Rex]

Only if it’s the newer ones without a toilet inside 🤮

[@johnedreslin]

Recently took a round trip Providence, RI to New Haven, CT, one direction on Acela, the return on Northeast Regional. Was surprised that on many stretches the Northeast Regional clocked at as high a speed as the Acela, and the smoothness of the ride was not too different. In a nutshell, Acela is not worth it. Most scenic part of the route is from Westerly, RI to New Haven, lots of great views of Long Island Sound and beaches.

[@himbourbanist]

yeah Acela is old, but I can't help but love it. It's not much but it's what we've got. Amtrak sees its shortcomings and is taking action to make improvements.

[@pmichael73]

Your comments are spot on. Americans have low expectations of their trains and are seldom disappointed. Only when they travel in Europe or Asia do they learn what train travel and service can mean.

[@kristoffer816]

if you ever travel to norway, id recommend reviewing the bergen railway! its a very nice ride with great scenery

[@rooftopvoter3015]

Have watched many railfan videos produced by HinduCowGirl and the Norway trips are nice.

[@christopherczajasager9030]

And the overnight sleepers100x better than Amtrak

[@jaewlol]

It may not have the best service, but I do love me some Fiji water! Great video!

[@coreyhipps7483]

An interesting point you make / complain about is the food service. But as far as I can tell, a lot of domestic first class / business class products in the US (and some international) are doing boxed foods / snacks similar to what you experienced. I don't know that this was a particularly good test. All other statements, regarding price, it being late, and communication leaving things to be desired are pretty standard for Amtrak.

[@robertbrown4872]

The quality food in domestic business class has declined significantly in the last 10 years on most airlines. Would certainly not choose air travel on this factor alone!

[@coreyhipps7483]

@@robertbrown4872 while this is certainly true, I was more so pointing out that with COVID-19 a lot of airlines have been moving to boxed meals and or snack packs, at least from what I've seen on various travel channels. So the fact that Acela has done this too makes it equal to, not lesser than, the service found on business class airplanes right now. Also, at least in the US, I believe flights between destinations on the NE Corridor are so short that there is no real meal service anyways. Lastly, as someone who has taken Acela, the TGV, and Shinkansen, I would take the speed, reliability, and frequency of the Shinkansen over any offering with food and just buy my own bento box.

[@NozomuYume]

@@coreyhipps7483 Domestic first/business class food has been trash for a long time, except on coast-to-coast flights. If you're not going from LA/SF/Seattle to Boston/NYC/DC you did not get good food, nor did you get a seat that was anything to write home about (except on Virgin America, which had excellent domestic first class seats on *all* of their flights, but then Alaska bought them and proceeded to replace the seats with their own humdrum seats). The crappiest airline in America -- Spirit Air -- has sort of proven how crappy domestic first class is with their Big Front Seat. The seat is just as good as on any other carrier (except for transcon routes), is far, far cheaper, and all you lose is the unlimited booze.

[@coreyhipps7483]

@@NozomuYume I am not saying that domestic in the US is good. But in the video the author complains that they are disappointed in the food provided by Amtrak as compared to airline carriers. My point is that right now Amtrak's first class food offering is equally crappy to the offerings being provided by most carriers right now. All domestic travel, where you do get food, has seemingly been boxes of snacks and not much else based on a survey of other travel KZbin channels who have flown first class domestic (transcon or otherwise where food is served) during the pandemic. My point is not to say that domestic airline meals in the US are good. It is only to counter the point made in the video here that Amtrak is doing a worse job than the airlines. Everyone is more or less providing the same sub-par dining experience whether it is Acela first class or domestic first class airline seat that has food provided during the pandemic.

[@DuckOfRubber]

In Japan if a train runs more than about 10 seconds late, it is a huge deal. Based on the apologies you’d think they ran over your grandmother and are desperate for you to not sue. Any time a North American passenger train is less than an hour late, we think it’s doing pretty good, and when its later than that, we still don’t get mad because what did we expect?

[@marioimori]

I went from Penn Station to Boston South with Amtrak. It was some 25 years ago. The trip took 5 hours give and take. You`re right about the scenery and the best of them all is the stop at Providence (at that time we were allowed to exit the train for smoke, for instance). The view of PVD from the station is amazing. I reserved a day to visit PVD when I went back in 2002! Thanks for sharing!

[@Allen-fh1sc]

the reason why Amtrak is expensive because Amtrak is losing money on most of its routes. To survive, Amtrak charges a high price for the northeast corridor and send the money to unprofitable routes. Amtrak also changed its meal service because of bankruptcy and COVID 19.

