Nerds...
- Thread starter spg109876ers
- Start date
Took Acela back from Baltimore on Sunday. A woman got on in Wilmington and proceeded to make meaningless phone calls for her entire ride to Newark. She felt the need to call everyone she knows to tell them about her Mothers' Day plans and that she didn't enjoy herself.
Quiet car or not, train phone conversations should be kept brief and only when absolutely necessary. With nothing but shared dirty looks, I'm pretty sure I had built a coalition of 5 people who were ready to throw her off the train at the next stop.
On another note, I was in First Class and Questlove was sitting in front of me. He didn't seem to mind the lady on the phone.
Quiet car or not, train phone conversations should be kept brief and only when absolutely necessary. With nothing but shared dirty looks, I'm pretty sure I had built a coalition of 5 people who were ready to throw her off the train at the next stop.
On another note, I was in First Class and Questlove was sitting in front of me. He didn't seem to mind the lady on the phone.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
Was he loudly playing music out of his cell phone speaker?
He's an Amtrak regular, he knows the rules.
But he was wearing a knit hat and a "Legendary Roots Crew" hoodie when it was 85 degrees out.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
It would have been even more awkward if you didn't make a concerted effort to avoid eye contact the entire time. Whoever designed those seats must have been clinically insane.
I agree, it's dumb. I sat at a table across from some random dude because that was the only non-single seat. He kept to himself but was spread out across the entire table when we got on. He slowly narrowed his borders as the trip went on.
More than the seating awkwardness, I don't like them because, especially on the NEC and Harrisburg trains, you get a bunch of jabronis who sit at the table and carry on with each other for the whole trip. I'm usually traveling for business or hungover so I want peace and quiet on the train.
More than the seating awkwardness, I don't like them because, especially on the NEC and Harrisburg trains, you get a bunch of jabronis who sit at the table and carry on with each other for the whole trip. I'm usually traveling for business or hungover so I want peace and quiet on the train.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
In that case, you should take an 80 minute flight instead of 7 hour train ride.
Does anyone take Acela the whole way from DC <> Boston? I thought people usually just went as far as NY, maybe Stamford or Philly.
I had a client in Northern VA and did the math of train vs flying from NY. It takes 2:50 to go to DC from NY on Acela. When you factor in 30 minutes from Manhattan (at best from the Westside) to LGA plus getting to the airport an hour early, you're getting close to 2:45 by air to DC. I chose to take Acela because it was more reliable and you could use your laptop the entire time rather than only for the 30-40 minutes above 10k ft. If you're going from Manhattan<>DC it will be faster at least 1/2 the time to take the train.
I had a client in Northern VA and did the math of train vs flying from NY. It takes 2:50 to go to DC from NY on Acela. When you factor in 30 minutes from Manhattan (at best from the Westside) to LGA plus getting to the airport an hour early, you're getting close to 2:45 by air to DC. I chose to take Acela because it was more reliable and you could use your laptop the entire time rather than only for the 30-40 minutes above 10k ft. If you're going from Manhattan<>DC it will be faster at least 1/2 the time to take the train.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
It's all fun and games until you get on a train that smacks the central Jersey suicider of the week.
Passed a white chevy malibu hatchback with tinted windows and license...5DIMARS.
That's you, right?
I love the 4 seat tables. Then again I enjoy people and you are a bitter prick. You can spread out, throw your computer up and enjoy some extra space. I've also known guys pick up women due to this arrangement on a random Acela from DC-NYC.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
No. I have a red '96 Cavalier with a coffee can muffler.
I saw a similar license plate recently. i think it was NICKLE5.
The 4 seat tables are gr8 if you're making the trip with co-workers. Not when you're rolling solo and the only seats left are staring directly at some hipster on his Mac. You may enjoy people, but I would imagine that the randos you're chatting up would rather just get some work done or zone out on their ride. Not listen to your WV youth tennis circuit stories and how you made your bones bartending for 8 years in DC.
Only took Acela once and that was the situation. Usually i take the regular speed amtrak and save Dimer Inc. the hundred bones. If I'm going on my own time, I drive up to Trenton or Hamilton and take NJT.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
Nobody said you have to talk to them. Just prefer over sitting next to a complete stranger and staring at the seat back in front of you. You act as if the other seats on the Acela come with a reclining bed and a waitress to fluff your pillows.
NickleDimer
Post 'Til Your Fingers Bleed
If I'm not interested in interacting with someone, I would rather be staring at the back of their seat than at their face 2 feet away.
Good breakdown of the math and I always take the Acela. But have a frequent debate with a guy I work with, he swears by the plane (he also lives closer to DCA which has to be factored in). The 50% number is about right. This winter I unfortunately had a couple times where I lost big, equipment issues and such with the train that caused long delays. Ability to do whatever once on train and not have to shuffle from security to gate, etc. is big.
Plane is especially bad choice for a late day flights in summer with t-storms.