posted
This was my second trip on the Dome Car, and this time I persuaded my husband to join me. We had a lovely ride both ways, with excellent weather. The Dome Car is put on (and removed) in Albany; on the day we left, not only was the electric engine out of NYP removed but also the first car, which had been put on to accommodate a slew of Albany-bound passengers out of NYP. The train was over 1/2 hour late getting into Albany BTW, apparently because of trackwork further south and perhaps also because of the big crowd getting off in Albany.
We were allowed into the Dome Car once our tickets were collected--in fact, since we were in the second car, we were able to go into the Dome Car even before we crossed the bridge over the Hudson! We had a nice view of downtown Albany, including the gorgeous D&H Building, on the left, and continued along to Schenectady, where one could see such things as the GE Plant on the left and Union College domes on the right. We made the scenic crossing of the Mohawk and, this time of year with foliage turning, even the usually ho-hum greenery between Schenectady and Saratoga was very attractive. Unfortunately, you do not see anything of the village of Saratoga Springs from the train, but you do of course see the new station. Quite a few people got off in Saratoga. I went back to check out the lounge, which is fairly simple on the Adirondack, but seemed nice enough, with some new "regional specialties" offered--subs and Brooklyn lager. (The region was NYC, apparently, not Montreal).
From around Fort Edward on, the trip is pretty gorgeous. Approaching Fort Edward, there is a lovely water view of the Upper Hudson etc; interestingly, we could also see some of the GE dredging. From Fort Edward, the Upper Hudson and canal gradually gives way to the Drowned Land and Lake Champlain proper--all simply gorgeous, but this time of year the vistas on the left are very lovely too. We continued on up the lake, very very beautiful. Saw Ticonderoga--my husband brought along a good book on the French & Indian War to read, although given the vistas, he did not read it! We were still running late, I think a good 45 minutes--I was glad I had opted not to take the Port Kent ferry since we would have missed the 3 o'clockish one, and this time of year the next isn't until after 6, when it starts getting dark! (I will do that another time, in summer, when there is a ferry in between.)
Along the lake there are places where the view on the left side is only of a rockface, which is why it is so important to sit on the right if there is no Dome Car; but the nice thing about the Dome Car is that you can see well on either side, so though we still sat lakeside, we could also see the foliage on the Adirondacks when the rockface disappeared. And of course, the Dome Car is higher than the single-level Amtrak trains.
Despite slow going and over an hour at the border crossing, the schedule must be padded, because we arrived in Montreal only 10 minutes late! That is important because in Montreal one needs time for eating! We stayed 2 full days after that before returning on the Dome Car, so we had plenty of scrumptious eating in there!!! We also visiting the fine little Archeological Museum in the old quarter, walked around the Plateau and Outremont, visited the Jean Talon Market (this is my favorite of all the markets; AND we bought a maple syrup pie to take home!), took the Metro a lot . . . and at some more.
Our trip down was equally nice--in fact, the weather was even better. The Dome Car was busier, but we were seated in the first car of the train and so could access it very early and thus got great seats. We could not get into it until after we crossed the St Lawrence, since we had to wait for our ticket to be taken, but we then went right in. We were on time until the border and then ran about 45 minutes late through the Adirondacks, but the schedule is heavily padded south of Saratoga, so we made up all the time and in fact were even a little early into Albany! U.S. Customs on the southbound trip made 2 passes, one to check up on us, and one to do a food inspection, which has not happened before.
The trip was really excellent, and not very expensive. My one complaint would be that at times some of the bathrooms seem a tad on the odiferous side . . . and there is no business class (but that would be more expensive, of course!) Perhaps a greater testament to the success of the trip was that my husband enjoyed it too. It's a LONG ride, and he is not the big train lover I am, but he still liked it enormously. The only complain he made was at the border crossing, both ways--it's always very tedious, and it took about 1-1/2 hours each time (this was when he read his book!)--and BTW, you have to leave the Dome Car and return to your seat both ways when you are at the border crossing.
One thing I noticed on the northbound trip were a handful of "day trippers"--out of Albany I think--who apparently bought round trips, I'm not sure to where (Ticonderoga?) but had the conductor tell them where they had to get off to meet the southbound train--in this case, as we were running late, it was Port Henry. Of course, they didn't get to see the whole lake--didn't even get to see Ticonderoga--but they still saw plenty of gorgeous stuff.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks for the report, Sojourner. I enjoyed reading it. I will be up there in less than a week, though not taking the Adirondack. I will fly into ALB, bus to Amtrak and take the next Empire Service to Hudson. A few days later I will go on to Woodstock for a visit and then pick up Amtrak at Rhinecliff and go on to NYP and change for Boston for another couple of days. I tried to fit in the westbound Lakeshore Ltd through MA in the daylight, but it didn't work out. I tried out many options for this trip before settling on this itinerary. I investigated Newburgh aiport too late - I think it might be a better choice than Albany or Newark - it has a shuttle that connects to Empire Service and Metronorth.
Two autumns ago I made the Adirondack-Port Henry-Burlington-Vermonter loop from NYP and enjoyed it immensely.
