batmanofska t1_iwnlw8q wrote
Penn Line happens to have the highest speed (110 mph) of any commuter rail in the US. It's a great option, and hopefully will be extended to Alexandria once the new Long Bridge is built
DfcukinLite t1_iwnwccq wrote
More excited for the Septa expansion via Newark. Will be able to ride all the way to NYC on commuter rail
ghostronin t1_iwo623j wrote
I've been searching for details on this but didn't come up with a whole lot. Any details you could share? Looking to potentially relocate the fam to Baltimore, and a commuter rail trip to NYC would be a massive perk.
DfcukinLite t1_iwp10ar wrote
I mean you can already take the northeast regional Amtrak there or several commuter buses.
abcpdo t1_iwpoqgc wrote
not really. it would be like $30 with two transfers and take like 4 hours to get to nyc
EDIT: more like $45 and 4 transfers
YoYoMoMa t1_iwps6h6 wrote
As opposed to 100-200 bucks at 3.5 hours? Seems decent.
abcpdo t1_iwpvgqd wrote
amtrak isn't typically that expensive. as low as $20. typically ~$60. and 0 transfers.
also I believe you would have to transfer in Philly as well on the Septa. so 3 transfers?
YoYoMoMa t1_iwpw68j wrote
To NYC? Even when I am booking months out for mid week midday departures I have never gotten anything below $50.
Like I just picked a random Friday in December and one way prices $104 for a 5am departure. $164 for anytime after that in the am. Only price lower than $100 gets you there after midnight.
A_P_Dahset t1_iwqe8ij wrote
It's possible to get cheap fares but you have to play around in the reservations and keep looking constantly to snag last minute low prices, sometimes even within a day or two of travel---so only works if your plans are relatively flexible. In September I got Bmore to Bridgeport, CT for $37, NYC back to Bmore for $37. Last weekend Bmore to NYC on Acela for $83 and Bridgeport, CT back to Bmore for $56. I might have booked the ticket to Bridgeport in September a week or two out, but everything else was booked within 1 or 2 days.
abcpdo t1_iwpwlp3 wrote
I typically look for weekends so that might be why.
YoYoMoMa t1_iwpxezq wrote
Even leaving on the following Saturday, you wont find any tickets under $100 unless the are arriving late ($74 to get there at midnight).
abcpdo t1_iwpyt2o wrote
The closer to departure date the higher the cost.
YoYoMoMa t1_iwpz6g2 wrote
Right. This was a month out. So not super far in advance, but not last minute.
The point is, saying Amtrak costs $20-50 is pretty disingenuous to what most people end up paying. Dropping down to $30 from $100 is significant for a lot of people. especially if it doesn't add too much time.
abcpdo t1_iwq027z wrote
I never said it was better or worse than Amtrak. You brought that up. I was replying the other person to say it isn’t the perk they think it might be. For $30 and 3 transfers with wait time in between you’re better off driving up than taking 4 commuter trains.
YoYoMoMa t1_iwq1ade wrote
I don't know how the transfer time will be, but driving up does create a lot of issues as well. Tolls and parking and gas and traffic variance. Plus stress. And many people can work on a train. Or play video games. Oh, and some people care about the environmental impact of their travel.
I am not saying this is clearly better. But another cheap and green option is good imo.
abcpdo t1_iwq0pd5 wrote
By the way it’s $18 from Newark DE to Trenton on Septa, and it takes 2 hours on that alone if you luck out and have 0 min transfer wait.
YoYoMoMa t1_iwq0wt5 wrote
Yrah I was just going by whoever said it was going to be $30 and 4 hours.
essmithsd t1_iwpwbbz wrote
lol what? find me a 20 dollar fare to NYC from Baltimore please
abcpdo t1_iwpwglx wrote
amtrak sales. they had a $19 anywhere to anywhere on NEC last year
gothaggis t1_iwryn1i wrote
yeah, i just took the amtrak a few months ago - booked a couple months in advance - $29 each way per person. hell, even acela was $59 each way. The key is booking far enough in advance.
