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NYRF reports: Travelling home from the Fest


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 13 January 2016 - 03:52 AM

How did you travel home from the New York City area following the official events on Saturday and Sunday (and our post-Fest trip on Monday) ?  What were the highlights or lowlights of that trip?



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#2 amtrakwolverine

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Posted 17 January 2016 - 06:19 PM

Currently at EWR airport. Place is a mad house security lines long but moving mostly smoothly. Xray scanner didn't like my right front(side pocket) but after a 2 second frisk of that leg I was cleared. Had a burger and a mt dew now at my gate awaiting my flight. Planes are still taking off and landing no major delays from the snow.

Edited by amtrakwolverine, 19 January 2016 - 03:05 AM.


#3 amtrakwolverine

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Posted 17 January 2016 - 09:29 PM

Still at the airport at 9:27pm. First we are delayed due to a wait for de-icing then a passenger got Ill and refused to leave then after they finally left we still had to be de-iced.

Edited by amtrakwolverine, 19 January 2016 - 03:05 AM.


#4 amtrakwolverine

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Posted 18 January 2016 - 12:56 AM

Finally home at around 12:30AM instead of 9:48PM. We also had to wait to get to the de-icing pad cause the tarmac was grid lock to the point they shut down the engines to save fuel and this is after we took on some fuel while waiting for the passenger to leave I think finally she left on her own after some persuasion as she was not escorted off.  At least we were still on the ground waiting to be de-iced when she got ill.



#5 pennyk

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Posted 18 January 2016 - 02:31 PM

I am waiting in the NYP Club Acela for 97, Silver Meteor to take me home to Florida.  

When I left the hotel this morning in order to do a points run, it was about 23 degrees, with a windchill of 10.  That was a bit cooler than I am used to, but I did great (in my opinion).  I made it to NYP from the hotel in record time. :)



#6 KevinKorell

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Posted 18 January 2016 - 02:56 PM

Small world. I was there at Club Acela too and also did a points run in cold weather.  A little snow squall in Stamford upon arrival, even though it was sunny.  Now on final segment New York to Metropark and then the drive home.



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#7 saxman

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Posted 19 January 2016 - 12:18 PM

This report coming after just leaving Williston, ND. I boarded 49 on Sunday, and left NYP about 20 minutes late. We lost lots of time between Buffalo and Cleveland during the night as well. It was snowing pretty good throughout the night and VERY cold. Before TOL we had to backup 11 miles to get around a disabled freight. Despite this we got to Chicago to make all connections at around 12:40 PM. 

 

The Empire Builder has been doing quite well. Every station since Chicago to Williston, we have left on time, except for MKE, 1 minute late, and Red Wing, 3 minutes late. I'm probably jinxing myself though. We shall see how crossing Marias Pass and the Cascades go.



#8 steve4031

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Posted 19 January 2016 - 03:53 PM

Mike Hammond and I made it back to NYP from Grand Central.  We aparently shared the 1 with several other fest members as we all walked into the CA about the same time.  Mike and I headed down to the arrivals level to get a jump on the boarding process since the agent in CA said 2260 was sold out.  2260 was about 5 minutes late.  A redcap told us it was on track 7 and we went down the stairs to the platform.  We were the first 2 passengers to board.  Mike and I both claimed left side window seats.  About 5 minutes later the masses arrived.  One intelligent person spilled a bottle of pop on a seat. 

 

2260 departed about 5 minutes late and made good time though falling snow.   The heat was too high.  Several passengers asked for relief and the conductor adusted the thermostat.  2260 slowed, stoppped, and sat for about 10 minutes between New Haven and Providence.  No announcement was made.  We started up again and arrived Boston about 20 minutes late. 

 

Mike and I toook uber to a legal seafood restaurant near our hotel in Boston and I burned a 50 dollar gift card that I got from legal seafood corporate after complaining on yelp about poor service 2 years ago.  The meal was delicious, and we checked into th Rennaisance waterfron hotel about 10:30 p.m.

 

We slept in the next morning and ate a later breakfast which was the best of the trip.  We ubered back to the station.  I opted to use a redcap to get good seats on the train.  This somewhat backfired since both redcaps stopped at first class first.  The other redcap finished first, and by the time our redcap made it the left side window seats were taken.  The quitet car was still empty, so we sat in there.  The ride back through sun-drenched snowy country side was a delight.  Mike and I enjoyed the entire ride.  I listened to music for the entire trip.  I napped for about 20 minutes after New Haven.  Mike told me later my snoring disrupted the quiet car.  Oops.

 

At Penn station we once again checked into CA to make a bathroom stop and met group members.  Mike and I went to Pizza Suprema across from the station on 8th avenue.  When we returned to CA we found Piotry and Misty waiting for 49..  I checked sleeper space and loudly agonized about not taking 49 when I saw a low bucket sleeper fare.  Once again Mike and I made our way to the arrivals level and took a NJT to EWR airport.  Despite Kevin's reports that the Airtrain had not worked on Sunday, it was working fine Monday. 

 

The TSA checkpoint was poorly run in terminal A.  The screener kept setting bags aside for extra screening when he saw IPads.  According to another TSA employee this was supposed to only be done for laptops.  Mike left a full botle of Dr. Pepper in his bag, and was subjected to througough additonal secreening.  My bag with an Ipad received extra attention too.  Once through the check point we had about 45 minutes before boarding. 

 

The SWA flight to MDW was typical.  Full, crowded, and not pleasant.  The best part was arriving early so we could get off the plane sooner.  Mike and I had a bite to eat at Hary Cary's in MDW before I caught an uber home.  Mikes flight back to CLE was ontime and about half full. 



#9 NJCoastExp

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Posted 19 January 2016 - 06:54 PM

My official trip home from Fest was on Tuesday on board train 127 to MET.

Typically crowded so I wound up sitting in aisle seat since I arrived at NYP from Greenpoint about 6 minutes before departure. Originally I was going to take 129, but was able to pack faster than planned, leave about 20 min early, catch G as it was arriving and transfer to L with less than 1 minute wait at Lorimer, and then at 8th Av changed my reservation at no cost, while walking the transfer and walked onto C train at 14th Street as door was closing.


This is train 3267, 5:43 Long Branch express with connection to Bay Head. South Amboy is next. First and last cars are Quiet Cars. All tickets please.


#10 saxman

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Posted 25 January 2016 - 12:03 AM

The rest of my Empire Builder without a hitch. The most we were ever late was at Everett, WA at 7 minutes late, and that was only because the northbound Cascades was still in the station. We arrived into Seattle at 9:39 am and I raced to the light rail to get an 11 am non-stop flight home on Alaska Airlines. Otherwise it would have been a connection and I would have gotten home hours later. 






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