National Train Day 2013!

[dlagrua]

The info has been posted .http://www.nationaltrainday.com/ Events will occur on the East Coast only at PHL and New York Grand Central Station on Saturday May 11th. . There is no NTD at WAS this year. PHL will have the same events and train exhibits as it did in 2011 and 2012. Grand Central seems different, much larger and more interesting. Since PHL has been the same for the last two years, my preference is for attending NTD at GCT. It will require a short subway trip from NYP but that only adds about 15 minutes to the trip.. Hope that the group meets there in 2013. What say you everyone?.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Since WAS isnt having anything for NTD along with some of the AU Gang meeting up in PHL the last 2 years for NTD( and the last Gathering was in PHL )I would think that GCT ,with it's 100th Anniversary Year Continuing, would be a Great Place to Meet up!

(of course it will probably be a Zoo but WAS had that problem the year some of us met up there for NTD!)

New York Hotels are Expensive so perhaps Alan has enough Couch Space for all the Non-Locals to Crash @ his Place! :giggle:

 

[dlagrua]

Since WAS isnt having anything for NTD along with some of the AU Gang meeting up in PHL the last 2 years for NTD( and the last Gathering was in PHL )I would think that GCT ,with it's 100th Anniversary Year Continuing, would be a Great Place to Meet up! (of course it will probably be a Zoo but WAS had that problem the year some of us met up there for NTD!)

New York Hotels are Expensive so perhaps Alan has enough Couch Space for all the Non-Locals to Crash @ his Place! :giggle:

I agree Jim that GCT seems like the best place. If they allow AGR members to go to the front of the lines the waits shouldn't be too bad but I haven't read anything about this yet. As for lodging, NYC, like Chicago, has very high lodging rates, When I go to the major cities I bid for a room on Priceline.com. We are going to Chicago in June and are paying $125 a night at a very upscale 4* hotel on the Magnificent Mile North Michiagn Ave district. . If you desire a better hotel rate and don't mind giving up some amenities try bidding on a 2 or 3 star hotel. Try looking on the upper east or west side or downtown away from the touristy midtown area. There are subways all over the city that can take you right to GCT. Hotwire also has some good deals and since business is slow in Feb and Mar the hotels are very likelty to offer advance payment rates at a far lower prices to generate revenue..

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi:Thanks! Good get in Chicago, I too use the Travel Sights since when you are Retired you have to watch the Pennies and the Dollars! I was Kidding Alan since he lives in Queens! :giggle:

 

[the_traveler]

I was Kidding Alan since he lives in Queens! :giggle:

Heard that Alan has a BIG fold out couch in his mansion, and Queens is only a short subway ride from NYG!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I only see 2012's info on the NTD website.

I read on their FB page a while back that they would be at WAS and not at GCT.

 

[Shanghai]

I did Chicago last year and WAS the year before. It will likely be crowded no matter

where we go. I'm leaning towards WAS.

 

[pennyk]

I am assuming that NTD will be in WAS this year. NYG will not work for me without having to spend the night in very expensive New York City. If it is not in WAS, then I will go to Plan B (and change or cancel my reservations to WAS).

 

[jis]

Yes there will be NTD festivities in WAS this year and that is where at least I will be. I will do GCT the following day.

What you see on the NTD web site is for 2012. This year is 2013!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

In WAS do they normally have a Superliner coach & sleeper for NTD?

 

[dlagrua]

Yes there will be NTD festivities in WAS this year and that is where at least I will be. I will do GCT the following day.
What you see on the NTD web site is for 2012. This year is 2013!

The home page says 2013 but you are correct other pages say 2012. At this point I guess we don't know what locations will be used and what will be there. Are you certain that WAS will be used? It would be nice to know what will be there.

 

[City of Miami]

I plan to be in NYC the whole weekend, arriving Fri evening and departing Monday morning. I have made reservations for accommodations. I haven't bought my Amtrak tickets and I probably should go ahead on.

