Washington D.C. to Boston with Amtrak NEW sleeper service on the Northeast Regional

Howdy folks,
Welcome to this trip report onboard the new sleeper service of Amtrak. April 5th, 2021, Amtrak reintroduced its sleeper service on the Northeast Regional for the night trains of the weekend (65, 66, 67)
Enjoy :)
- TRIP INFORMATION -
RECORDED IN APRIL 2021
Railroad company: Amtrak
Train type : ACS-64, Amfleet and Viewliner
From : Washington D.C. to Boston South Station
Time : 9h58
Price : $588 (for two passengers) 584 Euro
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- EQUIPEMENT - Iphone 12 Pro and Dji Mobile Go 2
Massive thanks to ‪@AmtrakProductions‬ for the thumbnail picture ! : / @amtrakproductions

[@hockneyfication]

Casually wearing an SBB sweater. Love that!

[@MrGollum27]

SBB Pulli, geile Siech

[@TwoRibbonRailvideos]

The P42 is actually on for an interesting reason. During the overnight hours, metro north shuts down the overhead catenary wires for routine maintenance. So, on that sector of the route (from NYP to New Haven) the P42 is actually pulling the train, but the engineer still controls it from the ACS-64 cab.

[@storm2k]

my first guess would have been for extra hep for the viewliner that the acs-64 may not be able to provide, but this is interesting. i imagine though that the caternary that's deenergized has to be north of hellsgate since that's where we get the merge in from mnr?

[@williamerazo3921]

But why? They have Acela service right

[@robertbeck97850]

Hey there FEC Railfanning, Great observation about that p42. Just curious about your name. Did you work for the FEC? I did back in the early 80’s Robert

[@marylandrailfan2008]

@@williamerazo3921 acela service doesnt run overnight and the trains that do are already past NHV or NYP when mnrr shuts it off

[@ZenkoTheGreat]

@@williamerazo3921 Acelas don’t run overnight.

[@pmichael73]

I used to take this route in the 1960s! I traveled from Philadelphia and there would be a sleeper or two waiting that I could get on at 10pm and go to bed. Around midnight the train from Washington would come in and pick up the sleepers and we'd all go to Boston!

[@OuijTube]

The statue at 4:19 is of A. Philip Randolph. He was head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters-the union for sleeping car attendants. He was instrumental in organizing the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King delivered his “I have a dream” speech. It always amused me that everyone passes by without paying him any attention at all, even though he was a huge figure in the labor movement and the civil rights movement.

[@TheCriminalViolin]

The reason people pass it by and ignore it is because they do not teach about that or him in schools at all, so most people have no idea who the statue is of and the history of the person that lead to them having said statue erected. Hell, I only learned of it because of you and your comment here!

[@OuijTube]

@@TheCriminalViolin it’s terribly sad. We go right to Dr. King but we ignore the fact that he needed a lot of help to do the hard work of making a movement. Kids need to learn about this because it might teach them that it takes all kinds to make the world better.

[@jnyboy28]

Watch out Americans might learn that the civil rights movement was also hugely a workers right movement as well. But that history has been whitewashed...bad. Lol

[@bellasmom2013]

Thank you for this information. My grandfather was an organizer in the iron workers Union in New York City in the 1930s and 40s.

[@adamskkiii]

Dude it’s so nice seeing you speak to camera

[@garyd.amatore8358]

And he's very easy on the eyes.😍

[@metro-northrailroadproduct5043]

He spoke in one of his videos

[@kyree7287]

@@metro-northrailroadproduct5043 I actually remember that video

[@andrewarnold7638]

Dude🤣

[@musicmanfelipe]

And we start off our intro to DC with lots of sirens. That's a good one.

[@patchescessna7348]

I noted that too but I think they were fire trucks

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

Yeah those were fire trucks

[@melissamolter6374]

But why? Anyone know what was going on?

[@TheCriminalViolin]

I love that you are now beginning to put yourself on camera and commentate, as well as maintain the original non-commentary style through the majority of it. Such a great balance and different than most other transit channels out there.

[@prosperousutensil8178]

d'accord

[@trox355]

Took this route a few times over the past few weeks to do business between DC and Boston. Honestly didn’t realize it was just recently reintroduced but it worked great for my schedule being able to travel and sleep at the same time.

[@OuijTube]

Honestly I wonder if they won’t add another sleeper car to the consist eventually. It’s such a nice choice between DC and Boston

[@taoliu3949]

@@OuijTube Amtrak doesn't have enough sleeper cars.

[@ronclark9724]

@@OuijTube Amtrak may in the future do so, but another train would have to lose a sleeper. Amtrak has only so many sleepers, and the ten new Viewliners IIs only added enough to to add another sleeper on the Silver Meteor, Lake Shore Limited, the Cardinal, the Crescent, and this new service return of the Twilight Shoreliner. Amtrak needs two to run another sleeper on these trains as the trains run in both directions. 2+2+2+2+2=10. In the past the Silver Meteor and Lake Shore Limited sold out of sleepers quickly, while the Crescent and Cardinal sold out frequently, especially during the holidays. Most of the new Viewliner IIs were to replace old Heritage baggage cars, and the few old Heritage diners, not to mention the few Heritage dorms and baggage dorms. I was hoping Amtrak would build many Viewliner lounge cars, but they didn't as Amtrak have many Amfleet II lounge/cafe cars...

[@harrisonofcolorado8886]

Hopefully this sleeping car service catches on and Amtrak decides to add more night trains.

[@nelsonricardo3729]

It's great to see your face and hear your voice.

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

There's something always exciting about an overnight sleeper. Another great video.

[@rodrigoalvesdepaula5262]

Great Thibault! This introduction is very nice!

[@Trainlover7]

The p42 was probably picked up in New Haven and brought to Boston to be serviced up at the Amtrak facility there. Amtrak uses the overnight Regionals to move equipment around because of the convenience of the night and the heavy padded schedules those routes have.

[@edisonz2006]

Tomorrow is Amtrak's 50th birthday!!!

[@olofssonaugust2536]

Yay i know :)

[@emjeebutterz4405]

Yep! I still remember back in 2011 when they were celebrating their 40th anniversary, they put on quite a show! Heritage liveries, they even made an exhibition train that traveled across the country! I remember thinking, wow, imagine what their 50th anniversary will look like, and here we are!

[@TKevinBlanc]

@@emjeebutterz4405 Unfortunately, it'll probably be hampered by COVID.

[@kondwanimalinki874]

NICE NICE NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!

[@darryldworak6356]

@@TKevinBlanc actually services have been returning to normal as of late as well as businesses in certain areas so it might not be too hampered

[@PaulCashman]

Amtrak is having quite a sale for its 50th: 50% off fares, and a maximum of $50 per segment, for coach and also Acela Business class. That's amazing: DC to New Orleans or Boston for $50. Chicago to LA for $50. Sale ends May 6th, you have to travel by November 13th...but still!

[@olofssonaugust2536]

I really love the facecam! Keep up the great work! :)

[@Robert0Pirie]

Yay! There's our guy!

[@victoriaoneill9159]

The more I keep seeing more northeast regional videos the more im getting excited for my trip to New Haven, CT on the northeast in October so excited! My first train trip! 😁

[@jen93106]

Are you getting a sleeper for yourself? I don’t have a trip planned, but these videos make me excited to make one, so I can only imagine! Wishing you great travels!

