National Train Day 2013!

[pennyk]

Things are being set up in WAS. As of 10 minutes ago, I did not see any lines.

 

[jacorbett70]

Now on my way to WAS. Not by boat. Due 10:18 AM.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacorbett70/8728825526/

 

[Guest]

On the Acela now heading for WAS. Just left PHL and we are right on time for arrival at 10:52 AM.

BTW, exhibits open up at 11 AM. See everyone near the info desk/CA soon.

 

[CHamilton]

Bad news for those of us in the northwest: The rumor is now that the new Talgos will not be in PDX today. They're apparently at the SEA maintenance base, but an agreement to pay for the move to PDX couldn't be reached. Grr.

PDX will still feature ORHS equipment, including the SP&S 700, plus a bunch of private varnish, which I saw last night as I arrived. Well-known train artist Craig Thorpe will also be there -- I had a nice chat with him on the train from SEA yesterday.

 

[Ispolkom]

I went down to Minneapolis Junction this morning to see the Friends of 261 excursion train ready to depart for Duluth. The most striking part of the consist was the line of four full-length dome cars on the back: ex-Milwaukee Road Super Dome, ex-Santa Fe Sky View and Summit View, and ex-Great Northern Prairie View, followed by the Sky Top observation car Cedar Rapids.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I made it to NTD in WAS after all. Couldn't miss meeting up with my AU friends.

 

[roadman3313]

Went to SAC. Mr. Boardman (and company) were walking around the California State Railroad museum chatting with people and he was introducing himself. Outside were a Superliner Coach/Cafe, California Cafe, and California Cab Car. Museum was open with free admission as well. Lots of kids and lots of fun for all!

 

[pennyk]

Acela150 and I are still in the the CA at WAS celebrating NTD. He is leaving on 66 and I am leaving on 97. I enjoyed seeing everyone - even my sister had a nice time. She is on the Metro back to Maryland.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It was great seeing everyone, except the Florida Princess who wouldn't let me in! j/k

And it's great having friends in "high places". Thanks Alan for letting me be your guest in the CA.

 

[Acela150]

Well the party is over here in DC. Our PennyK has headed off for the Meteor and I'm waiting on 66. I found out that 2253 has 5 FC seats left for BOS-PHL. So I'm hoping one stays open for another 4 hours. If not I'll switch trains and get a FC seat. Need that 750! It was great seeing familiar faces and some new ones! Happy NTD!

 

[pennyk]

Well the party is over here in DC. Our PennyK has headed off for the Meteor and I'm waiting on 66. I found out that 2253 has 5 FC seats left for BOS-PHL. So I'm hoping one stays open for another 4 hours. If not I'll switch trains and get a FC seat. Need that 750! It was great seeing familiar faces and some new ones! Happy NTD!

It was good to see everyone. I am on 97 and we are now in Virginia. I was looking forward to my 8pm dinner until I heard that 97's "new" menu is 98's "old" menu. I am happy that I stocked up on pretzels in the CA.

 

[Acela150]

You know those pretzels will only last so long Penny..

 

[AmtrakBlue]

No wonder there weren't any pretzels ...

 

[saxman]

I ended up manning the Amtrak table in FTW. Quite a turnout and Amtrak even let people look inside a P-42. I didn't even get to see it as the line was long and it was hard to get away from the table. BNSF also parked one of their brand new, still smells new, GE locomotive that rolled off the line just a few days ago. It was pretty nice looking.

 

[dlagrua]

Arrived back at MET at 6:15 PM and am now home. My phone GPS showed the Acela traveling at 125-135 MPH much of the way. NTD WAS, was a nice event to attend but the highlight of the day was touring the private varnish with all the great folks in the AU group. IIRC,we had people there who came from PA,NY,NJ,DE,DC,VA,MD and FL. Its a refreshing change to talk to other rail aficionados, as when I mention rail travel to my friends they have no idea that LD trains even exist or what I am talking about. So much for the ill informed-LOL.

 

[Peter L. Reid]

Arrived in LA at 6.40am from the Antipodes and after customs and security, I lodged my bags at my motel, and walked down to Union Station.

Had a great day, met some really nice and interesting people, and loaded myself up with fridge magnets and newsletters and brochures etc etc. The wait to see the older rolling stock and steam train was over an hour, so I availed myself along

With many others, a backdoor excursion. This meant not being able to go inside the cars, but afforded me some good exterior film. A wait in Aline for over an hour after water, tea and coffee is not a good idea at my age.

