Train query: Amtrak from Schenectady

[redbird]

There don't seem to be a lot of good trains from Schenectady to New York City on Sundays, though there are reasonable-for-us trains from New York to Schenectady on Saturdays. There aren't many Schenectady-New York trains on Sunday at all, and I can't call the Adirondack "good," in a context where I'm not going to or from Montreal and won't get to look at Lake Champlain.

Opinions and experience on getting to New York via either the Lake Shore Limited or the Maple Leaf trains would be welcome.

(The Amtrak website claims that I could take the Lake Shore Limited from Schenectady to New York via Albany-Rensselaer, but when we asked about trains from Albany to New York, that train didn't come up. I can think of several possible explanations, ranging from "they just won't sell you a ticket from Albany" to "the web page is messed up." (The PDF schedule for that train is confusing.) On closer examination, it appears that the NY-bound train stops in Albany only to discharge passengers, and the one from New York stops only to receive them.)

We've already considered leaving from Albany (which has more trains to New York City), but it's not practical.

Comments

[adrian_turtle]

When I lived in the area, I sometimes heard people (who lived near Schenectady) say they were trying to find a ride to or from the Albany train station because they were going to New York. They didn't want to pay for a cab, or the hassle of parking downtown for several days. With a cab to Albany, would it be feasible for you to leave from the Albany station?

It's called "Albany-Rensselaer," because it's just across the river from Albany, in the town of Rensselaer. The Hudson is a very narrow river there (you wouldn't recognize it), so "just across the river" is pretty trivial.

[etb]

Like the Adirondack, the Maple Leaf will tend to be late because of the border crossing; amtrakdelays agrees: arrival into Schenectady 63, 45, 0 and 73 minutes late in the last 4 days. That's still better than the Late-for-Sure, which lives up to its name: 243, 152, 217, 75, 92 and 383 minutes late over the last 6 days.

But I see several other trains from Schenectady on Sundays (next Sunday, at least): the Ethan Allen Express at 7:28pm and a couple of Empire Service trains.

Thank you.

[redbird]

Thanks!

I just asked that site about the Adirondack's arrival into NY Penn (which is our destination) and it looks as though it's better than I was remembering. Part of that, of course, is that the time that it's two hours late northbound into Schenectady and loses another two hours by the time it gets to Montreal (which happened the last time I visited Schenectady) is memorable, and when it's on time or close to, what I remember will be other aspects of the trip.

Also, I've bookmarked the site.

[daharyn.livejournal.com]

The Lake Shore Limited doesn't run much more often than the Adirondack or the Maple Leaf, iirc--all three being considered long-distance trains--but it will get you to Penn Station, which is its eastern terminus. I've only taken the westbound train on that route, but it was fine. And it had a full dining car (which on Amtrak is actually decent) as opposed to the cafe car (which invariably sucks).

[redbird]

Someone on Dreamwidth pointed me at a site with information on Amtrak on-time rates; from that, it looks as though the Adirondack is doing pretty well right now, so we'll probably go with that).

[necturus.livejournal.com]

The eastbound Lake Shore Limited often runs late (so much so that it is nicknamed "The Late For Sure Limited" and "The Late Great #48"). It comes from Chicago and has to dodge freight traffic all the way.

The Maple Leaf's problem is that it crosses the international border, where Homeland Security routinely holds it up for the usual paranoid bullshit.

The Adirondack has much the same problem, although it may get better treatment at the border, as I've not read any complaints about it lately.

There is also the Ethan Allen Express which comes from Rutland, VT. That may be your best bet.