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» RAILforum » Passenger Trains » Amtrak » Keystone Service and New York Questions

   
Author Topic: Keystone Service and New York Questions
palmland
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Next week we will be having a family gathering in New York. One of my sons and his new bride will be taking the 8:00 am train into NYP from Harrisburg and this will be her first train ride!

I know Keystone service trains do not have a cafe or business class (other than Pennsylvanian), but what is the seating arrangement in the coaches. I assume the train changes direction in 30th St. station so do the cars have seats facing in both direction? Any recommendations on the 'best side'? Is there a coffee/snack place in the Harrisburg station? And finally, does NYP have lockers to stow extra stuff while seeing the sights? Any recommendation for a good full service restaurant for lunch? A friend recommended Barrymore's on 45th between 8th and Broadway. Cocktails in the Oyster Bar are planned for late afternoon.

We'll be taking NJT in from Morristown with our other son and familly. Thanks for the suggestions.

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Gilbert B Norman
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Mr. Palmland, while I cannot 'rave" about Bryant Park Grill's food, I will rave about the view of this compact park surrounded by Midtown Manhattan and the Library (possilby of interest to Miss Mary?). It is also a walk from Penn and a walk over to GCT and the Oyster Bar.

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/bryant-park-grill

Propaganda (enjoyable if you like Frank Sinatra):

http://www.arkrestaurants.com/bryant_park.html

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sojourner
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Penn Station does not have lockers to my knowledge; instead it has a luggage checking area with someone checking the luggage in and out. Last time I used it they charged $4.50 a bag, might be up to $5 now. Just make sure it will be open when you return; I don't know the hours (but likely it's open pretty late). Location is near the Amtrak ticketing area--as you face the ticket windows, it is along the wall to the left (near the corner of 8th Av & W31st, though a better place to enter the station now is the new NJ Transit entrance at 7th & 31st, which has an elevator as well as an escalator).

If anyone is staying over, you can also leave luggage with the concierge at your hotel.

Keystone trains are like Empire Service and Regionals in their configuration, pretty much (sorry I don't know better details about this, but someone else will). There is no food service on Keystones. There should be a place at one end of the car for luggage so you don't have to use the overhead rack (unless you want to keep your luggage closer to your seat). The train does ride "backward" after 30th St, but probably your son and d-i-l will be able to change seats. On leaving Philaelphia they should try to sit on the right facing forward for best views of the boathouses in Philadelphia and the NY skyline, although when the cross the river before Trenton they should go to the left to see the bridge that says Trenton makes, the world takes.

I'm afraid I don't recall whether Harrisburg train station has a snack bar, but you can phone Amtrak and ask an agent; they should have that info. I was there only once.

I cannot offhand recommend a place a family gathering in NYC. I usually eat in someplace faster and cheaper and prefer Indian or some other ethnic food. I have had decent Brazilian in Little Brazil (near theater district) but not for a few years. However, while I love Bryant Park the park (especially its nicely kept free toilets), and there is usually something interesting going on there (ice skating this time of year, I think), I have had brunch in the restaurant there called Bryant Park that Mr Norman recommends and found it a bit of a ripoff myself! It was also mobbed with tourists, as that whole Midtown neighborhood is esp this time of year--so be sure to get a reservation wherever you go. But it is very pleasantly situated, as Mr Norman says--Bryant Park (6th Av aka Ave of the Americas from W 40th-42nd, with the restaurant kind of halfway between 5th & 6th Av) is right behind the main branch of the NY Public Library (5th Av btw W 40th and W 42nd), pretty close to the Grand Central (and on the way there from Penn Station if you are walking--you can walk past Macys windows first and then up 5th to see Lord & Taylor, which I heard were nicer this year--but again, watch crowds! also, could be cold).

The NY Public Library currently has a pretty fascinating (to me anyway) exhibit called Mapping New York's Coast, or something like that--and it's free. It relates to it being the 400th anniversary of Hudson's voyage up the river that bears his name.

In Grand Central Station (where the Oyster Bar also is), there is another place very interesting for drinks, also overpriced but a really neat part of the station with interesting history, called the Campbell Apartments. Ask for the hitorical handout. There is also a light show on the ceiling of the main part of the Grand Central this time of year. The oyster chowder in the Oyster bar used to be good (other food, not so good, I'm told, but I haven't eaten there in years myself). Be sure if you go there to check out the whispering area outside (ask the seater who works in the restaurant to show you, if there are no tourists doing it when you get there).

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Ocala Mike
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I guess Bryant Park has come a long way since the 60's, 70's, and 80's, when it belonged exclusively to druggies and assorted other sociopaths. Nice to see things change in NYC for the better.
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palmland
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Thanks for the good advice, Sojourner and GBN. It'll be interesting to get a report from our new family member who is a non train rider. I have heard of the Campbell Apartments and that sounds like it might be a worthy alternative to the somewhat frantic Oyster Bar on a weekday afternoon.

Also the library may well merit a stop. I suspect they might have something that will amuse a five year old for a while while we check out the exhibit as I am 'into' maps and Mary loves the place.

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20th Century
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Of course there is Rockefekker Center to visit. Lionel Trains opened a temporary store there. Also for the little girls in the family there is the American Girl Store. And of course crowds everywhere, especially at this time of year. Which I am sure you expect.
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20th Century
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p.s. Sorry for the misspelling (type-o) of Rockefeller Center!
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Gilbert B Norman
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If it is still there, a visit to Model Railroad Equipment Corp @ 23 W 45th St is well worth a modeler's time.

Nothing fancy; just trains.

Here's more regarding the Mapping New York's Shoreline exhibit at the Library

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Henry Kisor
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I liked that "Rockefekker Center." I'm always mistyping my name one letter to the left on the keyboard.

Gwbet

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graynt
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There is a news stand in the Harrisburg station that sells soft drinks,candy and stuff like that. Across from the station there is a small diner and you are only a few blocks from Harrisburgs downtown mall, Strawberry Square.

I am always amazed that East of Harrisburg toward Philly there are twelve or more trains a day. West of Harrisburg toward Pittsburgh there is only one train..the Pennsylvanian. It would really be nice to get additional service.

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Gilbert B Norman
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Gents, the topic here is advice for Mr. and Mrs. Palmland when they have a meet up with their family in New York next week. Shall we address the matter Mr. Graynt notes regarding possible need of additional "West Penn' service over here?
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MetSox
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Model Railroad Equipment Corp. is now the Red Caboose but is still in the same location, in the basement. In addition to trains, the have a large selection of railroad books. It's quite cluttered but well worth a vsist, especially if your looking for something to read on the return trip.

The loackers were removed from Penn Station in the 80s. They were on the lower level but it was virtually impossible to get one because they were monopolised by the homeless.

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sojourner
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Sorry I didn't get back here earlier--and also sorry for all MY typos in my post.

The lockers were removed in Penn Station not just because of the homeless but I think as part of a policy in NYC in the aftermath of that La Guardia bombing (by Serbian or Croatian terrorists as I recall?), where some sort of suitcase bomb was in a locker.

Bryant Park was a famous major park cleanup in NYC. It had gotten so bad it was known as Needle Park (as in "Panic in Needle Park") because of the druggies who hung out there! Given its central location in the heart of tourist NYC, it was an unbelievable waste to have it in that awful state and was one of the first places NYC cleaned up.

I believe NYC for several years now has had the lowest crime rate of any large city.

Palmland, hope to hear about your trip, and hope you enjoy the NY Public Library exhibit. I think a grandkid might actually like it; there were younger kids enjoying some of its features (like a map on the floor) when I was there. There were also some cute items for kids (probably overpriced, I didn't check the prices) in the nearby library gift shop. I'm sorry if this post comes to you too late to make a difference in your trip, but it sort of got lost for me!

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Gilbert B Norman
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Yes indeed Ms. Sojourner, New York has come a long way from the Beame and Dinkins days:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/untergeek/17881729

Now in the Bloomberg days, we read as you inferred:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/nyregion/29murder.html

As I've noted here, I "may or may not' have been a NY City resident 1962-63.

