12 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Now that we have caught our collective breath after last month's summer trip that included transcontinental Amtrak travel and riding every inch of trackage on 6 different transit providers (plus the wheels of AirTrain SFO) in Northern California, it's time to look at tentative plans for the future.

As usual we discussed future trips in person in July. It was agreed that after the huge trip (and related expense) this year, that next summer's July fest will be relatively smaller and closer to home for those on the east coast and in the midwest. In July of 2008 we will visit Florida, riding TriRail, Metrorail, and Metromover on the Gold Coast, Tampa's TECO Streetcar, and the Jacksonville Skyway. This trip will primarily use the Silver Star and Silver Meteor to get to and from Florida as well as between the cities within the state. The beauty of the Gold Coast area is that one can stay in hotels up and down the I-95 corridor (which is next to the TriRail/Amtrak line) and "commute" to meet the group downtown.

A fest on this smaller scale allows us to perhaps have another one later in the summer, as we did in 2006 with Baltimore & Philadelphia. That one was not discussed, but there is no shortage of activities to do on the east coast.

In the shorter term, I would like to return to the Boston area, particularly once the Greenbush commuter line opens. However the ability to have even a 2-day weekend fest is hampered by my work schedule, which is close to exhausting of available vacation days this year. Options for Boston may be holding it during the week, or postponing it until that aforementioned opening in late summer of 2008.

Moving to January 2008, there is the old reliable Big Apple Railfest event in New York. While there are very few subway lines or segments we haven't ridden as a group together over the past 7 years, we can still do a few "make-up" trips on the subways and perhaps concentrate more on commuter rail lines. Moving towards the South Jersey/Philadelphia area, we still have the entire Atlantic City Line and a segment of the SEPTA R3 to Elwyn to cover.

As for summer rail fests further into the future:

In 2009 we can return to California, this time doing Southern California instead. Los Angeles Metro has 2 heavy rail lines and three light rail lines (and possibly more on the way). San Diego has 3 trolley lines. There are many Metrolink commuter rail routes, as well as the Coaster between Oceanside and San Diego. And opening at the end of 2007 will be Sprinter, a diesel light rail line between Oceanside and Escondido. Besides the Metrolink/Coaster combination between Los Angeles and San Diego, the other direction could be on a Pacific Surfliner train. For those who wish to cross the country by rail, we would go westbound via Chicago, Kansas City, and Albuquerque on the Southwest Chief. Optionally if it does not make the overall trip too long, we could get off the Chief for 24 hours and ride the RailRunner with an overnight stay in Albuquerque. Our eastbound trip would be on the Sunset Limited. Those heading back to Midwest points could take the through cars on the Texas Eagle back to Chicago, while others could remain on board to New Orleans and then take either the City of New Orleans or Crescent, depending on their final destinations.

2010 is pegged for the Pacific Northwest. This would include Portland's excellent light rail system- MAX, the Portland Streetcar, and if we hit it on a Sunday some vintage streetcars as well. There would be a ride on Amtrak's Cascades Corridor to the Seattle-Tacoma area. We would ride the existing Tacoma LINK, as well as the Central LINK now under construction in the Seattle area. There is also the Seattle Monorail, the soon-to-open South Lake Union Streetcar, and possibly the Waterfront Streetcar if it has returned from its current hiatus by then. We also will ride the Sounder commuter rail, which will very soon feature reverse trips allowing a railfan round trip in the same day. The cross country travel would be done on the Empire Builder, with the Portland section westbound and Seattle section eastbound. With all that, it is unclear whether a side trip to Vancouver, BC will be possible at that time. This could potentially add another two days to an already long trip. Also on tap is a 24-hour stopover in Minneapolis to ride that city's light rail line.

For 2011, right now we would fill the gaping hole in the middle of the country by visiting the Rockies. We would ride Salt Lake City's TRAX light rail, and its by-then-open FrontRunner commuter rail. And in Denver, we would do that city's RTD light rail, and possibly commuter rail that might be open by then as well. There is also the tourist Platte Valley Trolley just across the river. Of course this would be on our old friend the California Zephyr, and over its normal routing through the Rockies and by the Colorado River.

[jis]

2010 is pegged for the Pacific Northwest. This would include Portland's excellent light rail system- MAX, the Portland Streetcar, and if we hit it on a Sunday some vintage streetcars as well. There would be a ride on Amtrak's Cascades Corridor to the Seattle-Tacoma area. We would ride the existing Tacoma LINK, as well as the Central LINK now under construction in the Seattle area. There is also the Seattle Monorail, the soon-to-open South Lake Union Streetcar, and possibly the Waterfront Streetcar if it has returned from its current hiatus by then. We also will ride the Sounder commuter rail, which will very soon feature reverse trips allowing a railfan round trip in the same day. The cross country travel would be done on the Empire Builder, with the Portland section westbound and Seattle section eastbound. With all that, it is unclear whether a side trip to Vancouver, BC will be possible at that time. This could potentially add another two days to an already long trip. Also on tap is a 24-hour stopover in Minneapolis to ride that city's light rail line.

