# Metro North Hudson Line



## joelkfla (Oct 15, 2021)

I want to take a scenic day trip up the Hudson to Poughkeepsie and back.

Would I get good views on Metro North? Are the windows generally clean and not heavily tinted?

Or would I be better off with Amtrak Empire Service? 

Looks like Empire Service trains are running around 90% full, so it might be hard to get a window seat. I assume midday Metro North trains would be fairly empty, no?

Thx.


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## neroden (Oct 17, 2021)

Metro-North is fine. The windows are generally clean and not heavily tinted; if they are dirty on one car, go to another.

Seats are 3-2 and have tight pitch, so they're kind of cramped. That's the downside, especially for larger people.


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## John from RI (Oct 17, 2021)

On week days be sure to get a Metro North train that leaves Grand Central Terminal after 9:00 am to get an off peak fare. Those trains are not crowded; it is easy to get a seat and to change your seat if you want to for a better view. All fare are off peak on week ends and holidays.


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## daybeers (Oct 17, 2021)

All Metro-North fares are off peak until 12/31/21 and have been since the pandemic.

Maybe try Amtrak one way and Metro-North the other? But then you have to use different terminals: Penn vs GCT. Also the trains north of Croton-Harmon are slow diesels FYI.


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## jis (Oct 17, 2021)

daybeers said:


> All Metro-North fares are off peak until 12/31/21 and have been since the pandemic.
> 
> Maybe try Amtrak one way and Metro-North the other? But then you have to use different terminals: Penn vs GCT. Also the trains north of Croton-Harmon are slow diesels FYI.


Compensated to some extent by running express from GCT to Croton-Harmon though. If going beyond Croton, I generally prefer the Poughkeepsie Expresses rather than an EMU to Croton-Harmon and then change to that same Poughkeepsie train, or the next one.


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## joelkfla (Oct 17, 2021)

daybeers said:


> Also the trains north of Croton-Harmon are slow diesels FYI.


But they run non-stop to that point. The schedule seems to be about 2 hours vs. 90 minutes for Amtrak -- not a big deal for a leisure trip to nowhere. My only plans in Poughkeepsie are the Walkway Over the Hudson, if the elevator is running.

My main concern is getting a good window view on the river side. Sounds like MNRR is the best best.

I'll probably be taking my mobility scooter, so I could be tied down to whatever side the wheelchair space is on on Amtrak. Sounds like I can just move to whatever seat I want on MNRR.


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## Seaboard92 (Oct 17, 2021)

Honestly I think Metro North is perfectly fine. Its cheaper which means you can spend more money somewhere else on your trip for something fun. If you want a great fall train ride take the New Jersey Transit/Metro North Port Jervis Line out to Port Jervis, NY. That line is really scenic and quite a lot of fun.


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## joelkfla (Oct 17, 2021)

Seaboard92 said:


> Honestly I think Metro North is perfectly fine. Its cheaper which means you can spend more money somewhere else on your trip for something fun. If you want a great fall train ride take the New Jersey Transit/Metro North Port Jervis Line out to Port Jervis, NY. That line is really scenic and quite a lot of fun.


Thanks for the tip. I'll look into it.


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## Seaboard92 (Oct 17, 2021)

The Jervis line crosses the Moodona Viaduct which is the longest and highest east of the Mississippi River. And at this time of year is especially beautiful.


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## jis (Oct 17, 2021)

Seaboard92 said:


> The Jervis line crosses the Moodona Viaduct which is the longest and highest east of the Mississippi River. And at this time of year is especially beautiful.


If you just want to do Moodna with a short turnaround, usually there is a good turn around connection at Campbell Hall just past Moodna Viaduct. Also if ou want to explore Moodna by foot, You can get off at Campbell Hall and track over to the viaduct to get some great views from the valley below. I have done all those when I lived in NJ.

Campbell Hall is also of some railroad historical interest since the route to New England which crossed the Hudson at Poughkeepsie on the trestle that is now a walking path, (tenuous connection to the Hudson Line and hence the main topic of this thread Heh heh!) connected to the west of Hudson rail network at Campbell Hall and there are traces of it on the side of the ROW away from the platform of the Campbell Hall station. Such things are better explored when one has a car available though.

If you go all the way to Port Jervis you will pass through the Otisville Tunnel, and Port Jervis has now got a nice new station platform replacing the old dilapidated station.

Unfortunately though, the most scenic ride along the Delaware River is north of Port Jervis with no passenger service. Again an area better explored using a car. Of special interest is the Hawk's Nest Drive segment of Rt. 97 high above Delaware River, between Port Jervis and Hancock NY (intersecting Rt 17). The ride along the river there is one of my favorites and I often took that route when visiting my host family up in Oneonta, rather than taking the boring Rt 17, even though it took considerably longer.


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## joelkfla (Oct 17, 2021)

Seaboard92 said:


> The Jervis line crosses the Moodona Viaduct which is the longest and highest east of the Mississippi River. And at this time of year is especially beautiful.


