I know, this might fit better in the kids and trains section, but it doesn't look very active over there.
Curtis Sliwa, that Gardian Angel founder, was written up in the NY Times regarding his weekly subway outing with his five year old son. Sorry, I'm not sure if getting a link to it was allowable, but if the Times online has it, if you're interested I thought I'd toss it in the mix. My twins love trains too, but we can't go riding all over NYC every week.
HEdward I know, this might fit better in the kids and trains section, but it doesn't look very active over there. Curtis Sliwa, that Gardian Angel founder, was written up in the NY Times regarding his weekly subway outing with his five year old son. Sorry, I'm not sure if getting a link to it was allowable, but if the Times online has it, if you're interested I thought I'd toss it in the mix. My twins love trains too, but we can't go riding all over NYC every week.
If you want to develope in your twins a love of trains, plan a trip to Connecticut next spring (or during the Christmas Season for the "Santa" runs).
Easy drive from New York City on expressways, running from April to October, check Schedule
Thomaston Ct (just north of Waterbury), ride behind diesel power (RS3, FL9, or U23B) along the Naugatuck River. www.rmne.org Railroad Museum of New England
East Haven CT, Ride old Trolley cars and New York Subway cars from East Haven 3 miles to the shore line. Oldest operating Trolley museum in the U.S. www.bera.org The Shore Line Trolley Museum
A few miles further east from East Haven to Saybrook/Essex Ct. Steam Trains, your kids will never forget. An 16 mile round trip ride down the tracks to Deep River and Haddam behind a 2-8-2 Mikado class or 2-8-0 Consolidation class Steam Locomotive. At Deep River you can transfer to an optional 1 hr cruise on the Connecticut River, making a 2 1/2 hour adventure. The Valley Railroad Co., www.essexsteamtrain.com The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
Don U. TCA 73-5735
HEdward I My twins love trains too, but we can't go riding all over NYC every week.
I My twins love trains too, but we can't go riding all over NYC every week.
You don't say exactly in the NYC area you live. But that doesn't matter. You can get from Montauk Pt to New Haven, Poughkeepsie, Port Jervis or Philadelphia and thensome by train. I put such trips together for railfans and others who really want to see how to get around the Metropolitan area by train, light rail, subway, and even bus. There is a lot of history to the rides, a lot of contemporary railroading to see and experience And a lot of secrets on how to do it. Admittedly for us over 62 (NJT, AMTRAK) and 65 (PATH, MNRR, LIRR, MTA) it is 40 to 60 per cent cheaper than regular fares, but it still can be a fun and full railfan exploring day for much less than $50 bucks...a night at the movies, bowling, or golfing. The railroad museum at Danbury CT is a good one for you and the kids as well as the beauty and historical sights and sites up the Hudson on Amtrak or MNRR (MNRR, check bus connections to the many historical sites at virtually all stations but don't foreget the newly opened walk across the Poughikeepsie Bridge). Also on MNRR the Shore LIne ride to New Haven or the industiral history up to Waterbury and the sylvan setting to Wassaic. On NJT to Port Jervis there is beautiful scenery with high bridges and tunnels, Spring Valley affords some fantastic village and industrial architecture, Hackettestown and High Bridge both have a wide variety of scenery, to Gladstone a unique single track so reminicent of the Interurban era, see the industrial belt to Trenton and on to Philadelphia, or the myriad of eras reflected on a ride down to Bay Head. And what can be said about riding the LIRR with a high steel viaduct on the way to Port Washington, the sylvan setting to Oyster Bay to see TR's place, or on the "mountain division" to Port Jefferson, the agricultural LI enroute to Greenport, the wealthy stomping grounds on the south shore to Montauk, the beachfronts at Long Beach and Far Rockaway, or a trek to the middle of things at Hempstead or West Hempstead. The subway of the city, especially the elevate and above ground rides give you a very different perspective than from street level. But the street level and private right of way of NJT's light rail operations on the River Line between Trenton and Camden, the Newark City Subway to the far reaches at Grove St. or the street running from Penn station to Broad St. Station, and the myriad sights old and new of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail including Liberty State Park and the other transformations along the waterfront all the way to Bayonne are just marvelous for less than two bucks a head. Don't be afraid, HEdward, do it now because it will be different tomorrow and again in the days after tomorrw. It can be a learning experience for all and not just about trains and the rideing of them.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
I lived in Queens a block away from Fresh Pond Yard. My father in law gets the NYTimes where I spotted the article on Curtis Sliwa and his son. We go every year to Strasburg. We were members of the Danbury railway museum for about three months before we moved from CT to PA, got pregnant, lost a brother in law, all in one week. All those rail trips you describe, well, from the article, the Sliwa boys have probably taken many of them already. My minute younger son can take up residency at the Toy Train Museum.