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll take the train! Posts: 230 | From: Ithaca, New York | Registered: May 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
I rode the dome last year, on a Saturday. I boarded at Albany, and we were directed to sit in the last car on the train as the first two coaches (the cars they normally use for north of Albany passengers) were completely full. You cannot board the dome direct in Albany and you must wait for the conductor to lift your tickets. Some of my fellow passengers, also on board specifically to ride the dome, were worried they wouldn't get a seat. It was not an issue, in fact at most the dome was 3/4 full during the entire ride.
I detrained at Plattsburgh, and a great money saving option is to ride Greyhound back to Albany. The bus left around 6:45, made one stop in Saratoga and took me right back to Albany. It arrived around 11:00. I'm not a fan of buses, but the ride was comfortable and the fellow passengers were fine. The ticket cost around ther same as the train and it avoids the cost of spending a night in Plattburgh. I'd do it again if my wife would let me!! This does a require a cab ride from the Amtrak station in Plattsburgh to the bus station (a little place buried into a strip mall in the outskirts of town), and again from the Albany bus station back to the train station (so much for intermodalism!!!)
Posts: 38 | From: Highland, NY, USA | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
City of Miami, Am not sure about going to Newburgh--but going to Albany, you will see more of the river! Hudson has an attractive station, and Rhinebeck's is very nicely situated, with excellent views of the Hudson River. If you get to Rhinecliff early, you may want to walk around the hamlet, it's safe and very quaint. Be sure to sit on the right side facing forward when you head south on the Empire Service--and bring a hat with a brim if you are traveling in the afternoon, to keep the sun to the west out of your eyes. For NYP to Boston, the right side is also best--if you think it will be busy, tip a redcap at NYP to put you on the train early.
Enjoy your trip! And if for some reason you taxi instead of bus from Albany airport, make sure to get a quoted price beforehand, if possible from someone of authority inside the airport--or the driver may overcharge you.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks for the interesting report, Sojourner. Montreal is a unique city and I was glad to hear about the market you mentioned. We'll have to try it. One of my earliest memories of a family trip was to Montreal. Somewhere we have a picture of a very small boy (I guess I was maybe age 5 or 6) holding the 'tail of a pig' in a fancy restaurant with that name (in French).
Wouldn't it be nice if Amtrak used a couple of those CCC cars in this service on a year round basis. If it was modified to be more like a PPP, it would make a great business class/lounge/dining car for the trip north of Albany.
I do wonder why border procedures can't be as easy as it is on the Vancouver Cascade.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by City of Miami: I investigated Newburgh aiport too late - I think it might be a better choice than Albany or Newark - it has a shuttle that connects to Empire Service and Metronorth.
Mr. Miami, since it appears you "relo' about every three years and since you recognize that air transportation is part of life as does everyone else other than for some "refuse to fly' fringe (I know one of such in this life), KSWF, Stewart International Airport, is a convenient place for anyone traveling to the "Mid-Hudson' region such as Dutchess County.
I first flew in there during 1967 when I was in service and Stewart was an Air Force base on a C-130 from KDOV arriving midnight - no flightseeing on that one. Return also at about midnight on a C-141. Of course, military aircraft hardly guarantee you a window seat.
I used it again Sep 2001 on "our last weekend of normalcy' for a KORD-KSWF and return flight. It was quite convenient for my Father's interment at Tuxedo Park. As I recall, "Hertz put me in the Driver's Seat' within ten minutes after landing.
Somehow, I don't think the array of puddle jumpers that are likely operated out of there (maybe that is about to change) nowadays need worry about having enough runway; 9-27 is 11817ft; B-52's were based there once upon a time.
So much for airliners.net; but a final thought, Stewart is now under control of the Port Authority NYNJ, and 'there's talk' of HSR to Manhattan.
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
First, Mr. Norman, there's been talk about using Stewart Field as an alternate NYC airport for more than 40 years. Not in my lifetime, I think.
Second, Sojourner, thanks for the nice story. I rode the dome to Montreal last fall, had a lovely trip except for the long delay at Cantic, QC for customs. When I first rode the D&H "Montreal Limited" in 1969, the customs inspectors got on at Lacolle QC and rode into Montreal. No delay at all. Shame we seem to have forgotten how to do that.
I returned to the US by taking VIA first to Ottawa and then to Toronto, trips my notes describe as "alarmingly fast", with a lot of single track north of Brockville and many grade crossings, all at 100 MPH or so (good ride quality, though). I then flew home from Toronto, waiting in a LONG line to clear US Customs (which was decorated, embarrasingly enough, with a large model of the Statue of Liberty). I tried to pretend I was a Canadian while I waited!
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Gil, I took my Air Force physical at Stewart AFB in January or February of 1964; passed it but couldn't qualify for pilot (flunked the vision test). After I got in the USAF, my first assignment after Communications Officer training was to Richards-Gebaur AFB south of Kansas City, MO. Hopped into Stewart from there on a C-118 in December, 1965 just before I got married. That was the one and only time I can say I "flew" a plane as the flight crew let me have at the controls for a few minutes over Illinois.
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
