Just an update as we are still in Summer 2015. I'll start a new topic as we go into Fall later this month.
On the subject of Summer RailFests (which involve long journeys together as opposed to focusing on one city or area as we do in the Winter), Dallas is still on a close radar but the pieces of the puzzle still need to all fall in place before a decision can be made whether this will be in July 2016 or 2017.
In the meantime, it has been suggested within the past couple of months on our Sunday chats that a revisit to the west coast may be in order so that we can fill in transit lines that were not in service when we were there in 2009 (Los Angeles) and 2010 (Portland). It would also allow us to ride the Coast Starlight between those locations.
In Los Angeles, what was not open during our 2009 visit were:
- Angels Flight incline (currently not in service but may return soon)
- LACMTA Metro Gold Line Eastside (opened later in 2009)
- LACMTA Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension (Phase 2A opening early 2016 beyond Pasadena to Azusa)
- LACMTA Metro Expo Line Phase 1 (opened 2012 to Culver City)
- LACMTA Metro Expo Line Phase 2 (opening early 2016 beyond Culver City to Santa Monica)
In Portland, the Central Loop, a second Portland Streetcar line, opened in 2012 but it was not a complete loop pending opening of Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People. With the bridge opening for service this weekend, the Central Loop will be a complete loop and it will run on two separate loops, A clockwise and B counterclockwise. In addition, also this weekend the MAX Orange Line goes into service, new trackage but operationally an extension of the Yellow Line.
But then with Portland and Los Angeles suggested, there is also Seattle, who will be soon debuting the First Hill Streetcar, a cousin to (but not yet connected with) the South Lake Union Streetcar we rode in 2010. First Hill is the first phase of this line, so I am not sure yet about this as a second phase up Broadway might be open within another year or two. This might be an argument for delaying a Seattle visit until the Broadway segment is open as well.
An entire trip involving Portland and Los Angeles only would utilize the Southwest Chief, Coast Starlight, and the Portland section of the Empire Builder. To do Seattle too adds one day, and would utilize the Southwest Chief, Coast Starlight, Cascades, and the Seattle section of the Empire Builder. Note that this could be done in either direction, making a huge circle clockwise (Los Angeles first) or counterclockwise (Los Angeles last). I have not yet worked out potential itineraries online, but am working on it in the weeks to come and will make them public when possible. Obviously with the transit lines not yet in service their schedules won't be available yet.
So in summary, there are several versions of a Dallas trip on one hand (see my previous posts in this thread above), and a West Coast trip on the other hand, either one to happen in the summer of 2016 or 2017.
Now let's go to the Winter. There isn't much new to do on the East Coast. The only new thing in the New York area is the 7 subway extension opening later this month in Manhattan. While there isn't much to see in the tunnel it will operate through, it is new trackage to all of us. I thought about what else we could do in the greater New York area (much more scenic than a subway tunnel), and it would be all repeats of things we have done on other trips since 2001. I am able to work in a trip New York to Princeton Junction on Amtrak, the Princeton Dinky shuttle, and NJT back to New York City. This would let us see the recently shortened Princeton branch as well as the new station that opened this past Spring. We would also do a Coney Island round trip over 2 different subway lines (most likely D and N), with lunch at the original Nathan's in between, and a LIRR round trip to Port Washington as well as a MNRR round trip on the Harlem Line to North White Plains. The Port Washington Branch gives us the option to connect with the 7 subway in Flushing and ride that line in its new entirety to the new western terminus. Finally, we can also take an Amtrak round trip (and do so in the last week one can do 100-point minimum tier points runs) to Poughkeepsie and have an out of the city dinner at a nearby pub/steakhouse. Should the Amtrak trains be late for some reason, or dinner lasts too long, there is Metro North Hudson Line as a fallback. With Princeton Junction there would in all be three Amtrak trips over the 2-day event -- one on the Northeast Corridor on a Keystone train and two on the Empire Corridor -- in addition to whatever travel you may require to get to and from New York.
While I am not finished yet doing all the web pages necessary to officially announce such a Winter RailFest, I should have a proposed itinerary combining all the above elements available in the next week or so, and will let you know here when it's done.
Names have not even yet been chosen for either the West Coast or New York events.