National Train Day is back

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dlagrua

dlagrua

Engineer
AU Supporting Member
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Nov 24, 2009
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Location
Hillsborough, NJ
Despite the rumors (from some converstations on LD trips w onboard people) National Train Day WILL be back in 2012 on Saturday May 12th. It appears Washington's Union Station, Philadlephia's 30th street Station, Chicago & Los Amgeles Unions stations are the large event locations. There are smaller events in Tampa FL, NYP and at other locations across the USA as well. It appears that the event agenda has yet to be announced so we will need to keep an eye on the website. http://www.nationaltrainday.com/ Right now there is just a pop up showing the new date.

I attended the Philadelphia event last year and found it to be enjoyable and informative. The event was very crowded and I believe that it accomplishes the marketing task that it was set out to do. Could be one of the reasons why rail travel is exploding. if anyone has further infomration please post it.
 
I took an Amtrak weekend trip in 2010 and stopped off for a few hours in Washington D.C on National Train day. Boy was it crowded. I mainly was interested in the equipment display so it was cool getting to walk through an Acela for the first time.

For 2011 I stopped at Union Passenger Terminal where they had the Sunset Limited display and one of the new heritage units. So that was real nice cause it gave me the chance to show the wife the sleeper cars and stuff. Had a good crowd too, but nothing like the bigger stations.

I'm sure we'll hit UPT again this year to see what's on display.
 
Yay! I went to Philly last year and am thinking of going to DC this year.

Um, should I take a train down to DC? :giggle: It's the only way I'll go to DC unless someone else does the driving.

Speaking of trains to DC. When I got to work today, I got a good look at an Acela as it was crawling (by Acela standards) on the tracks behind my work. Very unusual.
 
WAS was a zoo last year and I ended up having to cut short my equipment tour in order to make my regional back to Charlottesville. It was poorly managed with a supposed "ticket" system versus general line that ended up making not one bit of difference. I doubt I will go to WAS this year, maybe check out Philly instead.
 
I planning to go to PHL this year. I was in WAS in 2010 with my sister and it was too crowded for her, so we left Union Station and went to the Capitol for a tour. Last year, I was in WAS, the day after NTD, but got to say hi to the_traveler and jimhudson, who had stayed overnight and were doing points runs the next day.
 
I am thinking of either going to Washinton or Philly. I would be interested if they would have sleeper cars (viewliner) on display. I am thinking about a trip to NOL on the Crescent but would like to feel what the sleeper accomodations feel like.
 
Even though DC seemed like a zoo I was with the AU Group and had a ball!! Are we getting together again this year?!
 
I am a bridesmaid in a wedding on may 12 in PHILLY!

So I will be in town but I bet I will be stuck doing bridesmaid stuff that day and won't be able to make it over to 30th street station. Maybe in the morning I will try.

I guess the only good thing is that if they do a bonus I will be traveling that weekend and will hopefully get double/triple points.
 
Um, maybe I'll do Philly again. I can save money and take SEPTA (like I did last year).

BenjiBear, they had a sleeper car in Philly last year. And a diner. Don't ask if they were Viewliners or Horizons or whatever. All I know is they were not Superliners.
 
AmtrakBlue said:
Um, maybe I'll do Philly again. I can save money and take SEPTA (like I did last year).

BenjiBear, they had a sleeper car in Philly last year. And a diner. Don't ask if they were Viewliners or Horizons or whatever. All I know is they were not Superliners.
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Why take septa when you can take Amtrak and get 300 points!!!!

Sadly I won't be able to make it to NTD this year. I will be in fire school that day. :( This will be my first missed NTD and I am truly upset by it! I think Dave called PHL and I know pennyk is heading to PHL. I was heading to PHL this year. I have a feeling that most of the AU gang will be at PHL this year. Sorry I will miss you this year!!
 
Acela150 said:
AmtrakBlue said:
Um, maybe I'll do Philly again. I can save money and take SEPTA (like I did last year).

BenjiBear, they had a sleeper car in Philly last year. And a diner. Don't ask if they were Viewliners or Horizons or whatever. All I know is they were not Superliners.
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Why take septa when you can take Amtrak and get 300 points!!!!
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Because I can't afford to spend $$ for a short ride just for the points (I'd get more rail time for less $$ on SEPTA :giggle: ). I'm not "there" yet as to being able to make points runs. But I will consider it.
 
benjibear said:
I am thinking of either going to Washinton or Philly. I would be interested if they would have sleeper cars (viewliner) on display. I am thinking about a trip to NOL on the Crescent but would like to feel what the sleeper accomodations feel like.
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We took the Crescent to NOL last year and we loved it. For NTD Philadelphia 2011 they had an entire train on display ,Amfleet coaches, a diner(showing menu dishes prepared)and a Viewliner sleeper car. IIRC there was also an NJT or SEPTA Bi-level train, numerous Private railcars and a couple of historical trains. The wait to see the trains was about 30 minutes. I would trust that this years exhibits would be similar. There was also a musical group performing, cooks demonstrations, a K9 demonstration and lots of other things to see. While I could have taken Amtrak to Philadelphia 30th street station, I ended up traveling there via SEPTA from Yardley PA on a Freedom pass which gives all day access to all SEPTA trains, Phl busses, and subways for $12.00. Amtrak would have cost triple that price plus the parking lot fee. Just a matter of economics!
 
jb64 said:
WAS was a zoo last year and I ended up having to cut short my equipment tour in order to make my regional back to Charlottesville. It was poorly managed with a supposed "ticket" system versus general line that ended up making not one bit of difference. I doubt I will go to WAS this year, maybe check out Philly instead.
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My son who lives in Virginia said the same thing. He had taken one of his sons in 2010 and was looking forward to taking his whole family last year. They had tickets for the displays, but had to wait as long as those without. They ended up going home without seeing much. Very poorly managed compared to the previous year. The kids were so disappointed. I doubt they'll be going back this year.
 
