July 3, 2011:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I walked to a nearby Burger King for breakfast. After, I returned to my motel because I had left my cell phone in the room. I got my cell phone and worked on this report some more. I then headed out. I went to the Braintree station and got on a Red line train to Park Street and transferred to the Green Line to North Station. I was going to the Science Museum again. I had to transfer to a shuttle bus to Science Park. I boarded a D40LF.

 

            I got to Science Park and paid my admission. The first place I went to was the robots exhibit where I once again used that programmable Roomba to knock down a tower! I made a few programs and answered a survey by someone at the museum. I took some photos of the exhibit and other exhibits.

 

 

 

 

            I then went to a weather exhibit and took a couple photos.

 

 

 

            Next, I photographed various displays at the space exhibit.

 

 

 

 

                        I then took part in an interactive exhibit where you could make sailboats and race them. I made one and raced it, and modified it, but I never won. I then photographed some more exhibits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then decided to head out and check out the gift shop. I photographed one more exhibit before I went to the gift shop.

 

 

            I looked in the gift shop for a few minutes, but didn't buy anything. I then caught a bus back to North Station I photographed the bus before I got on the Orange Line.

 

 

            I rode the Orange line to State Street and rode the Blue line to Suffolk Downs. As we passed the yard, I filmed it. I then took some pictures of the train I rode before I caught another Blue Line train back to the Airport Station. I filmed that train pulling out. I then caught a shuttle bus to Terminal C and photographed it.

 

 

            I then boarded Neoplan dual-mode bus #1126 on the Silver Line after photographing it.

 

 

 

            I rode 1126 back to South Station. At one point, we passed it sister bus #1122. I decided that after lunch I would ride 1122. When I got to South Shore, I photographed 1126 and filmed it pulling away.

 

 

            I bought lunch at South Station then went back to the Silver Line. I saw 1122 had arrived in the other direction, but since South Station is the end of the Silver Line, I figured it would be back soon. It was the third dual-mode trolley to come. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            I rode to the World Trade Centre stop and photographed 1122 before I filmed it pulling away.

 

 

            I then rode bus 1104 back to South Station and photographed it.

 

 

            Next I rode the Red line to Ashmont. At Ashmont, PCC 3238 was already there. I photographed it without incident and got on.

 

 

            I rode 3238 to Mattapan and took some more photos of 3234 and filmed it going around the loop.

 

 

 

 

            I waited for the next car to show up. While I was waiting, I photographed the other PCCs in the yard.

 

 

 

            PCC 3254 showed up. That was the car I had trouble photographing two days earlier. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

 

            I rode 3254 to Ashmont and photographed it at the vantage point I had used to put some distance between me and the employee who gave me trouble for trying to photograph 3254.

 

 

            I then caught a route 22 bus to Jackson Square on the Orange line. At Jackson Square, I rode an Orange line train to Forest Hills which is the end of the line. Once the car I was in emptied, I took some interior shots before I got off and took some photos.

 

 

 

            I then got on the front car and rode the train to Back Bay. I filmed the train leaving. I went by where in 2008; I filmed a Northeast Regional train to see if I could film any passing trains. I filmed a MBTA commuter train and a couple Orange Line trains, but no Amtrak trains came through while I was there.

 

            I left and bought dinner and some cereal at a 7-11 that was across the street from where I had stayed in 2008. I chose not to stay there this time because I found my room to be hot and a bit noisy when I opened the window to cool off.

 

            I then caught a Silver Line bus to the Park Street stop and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I then rode the Green line to Boylston since it was being led by a Type 7 car still in its as delivered livery. I photographed the car and filmed it pulling out of Boylston.

 

 

 

            I then bought some milk from a donut store nearby. I then went back to Boylston and photographed type 5 #5734 and PCC 3295.

 

 

 

 

 

            I then caught a Green line train back to Park Street and photographed a sign that explained the story behind MBTA's mascot Charlie.

 

 

            I then went to catch a Red line train back to Braintree. When my train arrived, I saw it was a train of older cars. I photographed the train when it arrived.

 

 

            My car emptied out a few stops before Braintree. I decided to take some interior shots of the car just in case they were retired by the next time I visited Boston.