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palmland
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My wife and I are very glad to be back to not so warm SC today. We had a great time but we did have a few set backs.

Our 5 year old granddaughter had a stomach bug, then her parents, then me. But you have to expect that with kids and it was over in 24 hours. It did scrub our planned get together in NYC with both sons. We did make it there to meet the newlyweds and hear of their train ride from Harrisburg.

Their train ride was uneventful, which is a good thing with Amtrak. On time, equipment worked, and they will likely do it again on one of his future visit to the new in-laws. Thanks to all for your advice, it was a help.

New York was so crowded the week after Christmas, but it was fun to negotiate the masses and the weather was not bad - mid-40's and no rain/snow (next day in NJ it was 13 degrees when we went out in the evening). NJ transit did its usual good job for us (although my son says all the commuters do a good deal of Amtrak bashing with all the recent NYP power related delays.)

The highlights were a visit to Union Square and the very enjoyable Max Brenner's. Hot chocolate never tasted so good. A Q line express subway ride took us to 57th st where we saw the sights (Rockefeller Center - someone was proposing to much applause, as we arrived the ice rink - a quick stop at the Plaza hotel) and then to an excellent lunch at the Red Eye Grill. We then went to the NY Library for a look at the excellent exhibit recommended by Sojourner. That is such a great building - a look a its fabulous reading room makes you want to grab a book and start reading. Then it was off to Grand Central Terminal to show the new bride what a railroad station should be. We recovered from our efforts by having drinks in the Campbell Apartments in GCT, also recommended by Sojourner. It turns out that is the favorite place for our NJ son to stop with friends after work as it is around the corner from his office. You could almost hear them announcing the 20th Century Ltd. Talk about a great atmosphere.

After the newlyweds departed for Penn Station, my wife and I enjoyed a light dinner in the Oyster Bar before heading back to NJ.

One other item I wanted to mention. On the way up we stopped for the night in Baltimore as I wanted to try a new hotel. The former B&O HQ office building (built 1906) is now the very nice Hotel Monaco. Since I had an office in the building at one time, it was very strange to be staying there. The restaurant, B&O Brasserie-complete with the Linking 13 Great States logo, was very good for breakfast. They had commissioned a video that played on the large HD screen - clips of railroad scenes from old movies. While I didn't care for the very modern decor, they did a good job restoring and highlighting the architectural features of the hotel. Dan Willard would have been pleased. Fortunately the post Christmas period is a slow one, so the rates then were affordable.

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sojourner
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So glad you enjoyed your trip, Palmland, including the NY Public Library exhibit and the Campbell Apartments. I have taken the (free) tours of the NY Public Library building, the reading room and also the periodical room are on the tour and particularly spectacular. And btw, if you are ever in NYC on a Wednesday, you may want to take the excellent tour of Grand Central Terminal, which last time I checked used to start at 11:30. It too is free, though a contribution to the architectural society that gives it is expected. You could check with the info people in the main area of grand central (the tourist info people, not the train info people) to find out if and when the tours are still on. There is another tour on Fridays that starts across the street, but I found it not as good.

Those bugs are often a problem when traveling--good thing it only lasted a day for each person. Sometimes I think the change in environment, incuding water (or ice made from it), is to blame. Not that the water is bad, just different bacteria in one's stomach.

And thanks for the hotel rec in Baltimore; it is a city I plan to visit soon, and even if I cannot afford to stay there (I am likely to go more "in season," in the spring or early summer), I will definitely stop in for breakfast.

I am leaving shortly for my own train trip south--however warm FL may be, it has to be warmer than HERE!!!

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sojourner
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Just wanted to let you all know that I am shortly going to be heading out on a train trip to sunny (I hope) Florida and may not be able to get on line again until I return, so I wanted to wish everyone a very happy 2010 . . . good health, good weather, good travel, and may all your trains be comfortable and on time!
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MDRR
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Sojourner- Have a safe and enjoyable trip. Look forward to the report upon your return.
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sojourner
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Thanks. I meant to put this is a new strand! sorry about that!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

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