CHOO CHOO! Here comes the BULLET TRAIN!
 

OMNI: OK so it doesn't deal with flying but it is travel related and some of us use this alternative to IAD and Dullard airport.

From the www.amtrak.com site (This is just the highlights http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


Amtrak (wednesday) unveiled its new, ultramodern high-speed train that will go into service later this year on the Northeast Corridor and announced the rebranding of most Amtrak trains throughout the Northeast as
Acela*. The new train and brand name reflect fundamental changes in passenger rail service that will improve speed, service, stations and more, and put Amtrak in a much stronger competitive position in the Northeast and other high speed corridors in the future.

The first high-speed trains, known as Acela Express, are scheduled to go into service between Boston, New York and Washington late this year, competing head-on with the air shuttles and Interstate 95 for time-sensitive business travelers. The current four-hour and 30-minute rail trip between Boston and New York will be cut to three hours. Up to fifteen minutes or more will be cut off today's three-hour Metroliner trip between New York and Washington with some express trains running at less than two and a half hours.

My questions: has anyone used the Bullet train service in Europe and have views on it?
(I don't think the Chunnel Train I took Paris to London was a Bullet.)

At least this train lover will have another choo choo to try out! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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:) CATMAN :)

Catman- The "new" trains we will see running from DC to NYC and Boston are NOTHING like the Bullet trains in Europe. The Euro bullets often reach speeds of 170 mph plus (sometimes higher in the rural areas). From what I understand, while the new trains we'll see here in the NE corridor are speedy, the tracks can't handle the high speeds so there will be "speed limits"(only to about 120 mph max). I love the train to/from DC and NYC. A few years ago they were "testing" various models on the DC-NYC Metroliner route. I scheduled myself for one of the test runs and found it a vast improvement over the current Metroliner service. It was very comfortable, quite speedy and even banked into high speed turns. Perhaps if you're lucky, you may find both Sam Adams AND Pepsi products in the Bar Car!!!

It'd be really nice to have one here in Southern California. But the way they handle public transportation here, we might as well fly.

How does the Acela compare to the Japanese one?

the TGV runs over 170 miles per hour from Lyon to Paris CDG airport, and you can book it as a UA-"flight" and you earn UA miles!

T(rain) G(rande) V(itesse).

Rudi - only a very slight correction: TGV stands for "Tres Grande Vitesse" and translates to "Very High Speed."

If I remember correctly from my days in the US Air Force in Europe, the German Deutsches Bundesbahn has their Inter-City Express running between major cities. The railroads of other European companies also have express trains but none run as fast (or on dedicated tracks) like the TGV.

In Japan, the bullet trains are known as Shinkansen.

the T stands for TRAIN - I insist (not for très). Have a look at different TGV-web-pages (it is always and only TRAIN!).

"The TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) is the French high speed train. Of course, there is no such thing as the TGV; there are many significant differences among the 350-odd trainsets in service today, and the name TGV refers to much more than just the trains. Indeed, the TGV is a system which comprises train, track, and signalling technologies that when combined make high speeds (typically 300 km/h, or 186 mph) possible. The TGV system is owned and operated by SNCF, the French national railways, and is an integral part of French rail travel."

[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 03-12-99).]

Just for everyone's interest, a TGV technology consortium was chosen as the preferred consortium to build a high speed
Sydney to Canberra VFT (Very fast Train). This may possibly be extended to Melbourne as our state government is keen to see it extended.

Whether it ever gets off the ground (no pun intended) remains to be seen but I really like the idea of Melbourne to Sydney in 3 hours by train

cheers Peter

here is the official answer to that very important question if the "T" in "TGV" stands for "très" = "very" or for "train". TRAIN is the winner!

I cite todays e-mail answer to me:

"Subject:
RE: TGV
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 10:09:52 +0100
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]

Bonjour,

TGV means "Train à Grande Vitesse". Feel free to e-mail me for any other information. Regards.

Jean Baptiste - Direction de la Communication SNCF"

Rudi: and SNCF stands for S(ocieté) N(ationale de) C(hemin de Fer) F(rance).

Comparing the new Amtrak service in the Northeast corridor with the TGV is like comparing an experience on Southwest with an experience in BA First (the UNDISPUTED best in the air http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif )...

Back to Bentsen: I've seen bullet trains. I've ridden on bullet trains. And Acela, sir, is no bullet train.

[This message has been edited by Matt Wald (edited 03-12-99).]