Actually I believe you can do a single day trip from Seattle to Vancouver BC and ride the entire Skytrain system and get back to Seattle the same evening. You go out on the morning Cascade, arrive in Vancouver at 11:30 or so, ride the Skytrain lines and then get on the evening Cascade at 6 pm back to Seattle arriving around 10pm. So unless you also want to tack on the local commuter train and the interesting train in Victoria, you can do a trip to Vancouver BC in a single day.

Of course you might cause the US CBP guys in Vancouver to look somewhat puzzled, but hey so what?

It sure would be nice to ride the Empire Builder again. I have very fond memories of riding it several times to visit my Ph. D. adviser after he moved to Portland OR. That was back when it was one of the first trains to get Superliner equipment.

[KevinKorell]

Actually I believe you can do a single day trip from Seattle to Vancouver BC and ride the entire Skytrain system and get back to Seattle the same evening. You go out on the morning Cascade, arrive in Vancouver at 11:30 or so, ride the Skytrain lines and then get on the evening Cascade at 6 pm back to Seattle arriving around 10pm. So unless you also want to tack on the local commuter train and the interesting train in Victoria, you can do a trip to Vancouver BC in a single day.

Of course you might cause the US CBP guys in Vancouver to look somewhat puzzled, but hey so what?

The good thing about a single day trip is we leave luggage in our Seattle accommodations and don't need to bring it across the border.

Vancouver has the West Coast Express commuter line, but its problem is that it is strictly directional with the rush hour. We would be stranded in Mission, BC if we rode it to the end.

[jis]

Going to Vancouver with bag and baggage would make sense sense if one were planning to get on the Canadian heading East from there the following day, but that has a rather steep price tag specially in Sleeper. Summer fare is something like C$2100 one way to Toronto.

[KevinKorell]

Going to Vancouver with bag and baggage would make sense sense if one were planning to get on the Canadian heading East from there the following day, but that has a rather steep price tag specially in Sleeper. Summer fare is something like C$2100 one way to Toronto.

And the cost of the Canadian, particularly in the summer months when such a fest would be taking place, may convince me to scrap plans for a Canadian West fest, although I would love to be able to ride the light rail systems in Edmonton and Calgary. Then we would have to do Vancouver in 2010 as part of the PNW fest.

I do not forsee riding the Canadian in 2010, because we need to get both branches of the Empire Builder. That would be accomplished under the current plan to do Portland first and then Seattle. Of course now our Talgo's are having some issues....

[KevinKorell]

A potential Pittsburgh RailFest (with side trip to Johnstown) has been returned to the Future Railfests segment of my website. This is reaction to the reopening of the Beechview portion of the system and slightly revamped route structure.

Homepage is located here.

[KevinKorell]

Itinerary has been slightly adjusted for Florida RailFest 2008. Tentative dates have been chosen, and times were altered due to route change on Jacksonville Skyway and new schedule on Miami Metrorail. Also, TriRail has new train numbers and schedule, so itinerary was adjusted accordingly. Also moved Miami Airport run from afternoon to morning to result in fewer TriRail movements and thus less waiting for trains. Lunch stop was made 2 hours instead of one to allow time for walking aimlessly around looking for a place to eat.

[steve4031]

Itinerary has been slightly adjusted for Florida RailFest 2008. Tentative dates have been chosen, and times were altered due to route change on Jacksonville Skyway and new schedule on Miami Metrorail. Also, TriRail has new train numbers and schedule, so itinerary was adjusted accordingly. Also moved Miami Airport run from afternoon to morning to result in fewer TriRail movements and thus less waiting for trains. Lunch stop was made 2 hours instead of one to allow time for walking aimlessly around looking for a place to eat.

Looks like I need to book some hotels. LOL

[KevinKorell]

Looks like I need to book some hotels. LOL

You're always the first, Steve.

[steve4031]

Itinerary has been slightly adjusted for Florida RailFest 2008. Tentative dates have been chosen, and times were altered due to route change on Jacksonville Skyway and new schedule on Miami Metrorail. Also, TriRail has new train numbers and schedule, so itinerary was adjusted accordingly. Also moved Miami Airport run from afternoon to morning to result in fewer TriRail movements and thus less waiting for trains. Lunch stop was made 2 hours instead of one to allow time for walking aimlessly around looking for a place to eat.

Kevin,


I just took a brief look at the itinerary for this, and saw that In Miami, we begin and in in the far south part of Miami at the south dadeland station. Is there a reason why you are starting here and not at a location in cenral Miami?