[@Cubbie410]

Dude it’s Covid. Ive been in regular acela first class. You do get a hot meal. It’s definitely worth it in better times

[@michaelkensington2494]

Youve never been to Asia. This is pathetic for a so called greatest country status.

[@Cubbie410]

@@michaelkensington2494 and your point? Oh right because we are not just like overseas we are pathetic.. got it. Meanwhile no one asked your opinion. You’re pathetic

[@SuperDecdog]

@@Cubbie410 I mean...America is pretty pathetic he has a point

[@Cubbie410]

@@SuperDecdog but it’s still just an opinion

[@mattk9644]

@@SuperDecdog damn we all could care less

[@mattianardelli2296]

I live in Italy and to be honest even our first high speed trains (which date back to the 90s) were so much better than this train, both in comfort and speed, even in economy class. It’s such a shame that trains are so diminished in the US, as they can be such a confortable and fast way to travel between medium distances (considering that they start and arrive in city centers and you cut a lot of time rather than going to the airport). If you travel inside a country in Europe, probably the plane will be way more expensive and it’s gonna take more time (except if you’re travelling to an island of course)

[@PGHammer21A]

Congress (other than Joe Biden) has been hostile to passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak, if not earlier, mostly because they don't use it - they all either drive or fly. Not the case in Europe, is it? If you USE a service, you aren't going to cut your own throat. (Biden was called "Amtrak Joe" for exactly that reason; when *I* took Amtrak, I'd see Joe Biden on the train myself on the Union Station-Wilmington leg - yet I would never - as in ever - see Steny Hoyer on the Union Station-New Carrolton leg - he drove in.)

[@neutrino78x]

our distances are greater out here in the USA that's why the private sector switched to aircraft. NYC and Boston are fairly close together BUT if you want to go the next population center to the west, probably the Chicago area, it is 790 miles or 1271 km. At its average speed of 278 km/hr it would take 4.5 hours for the French TGV to cross that distance. Whereas a jet aircraft only takes 2.5 hours published time (probably about 2 hours on average). Should be obvious why the private sector switched to jet aircraft once they became cheap enough. :) HSR is simply too slow here....except for short distances under 300 km and there are only four or five regions in the country where two useful cities are less than 300 km apart, the NEC being the best example.

[@fabrizioaversa6249]

It seems you are speaking about our ETR 450 Pendolino! The first tilting train in the world, with an airline style on board service.

[@ollylewin]

Thanks for taking us on the ride mate. For somebody pretty obsessed with coming to the US to experience normal day life this was gold for me. Thanks!

[@mattk9644]

Judging by the cover look up why the railroads are t as fast then you’ll understand never just half ass something if you wanna come here at least understand what’s happening here smh

[@ollylewin]

@@mattk9644 I'm aware of the problems you guys are facing. It's the same for us in the UK too but not as dramatic. I hope things turn around for you soon.

[@mattk9644]

@@ollylewin true it’s mostly due to corrupt politics like the democrats

[@mattk9644]

@@ollylewin it’s why nothing gets done and everything around the US is turning into a shit holes it’s very sad to see sooner or later these democrats keep pushing with this “white rage” and “most racist country” bullshit there will be a second civil war trust me ammo around the US is sold out because of this

[@RobertKrebill]

How on earth did I not see this already? Pure and simple awesome video!

[@trying58]

@28:39 I can see where Transport for Wales got the idea for their logo from! ;)

[@lexifillems]

Yes, I thought it must be deliberate. 😆

[@PhilLin]

If you think the lounge in New York is Amazing, you'll be amazed with Chicago.

[@a4yster]

Chicago is all around better than NYC.

[@justsamoo3480]

I mean Chicago union is far better than Penn station in every way.

[@josfitz]

@@justsamoo3480 Northeast Corridor trains do not call at Chicago.

[@LouGrant999]

Your assessment is on-point. You put a spike in the Penn Station to South Station tracks. Couldn't agree more. Acela is not much more an improvement over the North East Regional especially considering price and time. More value for the customer-dollar choosing the NE Regional. There is no excuse for not having high speed (real high speed rail) in the Northeast.

[@Tzvi092]

former Bostonian here. Have done regular Acela Boston(128) to Baltimore and back. was a good value; A lot less and only a bit longer time. The free wifi was good too.

[@oicfas4523]

It's so quiet! I really like that aspect of it.

[@mj1234321]

Thanks for the upload, enjoyed watching. I think this is a good and fair review, but I would just note that normally first class does have much better meal service. They must have really cut back due to Covid. As for the train itself, I think the next gen model (which is basically a TGV with the Pendolino tilt system included) should address most of the current fleet's shortcomings.

