June 5, 2014:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I decided I was going to have breakfast at the Tick Tock diner for old time’s sake. I headed out. It was raining so I ran to the subway station. I rode a train one stop north and walked to the Tick Tock Diner for breakfast. After breakfast, I returned to my hostel and finished packing.

 

            I then checked out of my hostel and got my $10 damage deposit back. I then left and took the subway to Penn Station. I checked the lost and found and determined that the hat I lost last year was not there.

 

            I then checked my suitcase to Syracuse as I didn’t want to be pulling it around all day. I bought lunch before I looked for, but couldn’t find a stop to board the Jump service.

 

            I then boarded an “A” line subway train to Hoyt-Schermerhorn Street station. I left the station and walked a couple blocks. I was looking for an Orion 5. I saw one and photographed it. Unfortunately, it took off before I could ride it.

 

 

            I stuck around to see if any more Orion 5s would show up. I saw a couple in the distance, but they didn’t come to where I was standing.

 

            The handle on my bag partially broke. I could still use it, but this was a new bag on its first trip!

 

            I photographed a few RTS’s and some C40LFs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I was near a subway station and it was almost time to head back to Penn Station. I boarded a “B” line train and rode over the Hudson River on a bridge where I got off at W 4 street station. I then transferred to the “C” line. I saw a train with the old R32s and photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            I rode the train to 34^th Street and got off and photographed the train again.

 

 

            I then filmed the train pulling out. I then walked to the exit to Penn Station at the other end of the platform. While I was walking, an “E” line train arrived and departed. Just as I got to the end, the next “C” line train arrived. It consisted of newer cars. I photographed the train before I left the station.

 

 

            I then headed to Penn Station and waited to board train #49. While I was waiting, a kid charged his iPhone with my laptop. A few minutes later, I saw a pigeon in the Amtrak departure lounge. I photographed it.

 

 

            I bought a donut from a Krispy Kreme donut store in the station. I ate it while I lined up to board train #49.

 

            When I boarded #49, I was seated in Amfleet 2 coach #25038. I got a window seat on the left hand side of the train. The train departed 2 minutes late.

 

            An Amtrak employee took dinner reservations. I chose to have the first seating at 5:00 pm. The train stopped at Croton-Harmon. I went to the dining car for dinner. We had a Temoinsa refurbished diner on the train. While I was in the diner, Amtrak train #48 passed, but I was unable to film it.

 

            I returned to my seat until we arrived at Albany. I worked on this report some more.

 

            The train stopped at Albany. I photographed the train as well as the New York bound Adirondack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            P32AC-DM #700 which had led the train to Albany was uncoupled and moved to another track. #700 was the last P32AC-DM to wear the Phase 3 livery.

 

 

 

 

            Meanwhile, the Boston section of the Lakeshore Limited backed up and coupled to the New York section. I photographed the Boston section.

 

 

            I filmed the Boston section coupling up to the New York section to the best of my ability since unlike previous trips, I was unable to go up to the front of the New York section because the train stopped sooner than pervious trips. After the Boston Section was coupled up, I got back into my coach. HEP was soon restored but the train left 13 minutes late. As we passed the maintenance yard in Albany, I filmed it. I saw Amtrak’s great dome was still in the yard.

 

            Amtrak train #64 passed, but I was unable to film it. The train stopped in Schenectady. Just before we got to the station, I saw the Wendy’s I tried to eat at on the first day of my trip. I just hadn’t walked far enough.

 

            We departed Schenectady. A little while later, we passed through Amsterdam non stop.

 

            The sun went down. The train stopped at Utica. At Utica, I photographed the steam locomotive on display at the station decorated with Christmas lights.

 

 

            The train departed Utica. I worked on this report some more. We passed non stop through Rome.

 

            A little while later, we were approaching Syracuse. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off. Train #49 arrived into Syracuse 34 minutes late. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

 

            The train made a double spot. I had to wait for my suitcase. It eventually came. I watched #49 depart for Rochester and points west. I got my suitcase and took a taxi to my hotel. I had booked my hotel on hotwire.com which doesn’t reveal the hotel until after I book. I was staying at a Baymont Inn in the Eastern part of the city.

 

            I got to my hotel and checked in. I went to my room and phoned home. I then went outside to find a bus stop which was across the street from the hotel. I went back in and worked on this report some more. I eventually set my alarm and called it a night.