 

            At Braintree, the train went out of service. The woman who drove the train thought I was a passenger waiting to get on and she pointed me to a train on the opposite platform track! I told her I had come in on the train. I then took some pictures of the train.

 

 

 

            I then walked back to my hotel. I worked on my report some more and watched some TV. I watched a special on CNN about the upcoming space shuttle launch of Atlantis which will be the last space shuttle launch ever! Back when I was in Chicago on my Cardinal dome trip, my friend Karl said he was going to try to see a previous shuttle launch, but that launch ended up being delayed for at least a month afterwards.

 

            I then headed out to a donut store to buy a bottle of milk, but it was closed, so I walked to the convenience store I bought my breakfast two days earlier and bought it there. I then walked back to my hotel and worked on this report some more. I then asked for a wake-up call at 8:30 am and called it a night.

 

July 4, 2011:

 

            I got my wake-up call at 8:30 and got dressed. I went to the donut store and bought a bottle of milk. I took it back to my motel and used it on the cereal I bought the night before. After breakfast, I finished packing up and checked out of my hotel.

 

            I walked to the Braintree station for the last time. I had just missed a train, but I had plenty of time before the Lakeshore Limited departed. I decided to do a “farewell to Boston” ride by riding the red, orange, blue, and green lines before heading to South Station.

 

            I rode a red line train to Downtown Crossing and filmed it departing. I then went to the Orange line and waited for an Oak Grove bound train. When it arrived, I photographed it.

 

 

            I noticed the driver looked at me weird. I got on the train and rode to State Street. The driver said I needed a permit. I told him that tourists didn't. He said they did. I told him I had seen signs saying I didn't. The idiot driver said there was no such thing as signs in station, even though I had photographed one of the signs! I filmed his train pulling out anyway.

 

            I then transferred to the Blue line and rode two stops to Bowdoin. I chose to ride there because Bowdoin isn't open on weekends and the MBTA was running on a Saturday schedule owing that July 4^th is a holiday in the U.S. However, Bowdoin was being used that day and I took some pictures once I got off.

 

 

 

            I saw the outbound platform wasn't lengthened for six car trains and I boarded the third car. I rode to Government Centre and ran to the end of the platform and filmed the train leaving.

 

            I then transferred to the Green line and rode to Park Street. At Park Street, I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

            I then filmed the train leaving as well as another train right behind it. I then transferred back to the Red line and rode a train to South Station. I filmed the train leaving and photographed a dual-mode bus on the Silver Line before I went to South Station.

 

 

            By the time I got to South Station, I still had 65 minutes before the Lakeshore departed. I was feeling thirsty, so I bought an Icee. I also photographed an Acela Express train and a Regional awaiting its 11:40 am departure to Washington DC.

 

 

 

            I saw the equipment that would be my train was now sitting on track 10. I photographed it.

 

 

            While I was waiting, I logged onto the internet though a Wi-Fi network. I also worked on this report for a few more minutes.

 

            Soon, it was time to board the train. I took some pictures before I boarded.

 

 

            I was seated in Amfleet 2 coach #25116; the coach I rode in on train 448. I saw he had the same coaches as my trip down. The train left on time. Shortly after we left, I saw a subway yard for the red line.

 

            I plugged in my laptop and worked on this trip report some more. The train stopped at Back Bay station. After we left, we passed a CSX intermodal with five locomotives.

 

            A little while later, I went to the cafe car for lunch. I noticed that sleeping car passengers got a sit down lunch at the back of the diner-lite car, but coach passengers had to just buy lunch from the snack bar! That's a bit unfair that we didn't pay for a room, we should still be able to have a sit down lunch too; even if we have to pay for it.

 

            After lunch, I went back to my seat and worked on this report some more. The train stopped at Framingham, but left seconds later so it looked like no one wanted to get on the train from there today!

 

            We passed the yard with the business car and caboose that I had seen on the way into Boston, but was unable to film it.

 

            The train stopped at Worcester. This time, there were people getting on. After we departed, I saw the P&W railroad yard and saw coaches for the railway's business train, but I was unable to film it.

 

            We passed a CSX Ballast train in a yard as we continued to head west. A little while later, we stopped at Springfield. Springfield was a smoke stop. I used it to photograph the train.

 

 

 

 

            I got back on the train through the first coach which was #25040. I remember that on my 2008 Boston trip, that coach was on the Maple Leaf I rode from Toronto to Syracuse and its door came partially open on two occasions! However, 25040 was not on the train heading into Boston, but the sleeping car ahead was, so they must have replaced the coach in front of 25116 with 25040.

 

            The train departed Springfield. I filmed an Amtrak shuttle train that consisted of P42 108, an Amfleet 1 coach, and a cab car that was a former Metroliner MU. We passed a CSX yard and I photographed a CSX flanger.  I then worked on this report some more and got caught up. I decided to watch Unstoppable on DVD.

 

            We passed an old coaling tower some point later. We were passed by an eastbound CSX autorack train. We passed an old caboose on a siding. I went to the cafe car for something to drink. The person in the seat behind me was watching a DVD and I could hear it since she wasn't wearing headphones.

 

            When I ride a train, if I'm in coach, I wear headphones when I listen to music or watch a DVD to not disturb the other passengers in the coach. It's just considerate.

 

            At one point, we passed a CSX local. A few minutes later, we stopped at Pittsfield. We departed a few minutes later. We were running pretty much on time. By now, the person in the seat behind me had stopped watching their DVD.

 

            The train crossed into New York State. A little while later, we passed through a tunnel.

 

            I went to the cafe car and noticed the door at the back was open. I took a picture of it with the electronic sign reading “Exit this end.” The conductor called it the “bad guy exit”.

 

 

Watch that first step!

 

            The train then entered a siding to wait for train 448 to pass. When it did pass, I filmed it. The train then reversed onto the main line and soon, we were underway again. The track felt rough and the ride was a bit bumpy.

 

            We were soon approaching Albany. We would be there until 7:05 pm. The New York section of the Lakeshore Limited hadn't arrived yet. I stepped out and took some photos.

 

 

 

 

            Another passenger asked where we were and what was happening. I told him we were in Albany, New York and we were waiting for the New York section. I kept wandering to the ends of the platform taking pictures. At one point, I saw a westbound train which I though would have been the New York section, but it was train 291 for Rutland. I photographed it and filmed it pulling it and photographed its rear car.

 

 

 

            Meanwhile, Amtrak P32AC-DM #705 with an Amfleet 1 coach was moved to the south side of the station. I photographed it.

 

 

            Train 291 departed at 6:00 pm. Shortly after it left, train 449 moved out of the station in preparation for train 49's arrival. After if left the station, I wandered to the back, but halfway there, they made an announcement that I had to go into the station building. I did so. No one said anything to me.

 

            Meanwhile, the New York bound Adirondack had pulling in behind P42 #69. 69 was cut off and 705 and its single Amfleet 1 coach were coupled up. I heard the Adirondack was sold out.

 

            Soon, the New York section arrived. I photographed it before I filmed it pulling in.

 

 

            I saw 449 was being led by P32AC-DM #709 which had led my Maple Leaf on my Arizona trip. After 49 had stopped, I took some more photos.

 

 

 

            I saw passengers from the New York section were gathering on the platform and others were going into the station. I decided to head down to the platform. I was able to walk to the end of the first coach in the New York section where I saw some passengers smoking. I then took some photos.

 

 

 

            I watched at 709 was uncoupled from the train and filmed it pulling away. I took some more photos as the Boston section was moved back until it was one coach length from the New York section.

 

 

 

 

            I then filmed the Boston section being coupled up to the New York section. It was like my Washington-Lancaster trip last year. Once the Boston section was coupled to the New York section, I took some more photos before I got back into my coach seat.

 

 

 

 

            Once back on the train, I pulled out my laptop and worked on this trip report some more. When power was restored, I plugged it in to charge the battery.