[@josfitz]

Agreed. Also, the dude works for Alstom ...

[@zulusheksta1985]

American trains looks like a trains in Europe at 90s with that old technology

[@bronxbearbud272]

Don't rub it in. And it's hard to imagine Harry Potter and the gang running through a wall in Penn Station

[@benhur563]

This train definitely looks brand new for a 1985 train^^

[@JG-id5vi]

We are very behind but slowly trying to catch up. Back in the 30s or 40s the automotive, tire, and rubber companies got together and bought up hundreds of thousands of miles of railways and trolley line then just destroyed them so people would buy cars. It affects us to this day.

[@jarydjackson8531]

@@JG-id5vi hell yeah but on a nice day my car could beat that train from Boston to NYC I’d go from Penn Station and be at Back Bay in no time sounds fine to me

[@MrGeforcerFX]

prob cause they were designed and built in the 90's

[@ClearTrackSpeed]

Awesome that the Club Acela Lounge is partnered with United; thanks for sharing

[@EricBoulton26]

Continental built all the Club Acela Lounges when the Acela launched, hence the continued partnership with United.

[@christopherczajasager9030]

What is awesome being partnered by a terrible passenger- unfriendly carrier as United?

[@ThePrissy11]

Great vid. I took this prior to Covid. The food and service were good. Worst part in 1st class is trying to get one of the single seats. Business travelers know the train better and they scoop them up. The two seats can suck. Especially if you have to face someone. If you get stuck in one of those seats, you might as well have gone coach😩

[@tylerbailey85]

As an American, I can say that trains in America are an embarrassment compared to train travel in Europe, It’s beyond frustrating and ridiculous that we don’t have high speed rail cross country.

[@hassell212]

I subscribe to your channel, I find it interesting and very well explained all the details regarding the Pennsylvania station and other things on the route where the Acela train passes. A greeting from Spain

[@cats0182]

ACELA used to have a quality First Class food product, That was withdrawn due to Covid-19.

[@SciFiGirl007]

My prediction is that service/goods will not rebound to pre COVID levels. We've tolerated poor service and lower expectations for over a year. Why would businesses go back? They've got lots of lost profit to make up for.

[@trevorsmith9261]

I remember going on this journey a few years back. As a regular traveler on British trains, I was very impressed with Amtrak American trains. Penn station was pretty good as well.

[@MrSneaksful]

you have got to be kidding? Have you been on highspeed rail in europe? Literally walk up to a "atm" kiosk, buy your ticket in any country(except US) in any language, and off you go on a highspeed rail in europe, clean, well maintained with good signs......American rails is a joke compared. You also put your life in your own hands when your waiting for a train in certain cities in US. So come on man, maybe your sample of US rail was very limited, I get it, Penn station is cute, Grand Central same, but really, not really. Not even close.

[@F4ncySu1tan]

I really enjoyed watching this video. I was going to clarify that the lack of meal service was because of COVID-19, but you clarified that yourself. Overall, this was a great video.

[@chewar7537]

I was in Boston when the Acela flew past...it was awesome. It was there one second and gone the next. Super awesome train!!!

[@JoshDoesTravel]

Thibault, it’s just “Queens” not “the Queens” 😂

[@fordlandau]

Plenty of Queens in NYC 😆

[@NorthEastRegional]

As someone born in NYC and raised in Queens, I don't mind "the Queens", might as well add "the" to everything besides the Bronx - the Brooklyn, the Manhattan, the Staten Island, :-P.

[@spaceboy3101]

@@fordlandau All the wrong kinds too, right? hehe

[@hulloits4421]

Also he put Rhodes Island as supposed to Rhode Island

[@fordlandau]

ItsGoofygoff but that was founded by Cecil Rhodes ?? 😏

[@fordlandau]

When you are on the platform is the original Penn station.

[@horizelux2212]

14:30 For a second I thought that was an ICE 3 😂

[@giatiexwkanali2750]

Well, in 1994 they actually brought an ICE 1 trainset to the US, the problem was that there was no electrification 🤣

[@horizelux2212]

@@giatiexwkanali2750 Smart decision, they made 😂

[@mr.conductorfromsts4204]

But this is Kawasaki M8 of Metro-North from Grand Central Terminal

[@horizelux2212]

@@mr.conductorfromsts4204 You didn't get the joke lol

[@mr.conductorfromsts4204]

@@horizelux2212 sorry

[@dontedrake2316]

On my opinion that's basically a Subway station platform that's a beautiful train station under the world's most famous arena you doing a great job with your channel keep up the great content have a great week

[@SarahsAtticOfTreasures]

Awesome video. Thank you for the readable text. Not talking. I don't mind a little. No music.