Agreed. Acela is no bullet train. But it is a truly viable alternative to destinations in (on?) Manhattan. I use the Metroliner (usually first class) when I have destinations (as infrequently as I can manage - sorry, Catman) there, and use air only when I'm going someplace on Long Island.
I see that my parenthetical interruptions sort of messed up that paragraph, but I was leading to the conclusion that the Metroliner is a truly pleasant travel experience. If the trip from DC to NYC by train can be made 15 minutes faster, that'll be great. Of course, if AMTRAK doubles the fare for the faster service, that won't be so great.

Rudi -- I stand corrected... thanks for the heads-up! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I think term "Bullet train" only refers to the Japanese high speed train and is called such because of the shape. The new Amtrak
Acela is more like the TGV but without the dedicated trackage. It will be faster than the current Metroliners by about 30 mph. Acela will travel at speeds up to 150mph while TGV tops out at about 180mph. The main difference is the dedicated track. Thats also where the cost is! If it proves successful, then we will see the same trainset or variations in other locations in the US although at much slower speeds. Pacific Northwest corridor is getting Talgo style trains! We in the USA have just not put the money into track improvments that the Europeon and Japanese governments have.

I took InterCityExpress (ICE) trains a lot when I was in Germany, usu. on the "sprinter" run between Muenchen + Frankfurt and also a few to Hamburg and Berlin.

The cabins are wide and spacious and what I liked the most was that between trains were often large panels of glass so it felt like you were looking out on a film landscape..

In the US I always try to take a train instead of flying (shhhh) -- on the west coast, you can earn AS frequent-flyer miles, and sometimes UA miles with Air Rail.

Trivia question: what is Amtrak's two-letter "airline code"?

According to my sources, it is 2V.

As long as we're being picky, the term "bullet train" is used by tourists only. The official name of these Japanese high-speed trains is "shinkansen," which does not translate into "bullet train."

The fascinating thing about these is that some of them have been in service so long that the actually feel a bit worn and old fashioned. But who cares, because they keep their schedules to the second. Except when a typhoon disrupts them once every decade or so (as it did once when I was there and needed to get back to Tokyo for my return international flight -- but that's another story).

Charlie

For the linguistically curious:

"shinkansen" == "new trunk line"

-Q-

arturo kno "tres" stand for three (3) en arturos langwag. so arturo kno thet tres grande vitesse knot very hi sped. must bea three huge tranes.

The announced Acela fare is higher than the current Metroliner fare between NY & DC. I question that as the Acela is only listed as 15 mins faster than the Metroliner. However, the Metroliner is a much better than flying between Washington and NYC, both in price and convinence. Drops you off Downtown NYC and close to the Capitol in DC.

As a matter of interest, TGV was also the winner in the "contest" to select the provider of technology for the Republic of Korea's proposed fast train. They beat out German InterCity Express (ICE) and Japanese Shinkansen (for political reasons, really only TGV and ICE were in the running, I am told) amid some murmurs of under-the-table promises. For various reasons the project is way behind schedule and over budget (a situation regarding civil works projects which probably dates back to the time of Cheops).

I've ridden all three, and must say I'm most impressed with the ICE. One trip between Hamburg and Frankfurt, in particular, was absolutely delightful (weather was perfect, the rape fields were in golden bloom, and those large windows - yes!) although as noted earlier in the thread, the ability of the Shinkansen to maintain its schedule is truly awesome - almost as much so as the view of Fuji as you ride past.

The new service will shave very little time off of from NY to DC,
The currently metroliners, do upwards of 125MPH currently.

It's the Boston to NY run that will see the time big time savings.

But while we are on this Amtrak stuff. Here's a question:
Was is Amtrak in southern california, about 1/3 the price of Amtrak in the northeast?
Shouldnt the NE corridor, with more passengers be less expensive?

The faster Amtrak will be welcome to travelers on the BOS-NYC run. It will in fact be close to the Shuttle on a downtown Boston-midtown Manhattan basis (once one adds ground transport, ssecurity, etc. to air, making for 2+ hours door to door), far less hassle, and cheaper. And in winter it is not as subject to weather delays (even after 6 years in Boston I'm still mystified at how Logan seems to turn to molasses every time it turns overcast). The new train also will reportedly have laptop jacks, and more leg room than the Shuttle (Delta or USAir) to NYC. These are all clear value-added benefits, and if they can hold the price constant I would expect that ridership will climb.

Example of Amtrak's continued value in the northeast: in January I was running a large (500-person), high-profile conference, with probably 20% coming from NYC. Of course this was the day every airport in DC ,NYC, Boston, etc. was closed due to snow--but a surprisingly large number of savvy participants made it only a few hours late by taking the older, slower Amtrak. if they ahd planned their schedules from the start with the faster train, they might have arrived on time....

