Passenger Trains > Taking PV to New York

I'll be leaving L.A, Ca. on May 5th for New York with LA Rail on the Pacific Sands. The LA Rail is taking 4 cars, the Pacific Sands, Salisbury Beach, Overland Trail and the Tioga Pass. We're going for the 100 year anniversary of the Grand Central Terminal. If any one is going there with LA Rail let me know who you are. If you're going to New York to see GCT, stop by the cars and say Hi. I hope there's a lot of PV cars there to see. This is my first trip to New York, if you know any good pizza places near the GCT and the names of any good New York Beers, that info would be put to good use. Thanks and see lot of you there. Jim

I will be right behind you all the way, Jimbokat, on TIOGA PASS.

Norm

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Joining with you in Chicago. Will be looking for hotel bargains tomorrow as we no longer can stay on the cars while in the city. Suggestions as to which internet bargain site to use?? Hotwire, priceline, travelocity, etc.

I assume these cars will be on the Lake Shore out of Chicago? Does anyone know how all the PV cars are getting to Grand Central. Will Amtrak accumulate them in Rensselaer, NY and run a special to Grand Central?

John

The Hampton Inn two blocks from Grand Central had rooms for $217 a night, which was the best we found uptown. Hotel Pennsylvania across from Penn Station has rooms for $179 held under LARail's name. Don't know anything about this hotel. Does anyone?

How we get to Grand Central is up in the air, but we will either cut off at Albany and run as a special from there, or go to Penn Station on the Lateshore, then to Sunnyside, then special with all 16 private cars to GCT late Thursday nite.

Still some room left on the return trip, even NYC to Washington, or New Orleans to LAX.


TIOGA PASS

I'll be coming back to sit with you.

aronco Wrote:
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> The Hampton Inn two blocks from Grand Central had
> rooms for $217 a night, which was the best we
> found uptown. Hotel Pennsylvania across from Penn
> Station has rooms for $179 held under LARail's
> name. Don't know anything about this hotel. Does
> anyone?
>
> How we get to Grand Central is up in the air, but
> we will either cut off at Albany and run as a
> special from there, or go to Penn Station on the
> Lateshore, then to Sunnyside, then special with
> all 16 private cars to GCT late Thursday nite.
>
> Still some room left on the return trip, even NYC
> to Washington, or New Orleans to LAX.
>
>
> TIOGA PASS


I'd advise NOT staying at the Hotel Pennsylvania in NYC......Check some of the reviews on the hotel!

Have you considered the Grand Hyatt? It's right at GCT, and, many remodelings ago, it was the NYC's Commodore Hotel. Got a great internet rate last time I stayed there, and it's the premiere location for doing the tourist stuff in Manhattan on foot and via subway. If you are spending all the money to go to the GCT celebration in a first class manner, then I suggest booking a first-class room right at the scene of all the activity.

I will be on the Tioga Pass. Don't forget the taxes. There is a 14.75% per room per night tax and a 3.50 per room per night secondary tax.
Dennis

I've ridden in both Overland Trail and Pacific Sands: both are great cars to be in. Attached is Overland Trail from the Grand Canyon Limited trip last May. Enjoy yourself you will (in Yoda-speak).

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I'd highly recommend the Waldorf Astoria. The spur to it is still in GCT.

The other recommendation I would give anyone going to NYC for the first time is to bring plenty of money. It's very expensive--even the so-called budget places.
Get day passes for transit use.
Bring good walking shoes.
Buy your Statue of Liberty tickets in advance, on-line, to avoid ticket lines.
Buy one of the small laminated folding maps of Manhattan. Study the streets and the subway lines.
Easy place to get around once you've looked at a map.

If you are riding your private car cross country, you will NOT want to stay at the Hotel Pennsylvania. For a budget minded traveler looking for just a place to sleep, it may be considered for convenience and the great location. Hard to beleive they get $179 a night for that, but of course, the nicer hotels are much more expensive.

Be sure to visit the famous Oyster Bar restaurant at GCT and John's Pizza on West 44th St across from the Majestic Theater.
Check out Central Park and maybe the Subway Museum.

Hal

Coupla things:

1) Why can't passengers stay in PV's any more? Is this something new? Is it Amtrak-wide, or just certain locations?

2) Keep in mind that a lot the "touristy" areas are still closed due to Hurricane Sandy (for example, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island). If you have your heart set on something, check beforehand because a friend just got back from NYC three days ago and found lots and lots of things closed.

calzephyr48 Wrote:
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> I'd highly recommend the Waldorf Astoria. The
> spur to it is still in GCT.


Ah, let's just park there for the duration of our trip! Nice and easy. :)

If you don't mind a little bit of a commute try the W Hotel in Hoboken or the Westin in Jersey City. Both can be reached via NY Waterways Ferry which has a free shuttle bus from their dock at 39th Street and GCT.

I will be at Grand Central Terminal both days as we (Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society) will have a booth. Stop by if you want to stock up on real EL coffee or reproductions of Pullman soap for your trip home.

Tim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/13 14:24 by njmidland.

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coaststarlight99 Wrote:
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> Coupla things:
>
> 1) Why can't passengers stay in PV's any more? Is
> this something new? Is it Amtrak-wide, or just
> certain locations?
>
>
Not to worry, Metro-North security rules - just for Grand Central which is not Amtrak. I just came off of the LA Rail's "Southern Comfort" - slept on cars in stations at New Orleans, Washington, Miami and Chicago.