[@Dovietail]

Amtrak has really dropped the damn ball in the food department across their fleet! It used to be the one thing that made me decide to take the train instead of flying, having lovely meals and meeting new people and fellow travelers in the dining car instead of being crammed into a horrible plane somewhere with peanuts you pay for!

[@PGHammer21A]

Amtrak have been FORCED to do that - they can't be seen to be courting the *wealthy* - OUIGO (the European equivalent) can't do it, either - and has been savaged for it. (Why do you think I was surprised by Dogfish Head IPAs on their trains?) You sounds like one of those people that want high-end at cheap pricing - not going to happen - anywhere - and espcially with subsididies in play - nor should it. Dogfish Head is NOT high-end even in the IPA space - it's home brewery is from the same state as our President - Delaware. (I live in Maryland.)

[@fugf1623]

What ? Ouigo is a low cost brand of SNCF the French national railway, they didn’t serve meals to make the price ticker as low as possible, AMTRAK ISNT a low cost brand, you have to compare AMTRAK with SNCF, Trenitalia, THALYS and all of these kept a high standard restaurant car with delicious meals, even with Covid. Amtrak did cut corners, that’s it

[@fugf1623]

On France i can travel at 186mph for 900 km for 9 euros so yes, I can guaranteed you that high speed trains with really low actually exist lol, USA is just 50 years behind

[@fugf1623]

Low prices*

[@PGHammer21A]

@@fugf1623 Then why have influencers - including Simply Railway - savaged OUIGO for the lack? In AMTRAK's case, the savaging is coming from Congress - which votes YEA or NAY on subsidies. In both cases, albeit for different reasons, it is just as unfair for the rail carrier to get beat upon.

[@cprtrain]

Amtrak's management is out to destroy the organization due to politics. America deserves better..

[@ronclark9724]

With the lack of ridership on this supposed to be Amtrak's flagship service, one can make the argument that we spend far too much on Amtrak. Maybe the USPS was right more than 50 years ago to terminate the railroads mail contracts in favor of flying the mail long distances and trucking the mail short distances...

[@mattk9644]

@@ronclark9724 these trains are full it’s the facts that Amtrak doesn’t have enough money to fix up the rail lines

[@andrewschmitz9707]

I give them credit for trying in a nation that has actively attacked all attempts at proper trains for decades. New one definitely looks promising.

[@WilliamJones-Halibut-vq1fs]

Trains will get built when they can make money and when they save time.

[@misham6547]

This route actually makes a lot of money so it makes sense

[@josfitz]

@@WilliamJones-Halibut-vq1fs Northeast Corridor trains make lots of money, millions. But to your point, trains are supposed to make money when automobile and air travel receive billions in subsidies? I think not.

[@WilliamJones-Halibut-vq1fs]

@@josfitz Automobiles do not receive net subsidies.

[@Dovietail]

I remember travelling in business class on the acela from Washington DC to New York City on my way to a writers' conference in upstate new york in the mid '90s. The meal was outstanding! I stretched it out from Baltimore to past Philadelphia. 😂 OMG, did I feel pampered! Those were the days....

[@dionlindsay2]

I've watched quite a few train journey reviews now - covering Europe as well as USA, and yours is a class above the others in a very competitive field. Your comments are really thoughtful and balanced, and the production values are just straight classy. I really enjoyed the section on New London CT, and the exclusive content. Your English is just that little bit idiosyncratic, which makes it even more enjoyable (are you Dutch or German perhaps?). The only bit I really didn't understand was "Room for improvement - a more actual train interior". All told I got as much satisfaction as I would watching an episode of Friends or Frasier. I'm really impressed - thank you!

[@feynman6625]

Dion I think he mean a more modern interior. The original meaning of actual is modern , current, not real.

[@dionlindsay2]

@@feynman6625 That's a really nice point, thank you.

[@travelsofmunch1476]

4:05 Pays $200 for ticket Me who paid $20 with the Acela anniversary deal *laughter

[@denjo3131]

It's a shame, such prices, I think that the USA has one of the most expensive 'high speed' network. Instead of oil/car lobby, they should invest more in the railway network. The amount of trains is quite horrible for such a big city as New York, and also the average speed of the trains sucks. Price/quality/service/duration is way too much out of balance. It's time that the government invest in the railway network. Yes it costs money, but afterwards, you got much more profits from it, and it shows that the USA invest in the future/public transport, what's good for getting a better international reputation. They can always ask some European or Asian countries how they do it. Even Morocco has now it's high-speed train...

[@joebuczynski9376]

Sergayy Drachev

@@denjo3131 Airlines corruption (lobbying as they call it in the US) won't allow it.