Boomer:
Here's my guess on why Amtrak is less expensive on the West Coast. Amtrak is divided into 3 semi-independent sections:
Northeast, West Coast and Intercity (everything else) with the ability to set its own fares for that region. In the Northeast Amtrak does compete with the Shuttles so it prices fares near but below
what the airshuttles charge. On the West Coast Amtrak doesn't compete very well with the Airlines (except possibly LA - SD) so sets fares to get the vacationer not the Businessperson. In other words, its not that West Coast fares are low but that Northeast fares are higher because of higher percentage of business travelers.
Or not!
Just my guess!

I can't believe this Bullet Train forum has generated more than 20-responses! I guess train travel is important to some of us.

As for the new Amtrak Metroliner service: what would make it attractive to me is a decent fare and the chance to earn airline miles (or do a program where you fly one way and train it the other.)

But I DON"T THINK a separate forum on trains is needed.

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:) CATMAN :)

Metroliner cars already have power outlets at all the seats for laptops (at least the last one I rode on did). I doubt they are talking about the ability to go online while traveling on the Acela, or are they?

Since Catman brought up the subject of trains, and it seems to be of some intrest here, I'm just curious, how many frequent flyers out there started their traveling addiction on the grand old pre-Amtrak trains such as (in my case) the Phobe Snow between Hoboken and Chicago on the D L & W RR ?

Well...

I still park my car in the lot on Lakawana Place, and take the NJTransit express in to Pennsylvania Station every day (a 40 minute ride). But NJ Transit doesn't award miles, and doesn't take American Express or Diners. Just my Continental Visa....

Yes, I grew up in the Midwest, and when I was in school trains were THE way to travel (beat busses by a long shot). I didn't really fall in love with them, however, until I was first posted to Europe in the mid-60s, and found out what trains were supposed to do. Wonderful creations!

Best trains are of course the smallest: the Lionels (which are now gone thanks to my dear aunt cleaning my closet one day long ago!) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

From Trains to subways to miles: FINALLY! I can use my Amex or UA Visa to earn miles every month when I recharge my NYC Metrocard!
It's about time.

AMEX has been slow in signing up the various commuter railroads (like NJDavid's NJ Transit) which is sad because it would great to earn miles every way possible!

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:) CATMAN :)

Japanese Rail Passes (from the NY Times, Sunday, march-21-99)

Foreign tourists visiting Japan may purchase special passes that can be used on most of Japan Rail trains (exceptions include the Nozomi Super Express), as well as on many buses and ferries. The pass must be purchased through travel agents before arriving in Japan. The Japan Rail West passes for travel in the Sanyo and Kansai areas are the only passes that can be purchased in Japan.

The standard, countrywide passes allow unlimited travel for 7, 14 and 21 days.

While the prices are set by Japan Rail, authorized travel companies that sell the passes in the United States (either directly to the traveler, or through your personal travel agent) may use different exchange rates. For example, earlier this month, Kinetsu International Express, (800) 422-3481, sold the passes at a rate of 118 yen to the dollar, resulting in these coach fares: $240 (28,300 yen) for 7 days, $382 (45,100) yen for 14 days and $489 (57,700 yen) for 21 days. First-class rates, student and children's fares are also available.

Among the regional passes are the JR East Pass (includes Tokyo and Nagano ski areas), the JR Kyushu Pass (in and around Kyushu Island) and the JR West passes mentioned above.

For a brochure contact the Japan National Tourist Board, 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1250, New York, N.Y. 10020; (212) 757-5640, fax (212) 307-6754.

Catman, there is indeed such a program, called Air Rail. You take UA one way and Amtrak the other; I think you get 1,000 M+ miles for the train segment and the usual miles for the flight. You could look it up at www.amtrak.com...

Thank you Silverpie. I had a feeling there was but I wanted you or one of the FlyerTalkers to show me that I did not dream it.

THis could be fun... if I go to D-C.. or PRovidence, etc. Thanks!


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:) CATMAN :)

Metroliner DC - Manhattan is the way to go! Especially in First. You get a meal that beats most airline FC meals (and certainly beats the peanuts on the AL or DL shuttles) and you're downtown on both ends. Unless you're that guy who holds up departure by getting to your airplane twoinutes before departure time, it's also a lot faster.
Even if you don't go first, the hot dogs in the snack bar are the best you'll find anywhere.

OMNI to Phil:

The best you'll find anywhere?

All I have to say is
C-O-N-E-Y I-S-L-A-N-D http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

OMNI to Boomer...

You got that right... especially if they're from Nathan's! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif