We are 3 German Modelrailroader, Gert, Martin and me, Rüdiger, and we will have our first trip to the USA in autum 2010 to watch trains and visit Model Railroads.
[#welcome] There are so many good places even in just this small area . . .
For starters, the old RR bridge at Poughkeepsie is a neat walk, and you can see traffic frequency on Metro-North and CSX and scenery that may remind you of home - see http://www.walkway.org/
Ride the Long Island RR from New York City to the end of the line at Montauk and back.
The model railroad club at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute just outside of Albany NY has a wonderful layout. See -http://railroad.union.rpi.edu/article.php?article=53 However, it seems that they are not encouraging visitors at this time. [sigh]
I hope by ‘‘Altoona’’ you mean the Horse Shoe Curve, at least. Don’t miss the tunnels at Gallitzin, and the operations on that same line a few miles west as far as Cassandra and the old bridge there.
See if the 3 ft. gauge East Broad Top RR will be operating during your visit - if so, you should be able to tour the old shops.
For modern steam locomotive shops, visit those at the Strasburg RR.
IF YOU GET TO STRASBURG, PA FOR THE STRASBURG RAILROAD AND SHOPS, THE PENNSYLVANIA RR MUSEUM IS ACROSS THE STREET. DOWN THE STREET IS A MODEL TRAINS STORE AND 40 BY 40 FOOT OGAUGE DISPLAY. DOWN THE ROAD THE OTHER WAY ABOUT A MILE IS THE TRAIN COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS AND MUSEUM WITH HUGE DISPLAY OF ALMOST ANY TRAIN MADE PRIOR TO 1960 MAINLY O,0-27 AND STANDARD GAUGE.
Since you are arriving in Boston, if you are traveling relatively light and not burdened by lots of luggage, by all means start your railfanning right away. Askk for directions (possibly the signs are adequate) for the “T” connection bus to the Blue Line Airport station. If the “T” has a office at the Airport, get a Charlie Card for your transit system fares at that time before you board the bus. At the Airport station, note that this is the point where Blue Line trains switch from third rail to catenary overhead power pick-up. The right of way is the old narrow gauge Boston Revere Beach and Lynn line which quit in January 1940, with rail service restored by the Blue Line rapid transit in November 1952. Ride the front car of the outbound train to Revere, current end of the line (there are plans to extend to Lynn). You can then return via the Blue line to downtown Boston, and use what stations and/or connections your hotel indicates are best. If you tell me the hotel and address, I can advise further.
Or if you are adventurous, it is just a short taxi ride, even walking distance, from the Revere Wonderland station to the Commuter Rail “Purple LIne” Revere Station, where outbound trains to Gloucester and Newberyport stop, as well as inbound trains to North Station. Inbound service is about once an hour during weekdays, more frequent during the morning rush hour. These trains normally have a diesel on the north end and southbound it should be possible to look out a front window of a cab-car. This line running north from North Station is worth riding in any event.
I hope that you are not considering driving into New York City; big mistake. Instead stay outside of New York and take Metro North into the Big Apple. You might find a motel which you could save money on a room and be close to the tracks and be able to watch trains too.Does anyone have town or motel to recommend.
Plan to spend at least 2 days at Horseshoe Curve and be sure to see the Railroaders Museum in Altoona PA. Don’t miss the Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire.
Be adventurous with food and try to eat an American Breakfast of bacon and eggs toast and coffee now and then. I know that it might be more than you are used to but you need a good breakfast to watch trains.
Thanks to all of you! This are a lot of informations. This weekend we will take the web and look for all of your tips. With the beginning of next week, we will perhaps a better idea of our route.
I think we will read of each others in the future.
What is/ are your primary interests/ priorities for this visit ? Knowing a little more about that would be helpful to make more informed suggestions. For instance -
Model railroads
Museums
Tourist and scenic railroads
Steam operations
Vintage diesels, such as ALCo’s
Scenic train rides, whether mainline passenger, commuter, or tourist
Main line freight operations with heavy traffic - ‘hot spots’ - general freight, unit trains of coal, grain, intermodal, RoadRailers, etc.
Branch line and short-line freight operations
Passenger operations, whether main-line and/ or commuter, and/ or unusual or lightly-trafficked routes, electrified or diesel-hauled, multiple-unit or push-pull, etc.
Urban, rural, mountain, or scenic settings
Urban mass transit operations - subways/ elevateds, trolleys/ light rail vehicles, interurbans, etc.
To get to the T stop from any terminal, take the white-and-blue Massport shuttle bus Route 22 or Route 33 to the Blue Line stop. Airport has a T agent, Transit Police Office, and some sort of office so it would not surprise me if you can pick up a Charliecard there.
One warning about taking the train to the end of the line at Wonderland, hopping on an inbound train and going back to the city: There is no inside-the-fare-zone transfer from outbound to inbound trains so you’ll have to pay again to change directions. The other end of the line, Bowdoin, has a center platform so it’s easy to change trains.
[quote user=“daveklepper”]
Or if you are adventurous, it is just a short taxi ride, even walking distance, from the Revere Wonderland station to the Commuter Rail “Purple LIne” Revere Station, where outbound trains to Gloucester and Newberyport stop, as well
thank you for your informations. A little bit more from us: We are modell railroader and share an temporary module H0-scale layout. Some pictures about this you find on Gert´s homepage: www. ho-tt-n.de
We will use this trip to see these railroads in reality. I think we like maainline operations as well as shortlines e.g. the Mass Coastal or the Mass Central.
We also like the ols ALCo´s and we hope to find some of these in Scranton.
The greatest problem for us will be to find the way to these railroads and the best points to watch them.
Furthermore it would be nice to see an american layout.
The suggestion about including Horseshoe Curve into the Altoona leg of your trip is a good one. From Horseshoe Curve, it’s a very easy drive to Gallitzen Tunnels, Cresson and Cassandra. It’s only 15 miles and a 30 minute drive from the Curve to Cassandra. All are railfan friendly with excellent viewing of the Norfolk Southern. If you would care to, you could continue on from Cassandra to South Fork. An internet search should provide you with all the information you may need. Have a great time.
please be safe and at night especally best not to go around rr tracks unless with some one who knows the area. here in chicago its dangerous around yards and such. chicago is the railroad capital of universe and north platte neb has worlds largest yard and is ten times safer than chicago at night,