 

            The now combined Lakeshore Limited departed on time. However, we stopped a minute later and the HEP went out. The HEP was restored several seconds later. We started moving eight minutes later. As we passed the Albany maintenance yard, I filmed it. We stopped again by the yard. I could see inside Amtrak P40 #822 which as been painted in the Phase 3 livery. 822 is also assigned to the Amtrak 40^th Anniversary train like F40 #406. When the train started moving again, I caught a glimpse of some of the display cars in the train.  I took a so-so shot of 822 while we were stopped.

 

 

I also saw a baggage car past the shops. I then photographed the train as it went around the corner past the yard.

 

 

            We crossed over a river. I started to get ready to get off in Schenectady. As I was getting suitcase down, Amtrak train 64 passed so I was unable to film it.

 

            The Lakeshore Limited arrived into Schenectady three minutes late. I got off and took some photos of the Lakeshore as well as train 296 which was in the station waiting for us to arrive.

 

 

 

 

 

            The train departed and did a double spot. I took some more photos and filmed it pulling away.

 

 

 

 

            I then rode the incredibly slow elevator down. It was because of this elevator that my friend Bill missed the Maple Leaf in 2009. I noticed a sign that said, “Elevator is slow, please be patient”.

 

            I walked to a Wendy's for dinner then walked to my hotel. As I walked past, I saw Amtrak train 288 as it departed Schenectady. I was staying at the Days Inn I stayed at on my 2008 Boston trip. I checked in and asked if there were any fireworks displays nearby. I heard maybe. I phoned home once I got to my room. I watched TV and worked on this report some more.

 

            After awhile, I headed out and photographed the ex Great Northern Alco near my hotel.

 

 

 

            I then went out and watched some fireworks for awhile. I headed back to my hotel and I attempted to ask for a wake up call at 8:00 am but no one answered the phone in the lobby! I set my phone's alarm. A little while later, I called it a night.

 

July 5, 2011:

 

            I got up at 8:00 am and got dressed. I went down to the lobby for breakfast. Afterwards. I went out and took some more photos of that Great Northern RS3.

 

 

 

 

            I then went back to my room and finished packing. I then checked out of my hotel. I walked to State Street and caught a bus on route 905 to the Amtrak station. Route 905 is part of CDTA's limited stop bus network called Busplus which is similar to VIVA back home and Zum in Brampton. I took a picture of a Busplus bus going the other way before my bus came.

 

 

            I rode the bus to the Amtrak station and photographed it.

 

 

            I then went into the station. I had an hour before the Maple Leaf would leave so I could have slept a little longer. I caught the incredibly slow elevator up to the platform and filmed Amtrak train 280 arrive and I photographed it.

 

 

 

 

            I filmed train 280 depart and went downstairs and worked on this report some more. I noticed one of the wheels on my suitcase was cracked. Fortunately, it wasn't as bad as when the wheel broke when I left for my 2009 trip on the Chaleur.

 

            Shortly after 10:00 am, they made an announcement that train 290 was running 12 minutes late and train 63 was four minutes late. I took the incredibly slow elevator up to the platform. A little while later, I heard an announcement that train 63 was 1-2 minutes out. I heard a train whistle.

 

            Train 63 arrived a couple minutes early. As it arrived, I filmed it. I saw the train was being led by P40 #837.

 

 

            I was seated in Amfleet 1 coach #82658. The train was quite full, so I sat next to a woman who was going to Utica. The train departed 7 minutes late because the crew was copying train orders and the train couldn't move while they were doing so.

 

            I went to the cafe car and worked on this trip report some more.  The train stopped at Amsterdam.  I bought some chips. I then returned to my coach seat. I switched places with my seatmate since she was getting off at the next stop.

 

            I tried to listen to my Ipod, though the headphones were being finicky. I have other ones at home which is almost nine hours away. The train stopped at Utica. As we approached, I filmed the equipment from the Adirondack Scenic Railroad. I some people inside the coaches and figured that they were from the train.

 

            After we left, I saw NYS&W F45 #3636 with some components missing as well as a detrucked RDC-1. However they were on the opposite side of the train so I was unable to film them.

 

            I decided to walk the train. I saw there were some people in Amfleet 2 coach #25122 ahead of me who were getting off in Syracuse.

