Decision: Boston, Out and Back, Add Transfer and Layovers

It seems that instead of going to Chicago, this trip, I will go out and back to Boston. The first out and back that I took was to Boston, I was living near Hamlet, NC. Only one train went north, The Silver Star. The Amtrak website will schedule it, with a 7 1/2 hour layover, in Washington, DC. Currently I am living near Raleigh, NC. In addition to the Silver Star, I now have the Carolinian. Their stops are different, north of here, even though they have the same route and destination. Neither train, go direct to Boston. In route I need to transfer. The Carolinian has a 5 hour layover. I could spend a lot this time, touring sites and watching trains. However, I have spent a lot of time in DC, so train watching is a bit old and the last trip (back in the summer) was a monument tour. The train, I would connect, begins in Newport News VA, both north and south. It comes through Richmond, via Main Street Station,

From the Silver Star, I would transfer in Richmond and Alexandria in addition to Washington. The Carolinian would add Fredericksburg, to the list. I looked at all three possible layover, looking at what I might do. Both trains continue north and transfer could be there. On the northbound, the transfer would be middle of the night, a bit late. On the southbound, it would be too early.

Even though there is nothing withing walking distance of Fredericksburg station, and no public transit, there is the river bridge which would be good to get video. Besides, the Virginia Railway Express commuter trains come trough. So! This becomes the northbound transfer. It is not so good for the southbound, however.

I considered Richmond, VA. The NE Regional continues to Newport News, Va, passing the old Main Street Station. I lived in Williamsburg, VA about 35 plus years ago, and would take the Colonial through Richmond on to Washington. At that time, Main Street Station was out of use and deteriorating. For a while, it was converted into a novelty mall and finally reopened as an active station. I have been by and in the reopened station, once at Christmas. It is a beautiful station, even decorated at Christmas. I could leave the train and take city buses back to Staples Mill Station to board the Star, home.

I decide to do something even more exciting. I decide to get of the NE Regional in Baltimore and take the Acela to Washington and take the star from Richmond. Ticket are had and I am awaiting for the date. It may be a cold trip but a good one.