[deleted] t1_iwoabwh wrote
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STrRedWolf t1_iwstvz2 wrote
As cheap as it would be, it would be massively slower than taking Amtrak, up to twice as much.
DfcukinLite t1_iwu96v7 wrote
It would be about an hour slower. But $50* cheaper. And another option. Especially to get to Philly, Nyc and Boston
STrRedWolf t1_iwudfta wrote
I traced a DC to Boston route, going MARC-SEPTA-NJ Transit-Metro North-Shore Line East-MBTA. The entire route along the NEC, all stops, using current schedules and doing some logical extensions... was nearly 16 hours, and no cafe. Oh, and transfers at Newark/Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, Penn Station/Grand Central (Yes, you gotta take two subway lines between the two), New Haven, and Providence.
Compare with the Amtrak Regional which was 8 hours with a cafe. Set aside the expensive Acela.
Cheap? Sure, I'll give you that. But you got multiple transfers, one requiring a "complicated" path because of how the two train stations are. Your timing's going to be tight, and you may be able to grab lunch somewhere, but you're be ready for dinner at Boston South Station and you've spent all day.
Lets throw in airlines, Dec 4 for example. Southwest, BWI to Boston Logan. 1.5 hours flight time, 2 hours buffer at BWI, 30 min to get whatever luggage (remember, 2 bags fly free). That's 4 hours... for $50 flat one way. Amtrak? $132, 8 hours, one way... but then you miss getting scanned, frisked, and repeated sniffed in the butt by a TSA K-9 unit. (I won't go into sarcastic details there)
The point here is there's an overall quality of service. Sure, you'll get there with end-to-end commuter rail. But if your timing sucks... it'll be a hell ride.
DfcukinLite t1_iwudjh6 wrote
The point is it’s another option. A transit improvement that many people will use because it provides access.
md9918 t1_iwodlpf wrote
I've clocked Amtrak (non-Acela) using GPS on my phone at 125 on that same stretch! I had no idea they were so fast! I didn't know this fact about MARC-- super interesting!
batmanofska t1_iwph1pb wrote
Amtrak Regional goes up to 125, Acela up to 135 in Maryland. Acela is capable of 150, but the catenary system is an old design that prevents this. But Amtrak does have a project planned to upgrade the catenary, and the new Avelia trainsets can go 165! So we may see even higher speeds in the near future
cherrychampagnetoast OP t1_iwnqwc4 wrote
Oh wow I didn’t know that. However yess i did notice its very fast.
bwoods43 t1_iwob9nu wrote
I thought the MARC trains ran slower than that, but according to Wikipedia, they run even faster - 125 mph!
batmanofska t1_iwph5lm wrote
I've heard that, but I've never seen one of their trains actually hit that speed, mostly because the stops are too close to accelerate that high
STrRedWolf t1_iwsu6p5 wrote
They run on the same line and the cars are rated for it. The engines, depending on what you get, are rated, but some go max 110.
Still, I can brag about recompiling my company's management system at 125 MPH.
[deleted] t1_iwokqic wrote
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iftair t1_iwohgii wrote
I really hope it extends to Alexandria. I'd love to take a nice trip to VA without the long winded rides.
batmanofska t1_iwphbpe wrote
Seriously! But the bigger benefit will be a stop at L'Enfant on the way, giving many federal workers a one seat ride to the office. This would also take some crowding off Metro since those workers would no longer need a trip from Union Station down
iftair t1_iwpqdqv wrote
I'm a federal worker but I'm not in the DMV area. So it doesn't affect me personally. But I do understand congestion as I'm from NYC.
However, it'd be nice if VA had reliable public transportation.
[deleted] t1_iwokvka wrote
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DfcukinLite t1_iwwlda2 wrote
You can take the NE Regional Amtrak all the way to old town or transfer to the VRE via Union station. You can also get there by metro via train (Amtrak/Marc) @ Union station
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