 

            I went to the cafe car. The train stopped in Rome. Amtrak train 286 passed, but I was only able to film the last car. I then bought lunch and then I went back to my seat. Outside of Syracuse, we moved onto a track with a 30 MPH limit. A couple CSX freights passed. Outside of the station, we stopped to let Amtrak train 48 pass. As it passed, I filmed it.

 

            The train then started moving again and stopped in Syracuse. I moved to the coach ahead for some more legroom. Once I found a seat, I started working on this report some more. 

 

            The train departed Syracuse. As we passed the fairgrounds, I was hoping to film the old equipment I missed on the Maple Leaf into Syracuse. Unfortunately, my view was blocked by a string of tank cars.

 

            We passed a few CSX freight trains. The cafe closed so the attendant could go on break.  I decided to watch Unstoppable again.

 

            We stopped briefly for a slow moving freight ahead of us and were soon underway. 15 miles from Rochester, we stopped because of a work zone that reduces the double track main line to a single track. Meanwhile, a mother seated across from me decided to change her baby's diaper in the seat across from me instead of in the washroom! Fortunately, I didn't see anything disgusting, but it did remind me of my 2006 trip to Timmins when something similar happened on the Canadian.

 

            We briefly started moving again, but stopped. The cafe car reopened. A reefer unit train passed led by two Union Pacific locomotives.

 

            I headed to the cafe car. As I made my way there, the train started moving again. I bought a bag of pretzels and a milk and took them back to my seat. After several minutes, we stopped again.

 

            We had stopped to let train 64 pass us. As it passed, I filmed it. I noticed it had the same equipment that I had ridden on the day I left Toronto.

 

            We passed a couple freight trains as we finally stopped in Rochester. Quite a few people got off at Rochester before we departed.

 

            We picked up speed after we left Rochester. We passed a CSX intermodal. We then passed a CSX freight with five locomotives.

 

            I was given a form to fill out for customs. I filled it out. It took a little while because the vibrations from the train made it a bit difficult to write. However, I was able to complete it.

 

            We passed a stopped freight train as we stopped at Buffalo Depew station. Several people got off my car. A few more people boarded my coach. We then departed Buffalo Depew. Across from me was a passenger who was talking pretty loudly on his cell phone. The conductor asked him to quiet down a bit.

 

            The cafe car closed. The train stopped at Buffalo Exchange Street.  We departed several minutes later. We passed a long line of cars on the highway heading for the Peace Bridge. I saw the Alco switcher again, but I didn't have my camera out. We then passed behind a NFTA bus garage and I saw some retired buses.

 

            The train started to slow down due to a speed restriction. We soon picked up speed again. I watched as a plane landed at an airfield near the line.

 

            We passed a strip mine on the outskirts of Niagara Falls, New York. We passed the scrap yard with some old school buses being cut up for scrap.

 

            We hit some rough track as we passed the yard near the Niagara Falls, New York station.

 

            We then stopped at Niagara Falls, New York. This was a short smoke stop. I stepped off and took a couple photos of the train.

 

 

 

            I then got back on the train. The train soon departed. I pulled out my passport in preparation for the train to cross into Canada.

 

            We crossed the river and stopped at Niagara Falls, Ontario. Just like my Washington-Lancaster trip last year, customs made everyone get off the train and we were processed in the station. While waiting in line, I looked out the window and saw Niagara Falls Transit Classic #8937 which is the only Classic to have been painted in the new Niagara Falls Transit livery. The Toronto Transportation Society hopes to charter 8937 in August.

 

            When I was processed, the inspection was okay. I went outside and was told to walk out to the front of the station and wait in the lobby. I saw that 8937 was no longer in a position to be photographed. I then went inside the station.

 

            There were a lot of people gathered in the station. I wondered if it was at capacity since it wasn't easy to move around. We were allowed back on board around 6:05 pm. I took some photos before I got on.

 

 

 

            I was now seated in Amfleet 2 coach #25056. I also noticed that the front coach was now closed off. The HEP went out for a few seconds. The train, now known as VIA train 98 departed 39 minutes late, but stopped. The train started moving again four minutes later.

