The Lake Shore Limited | Chicago to Boston by Train in a Bedroom on Amtrak's Viewliner 2 Sleeper

  Рет қаралды 5,718

SightlinesTravel

SightlinesTravel

Күн бұрын

Join me for an overnight train trip from Chicago to Boston, the northern fork of Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited service, which also goes to New York. I traveled in a Viewliner 2 bedroom.
00:00 Union Station in Chicago and the Metropolitan Lounge
00:47 Boarding and exterior train tour
02:12 Room tour
04:22 Lake Shore Limited route
04:49 Departure
05:12 Train tour and breakfast in the dining car
06:29 Trying out the shower
07:00 Upstate New York
08:10 Albany and the train split
09:40 Western Massachusetts
10:05 Dinner before arriving in Boston
Thanks to the great Amtrak crew for the nice trip!

Пікірлер: 52
@edamundson743
@edamundson743 23 күн бұрын
Thanks! We have been on the LSL and are scheduled to make the trip again in July. Thank you for the tour of the sleeper accommodations.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 22 күн бұрын
Thank you and enjoy your trip!
@amtrakandcsxrailfanning351
@amtrakandcsxrailfanning351 16 күн бұрын
Great catch ride with heritage 145 led by 103 on the train
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 14 күн бұрын
Thank you!
@scottmiller2421
@scottmiller2421 23 күн бұрын
albany is my home city i am very proud of it born and raised
@thomasstambaugh5181
@thomasstambaugh5181 22 күн бұрын
I appreciate your low-key emphasis that it's very difficult to get in and out of the bedroom while the lower berth is made up for sleeping. One additional tip I can offer as a frequent passenger on this train in these bedrooms -- pull the curtains closed on the upper and lower windows before going to sleep. The train passes through many stations and platforms with bright lights above, and the curtains make it much easier to sleep. Another tip -- there is a sliding door, locked from both sides, that joins the two bedrooms (A and B). This door often squeaks and rattles, even on the new Viewliner II equipment. Use the firm cardboard safety insert (steal another if needed ... :) ) and fold it into a wedge. There is usually just one or two key places that squeak, and with the card wedged in place the squeak can be quieted.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 21 күн бұрын
Thanks for the comment and the tips! My particular car didn't have the squeaking connector door issue, luckily. It did have a different mildly annoying noise of an electric motor starting and stopping every few minutes, which wasn't helpful when trying to sleep. I've read this is specific to the B bedroom on the Viewliner 2s.
@thomasstambaugh5181
@thomasstambaugh5181 21 күн бұрын
@@SightlinesTravel I know the sound you mean. I'm pretty sure that's a compressor for flushing the toilet.
@TheDoggmom
@TheDoggmom 24 күн бұрын
Thank you for this. Am considering the Chicago to Boston and back train next fall. My only criticism is, there’s no mention of Wi-Fi. I’ve heard that Wi-Fi is spotty and iffy on these trains.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 23 күн бұрын
Thank you and fair point. The Wi-Fi is pretty much non-existent. I've never gotten it to work reliably on the long distance trains, and use my phone instead. On this trip, I had cell service the whole way except for about an hour stretch in western Massachusetts. Happy travels!
@Whatamidoinghere262
@Whatamidoinghere262 27 күн бұрын
I’ve taken the Zephyr, the Capitol Limited and the Southwest Chief but this is next on my list.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 27 күн бұрын
It's a nice trip. Hopefully you get better weather that I did. 😊 I'd like to take the Capitol Limited and Southwest Chief too at some point.
@Whatamidoinghere262
@Whatamidoinghere262 27 күн бұрын
@@SightlinesTravel I’ll be taking the zephyr over the 4th of July holiday to California for my 50th birthday. I’m hoping to see fireworks along the journey!
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 27 күн бұрын
Sounds like a fun summer trip. Happy travels and an early happy birthday!
@brucegordon4992
@brucegordon4992 23 күн бұрын
