I doubt that Amtrak trains would wait for another train before departure. Their on-time record off of the Northeast Corridor is pretty bad.

The Amtrak website is pretty good at tracking trains plus they have an app for smartphones. They will text you if your train is going to be late, if you sign up for alerts.

http://www.amtrak.com/home

taking the train also allows you to take along self protection

Condoms, yes.

Guns, no.

Not in NYC.

Anyway, this, like most train rides, will be safe, peaceful, and scenic.

One thing I missed is sleepers...I hope to one day take one...even if it is a round trip!

the sleepers are out of sight expensive

... the salads in the restaurant car can be pretty bland.

But, dunno the NYC laws on pepper spray, might have to check before arrival.

Please tell me there's a Bar Car!

The last time I took a long-distance train was 1966, New Orleans to New York, and the cabin had bunks.

Things may have changed since then.

even the short runs from San Jose to Sacramento (about three hours).

But the trains pass through Ohio after midnight, so most of the stations are unstaffed.

I've ridden from Chicago to Pittsburgh. It gets in early enough for the Departure to Philadelphia. Also I believe you will have a 4 hour layover in Phillie until the train arrives for the trip to NYC.

The unmanned station in Pittsburgh is okay. Across the street is the Greyhound station. Also the station is on the street level of the old Pennsylvania Station, which now houses apartments.

While waiting call an Uber or Lyft for a trip (If you have tine) to Primanti Brothers (open 24 hours) in the Strip District and get some good food. Then return to the station via Lyft or Uber. I f you don't have time to eat at Primantis get it to go (have the Uber or Lyft) wait for you & return you to the train station.

probably not wait if you are significantly late. However, Amtrak will get you where you are going if you miss a connection and it is their fault. I would have somebody with me at 1:00a in an unmanned station.

Unless you have some special reason for going to Pittsburgh, the Lake Shore Limited also goes through Elyria (at 4:51 am) and it ends at Penn Station in NYC - exactly where you want to go.

The alternative is to go all the way to Union Station in Washington then take the Northeast Regional (which leaves many times a day) to Penn Station.

Either way eliminates connecting-train worries.

Alliance is the exception, but the 1:00 timing would seem to indicate Sandusky or Elyria.

Once and loved it. I was going west bound for a connection in Toledo to go to Detriot. The word "late" doesn't begin the describe the hours behind that we were, but they put us on a train and took us to Detriot anyway. Coming back, very spectacular down the Hudson.

It's the closest to me and I don't have transportation except by taxi.

I thought making a connection in Pitts would be the shortest in distance and time, but going to DC does make sense.

Thanks for the tip.

They're all overnight trains. You will reach NYC the following morning or midday in any event.

But I see now it goes through Albany and not to Boston.

Also, I can get on at Elyria at around 5am instead of 1am so the sun would be up soon.

It arrives in NYC about 6pm so if on time it's only about a 12hr trip.

Thanks for making me rethink the Lake Shore Limited.

some cars go to Boston from there and the rest to NYC.

I have a recommendation: buy their food! It's actually good and quite reasonably priced. I was so paranoid about getting healthy, good food, that I packed all this stuff. Not necessary. I wish I'd not bothered and just purchased on the train and at the various stops.

People sleep the whole time. You'll have a quiet, nice trip.


Cher

I brought a shawl, the train was a bit cool, a small u shaped pillow and books on tape. The Hudson River Valley was freaking amazing. I was very surprised how many well hidden tent cities we passed.

I took the North Shore Limited (48) from Elyria OH to NYC Penn station.

The Elyria station has been improved and is well lit and has a shelter.
There were fellow riders there and people waiting for the train (49) to arrive.

The train was 20 mins late.

The seats were comfortable and lots of leg room. The stop in Syracuse was a smoke break.

Albany was a smoke break, too. A lot of people got off here to go on to MA.
Everything was going great until there was a fire under the engine near Hudson. They said some leaves and brush got stuck in the wheels and caught fire. We hobbled into Hudson and the fire dept put the fire out. So we arrived in NYC about an hour and half late. The scenery going down the Hudson river was, well... scenic.
Got on the LIRR and out to Long Island to my friend's.

