Amtrak delivers required report on Pittsburgh train service (Philadelphia, Lancaster: fingerprints, employment)

[Impala26]

I will agree with Pman's response to my earlier comment. If the Keystone Corridor of rail actually comprised a main higher-speed express line and some secondary, slightly parallel local line based off of what is currently in place, we would actually have a stellar rail network. He argued that this would be similar in many aspects to how our interstate system was built often parallel to older highways so that the old highway would still be used as a secondary local road. In many ways that's what was done in PA with the Turnpike replacing the old Lincoln Highway (US Route 30). On trips, my family will still opt to take this road because it's less stressful than the Turnpike and far more scenic.

In terms of rail here though, by parallel I mean by running East-West, but could be many miles away from a new express line. In this way maybe perhaps maybe the small cities of the interior of the state could still be served (Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, State College, Williamsport). Even in this model this would still require remodeling old lines and perhaps even building new ones, but it may be the long-term goal to shoot for.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by Copanut

OK, trivia question: Why did they lock the bathrooms in the old days when the train was about 3 miles from the station?

Class, class, anyone?

Alright, alright, no one wants to take a guess.

Back in the old days, the conductor would walk through the cars and lock the rest rooms about 3-5 miles out from the station. BECAUSE They would flush the toilets directly on the tracks. And that occurred well into the 70's.

[ferrarisnowday]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

You really Save me, on my next trip home from NY to Pitt I was thinking about taking Megabus down to Philly and hopping the Pennsylivanian, but if it add's all that time, i might as well catch one of the Express Greyhounds like ususal (GOD I HATE THIS COMPANY)...NY to Pittsburgh is 7hr tops straight down I-78 to the PA turnpike so quick an simple just as Quick as Driving except for the rest stop if you need it or not.....

Its really a shame when Buses do a better job then Rail.....I would love for Megabus to start have NY to Pittsburgh route, they make a killing, people really HATE Greyhound...

I don't know if I would choose greyhound over amtrak, their scheduled trip lengths are usually longer, but maybe delays are less likely? Don't get me wrong, I have had several on time trips with amtrak, but when the train is 6 or 7 hours late and they don't offer any sort of refund or future discount it really puts a bad taste in your mouth. I'd say it was around 90 minutes off schedule on average. Probably depends on the specific Amtrak line too.

As a side note, I rode megabus once, it was quicker and much cheaper so I preferred it, unfortunately they don't offer service from Pittsburgh to Chicago anymore.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Alright, alright, no one wants to take a guess.

Back in the old days, the conductor would walk through the cars and lock the rest rooms about 3-5 miles out from the station. BECAUSE They would flush the toilets directly on the tracks. And that occurred well into the 70's.

I did know that, just didn't want to answer right after you posted so others could think about it for a bit.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

As a side note, I rode megabus once, it was quicker and much cheaper so I preferred it, unfortunately they don't offer service from Pittsburgh to Chicago anymore.

I love Megabus! The Double Decker coaches are Awesome....They could beat Amtrak to the punch with connecting the East Coast to the Midwest with Pittsburgh as a HUB....

All they need are lines from NYC, Philadelphia, DC feeding into Pittsburgh from the East! and Chicago/Detroit (stop in Cleveland), St. Louis/Cincy (stop in Columbus) feeding from the West...

I'd bet my bottom dollar it would a GOLD MINE!

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I don't know if I would choose greyhound over amtrak, their scheduled trip lengths are usually longer, but maybe delays are less likely? Don't get me wrong, I have had several on time trips with amtrak, but when the train is 6 or 7 hours late and they don't offer any sort of refund or future discount it really puts a bad taste in your mouth. I'd say it was around 90 minutes off schedule on average. Probably depends on the specific Amtrak line too.

Believe you me! I hate Greyhound, but I refuse to deal with the Airlines unless I have too (like cross country travel), and those Express Greyhounds are the next fastest modes, not to mention convenient.

[ferrarisnowday]

Megabus already tried service in Pittsburgh, I'm assuming it wasn't very profitable since they don't offer it any longer.

[BrianTH]

I knew the answer to the trivia question because they were still doing that on some trains in Europe as of the time I road them in the 1990s.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Megabus already tried service in Pittsburgh, I'm assuming it wasn't very profitable since they don't offer it any longer.

That because Pittsburgh was just a branch to/from Chicago....

If it was more of a Transfer Hub between East Coast and Mid-West Buses they would have a much better turn out rate.

Also Pittsburgh is much more traveled to/from East Coast Cities than it is to/from the Midwest.....Pittsburgh to Chicago by itself Very Poor route...A Pittsburgh-DC and a Pittsburgh-Philly/NY would've been much more successful

[Herodotus]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

That because Pittsburgh was just a branch to/from Chicago....

If it was more of a Transfer Hub between East Coast and Mid-West Buses they would have a much better turn out rate.

Also Pittsburgh is much more traveled to/from East Coast Cities than it is to/from the Midwest.....Pittsburgh to Chicago by itself Very Poor route...A Pittsburgh-DC and a Pittsburgh-Philly/NY would've been much more successful

This is very true. NYC is a much more popular destination for Pittsburghers than Chicago. Plus not many people really want to be on a bus 9-10 hours. I'd ride Megabus to NYC 4-5 times a year, but never to Chicago.

[pman]

Originally Posted by Impala26

... In many ways that's what was done in PA with the Turnpike replacing the old Lincoln Highway (US Route 30). On trips, my family will still opt to take this road because it's less stressful than the Turnpike and far more scenic...
In terms of rail here though, by parallel I mean by running East-West, but could be many miles away from a new express line. In this way maybe perhaps maybe the small cities of the interior of the state could still be served (Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, State College, Williamsport). Even in this model this would still require remodeling old lines and perhaps even building new ones, but it may be the long-term goal to shoot for.

It's also how many other countries with HSR function. I'll add cuz I can't remember if I mentioned it, but the turnpike's route is based on the old South Pennsylvanian Railroad's route. the route was funded and planned mainly by Vanderbilt to compete with the Pennsylvania (he though they were going to compete with his main in NY State)and supported by Pittsburgh business interests who wanted a second main for competitive pricing. JP Morgan was worried that a looming price war would destabilize the two companies ability to pay their debt and dividends so he got them on a boat on the Hudson and got them to agree not to compete with one another. the route was more or less unused until it was repurposed for most of the turnpike, this is why many assume that a new route would likely take this route (it's 40 miles shorter) rather than the current alignment. that southern route makes sense for an express since there aren't really any population centers.
While I can't really agree with black beauties opinions on megabus bilevel (I found them cramped, but we may be different sizes). Didn't like them at all. boltbus is more luxurious and still cheap, which is why I suggested it. that said, they both do the same thing between Philly and NY. Regarding Amtrak,each route is different. The Pittsburgh route is indeed slow but it's perhaps the most reliable route Amtrak runs on tracks it doesn't own. It's also pleasantly smooth. I found that I was more tired from a shorter bus ride to Pittsburgh than from the longer rail journey, I suspect it was because I could feel the road and the engine (airlines are fast, but often you feel more tired than you should because you are breathing recycled air). A couple times I even arrived 30-45 minutes early into Pittsburgh. It's worth a shot, now's the time to do it while leaves are turning