I think National Train Day is a grand idea. I wish we had something like it.

Tomorrow morning it's the Coast Starlight, and all points north.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Went to SAC. Mr. Boardman (and company) were walking around the California State Railroad museum chatting with people and he was introducing himself. Outside were a Superliner Coach/Cafe, California Cafe, and California Cab Car. Museum was open with free admission as well. Lots of kids and lots of fun for all!

I was there, too. We walked over to the museum and train display area during the 1 hour layover between the bus from ORV and the Cap Corridor to SUI. I was close to the "Beech Grove" car when Joe exited it. I walked up to him and said, "Mr. Boardman, would you please autograph my ticket?" He was happy to, and used the back of one of his friends as a desk.
There were some nice exhibits there and I got some good pictures. Unfortunately, I don't know how to post them here, so you'll just have to take my word for it that they are great, and I'm a 34 year old supermodel--tall, slim, tan, wrinkle-free. (Note to my Facebook friends who have seen pictures, shut up!)

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Steve, they have all sizes for the Solari Board t-shirt available on the store website.

http://store.amtrak.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=17728&pid=116517

Kirk, the "leaf" is their way of promoting being environmentally green.

http://store.amtrak.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=5549&pid=57551

 

[Ziv]

Hour long line in WAS, wrapped 2/3's of the way to the McD's on the far side of Union Station. Then there was a 30 minute (?) line for FDR's Marco Polo car, so I hightailed it to the Silver Chalet which has funky carpeting on the walls and a converted baggage car that is now a party car. The Chalet has a mini dome which was off limits but looked kind of cool. Norfolk Southern had some outstanding historic cars there, too. The Acela rides were booked solid by the time I got there which was disappointing, but I didn't get there until 1pm, had to work in the morning, so I wasn't too surprised by that.

 

[AlanB]

And it's great having friends in "high places". Thanks Alan for letting me be your guest in the CA.

You're most welcome!

Did you board from the lounge or go out to the main gate?

 

[AlanB]

The Acela rides were booked solid by the time I got there which was disappointing, but I didn't get there until 1pm, had to work in the morning, so I wasn't too surprised by that.

Yeah, I think that was one of the most successful parts and new additions to the event. It gave so many people who would not otherwise have a chance to ride Acela or consider it normally a chance to ride one. And at speeds up to 135 MPH!

This is something that Amtrak needs to both repeat in WAS and start doing in PHL for NTD. And maybe even add a few more runs, at least on the DC end of things. I think that all day until they sold out, the line to buy those tickets was longer than the line for the exhibits, or at least comparable in length. And the line for the tickets was much longer at 10:30 AM than the line for the exhibits was, more than double at that point when we were all meeting up outside the Club Acela.

 

[greg1956a]

This is the first NTD I was at and enjoyed it a lot Im from Philadelphia so I went to this event.I went through the trains. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have the supplerliner trains but instead they had viewliner instead my question is are the rooms on the viewliner that s'm 'll on supplerliner or a little bigger any he'll would be appreciated thanks

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Alan, I boarded from the CA. John made sure I went out the right door (plus there were a few people in the CA boarding the same train).

I went by the front desk a couple of times and nobody was there. So I sat in one of the chairs facing the departures screen.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

No Superliners in PHL due to tunnel restrictions to the north & south.

I would say the rooms are about the same size on both cars.

I rode in a Superliner roomette 1-1/2 years ago and was actually surprised how small they looked when I walked thru one in WAS yesterday.

 

[Acela150]

Steve, they have all sizes for the Solari Board t-shirt available on the store website.http://store.amtrak.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=17728&pid=116517]http://store.amtrak.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=17728&pid=116517[/url]

Kirk, the "leaf" is their way of promoting being environmentally green.

http://store.amtrak.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=5549&pid=57551]http://store.amtrak.com/ProductDetail.aspx?did=5549&pid=57551[/url]

Thanks Betty!!
Kirk just remember that's an evil leaf. :lol:

I should add that I asked in the CA in DC how many FCC seats were open on 2253. At 8pm there were 5. At 1115pm there was 4. I grabbed one. The rest sold out overnight. I'm currently on 2253 home to Philly.