[@victoriaoneill9159]

@@jen93106 no its me my mom aunt & cousin we got early am tickets its 9 hours from richmond, va! Watching his northeast videos gets me so excited! Hopefully one day you can go! Even if its a small trip! 😄

[@counterfit5]

Excited to visit New Haven? Temper your expectations. 😅

[@victoriaoneill9159]

@@counterfit5 im going to visit the pez factory in orange lol

[@rbjplay13]

Your train picked up the P42 in New Haven, CT as typically the power for the overhead wire is turned off at night as no trains would use it besides the night owl, and for maintenance purposes. There's still enough train traffic between Metro-North, New Jersey Transit, and SEPTA to keep the energy flowing there, however. The engineer will still operate the train from the ACS-64 but will have the pantograph lowered and it will control the diesel engine.

[@a.l.m.trains]

Your correct on where it was picked up, but this reason was just a power move to Boston, the ACS was powering the whole route. If the overhead power was off, the P42 would be leading and powering the train.

[@seprishere]

The UK scare videos sent to schools said that power was on "all the time" and "even on Christmas and New Year's Day". Unless specifically switched off for maintenance.

[@mikeblatzheim2797]

@@seprishere That's because the UK (and the rest of central Europe) runs passenger trains throughout the night in addition to freight. Between 10pm and 5am the main line I live at sees more passenger trains than Washingon Union Station does over 24 hours, with regularly scheduled services running until 2am and restarting before 5am. The NEC appears to be very different in that regard, with significant downtimes in passenger traffic and no electric freight trains.

[@spenceradams2908]

@@a.l.m.trainsnot entirely true they can be remote controlled from the acs64 or on other routes metroliner cab cars or f40 cab cars

[@dennislevan2114]

Your videos are super and I'm loving your trips--an update--I was born in DC and my father was a Pullman Conductor for over 35 yrs. He worked the Capitol Limited and the Palmetto in the early/late 50s until his retirement. The location you call the waiting room was actually the concourse where people would congregate to board trains leaving DC--that same location was where the Federal Express in '53 plowed into the concourse after losing breaks--I saw it personally as a kid a 6 yrs old when my dad took me to US--I remember the board work around the GG=1 buried in the floor of the concourse. Your work is valuable and worth it--keep going. DC guy

[@johndornoff]

The prices for a bedroom on the Viewliners is just outrageous since there is only two per car. For an overnight journey I would just go ahead and do the roomette especially for that price.

[@whatweather]

Thank you for the narration at the beginning, it adds a lot to the video

[@JohnSmith-qd8kl]

Thanks for putting out great content! Really appreciate the really good critiques of each railway and the honest and fair reports! I can't afford to travel as much as I'd like, so your vids are a great replacement!

[@doijcserqepof7194]

I love this content. The effort put into your channel is respectabele. Keep it on

[@JNR581]

Congratulations on Amtrak's 50th anniversary! From Kyoto, Japan

[@massrootsnwr7067]

HAPPY 50 Birthday Amtrak

[@Bobrogers99]

Hopefully in the years ahead, the tracks will be upgraded to make the trip a little faster to make the train a more attractive alternative to flying. As it is, the $588 you paid is comparable to Business/First Class plane tickets, and the advantages as I see it were: No long trip to and from airports, no security hassles, a private room, a real bed, a private toilet and shower, and even at night there is more to see out the window. The disadvantages seemed to be the time it takes and the inadequate food service. In my opinion, if you're not in a hurry, taking the train is the better deal. And an electrically-powered train is far better for our planet than burning thousands of gallons of fuel in a plane!

[@johnbrooks1188]

Just saw this. The only reason sleeping cars were taken off the Night Owl (and following) in 2003 was because the equipment was needed on other longer haul routes (some crashes depleted the inventory). The sleepers were ALWAYS full, and we had to make reservations 3-4 months in advance. The full dining car got dropped a year or two before the sleepers. Up until the early 90s (I think) they had the Executive Sleeper, which was an old Pullman coach that ran only between Washington and NY (last car in the train, got dropped off at Penn northbound, and was at Penn waiting (board after 9:30 pm for the southbound trip. I used it frequently when I lived in DC from 1988-1991. The old Pullman coaches didn't have a shower, but there was fresh perked coffee and wake-up service, and it was super convenient.