OK, looking over the schedule, I might do this on a Sunday or a Monday.

On Sunday, due to a very limited schedule, the only convenient trip has a 90-minute layover in Port Jervis. Looks like there are several restaurants an easy walk down Front St. (once I get past the Adult Products Store  ) , so I could enjoy a lunch.

On Monday, I could do a 1 hour turnaround. Most restaurants are closed, but I might grab a slice of pizza or an egg roll and enjoy it al fresco.

Heading out of Hoboken, which side has the best scenery?


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## Seaboard92 (Oct 17, 2021)

The old Erie Station actually has a restaurant in it. There also should still be an Erie E8 and RS3 switcher at the Metro North Station. 

Honestly I think out of Hoboken it is the right side but Jis would know more. I rode it in the cab so I had a really great view. Somewhere I have a photo from the cab of the viaduct in the fall.


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## joelkfla (Oct 17, 2021)

jis said:


> If you just want to do Moodna with a short turnaround, usually there is a good turn around connection at Campbell Hall just past Moodna Viaduct. Also if ou want to explore Moodna by foot, You can get off at Campbell Hall and track over to the viaduct to get some great views from the valley below. I have done all those when I lived in NJ.


Google says it's a 10-mile walk! I can only handle about 0.25 mi. at a time.  I plan to leave my scooter at the hotel for this one, because it's a short walk to the WTC, and after that the only walking is just as much exploring as I care to do.

Doesn't look like there's much in the immediate vicinity of Campbell Hall. I think I'll go the distance to Port Jervis, where the station is right downtown, and hang out for an hour to 90 minutes.


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## daybeers (Oct 18, 2021)

jis said:


> Compensated to some extent by running express from GCT to Croton-Harmon though. If going beyond Croton, I generally prefer the Poughkeepsie Expresses rather than an EMU to Croton-Harmon and then change to that same Poughkeepsie train, or the next one.





joelkfla said:


> But they run non-stop to that point. The schedule seems to be about 2 hours vs. 90 minutes for Amtrak -- not a big deal for a leisure trip to nowhere. My only plans in Poughkeepsie are the Walkway Over the Hudson, if the elevator is running.
> 
> My main concern is getting a good window view on the river side. Sounds like MNRR is the best best.
> 
> I'll probably be taking my mobility scooter, so I could be tied down to whatever side the wheelchair space is on on Amtrak. Sounds like I can just move to whatever seat I want on MNRR.


Ah yes! I forgot about the expresses. That does take a lot out of using the diesels. I just like EMUs 

I have done the walk from Poughkeepsie to the elevator before and it is accessible. You have to go out through the parking garage attached to the station and can go down N Water Street or around through Waryas Park the long way, either way is accessible I believe. One elevator platform->station and another station->ground level. Then it is about a third of a mile with a small bridge over a creek if you go through the park. There is an attendant in the elevator. The walkway is really nice but bring a jacket and maybe skip the hat, as it can get quite windy 212 feet from the water in a river valley. Have fun! You can check the elevator status at Walkway Hours & Amenities or the hotline at 845-834-3641 but be careful, as the elevator is only open 9 AM-90 minutes before the park closes (don't ask me why) which due to the winter approaching is around 5-6 PM, so that means 3:30!  It drops with the sunset times by 15 minutes each week except for November 7th, which is an hour?

Anyway, hope you can make it up there, as the views are fantastic.


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## joelkfla (Oct 18, 2021)

Plans may change due to Amtrak OTP & the weather. The Transit Museum is top priority, which I have scheduled for my arrival day, but I may have to push it back if the Meteor is more than 90 minutes late. Next is spending half a day or so riding the East River ferries, which is weather dependent. 

Hopefully, I'll be able to get trips to both Poughkeepsie & Port Jervis in. Of course, I'll also spend some time exploring GCT & the Hoboken terminal on those trips.


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## PVD (Oct 18, 2021)

daybeers said:


> Ah yes! I forgot about the expresses. That does take a lot out of using the diesels. I just like EMUs
> 
> I have done the walk from Poughkeepsie to the elevator before and it is accessible. You have to go out through the parking garage attached to the station and can go down N Water Street or around through Waryas Park the long way, either way is accessible I believe. One elevator platform->station and another station->ground level. Then it is about a third of a mile with a small bridge over a creek if you go through the park. There is an attendant in the elevator. The walkway is really nice but bring a jacket and maybe skip the hat, as it can get quite windy 212 feet from the water in a river valley. Have fun! You can check the elevator status at Walkway Hours & Amenities or the hotline at 845-834-3641 but be careful, as the elevator is only open 9 AM-90 minutes before the park closes (don't ask me why) which due to the winter approaching is around 5-6 PM, so that means 3:30!  It drops with the sunset times by 15 minutes each week except for November 7th, which is an hour?
> 
> Anyway, hope you can make it up there, as the views are fantastic.


November is when the clocks get moved by an hour...


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