 

June 6, 2014:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went to the lobby for breakfast. After breakfast, I returned to my room and worked on this report for a few minutes. I finished packing and checked out of my hotel. I walked across the street and waited for the bus. The bus came several minutes later.

 

            The bus was a long winding route but I eventually got to downtown Syracuse. I had to transfer to another bus, but I got to the Amtrak station just before 11:30 am. Plenty of time before the Maple Leaf was scheduled to depart, but enabled me to see the eastbound Lake Shore Limited as well. I went onto the platform. I saw a westbound CSX freight pass with six locomotives. The first two were from Canadian Pacific. I photographed the train.

 

 

 

 

 

            An Amtrak employee came and we ended up having a nice talk. Another CSX freight passed. I photographed it.

 

 

 

            Amtrak train #48 had stopped west of the station to allow the freight to pass. Once it passed, it pulled into the station. I filmed the train pulling in and photographed the train.

 

 

            Syracuse is a crew change point. After the new crew got on, I filmed the train making a double spot. I took some more photos.

 

 

 

            Train #48 soon departed, I filmed it pulling out and took one last photo.

 

 

            I then went back into the station and bought lunch at a Subway restaurant in the station. I then returned to the platform. I photographed a westbound CSX intermodel.

 

 

 

            While the intermodel was passing on the middle track, another westbound CSX freight passed on the far track but I couldn’t photograph it.

 

            Amtrak train #63 arrived into Syracuse 20 minutes late. I filmed the train pulling in.

 

 

            I saw the train was led by P42 #103 which I’ve ridden behind many on previous trips. I was seated in Amfleet 2 coach #25116. I noticed the coach in front was #25007; the coach I rode on the Lake Shore Limited on my Three Rivers trip and on the Maple Leaf on my Arizona trip. When I last rode on #25007, it was in the Phase 4 livery and was unrefurbished. Since then, it has been painted in the Phase 4b livery and refurbished. We soon departed.

 

            I filmed the railway equipment at the fair grounds west of the station and photographed four Centro Orion 7 buses at the fair grounds.

 

 

            I tried to work on my report, but my laptop wasn’t working. I wouldn’t be able to get at my report until I was home.

 

            I went to the café car for some snacks. We passed some of the westbound freights I had photographed at Syracuse.

 

            The train stopped at Rochester. West of Rochester, we passed Amtrak train #64. As we passed, I was able to film part of it.

 

            I returned to my coach seat. The train stopped at Buffalo Depew and Buffalo Exchange Street stations. I was given a form to fill out for Customs. I filled it out.

 

            The train stopped at Niagara Falls New York. This was a smoke stop which I used to photograph the train.

 

 

 

            I then got back on the train and we departed. We crossed into Canada. Like previous trips, we were made to get off the train in Niagara Falls and go through Customs in the station. My suitcase was put through the x-ray machine and some agents opened it up, but soon finished and I left the customs area. I photographed the train once I was clear of customs and officially back in Canada.

 

 

            I then went back to the station and to wait for the okay to get back on the train. We didn’t start boarding until after the train’s 5:45 pm departure time. I was once again seated in Amfleet 2 coach #25116. The train departed about 20 minutes late.

 

            The bridge over the Welland Canal was down. We stopped in St. Catherines. After we left St. Catherines, I went to the café car for dinner. We passed through Grimsby.

 

            A little while later, we passed through Hamilton before we stopped at Aldershot. We stopped at Oakville a few minutes later. At Oakville, I filmed VIA train #79 as we pulled into the station. We departed Oakville soon after.

 

            As we passed VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Center, I filmed the equipment in the yard. We were soon nearing Toronto. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off.

 

            The Maple Leaf arrived into Toronto 18 minutes late. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

            I then photographed a trackmobile doing maintenance/renovation work at Union station.

 

 

            I then went downstairs and phoned home. I then got on the subway and rode to Finch where I met my dad. We then headed home. My sister was home and she was able to go online and figure out how to fix my laptop.

 

Conclusions:

 

            “Streamliners at Spencer” was a very fun event and I’m glad I went. It was unique to be able to fly in a helicopter and see 28 streamline locomotives in one place.

 

            New York was fun though I’m still disappointed that Kingda-Ka was closed. I am resolving to go back hopefully in late September or early October. I will make sure the ride is open though this time.

 

            As for me, my next trip is in less than three weeks. It will be my BIGGEST TRIP EVER! Until next time…

 

Click to go back to home page.