My memory is a bit fuzzy on the exact location however I think it was just past Albany when the train split and the half going to Boston went out a way and then stopped on a bridge and then reversed direction; I am guessing to be pointed in the correct direction to go east. I have no idea in intervening 4+ decades if newer tracks have eliminated this having to be done. I do remember a smart ass student telling the conductor as the train was slowing on the bridge that he had left his bag on the platform at the last stop and could we go back so I could retrieve it. The quick thinking conductor caught on (or perhaps this was not the first time someone had said this) and replied loudly to the effect that they usually would not turn the train back for misplaced luggage but would make an exception in this case. Some passengers in the car groaned and glared at me, and a few laughed. Another memory that is fading with time passing is reading somewhere that at least a few guys would jump on the Lakeshore Limited or maybe it was the Broadway Limited and ride them far enough to get a haircut and a meal in the dining car, then get off and take a train in the other direction to get back home. Anyways thanks for a fun and interesting video that brought back a great memory.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 23 күн бұрын
Thank you for the anecdotes and glad you enjoyed the video! Today, they decouple the locomotives and front four cars of the train from the rest of the train, and that front part heads to Boston without having to reverse.
@johnburke1317
@johnburke1317 25 күн бұрын
Nice video
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 25 күн бұрын
Thank you!
@zzmike
@zzmike 23 күн бұрын
Good memories of making the trip from Chicago to New York on the LSL. I recall they offered a (quite late) dinner dining car service back in those days. Was dinner an option, and you just preferred going to bed? Just curious, as it is a trip iw ould like to make again some time before old age totally sets in for me.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 22 күн бұрын
Unfortunately the dining car was closed when we departed Chicago at 9:30pm, so dinner there wasn’t an option. The sleeping car attendant mentioned that the cafe car was open until 11pm (or later, I forget exactly what time she mentioned), and I could get a complimentary drink. I assume they had some snacks for sale too. Happy travels, I hope you’re able to take the LSL again!
@zzmike
@zzmike 22 күн бұрын
@@SightlinesTravel Thank you for the information. I guess, as I remember it, the departure time at the time was more like 6-7 pm and there were two dinner seatings. With the later departure it figures to be too late for dining on board. I opted for second seating, and there turned out to only be two diners, so we were sat together. And my dinner partner was a very peculiar gent who ended up with most of his main course down his shirt front and with no conversation :-) I had some great trips on Amtrak in the 80s and 90s. IT seemed a notch better then, especially when you clicked to have a crack on-board crew. look forward to seeing more of yoru videos having just now discovered yoru channel. FWIW my favorite Amtrak route is the Southwest Chief. Good travels! ---Mike
@thomasstambaugh5181
@thomasstambaugh5181 22 күн бұрын
I often do exactly this trip, in a bedroom to Boston. The cafe car is usually open within minutes of leaving Chicago. Show them your ticket showing that you're in the sleeper, and they'll generally provide a hot meal (I like the cheeseburger) and one alcoholic beverage (I like the wine splits) without charge. Don't forget to tip the cafe attendant!
@zzmike
@zzmike 21 күн бұрын
@@thomasstambaugh5181 You're so right. On my last trip (on the California Zephyr) a fellow diner (who always seemed to be there when I was there) was constantly telling stories demonstrating how wealthy he was, and yet never left a penny of a tip for the entire journey! The cafe & diner personnel really remember those who are grateful & generously show it. It makes a difference on a multi-day trip to the service you experience. I think all Amtrak trips are like buying a lottery ticket: it is the cabin crew that makes it a WIN or LOSE trip.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 21 күн бұрын
Thanks for the info, good to know! And I agree that tipping the folks providing service -- cafe attendant, dining car attendants, and sleeping car attendant -- is definitely a good idea.
@chrisransdell8110
@chrisransdell8110 26 күн бұрын
