As you may have seen, the 2-day itinerary has been published now that the Greenbush schedule is known.

I've put Greenbush on Saturday to accommodate the most potential people, however the drawback in doign a quick fest that will also include rides to Kingston/Route 3 and Cordage/Plymouth on the commuter lines and most likely some Green Line streetcar rides as well, is that we have to start out very early for Greenbush at 8:15 AM. Please keep that in mind when making your hotel reservations, in case you have to take another train into the city.

As of now I've ended up with reservations for the Doubletree in Lowell, which for now has plenty of rooms that weekend and has a courtesy van to the Lowell "T" station. If you are willing to reserve a "Net Direct" rate (immediate charge, non-refundable), a room can be had for as little as $95.20 per night. However add to the cost of the round trips on the "T" Lowell Line out of North Station.

I am considering leaving Boston on Saturday night on Amtrak Regional 169, which would get me back to NJ after 11 PM and home around 12 midnight. You may consider this yourself if hotel rates are prohibitive and you don't wish to wait for the 11:10 AM Acela on Sunday morning.

On Friday, plan on lunch at Providence Place. Some of you who don't wish to stay in Boston Thursday night for financial reasons could consider coming up from points south and meeting us in Providence. (Acela #2150 or Regionals #190 or #170 would get you to PVD with enough time to join us for lunch.) You would only have missed riding the Stoughton Branch. Dinner at South Station a little before 6 PM.

Saturday's meals will be lunch at Nana's Pizza and Subs in Whitman, and dinner is scheduled to be at Cambridgeside Galleria, although this may be rushed for those who might be catching Regional #169 south.

We should have a great time in Boston. Remember, there is no planning committee, no forms to fill out, no cutoff dates... Just let me know whether you can make it, or else just show up in Boston on that Friday or Saturday and you are more than welcome to join us! You can also join us later in the day or split from the group early if you have other plans.

That's what makes your Fest not just another "gathering".

Fest, meet, confluence, convention, or the "G" word it's all the same....

I am going to continue to have the Saturday festivities end at Lechmere. Those who are staying in town can have dinner at Cambridgeside Galleria, but those who plan on leaving that evening on Regional #169 will either have to rush through it or head back right away to South or Back Bay Stations. It's a 5-minute walk each way between Lechmere station and the Galleria.

I look forward to seeing you guys again, it should be another fun weekend and its going to be nice to have some new mileage under my belt in the brand new Greenbush Line. Well see you guys bright and early on that friday morning.

Jack

The itinerary for Boston "T" Party 2007 has been slightly adjusted today, to account for the new timetables that took effect at the end of October. The planned activities, layovers, etc. are still intact. However, some calling times at our start or end points have changed anywhere from 2 minutes earlier to 14 minutes later.

For those of you who might have found it physically or financially impossible to stay in Boston on Thursday night, remember that you can consider coming up to Boston on Friday morning. You would miss the Stoughton turn, but you could meet us in Providence either for lunch or just before 1:30 PM as we head north back to Boston.

And we may have to adjust the dinnertime plans on Saturday, as there is a growing number of people taking Regional 169 south that evening. There is probably not enough time to have dinner at the Galleria for those not staying in town. So these people can still go out to Lechmere, and then turn back in order to get to South or Back Bay Stations.