[@Victor_Gvne]

Here in France/Europe we have 320km/h use speed train since ~1981 😅

[@philippefontfrede7911]

World Record 574 km/h 😉😉😉

[@fredflintlocks9445]

150mph is about 240kph but their in the planning stage of building a maglev line from DC all through Baltimore first then to Philly and NYC up to Boston by early 2030s

[@fredflintlocks9445]

Oh and their replacing these trains you see here with faster ones made by a French company

[@snow.flower]

came here after watching overnight express trains in japan and wow america needs to step up its game. so sad that i cant even be proud of my own country

[@spaceboy3101]

It is, indeed, sad. We're a half century behind the rest of the train world now. All the hype by our flag waving politicians about how great we are, and we've fallen behind in so many categories you can't even count them now. We don't even have freedom of speech or religious protections anymore, 4th and 5th amendments all circumvented, 2nd amendment eroded to the point where it's almost academic in most places. Almost all gone now.

[@josfitz]

@@spaceboy3101 Change countries. Yeah, go to live somewhere else.

[@Dovietail]

Just a grammar FYI for someone who speaks English as a second language. Since stops are something that can be counted, you would make FEWER stops (rather than LESS) stops. You reserve "less" for things that cannot be counted like water or oxygen.

[@hulloits4421]

to be fair the Bombardier Acelas actually offer pretty good mid-to-high-speed train ride for running on outdated, 80+ year old infrastructure(specifically the embankments themselves), especially on the bit north of NY, but hopefully the new Alstom units will smooth most of it out

[@laurensklaassen6869]

As a european I am always confused at the way trains work (or don't) in the US. Especially the boarding process is strange to me, very airport like. Still very interesting, always fun taking a train in another country :)

[@marvwatkins7029]

You can blame Amtrak's Acela management for the glaring failings.

[@olivierolivier6080]

Double decks high speed trains run every day in France at an average of 300 km/h

[@a4yster]

Well, not every day... The only time I decided to take a train in France in 2016 you guys decided to go on strike.

[@frenchchicken2799]

The Acela would have a higher speed if the damn tracks and local trains don't run on the same path. When the avelia comes out, I think some states might do track maintenance so that the train could have their own track, like on the Northeast Corridor going into NJ and to Virginia.

[@Hastdupech8509]

@Chitragupta Bruh really? I guess you're one of those folks believing Scandinavian countries are communists showing no knowledge of political ideologies lol. Stop making a fool of yourself, come on

[@eraldoronda4897]

300kmh=180mph about. Also in Italy 😉

[@thomaswallace479]

Also, I like it when you inform us where we are, as in "approaching New London."

[@worldolivier]

I think the New Acela is a french made TGV (from Alstom). It looks exactly the same to the next gen TGV

[@steviec8370]

Thanks for the video. Looks like a great service and there is so much to see. Planes are overrated. New York city did look truly stunning from the Hell Gate Bridge BTW...

[@hewitc]

It can be an hour to get to the Airport. They want you there at least one hour before. The flight is shorter if all goes well. Then drive from airport to destination. This train seemed more relaxing and maybe quicker.

[@maxc_20]

Seems that the track condition is the problem for a smooth high speed service there

[@counterfit5]

maxc_20 Connecticut DOT owns most of the track in that state, and they haven’t upgraded it to the standards necessary for high speed travel

[@youp9546]

I wonder if "The Suits" at Amtrak ever watch these videos?

[@damnimloomin]

I doubt they even use Amtrak at all lmao

[@SimplyRailway]

@@damnimloomin Flying American First Class 😅

[@robertbrown4872]

@@SimplyRailway Really? You think American First is that much better NYC-BOS than Amtrak (considering all variables involved)? Those summer storm / winter storm delays stuck in LGA - SO fun!!!

[@drdoolittle5724]

No, they are too busy running Boeing!

[@34Packardphaeton]

.. Is not the headquarters of Amtrak in.. Philadelphia ?

[@angelagaither6439]

Totally agree. Sorry for the lack of service. Great review. I know as a train guy it was hard for you to talk negative about any train.

[@ericsellin]

Great video as always! I was on that very same train a few weeks ago (visiting from the UK), and you'll be pleased to hear that Moynihan Train Hall makes it a much more enjoyable experience compared to Penn Station, although my train was late by half an hour just like yours ah ah. I was on an earlier morning service though, and Covid is kind of behind us now, so I got both breakfast and lunch served freshly microwaved and with proper silverware. Very attentive service from staff, and you can't beat arriving at Boston's South Station... the MBTA vending machines weren't working, but that's another video altogether :)