Personally, even when I have a full bedroom, I use the shared shower since it is roomier and doesn't involve as much contortion working around a toilet.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 26 күн бұрын
Yeah, that's a good point, the toilet is in the way when showering. And even running the shower for just a few minutes to do a quick wash/rinse as I did leaves a half-inch or so of water on the floor that's slow to drain and dry.
@RichardWang-pn3cd
@RichardWang-pn3cd 20 күн бұрын
I heard the Boston section has only one Viewliner I car. Was it upgraded or just an operational change?
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 20 күн бұрын
I think it's just an operational change. When I took it in early April, the train was: -Front section (to Boston) - Viewliner II sleeper, cafe, two coaches -Back section (to New York) - three coaches, Viewliner II diner, two Viewliner I sleepers Earlier (last year), one of the New York sleepers was usually a Viewliner II, but Amtrak shuffled the equipment, and Amtrak may shuffle the equipment again at any point.
@RichardWang-pn3cd
@RichardWang-pn3cd 19 күн бұрын
@@SightlinesTravel Thanks for the reply man! Traveling in two weeks fingers crossed🤣
@raymondm.9954
@raymondm.9954 22 күн бұрын
I bought a ticket for this train, but I am unclear as to what I do. I have an email confirmation with a barcode,but it says THIS IS NOT A TICKET. I am supposed to print out the email at an Amtrak kiosk? I am getting aboard the train in Framingham. Does every station have a kiosk with a printer? What if it is broken? I am afraid of getting there and discovering I am missing the ticket.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 22 күн бұрын
You should have gotten an email from etickets@amtrak.com with a PDF attachment. That attachment has the QR code you show to the conductor. Alternatively, you can install the Amtrak app and log in with the same email address and password you used on the website to get the QR code. If neither of those work, I’d suggest calling up Amtrak reservations and they should be able to look up your reservation and tell you what to do. Happy travels!
@raymondm.9954
@raymondm.9954 21 күн бұрын
Thank you very much. I last traveled on Amtrak in 2010, and I think things have changed.
@randall8379
@randall8379 25 күн бұрын
Your meal looked dreadful -- greasy looking potatoes., Why was the upper berth made up when you are travelling alone? Makes the room smaller. Ticket price?
@thomasstambaugh5181
@thomasstambaugh5181 22 күн бұрын
When the lower bed is made up for sleeping while you're somewhere else, it takes gymnastics to enter the bedroom. There is literally NO space between the edge of the lower berth and the sink. If you're tall, the lower berth has more length. I like to sleep with my head towards the window.
@randall8379
@randall8379 21 күн бұрын
@@thomasstambaugh5181 Superliner Bedrooms are like that. Bad design.
@thomasstambaugh5181
@thomasstambaugh5181 21 күн бұрын
@@randall8379 The superliner bedrooms have more space between the front of the berth and the sink. Even the Viewliner I bedrooms were a little better. This particular "feature" seems limited to the new Viewliner II equipment.
@randall8379
@randall8379 21 күн бұрын
@@thomasstambaugh5181 I've ridden in Superliner and Viewliner I and II Bedrooms. I remember how tight the space was in the Superliner Bedroom between sink and lower berth. I forget just how tight it is in the Viewliner Bedroom. My guess is that the designers aren't experienced in overnight train travel in sleepers.
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 21 күн бұрын
It was also nice to have the upper bunk made up but still be able sit on the couch (lower bunk) until ready to sleep. And it does seem like the designers of the VL2 sleepers missed some things the VLs had, like a place to store the ladder to the upper bunk. A couple of sleeping car attendants have complained about that.
@RoadTripTelevision
@RoadTripTelevision 26 күн бұрын
I've been on the Lake Shore Limited three times, via the New York City to Chicago Union Station route, and vice versa. People have called it the "Late For Sure Limited". LOL. One time, the train was late and I arrived in Chicago FIVE HOURS LATE! 😳🙄🤦‍♂️🚆
@SightlinesTravel
@SightlinesTravel 25 күн бұрын
Yeah, when Amtrak is late, it can be very late. I've had good luck so far.
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