I'll be doing WAS this year...William and Mary's calendar lines up better with NTD this year than it did last year (there's a big last social event for one of the clubs the Friday of exams, which makes getting up to WAS the next morning a real pain, and that event is the last time I get to see some people...this year, NTD is commencement weekend, which should be doable).
 
Didn't they unveil the 40th anniversary train in Washington last year? Maybe that is why it was so busy. I think I will try getting to Philly probably take the train out of Elizabethtown, PA.
 
For those that have been to Philadelphia before on NTD, how much time should I (single person) allow to see everything?

I was thinking it would only take a few hours so I was also thinking what else could I see while in Philadelphia. I have been wanting to go to the Eastern States Penetentiary.
 
I think all the big city celebrations are going to be busy no matter what, every year. I did Chicago last year and spent over an hour in line to tour some of the private cars. I didn't bother seeing the Amtrak cars, as I've seen those plenty! Many other cities put on their own events for NTD. If you're down in Texas, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and I think even Houston put on smaller events if you're looking to get away from the crowds.
 
I enjoyed last year in WAS with the AU crew, I'm game for Philly this year. I haven't spent much time at all in the bowels of 30th St.
 
benjibear said:
For those that have been to Philadelphia before on NTD, how much time should I (single person) allow to see everything?

I was thinking it would only take a few hours so I was also thinking what else could I see while in Philadelphia. I have been wanting to go to the Eastern States Penetentiary.
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Since your coming from ELT you will be on a Keystone train. Which are unreserved. All you need are tickets from/to ELT they don't have a train number on them. They just read unreserved and you can use them for a year on any train. Except the Penny between ELT and PHL and the Reverse.

Just flash your PHL-ELT ticket to the agent guarding the stairway at PHL and your all set!

As far as the Eastern State Pen. Walk out to Market Street. Walk to 22nd Street and follow that all the way up to Fairmount Avenue at Fairmount Avenue You can't miss it!!! You'll have to cross from one side of Fairmount Ave to the Other and on the other side of Fairmount Ave turn right and follow that down to the entrance. On Saturday's their are guided tours every hour on the hour until 4pm from 10am. So if you spend the whole day at NTD your SOL. But there are numerous bars and restaraunts that are good in that area. The Bishops Collar, The London Bar and Grill, Rembradts, Little Pete's, and Believe it or not Pete's Pizza. Really good Buffalo Chicken Chessesteaks there! If you ever watch Parking Wars and you see the lady who screams get out of the neighborhood and calls the cops. Her shop is at 23rd and Fairmount across from the Gas Station. Fairmount is a great neighborhood!
 
Big Iron said:
I enjoyed last year in WAS with the AU crew, I'm game for Philly this year. I haven't spent much time at all in the bowels of 30th St.
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Bowels of 30th St???

Come on??!! The station named "Best in the Nation" by Trains Magazine has the words Bowels involed?? PHL is a wonder! The only thing that isn't wonderful about it is the platforms... Spend a whole day there and you'll see why I call it my number one home away from home!
 
Second Saturday in May is local election day down here....guess I'll miss NTD this year, busy that day.
 
Acela150 said:
benjibear said:
I think I will try getting to Philly probably take the train out of Elizabethtown, PA.
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Since your coming from ELT you will be on a Keystone train. Which are unreserved. All you need are tickets from/to ELT they don't have a train number on them. They just read unreserved and you can use them for a year on any train. Except the Penny between ELT and PHL and the Reverse.
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Also Saturday is considered off-peak with lower prices on the unreserved corridor.

You'll still need a timed ticket or wait in line for the exhibits since the Keystones typically are over on tracks 7-10 while the exhibits have been on tracks 1 and 2.
 
benjibear said:
For those that have been to Philadelphia before on NTD, how much time should I (single person) allow to see everything?

I was thinking it would only take a few hours so I was also thinking what else could I see while in Philadelphia. I have been wanting to go to the Eastern States Penetentiary.
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I would allow about 3 to 3 1/2 hours to see NTD at 30th street station and that includes a lunch break in the food court. IMO it is quite a beautiful station reminescent of the train stations back in the golden years of passenger railroading. If you spend the entire day in Philadelphia you should have plenty of time for another activity. I believe that Eastern States is a 25 minute walk from the station and the Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Art museums are about a 15-20 minute walk.
 
I dare to call 30th St. Station/Philadelphia one of the world's finest and most beautiful. And, the way the Pennsy engineered famed Zoo interlocking, a convergence of three or more multitracked mainlines and all possible combinations of track/switch routings, many of which use flyovers, is a wonder and homage to human ingenuity.

It's true though that the station platforms where Amtrak runs through are bit dingy, but that's likely because of soot expelled by the diesels. Also it's a play on perception brought on by the contrast of walking from a bejeweled environment with marble columns and walls, chandeliers, and lots of light, then into a mainly utilitarian place. But that's the nature of the beast, train tracks are dingy and dirty, just ask those who work on them. But don't despair! There are lots of transitional elements, like the bronze doorways to the stairs and escalators, digital arrival screens and signage, and of course -- the trains themselves!!

My only critism is the incongruent colors, brought on by the deep maroons that was the norm in the '80's and '90's, then replaced in only a few locations with the Acela teal blue that was hastily slapped on walls and ticket office.
 
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