On the return trip the fire this time was in the Albany train station. Not much of one but they closed the station so no one could board. Got into Elyria about an hour and a half late.

All in all, it was a good experience. The food was pricey but I just needed some water and soda. A can of beer was $6.50.

The fare was $220.00 round trip senior discount fare. It was a bargain.

Thanks to you all who posted your experience and info.

I've ridden Amtrak several times from here in NC to DC and once
to/from NY--but that's a long ride when flying time is only an hour.

You can't beat the price--especially with a senior discount--and just last
Saturday we rode Amtrak from Charlotte to Durham when coming home
from a trip where we flew in to Charlotte returning from an out of the country trip. US Air wanted $346/person to
fly us--a 20 minute flight--from Charlotte to Durham. We paid $46. TOTAL--with senior discount--
for both of us to ride the train from Charlotte to Durham and then $25 cab
from Durham home (and a $28 cab fare from Charlotte airport to Charlotte Amtrak
station).

That was for a 50 mile round trip. The guy services Oberlin College students to and from Cleveland airport and Amtrak. He monitored the train and was waiting for me when I got back.
Pretty good for small town service.

and glad you rode 'my' LIRR! THAT's home for me! (WAS, that is.)

After living in DC area and now living in the sticks it was nice to be back in civilization.

lived in DC, now in DC 'area' pretty much sticks most of the time, but still lots of civilization nearby. Will prolly take Amtrak to Philly next month to visit family.

I'll be on my first Amtrak ride next week from DFW to Hannibal, MO. In fact, it will be my first train ride, so I'm more excited about it than I should be.

And that is the extent of my Amtrak knowledge.

and it is the only way to go if you got the time. This advice might not be for the OP so much but for others it will help. Also not all that aporopo on commuter routes but there is always a train that is on that route that is not a commuter train but an AMTRAK distance train.....

The sleepers are nice, BUT, the view sucks and most people do not choose to experience other passengers when in the sleepers, they pretty much stay put. Food is included with the price of the sleepers though and that is three pretty nice meals a day...........

If you are NOT getting a sleeping car use these tips.....

You can take anything you want on the train. I take an high profile ice chest, full of beers, snacks, lunch stuff....., a large suitcase and check a bag or two of stuff I don't need to see until my destination. (the baggage guidelines are seldom obeyed on AMTRAK).


Bring a higher ice chest than usual, fill it with snacks and food (beer too). the higher profile will help in the seats because the foot part sags and does not lay flat and you prop them up with the chest and, if you have two seats, can be a comfy spot to sleep.....

Be sure to ask that you not have a seat mate if possible, then you get two seats to use. Much better to sleep in with the legs not sagging and two seat space..... If you are traveling as a couple, ask that you not sit together but across the aisle so you can both have two seats. On most routes this is possible, on others not so much.

Bring a DVD player and an MP3 player, headphones and some bluetooth speakers. A laptop or tablet, but some routes there is not internet or phone service available. bring some Books too.

Bring (In your carry-on bag) two blankets. One for keeping warm and one for this trick explained below. They also provide pillows and thin blankets to use as well but for some things they aren't all that good, they keep the trains colder than most of us like....

Use the viewing car to meet people and sleep in. In the viewing cars is a few couch like things with three seats but one is turned at an angle. very uncomfortable, but if you fill in the space with the thick blanket where the one seat turns at an angle it is actually very nice to sleep on.

Use the darker, heavier blanket to stop the glare when taking photos as you travel too. (Some blue painters tape works to hold them on the bulkhead but be discreet there....)

Be sure to tell the porter(?) your destination so they will not wake you up at every stop and will let you sleep. They don't care if you are sleeping but they have to see that you get off the train at the right stop..

The food is great, and reasonably priced. The steaks are really good (Kansas City aged) and I usually opt for dinner (around 15 dollars last I was on).... There is a snack car too with all kinds of stuff at reasonable prices.

Most of the listed stops are short, not long enough to visit or even smoke a ciggie. Most stops though are right downtown, so cabs or transit are seldom needed to get to the places you want to visit.

If you smoke pot, DO NOT DO IT ON THE TRAIN. Or in the station. Federal thing. Only a few stops allow the time to go far enough off the property to be safe. take some edibles. or go without.