[@thefareplayer2254]

I did this the day you released it, but from Boston to DC! I agree with a lot of this: the upper berth shook a bit at 110, which was a bit annoying. I didn’t sleep well, but that was more because I was excited. The scheduling is perfect; left Boston at bedtime and arrived in DC at waking time: no time lost! Overall, way way better than even business class.

[@lucysmithers357]

Union Station is one of my favorites.its beautiful day or night..my family and I have traveled many times on Amtrak..it's a nice ride ..

[@MTANewYorkCityTransitFilms]

I really liked the intro and outro. Nice.

[@GoSlash27]

I'm glad to hear you narrating your trip!

[@katpyss]

So cool! I didn’t know they brought the sleeper back on NE Regional.

[@valeriebassett3107]

Really nice to see and hear you. We love to watch your videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@jamesross8266]

There is no simple railway video without toilet time

[@mikeschumacher]

I would write in to Amtrak and let them know of the squeaks. However, most of the sleeping cars are 20+ years old and really need replacement; always bring gaff tape for a sleeper.

[@erik_griswold]

Tape and WD-40 are a must when traveling on an Amtrak sleeper

[@MarceloBenoit-trenes]

Those cars will be refurbished when all the new CAF sleepers were delivered.

[@wharris302]

20 years old is midlife for rolling stock, stuff usually lasts till about 40

[@cy_torrent]

@@MarceloBenoit-trenes Not all this sleeper was "pulled from their back-pocket" in a sense as it hasn't been touched for servicing in a while. If anything it's probably the Viewliner I's meant for the Northeast Regional but back when the AEM-7's were the ones that pulled the train. Viewliner II's will probably be put on the route in the future and Viewliner I's getting refreshed will probably happen later as well since the Superliner II cars have been remodeled and renamed "Superliner Refresh" officially. (I do personally think a Superliner III and ones for high platforms should be made so they're more compatible with the modern rail networks as time goes on)

[@ronclark9724]

@@cy_torrent Amtrak is just getting funding to refurbish the Superliner fleet. Therefore any new Superliner IIIs are at least two decades into the future. While the Amfleet Is are being replaced with the new Siemens coaches, the Amfleet IIs must soldier on for another ten years at least...

[@avagd6293]

Thank you for the video. I lived in Washington, D.C. for three years and loved/still love the train station. It's a true landmark.

[@ronclark9724]

That architect also designed the Union Station in Chicago, and the Union Station in Pittsburgh, the Union Station in Cincinnati, the Union Station in Columbus, as well as the Union Station in El Paso. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Burnham

[@maxster_8989]

You don't normally find ahead of schedule and amtrak in the same sentence. 😂

[@Cal90208]

Yes, you actually do :)

[@AVeryRandomPerson]

You do. Some routes are incredibly padded, making it basically impossible to be late on them

[@BobNewbie]

Very common with this train, particularly arriving into DC and Boston

[@Cal90208]

@@BobNewbie Common on most LD trains*

[@armodudegiantfan]

For the Northeast Regional and other trains that don't share their routes with cargo trains (like Keystone Service), that's actually common. It's when they share it with cargo trains that they get behind schedule

[@buttercuppy269034]

I love your videos! Thank you!

[@amarkhatavkar1991]

Your videos are great 👍 Love from 🇮🇳

[@abshivkumar2549]

I hope your situation gets better

[@ChatGPT1111]

Great job sharing the entire experience! Keep up the good work!

[@wenyk]

That tiny noise would keep me awake the whole night!

[@jmanting6889]

Loved this video Thibault - really enjoyed the bits at the start and end with you on camera. Nice to see more of your personality come through!

[@logan7074]

J'aime bien la facecam au début, ça ajoute un côté plus personnel, comme si on allait embarquer avec toi ! :) I like the facecam at the beginning, it makes it more personal, like we're gonna board with you ! :)

[@IndigoFei]

I love the new style of videos in the beginning!

[@metro-northrailroadproduct5043]

Love your videos simply railway

[@chesapeakerailphotography]

Awesome Trip Report! Have a great weekend!

[@augiestravels]

Quality video as always. Thank you.

[@deco983]

Great job ! Well done!!

[@SlavaUkraini85]

love your pullover! 👍

[@engineersdash7564]

The night owl is back. It was one of my favorite trains when I use to work for Amtrak before I went NS use to commute from Baltimore to Philly every night to work. Those were some good memories. Nice video..

[@sbmallik2]

A well covered video for the rail enthusiasts.

[@ashtonnelson2624]

Yooo your english is really good!! Love the vids and keep up the good work man!! Would love to see more in this style!

[@marcleslac2413]

Incredible of amtrak to revive the service

[@parthanparthan8725]

Awesome 👍🙏

[@golamiftekhar9576]

YES ITS RETURNED

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

[@ParrotGaming123]

New sleeper service?! Unheard of! Awesome

[@blondefringe16]

Did this journey last week while on a trip from Ireland, I really enjoyed it, lovely seats and loved Philadelphia too 😊😊

[@dom_dom2011]

Thank you for your videos! They are great! I hope one day I can experience the American train journey!

[@nnbtv67]

I did the route the other way in November. I agree with your comments about the noise, although it's still a great way to travel.

[@fletcherprince]

Great video! Thanks for the commentary about the noises. That squeak would have drove me crazy!

[@j1st633]

Very educational and entertaining and informative. I recently took Amtrack from Chicago ( beautiful station) to Glacier Bay MY overnight full sleeper as you did. Fantastic adventure. Then after two days at the lodge back on the train for another overnight adventure to Seattle. Overall a wonderful experience.

[@ronclark9724]

You are very wise to include a layover on a long train journey. Too many ride to the end of the line and longer without any layovers. Layovers add spice to any long train journey...

[@guillaumedarbin2433]

awesome !!

[@SnickersThaMaster]

Haha, that rattling sound reminds me so much of my train trips across Germany when I was younger. For me that's the typical high speed/ old wagon sound. Even though I had the same sounds on my last trip on board the ice 4.

[@risasb]

I love the DC station; some of those shops are fantastic.

[@Ben-go1iq]

Like the SBB shirt , love the review

[@AA_8184_1]

Took this train from DC to Boston…was great!

[@SWITCHMASHER]

I rode this train in the late 50's when it was the Night Owl. Nice to see it back. I enjoyed the video, thanks!

[@THEFINALHAZARD]

The Night Owl didn’t come around until ‘72. Think you’re thinking of the PRR/NH Federal

[@beraza71]

I'd like to have this experience, great video as usual!

[@railbanat-romania8063]

Nice filming👍👏👏👏

[@devintaylor8702]

AWESOME 👍I LOVE TO TRAVEL ON AMTRAK 😊🙌👍

[@BMMEC6000]

Hope you had fun in Boston!

[@skiparkcityut]

I agree those are some pretty tough noises to sleep with.

[@itsnotme07]

Always enjoy seeing any trip to/from the hometown of Boston! Nice touch with the Red Sox sweatshirt. Kinda surprised they didn't restart the sleeper service with one of the newer Viewliner II trains. Guess they were all headed to Florida or Chicago out of DC.

[@tobster1499]

lovin the new intro

[@scottyerkes1867]

Thank you Thibault for a wonderful review. Sorry for the annoying noises. Hope your next trip is without rattling.

[@ROTE]

Awesome video! I really wanna ride the night owl someday!

[@donactdum6635]

The sirens in the beginning are such a classic staple of every single day in DC lmao

[@thefareplayer2254]

I just realized that Patreon footage is a 5 minute walk from my house!!! Nice work!

[@awdrifter3394]

That high pitched noise would drive me crazy at night.

[@andlemmejustsayJus]

I'm about to take this exact trip and I wanted to see lol Thanks

[@Celevie413]

is the sleeper car for this trip still bookable?

[@andlemmejustsayJus]

@@Celevie413 I saw no option. It seems they've simplified non pleasure routes into first and business on Acela and coach and first on the regional. I got business class and had a large seat with a table. It was fine.

[@CentralMassRailfan]

I’m going to baltimore in feb and going to dc on marc. super excited. of course im taking a northeast regional

[@WhatsInAName222]

Excellent video. I too was bothered by similar noises on the auto train in the roomette. After a lot of frustrated searching I was able to locate the source: the curtains! Specifically the curtain holders that moved on the rails. They rattled all night and there was no way to stop that. I opened the curtains, closed the curtains, left them half open, etc. but no luck.

[@tobster1499]

love it

[@cedricye1767]

i didn't know amtrak is adding sleepers on the NER. That's neat. Great review!

[@gregsells8549]

In 2000 I took VIA Rail Canada's overnighter between Montreal and Toronto, sleeping in an upper berth and having breakfast in a round-end observation car with a Vista-Dome. Until the early 1960s, MoPac had a night train between Houston and Brownsville called the Pioneer, complementing the daytime Valley Eagle, with a stub connection between Odem and Corpus Christi.

[@johnsymonstcu]

Great review. 👍Yes, those noises would have annoyed me also. For the price that you paid for this trip I would expect at least a fruit cup and a hot breakfast sandwich for breakfast. That box of snacks that they gave you was ridiculous. Take care and have a pleasant weekend.

[@stephanierobb6208]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@visionist7]

You could probably fly first class for that. Although technically it's business class and they call it first class as a tradition

[@timlilijinsheng4070]

The Night Owl is back!

[@Jake-hh2os]

I got to see 2 viewliner sleepers and a food service car roll out of the CAF plant in Elmira this week. I happen to be doing some work in the area and one of our sites is right at a crossing along the CAF tracks.

[@CommodoreJames]

I took a trip on the Northeast Corridor, believe it or not when I took the Vermonter up north to NYC from Washington and then back down via NE Regional, I can tell why they needed overnight trains. There’s nothing after at least 10-11 PM. It was just quiet before or after midnight.

[@Dovietail]

Night train to Boston. Brilliant! Time to invest in new stock!

[@RobertKrebill]

Happy early 50th birthday Amtrak!

[@lasvegasroger]

Great video - and so glad to see the sleeper is back on the old "Night Owl"! I've booked a post-Midnight ride in a Bedroom from Greensboro to Atlanta on "The Crescent" in early June and, with less than 8 hours en route, am hoping for a rattle- and squeak-free ride! Keep up the fine work.

[@ronclark9724]

Amtrak has towels available to jam the rattles... Amtrak also sells ear plugs...

[@squalli1297]

Another great video! It's good to see a sleeping car on that route again. I hope more people will ride 1st class. I'm also hoping for better food service since it's a highlight of any trip. The Viewliner I's are very outdated. I remember when they were new in the 90's before busy hands were playing with all the knobs & buttons. The rattling doors have always been a problem in all sleepers-even when the bedrooms are ensuite. So I would wedge stiff cardboard in the pocket in order to keep the door from sliding back & forth & reduce rattling. Thanks.

[@ronclark9724]

You would think Amtrak would fix this rattling problem once and for all, but even European trains rattle...

[@marvinlewis1169]

Happy 50th birthday AMTRAK.

[@marcleslac2413]

I went to dc union on march 2016 looking at it now its eerie

[@trevour]

14:45 lucky companion 😉

[@anthonywatts2033]

Great video. I agree re breakfast. It was the same Seattle to san fran. Contrasted to Vienna to bled, where a voucher covered breakfast if you travelled sleeper. And it was a proper (eastern european) breakfast that economy passengers could pay for.

[@BossQueen]

Lol, this is so weird I live in DC and was born in Boston. My momma uses to catch the Amtrak with the bed when we went down south!💕