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OTOL Metro New York RailFest 2009: Final Updates


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 14 January 2009 - 11:11 PM

Tonight the first of our participants begin making their way to the New York area for the OTOL Metro New York RailFest 2009 event. I guess it's time for that update you've been waiting for all month! As far as we know, there should be no last minute snags. Barring weather related problems, NJ TRANSIT, AirTrain Newark, Metro North, and Amtrak's Empire Corridor should be running as planned. Remember that the 7 train is not running in Manhattan. This might affect your plans to get between the West Side and Grand Central. If you are coming from New York Penn Station, the best way to get to Grand Central is to take the 7th Avenue Line (1, 2, 3) one stop to Times Square, and then the S Shuttle to Grand Central. If taking PATH in from New Jersey, at the 33rd Street terminus, take the Broadway Line (N, Q, R) one stop to Times Square, and then the S Shuttle to Grand Central. If coming from Long Island RR points, you can't use Woodside as a shortcut; see Penn Station above. The weather is going to be cold. I have seen overnight lows as cold as 9 or 10 degrees Friday & Saturday nights. The "warmest" of the three days may be Sunday, when it could get into the 30's. A wind chill factor is expected too, so dress accordingly. Meeting locations.... For Friday's Raritan Valley Line trip, we're only officially travelling together on the RVL. Anyone who is coming from New York on NJT or PATH, you're on your own getting to Newark. We will meet near the information booth at NEWARK Penn Station around 12:45 PM, and move towards the train when it is announced. If you wish to meet for lunch before that, be at the same place at 12:00 Noon. Note that the last time we ate as a group in Newark Penn Station, we ended up eating on the benches in the waiting room, so it may not be the best of conditions. On Saturday, before the AirTrain run, chances are that some will meet at New York Penn Station and some will meet at Newark Penn Station. Half a dozen people are staying in Jersey City, so it would make better sense to go right to Newark on PATH. I will be in the group coming from Jersey City and boarding at Newark Penn. Again those who are taking the same train out of New York Penn it is your responsibility to get to the correct train and go to the airport. See the costs page for details on the best way to handle your ticket purchases. From New York, the train is the 9:07 AM North Jersey Coast Line departure for Long Branch. From Newark, it leaves at 9:25 AM. If we don't meet aboard the train, our official meeting place will be by the ticket machines in the Airport station. After AirTrain, we will all travel together into New York Penn, take the 7th Avenue subway and the Shuttle to Grand Central, then have lunch. On Saturday afternoon, for those meeting the group only for the Poughkeepsie turn, we'll first be in the lower level food court of GCT. If you don't find us there, we will meet around 12:30 PM near the information kiosk in the main hall. As soon as the train and its track are announced, we will move to the train. On Sunday morning, we will also be departing from Grand Central. Let's meet at the same location near the information kiosk around 9:45 AM. Again, once our track is announced, the group will board the train. You can still catch us aboard the train before it departs. Fest participants on the guest list have received via e-mail our contact listing in case of emergencies. If I think of anything else, I will send a further update. Other than that, we should be good to go.


Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ


#2 KevinKorell

KevinKorell

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Posted 15 January 2009 - 02:29 PM

Whoever hasn't ridden AirTrain Newark, keep in mind that we are not all going in the same car. Same monorail train hopefully, but not the same car. Each car has a bench seat that can probably accommodate 3 comfortably, plus some standing room. A one-way ride, end-to-end, I have clocked at a minimum 23 minutes, not including unscheduled stops that they sometimes make between stations. I estimate 9 or 10 people on this segment of the fest, so we will probably be in 2 or 3 different cars, with no contact between us other than our usual cell phones/texting. We will reunite at the endpoint stations.


Kevin Korell


OTOL Board Leader


Lakewood, NJ





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