Railfanning Amtrak IN New York City

I see that my attempt at sarcasm has failed miserably, and for that I apologize. But for those of you playing along at home who want to know where you all went wrong, I'll explain: njt/mnrrbuff asked if Inwood is safe - in the middle of the day, no less. Since the rest of you know that NYC is obviously safe - you've all said as much in your replies to me - hopefully you now understand why I was shocked into using sarcasm. I also tried to clue you into the fact that I was being sarcastic by pointing out that I live in the Bronx, but for some reason the idea of it being ridiculous that a Bronx resident thinks NYC is unsafe never caught on. And that's disregarding the fact that my transit blog and railfan photo gallery (with over 15,000 photos taken in the NYC subway in the last 9 years [with expensive cameras hanging around my neck]) make it pretty clear I'm not afraid of the subway or the city.

Apology accepted. If you recall the movie "Casablanca," there's a scene where a Nazi officer asked Rick Blair (Humphrey Bogart) whether he could imagine the Germans in New York. Blair's reply is timeless: "Well there are certain sections of New York, Major, that I wouldn't advise you to try to invade.
'

LI Loco wrote:Apology accepted. If you recall the movie "Casablanca," there's a scene where a Nazi officer asked Rick Blair (Humphrey Bogart) whether he could imagine the Germans in New York. Blair's reply is timeless: "Well there are certain sections of New York, Major, that I wouldn't advise you to try to invade.
'

LOL!!! Unfortunately I've never watched that movie (at least not all the way through in one sitting). I know, a crime, so I'll try to get to it at some point.

Great; Messrs. Loco and Terrapin are cool again!

As a "native' myself but transplanted to Chicago, I know enough people for whom "New York is so unsafe...I'm never going there'. Even if unfounded, reputations are hard to live down - NY has indeed come a long way from those "Drop Dead" dark age 70's of Koch and Dinkins.

I'll gladly walk at any time of day or night along Fifth Ave from The Library to, say, The Carlyle, but I do know I'm not about do do a similar walk in any other Borough. For example, last month, I went to a family wedding in Brooklyn at which the ceremony was at Fulton Ferry Park and the reception at a restaurant as good as under the Manhattan Bridge (wonder why the area is called DUMBO?). Sure, I knew where I was (scenes of Johnny Sack and Tony Soprano were filmed there when they had nighttime meetings to prevent all out war between the two families), but darned if I could have found my way out of there (Subways, I really only know my way around on the IRT) and when I saw the DeeJay setting up shop and considering that both my Nephews have been "rockers' along the way (nowadays: one an attorney the other a "Mad Man"), I knew I was not going to be long for that world of aural rape. Fortunately, the livery car driver knew how to find Grand Central - and treated me to a first in this life - a ride over the Brooklyn Bridge.

All told, I think there is perfect foundation for anyone asking about the security of any area in New York; Mr. Buff is obviously not as familiar as is Mr. Terrapin, but both gentlemen are more familiar than am I - and I was a resident of the area 1946-70 (I may have actually been a resident of NY City 1962-63, but that's "grey").

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:I'm back. Tomorrow, I plan to do some photography along the Westside Line, just below the GWB. Are the photo angles good there, and how's the lighting. I would come to the spot via subway; A train. How safe is the neighborhood, in terms of walking to the park, from the closest A stop?

What did you see?
What are the photo angles like?
Any good places?
I'm planning to visit soon and this could save me some hiking. Thanks.

I didn't go anywhere. Some stuff came up.

Terrapin Station wrote:I see that my attempt at sarcasm has failed miserably, and for that I apologize.

All I can say is, there is a reason that those smilies are provided. Make generous use of appropriate ones to avoid such confusions about sarcasm

Jishnu wrote:

Terrapin Station wrote:I see that my attempt at sarcasm has failed miserably, and for that I apologize.

All I can say is, there is a reason that those smilies are provided. Make generous use of appropriate ones to avoid such confusions about sarcasm

Usually when you post something so outrageously stupid and impossible and contrary to all common sense, people pick up on the sarcasm. That's what I did. Dunno why they didn't get it.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:I didn't go anywhere. Some stuff came up.

Otto, in this thread,
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 26#p745326
said the line is mostly obscured south of Inwood to Penn.
It doesn't sound like there are any good views of the Hudson River along the line on that route.

Just want to wake this thread up, but this Sat, I'll be visiting my aunt in Co-op City. I do plan to take pictures of Amtrak in the early to mid morning crossing Pelham Bay Park. I don't mean to go off topic, but what are my chances of seeing freights mid morning Saturday?

How is the street overpass near the Bartow Circle? thanks.

you may see P&W FPCH return from LI to New Haven.

thanks. what time would the freight pass the Pelham Bay Area.

Today, I made it to Pelham Bay Drawbridge. I photographed the Amtrak trains that were scheduled between 9:00 and 11:00.
Here are my shots. I hope you all enjoy them.
http://picasaweb.google.com/10937931901 ... 0023695858

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:Today, I made it to Pelham Bay Drawbridge. I photographed the Amtrak trains that were scheduled between 9:00 and 11:00.
Here are my shots. I hope you all enjoy them.
http://picasaweb.google.com/10937931901 ... 0023695858

Good photos.
On this one,
http://picasaweb.google.com/10937931901 ... 0023695858
Did you take that from that indention in the bridge near the traffic gate?
I've stood there to take photos and apparently upset the bridge operator.

thanks. Yes, I stood on that, but I wasn't questioned. I was ready to be though.