·12 Jul: Cascades Train #506
·12-14 Jul: #8 The Empire Builder: 1|2|3
·17-18 Jul: #48 The Late Shore Limited: 1|2
·21 Jul: Empire Service Train #208
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·Introduction ·12 Jul: Cascades Train #506 ·12-14 Jul: #8 The Empire Builder: 1|2|3 ·17-18 Jul: #48 The Late Shore Limited: 1|2 ·21 Jul: Empire Service Train #208 |
| 21 July, 2006: Finally Home on Early Empire Service Train #280 | |
For my finally journey home from Syracuse I'm on a good old Amfleet-I corridor Empire Service Train, that does have one amenity that I've missed on every long distance train, electrical outlets at every window seat (the newest refurbished Amfleet-I have it at every seat). I call Julie and find out yet again (I assume) CSX as caused the train to be 15 minutes late, already. I get dropped off at the station at 7:00AM and due the usual run at this station if I'm taking an early train home to Dukin Donuts to buy coffee and a muffin. I then go up to the platform to hopefully do some freight train fanning but unfortunately none come today as a I wait for Empire Service Train #280 that comes in at 7:30A, only 5 minutes late, led by its dual mode Genesis P32AC-DM #706 I have a feeling that extra recovery time has been built into the schedule because of the CSX track work. I Get lucky and board the second to last car of the train, which is an Amfleet Metroliner coach car. I'm the second one to board in it, since its been closed until now, and sit on the left side forgetting about the Hudson that will appear on the right. It has slightly more legroom then normal Amfleet-I Coaches, and also footrests (my seat though, which I didn't notice until long after I was settled was missing these, wonder why.) and curtains. Their though is less legroom then I'm used to from the Amfleet-II and Superliner Coaches on the overnight trains and they also don't have legrests. This though is the only Metroliner Coach in the consist, the 3 other coaches are all very recently rebuilt Amfleet-I, with the new blue interiors, and two electrical outlets at every seat. The Café car is the usual Club-Dinette found on the Empire Service trains now, with half tables and the other half 2 by 1 Business Class.
CSX treats us well this morning with no extra freight delays and we make very good time, on time in Rome (at 8:04), Utica (8:23), and Amsterdam (9:19). Since a little extra recovery times been built into the schedule we arrive Schenectady early at 10:05, and have to sit for 10 minutes until 10:15. (I don't realize were early and don't have a chance to get off and explore the platform). Were again early into Albany-Rensselaer arriving at 10:38, 7 minutes early. I go out and stand on the platform and photograph the on time Montréal bound Adirondack Train #69 as it enters on the opposite platform. From the back of the platform I get a nice view of the Rensselaer train yard, and notice that a consist of Amfleets, a baggage car and a P42 locomotive has already been assembled of what will be the connecting Lake Shore Limited train to Boston. The first thing I notice on the Adirondack is the P32AC-DM Genesis locomotive is being removed and I watch as a P42 diesel only Genesis Locomotive replaces it. I guess due to a dual-mode locomotive shortage or something the Adirondack's locomotive is now changed in Albany. All the new passengers have the rear car to themselves, and the front two cars are positively empty.
We leave Albany on time at 11:00A, and its an uneventful on time ride down the Hudson as we stop at Hudson, Rhinecliff-Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Croton-Harmon, and Yonkers and finally at 1:02P, We enter the Bronx, and I'm back in New York City, we make our way over the Spyten Duyvil Swivel draw bridge and continue through Manhattan. I'm glad to be sitting on the right and see that nothing seems to have changed in my month away. We come to a stop at New York Penn Station at 1:30P, five minutes late due to it taking them awhile to give us a track, in to Penn Station-Manhattan. I meet my father who has keys for me and hop on the A train to go north and home!
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·Introduction ·12 Jul: Cascades Train #506 ·12-14 Jul: #8 The Empire Builder: 1|2|3 ·17-18 Jul: #48 The Late Shore Limited: 1|2 ·21 Jul: Empire Service Train #208 |
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