 

            As we passed the CN yard just past the station, I saw that there were only three freight cars in it! Most of the tracks were empty. There was a detrucked boxcar sitting at 90 degrees to the line in addition to the three freight cars. Some tracks were overgrown with weeds.

 

            I still remember when it had lots of cars stored there. That was as late as last year.

 

            My ticket was taken just past the yard. A woman neglected to take one of her bags when she got off the train for customs. She was in the front car which is now closed off. The conductor told her that was why she had to take it, but would take her back in a little while.

 

            We were travelling slowly, but soon picked up speed.

 

            The train began to slow down and stop. This was because the drawbridge over the Welland Canal was up forcing us to wait. The cafe car reopened. I went there for dinner.

 

            Several minutes later, the bridge closed and we proceeded. The train stopped at St. Catherines. Shortly after we left, VIA train 95 passed. I was able to film part of it.

 

            The conductor announced that we were expected into Toronto at 9:10 pm. I briefly went to the cafe car. We passed by a Niagara regional police department station and saw the flags were flying at half-mast.

 

            The train slowed as we passed Grimsby but didn't stop. I guess no one wanted on or off there. I phoned home and let my mom know my train was late. This happened shortly after train 98's scheduled arrival into Toronto.

 

            A passenger seated near me had a ringtone which was a woman singing “somebody's crazy” that kept going off. Maybe that somebody was someone who had to listen to the singer singing “somebody's crazy” over and over again! This is why VIA asks that cell phoned be placed on the vibration mode.

 

            We passed by the siding with the CN caboose I mentioned when I went to Niagara Falls.

 

            As we passed through a railway crossing on the outskirts of Hamilton, I saw an old car waiting at the crossing. As we passed by the Wentworth garage, I saw a Classic that had been converted into some sort of command vehicle. We passed the former CN/GO/VIA station in downtown Hamilton and a Southern Ontario Railway freight. We then passed through the CN/SOR yard.

 

            We passed by Burlington Bay and it reminded me of the last time I rode HSR 518203 which was on a Toronto Transportation Society charter. At one point, we took 518203 and sister bus 518206 over the lift bridge. 518206 was later scrapped. At least 518203 is preserved at Seashore.

 

            We passed a CN autorack train. A few minutes later, we stopped at Aldershot. The stop was quick and we were soon moving again.

 

            At one point, I felt the train rapidly slow down. However, we soon picked up speed again.  We passed by the Oakville Transit garage and then were passed by a westbound GO train. We then stopped at Oakville. As we stopped, there was an eastbound GO train on the track next to us that left as we stopped.

 

            After several minutes, we departed Oakville. The train started slowing down. We passed a few pieces of CN maintenance equipment. We soon picked up speed again. However, we slowed down again. We were in a speed restricted area. However, we soon left the area and picked up speed.

 

            We caught up to the GO train I saw at Oakville. We passed it.

 

            We passed GO's Long Branch station. As we passed VIA's Toronto Maintenance Centre, I filmed it. I saw some RDCs and LRC 6917 as well as the Northlander. In the GO yard, I saw a line of retired F59PH's. We were about 10 minutes from Toronto Union station. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off.

 

            A couple minutes later, we passed the Canadian which was deadheading to Union station. I noticed there was a HEP 2 coach deadheading for use on the Skeena out west.

 

            The Maple Leaf arrived into Toronto 80 minutes late. I got off and took some photos.

 

 

            I then went downstairs and phoned home. I got on the subway and rode to Finch. I couldn’t help but mimic the subway announcements from Boston, but with TTC terms!

 

            The subway train filled up. At Finch, I got off and met my mom and headed home.

 

Conclusions:

 

            Aside from the two problems I had taking pictures, my trip was excellent. However, it turns out I didn’t get a video of that Orange line train pulling out of State station.

 

            Seashore was a blast and I had at least as much fun as I did last time. I may go again for their Transit day which is held in late October. However it won’t be until next year earliest. It was nice to see HSR 518203 and Edmonton 125 again.

 

            Despite the retirement of the Hawker equipment on the Blue line, Boston is still amazing. I hope to get there a third time.

 

            As for me, my next trip will be in just over a week when I head to Sudbury and North Bay for some bus charters. Until next time…

 

Click to go home.