Hello Super Fan and all train lovers:
My family and I are train fans too. I see lots of posts about the "slow" speed of the trains that run coast to coast. I have to say we love it. We have traveled round trip on the Sunset Limited, The Southwest Chief, and the Empire Builder. These trips with our two grandchildren are a vacation in themselves. Traveling at a slow average speed only tends to extend a safe vacation. The train trip is the vacation. I hope these trains continue to provide pleasure to other families in the future.
I believe that train travel does need to be faster, more frequent, and more or less on time in order to be competitive.
However, I am retired and the speed of the train doesn't bother me. I don't care that it takes longer; I am not in a hurry and it is a much more pleasant way to travel than than driving or flying.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
rlslms27 Hello Super Fan and all train lovers: My family and I are train fans too. I see lots of posts about the "slow" speed of the trains that run coast to coast. I have to say we love it. We have traveled round trip on the Sunset Limited, The Southwest Chief, and the Empire Builder. These trips with our two grandchildren are a vacation in themselves. Traveling at a slow average speed only tends to extend a safe vacation. The train trip is the vacation. I hope these trains continue to provide pleasure to other families in the future.
If Paul North should see this post, he may be able to provide us with a link to a poem, "Bless me, but this is pleasant, riding on the train," which appeared in Trains about fifty years ago. As I recall, the poem was written more than a hundred years ago.
Johnny
I'm one of them too and have been for as long as I remember. Took my first train trip at age 5 or 6 on Frisco to Memphis. Got a little motion sick and we didn't do it again for a few years and by then, I was older and could enjoy the trip. I don't mind it if the train is late, it just gives me longer time to enjoy the ride. I've also been on the Builder and Southwest Chief and lots of passenger trains pre-Amtrak with my parents & friends. City of St. Louis was one of my all-time favorites, took it 3 times and it was written up in TRAINS recent Dream Trains. Reading that brought back a lot of memories. Also, riding the original California Zephyr.
My cousin went with some friends and I in 2006 to Springfield, IL to tour Lincoln Museum. It was her first train trip and she was nearly 70. I said it was about time, we share a common grandpa, who was the Frisco conductor. But a terrible storm hit later that day-we ran back to the Springfield terminal just before a near tornado hit. When we boarded the Texas Eagle to return to St. Louis, we got as far as Alton, IL and had to sit for 4 hours before shuttle buses came to take off passengers to St. Louis and change crews. Downed power lines, trees on the tracks, derailment ahead-it was a real mess. I called "Julie" later and the train was over 12 hours late getting into Texas. My cousin was telling people "this is my first train ride and will probably be my last". But I told her this was the worst mess I'd ever seen and I'd logged thousands of miles and many train trips. It was a major disaster in St. Louis area, power was out in some areas for up to 2 weeks.
Railfanning is in my blood from both sides of my family and I'll love trains until the day I die. I live close enough to BNSF Lindenwood Yards that I can often hear the trains whistling as they pull out and I love it. Also if the wind is just right I can hear UP going through Maplewood and Amtrak too.
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