I look forward to meeting new AU members as well as greeting those met at the TX mini-gathering last year. It was a lot of fun and I remember it well.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I am needing a New York fix. But not only for trains, I have other things in mind also.

But of course I want to get together with the group also.

One thing I might do is arrive NYC Friday afternoon, do GCT Saturday with a group if there is one. I probably would not go back to GCT the next day.

Another possibility is go to WAS or PHILLY on Saturday wherever the most people gol Then, after that is over on Saturday. go to NYC. I probably will not go to GCT since I will be doing other things.

Hope to hear how this stacks ups so I can make reservations.

I might be able to hit GCT Sunday but no until later in the afternoon.

 

[benjibear]

The quick lines were not for just having AGR. You needed to have a Chase AGR credit card.

 

[Railroad Bill]

FYI, There will be a NTD celebration at the B&O museum in Baltimore this year. Information from the website.

National Train Day at the B&O
Saturday, May 11
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Celebrate National Train Day at the birthplace of American railroading! Visitor enjoy programming highlighting the B&O Railroad's contributions to railroading and guided tours of its one-of-a-kind collection, including equipment rarely open for public like the #908 Office Car, the MARC #1 observation car, and the cab of the diesel locomotive PM #11 SW-1 switcher. Visitors who present an Amtrak ticket stub on this day will receive free admission.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you're on Facebook, go to National Train Day's FB page and look in the Jan postings. One or more of the comments tell where the major locations will be. PHL & WAS are two of them & I'm pretty sure NYP & GCT are NOT listed.

 

[jis]

GCT is a MNRR organized full weekend bash, not directly connected with NTD, but on the same weekend.

 

[saxman]

Anyone thinking about Chicago or LAX? I did Chicago and PHL previous years.

 

[CHamilton]

Anyone thinking about Chicago or LAX? I did Chicago and PHL previous years.

I haven't been able to find much information about west coast events, but apparently there will be one in PDX. LAX would be fun too.

 

[Acela150]

After looking at the NTD website I noticed that the events posted are for 2012's NTD. Just throwing that out there.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The 2013 site is now up ... but still a lot of "more to come, check back later" statements.

Here are the BIG events:

Events Results

4 results

• 
  Los Angeles, CA
  Union StationSaturday May 11th - 11:00 AM
  
  More info
  
• 
  Washington, DC
  Union StationSaturday May 11th - 11:00 AM
  
  More info
  
• 
  Chicago, IL
  Union StationSaturday May 11th - 11:00 AM
  
  More info
  
• 
  Philadelphia, PA
  30th Street StationSaturday May 11th - 11:00 AM
  

 

[pennyk]

The 2013 site is now up ... but still a lot of "more to come, check back later" statements.

Here are the BIG events:

Events Results

4 results

• 
  Los Angeles, CAUnion Station
  
  Saturday May 11th - 11:00 AM
  
  More info
  
• 
  Washington, DCUnion Station
  
  Saturday May 11th - 11:00 AM
  
  More info
  
• 
  Chicago, ILUnion Station
  
  Saturday May 11th - 11:00 AM
  
  More info
  
• 
  Philadelphia, PA30th Street Station
  
  Saturday May 11th - 11:00 AM
  

Thanks for the info. I plan to go to WAS and have my train reservations already.

 

[the_traveler]

The rest of us will go to ORL then! :giggle:

 

[Acela150]

The rest of us will go to ORL then! :giggle:

Count me in! :lol: :giggle:

 

[pennyk]

The rest of us will go to ORL then! :giggle:

I get no respect!!! :wacko: I am not sure they are aware of NTD in ORL - I was in ORL on NTD two years ago - on my way to WAS (as you recall, Dave, I ran into you and Jim in WAS, the day after NTD). I wished the ticket agent a "Happy National Train Day" and he looked at me as if I was from Mars (but then again I get those kind of looks fairly often). h34r: