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Announcing New York Area RailFest 2016 (NYRF)


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 08 November 2015 - 08:03 PM

Announcing New York Area RailFest 2016 (NYRF)

 
It is time to announce our next Winter event, the OTOL New York Area RailFest 2016, which will go by the acronym of NYRF.  Dates will be Saturday, January 16th and Sunday, January 17th. This is the weekend of Martin Luther King Day, which traditionally has worked out for us many previous years.  There may be an option for Friday night, January 15th as well, but that will be revealed later.
 
The goals of this Fest are as follows:

  • Ride two different subway lines through Brooklyn to Coney Island, with lunch at the original Nathan's.
  • Rides on all three commuter rail properties in the area, namely MTA Long Island Railroad, MTA Metro North Railroad, and NJ TRANSIT. The latter will include the Princeton Branch (Dinky), in order to see the new station in Princeton.
  • Trips on the new 7 Line extension between Times Square and Hudson Yards.
  • 3 Amtrak segments on which to earn 100 minimum Guest Rewards points under the old rules that expire soon after this event.

Much of the planned activities have been done before, but by a far different group of people as we have lost and gained members over the years.  

 

You can find the homepage for this Fest here.   This is the tentative itinerary, which surely will have slight changes as we get closer to the event weekend.  The host transit providers have been known to throw service disruptions at us with short notice due to weekend projects.  And along with the itinerary, you the attendee deserve a full set of costs pages, so that you can know ahead of time what your expenses may be.
 
This program allows for backup plans in case of late disruption announcements or emergency disruptions.  If the 7 line goes down in Manhattan over the weekend and we have to change to the N line at Queensboro Plaza, we can just remain on the N Line to Coney Island.  If either the N or D Lines is not running in Brooklyn, we also have the Q or F Lines as alternatives.  If Amtrak Train #68 is terribly late in Poughkeepsie, we have Metro North's Hudson Line as an alternative, leaving Poughkeepsie at 6:54 PM or 7:54 PM.

 

In addition to the official rail activities on Saturday and Sunday, if any happen to be in the area early enough on Friday or have the time on Monday, they may wish to ride other rail lines on their own.
 
I am still working on some of the other pages, and I will post here when they have been completed and activated for your perusal.
 
So far this is what most participants will need:
 

Amtrak

  • Your own travel plans need to be made to get you to and from New York.  Some may choose to fly or get to/from the area by means other than Amtrak.
  • The "official" trips on our itinerary include Train #291 New York City to Poughkeepsie, and Train #68 Poughkeepsie to New York City on Saturday, and on Sunday it will be Train #663 New York City to Princeton Junction.  Discounted "Saver" fares may still be available on some trains.
  • Any other Amtrak trips you choose to make within the area, such as on Friday or Monday.

Hotels

  • Hotel(s) of your choice within the New York City/North Jersey area. Remember you will need to allow enough time to travel to the start point at Penn Station on Saturday and Sunday mornings. So you therefore may wish to stay in the area beginning Friday, January 15th.

Meals

  • Breakfasts are usually at one's hotel and eaten on one's own before they arrive at the Fest initial meeting point.
  • Lunch on Saturday will, by request, be at the original Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, located diagonally across the street from the subway station.
  • Dinner on Saturday will be part of the Amtrak run to Poughkeepsie, namely Mahoney's Irish Pub & Steakhouse adjacent to the station.  They should have something that appeals to everyone.
  • Lunch on Sunday will be in Manhattan, between the NJT and Metro North trips. Presumably we will want to get to Grand Central Terminal first, so one can expect to eat in that vicinity.
  • Dinner on Sunday for those who have not yet gone home may be determined by whoever remains together by that time.

To attend, all you need to do is contact me BY E-MAIL to let me know you are attending, and please state Saturday, Sunday, or both.   I cannot accept any other means (such as chat mention, board post, phone call, etc.), as all my information needs to be kept in one place.
 
Fest information tends to play to 2 audiences because some parties do not regularly visit this board.  I will send out one e-mail to past Fest participants and those who frequent this board, and then from that point on, all updates regarding NYRF will be posted here only. It is up to those interested to visit this board to get important updates as they will inevitably happen.
 
Closer to the event, a confidential contact list will be created as has been done in the past, to be able to call one another should an emergency or other sudden change of plans arise during the Fest weekend. The list will also contain everyone's hotel plans, which will be known by then. Please do NOT send me hotel plans at this time, as other elements of the weekend are still being put together. When ready to put out the list, I will let you know when to e-mail me your information.
 
In the coming days, earlier threads of interest about NYRF 2016 will be moved to this forum.  More updates to come!



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#2 KevinKorell

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Posted 08 November 2015 - 08:45 PM

I realize too that another new thing in New York City since our last visit is the Fulton Transit Center.  If more than a few are interested in visiting this facility, we can work it in somehow.  The street level is a big empty space unless they have since put stores and restaurants in as promised.  The rest is just a fancy passageway that connects the various stations on each line.



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#3 steve4031

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Posted 08 November 2015 - 09:58 PM

Another master peace! Now for the Sunday Monday add on!

#4 LouP

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Posted 10 November 2015 - 02:19 PM

Do you still have your list of New York area hotels? If we're to start from Penn Station I'll have to be nearby.



#5 pennyk

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Posted 10 November 2015 - 03:37 PM

Do you still have your list of New York area hotels? If we're to start from Penn Station I'll have to be nearby.

Here is a link to Kevin's Rails to Rooms for Manhattan.



#6 KevinKorell

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Posted 10 November 2015 - 03:49 PM

Do you still have your list of New York area hotels? If we're to start from Penn Station I'll have to be nearby.

If you looked at my homepage cited in the announcement thread, there is a link directly to the hotel listings.   And whether Penn or Grand Central, where else have we ever started from?



Kevin Korell


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#7 steve4031

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Posted 11 November 2015 - 08:06 PM

Kevin,

 

I am offering my assistance as a photographer, (just got the new Iphone 6plus which is 12 MP).  If you would like me to help in any other way, please let me know.  



#8 amtrakwolverine

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Posted 28 November 2015 - 08:45 PM

As I don't have a metro card I would be better off getting 3 single use metro cards and saving $2.25.



#9 KevinKorell

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Posted 28 November 2015 - 09:00 PM

As I don't have a metro card I would be better off getting 3 single use metro cards and saving $2.25.

Single use Metrocards will carry a $1 penalty each time one is purchased.   If you buy a Metrocard with enough value for all your trips, you will only pay that $1 penalty once.



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#10 LouP

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 01:59 PM

I've made my reservations for the Hotel Pennsylvania near Penn Station. Is anyone who is going on the Friday night ride planning to have dinner anywhere in the area? Is anyone planning to have breakfast near Penn Station on Saturday or Sunday. I can always eat by myself but it's pleasanter to eat with fellow members.






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