ACMU Farewell Tour - Dec. 5, 2004

I was at the front (leaving GCT) car, front end, all day. Was either chatting with the crew or picturing with my Nikon.

I need to 1 hour them tomorrow. Not digital here

It was good to meet many of you yesterday. Metro-North did an excellent job, and I really must tip my hat to them.

It's a shame that the LIRR could not put togther something like this. Oh well

Nester

(edit: "Well" on has to "l"s )

Sorry I didn't get to talk/meet some more of you on the trip. Mike, Jessy, and I were riding in MN 1180 all day (the south end of the train).

-otto-

Hi Everyone,

Well I had an EXCELLENT trip! I was the one with the New Haven FL-9 shirt on! Metro-North sure knows how to put a good trip on!!! LIRR should take some pointers... But they no longer have anything worth riding, most of its all so colorless. I was shooting film so later in the week I'll get it developed, I liked everyones digital photos!!! I'm even in some of the photographs!

Again kudos to MN for a trip WELL done!!! Hope to ride the next (behind FL-9's or F-10's hopefully)

-Barry

I'll affirm what everyone's said, that the MN staff really outdid themselves on this trip. They held to schedule perfectly and the stops were well choreographed with passing/stopping road trains.

Here are some photos I snapped during the day that I think you might enjoy:

http://www.madre-de-dios.org/gallery/ACMU

Otto Vondrak wrote: ...one suggestion- have some water or beverages on board. Could have used something towards the end of the trip.
-otto-

There was water on board. 1146 and 1132 both had bottled water. I assumed all the cars did.

This was my first charter on Metro-North. The thought, planning, and execution were exceptional! I had read similar reports from the Beacon trip. The M-N Group Sales people are to be commended.

Bob

Yes, there was a case of water in each car. I rode in car 1100. Our carhost was JW Swanzberg(sp?), the man who wrote the article found in the ACMU timetable. I got mine and my grandmothers autographed by him.

Otto, i didn't go nuts over M-7's, but did go nuts over the LSL as all my times on the Hudson line, i have never seen anything but 700's, so seeing 134 was a big treat.

The indivudial who donated the NYC seatchecks really should be commended. I now have one, and it is safe in my lanyard. I was a winner, my grandmother was not.

The folks at Metro-North Group Travel were very freindly and helpful on the phone when i made reservations, and that professionalism carried onto the train. It was the first fantrip i have ever been on and i was very impressed, and would do it again.

Yes, some people did get carried away yelling at people to move out of the way, and at Greystone, there was a brief exchange of "Turn on the headlight" and "Turn off your mouth". Seemed like it was a little more rowdy after lunch.

Let me know when your leaders at M-N depart. They can come run the MBTA. We have plenty of lines to do fantrips on.

Overall-Excellent trip. Would definately do it again.

J.W.Swanberg is retired Trainmaster of MNCR/Conrail/PC/New Haven and has done several books on New Haven /Penn Central/ Electrification etc.
His best known book is probably:

New Haven Power 1838 1968 Isbn: 1112899758 by J W Swanberg

He has traveled all over world(railfanning and adventuring) and has many pictures published in books by Peter Lynch, Peter L Cornwal etc.
do a search on Google and you find more on this man.

Sounds like it was great, I knew I should have gone. Did any of the Group Travel people mention if they have some future trips in the works yet?

I thought the timetable / description made up in the style of a regular MN timetable was a cool touch - does Group Travel do that as a standard thing for trips?

Well, I guess there's going to have to be an M-1,2,3,4,6 farewell trip at some point. Not to mention the 'we really mean it this time' ACMU fantrip - anyone remember the talk of their impending doom a few years ago on the last one?

It seems every time those cars are going away, at least a few get spared, though we saw the line of ones going to the cutter on the trip

IIRC, they're keeping a few sets for 'emergency' service in the winter. $5 says they're still hanging around next summer...

Nasadowsk wrote:I thought the timetable / description made up in the style of a regular MN timetable was a cool touch - does Group Travel do that as a standard thing for trips?

Yeah they did that for the Beacon Line trip, they came out really good.

Again, I read that it was a nice trip even though I was just a spectator. However, if I had to come face to face with the infantile behavior, then I would be disapointed. In the post 9-11 world, railfanning has been an issue. There are people that are on the "wrong side of the track." These are the people that should be asked to leave "public transit facilities." You could take pictures of the revenue equipment at anytime, even if there are bogus photo restrictions. No need to ditch someone elses view. At the Harmon open house, I noticed some similar behavior.

Photo lines are a courtesy issue only- when everyone else is lined up for a particular photo stop, it is blatantly rude and ignorant to ignore that line and block or otherwise obstruct a shot. Nothing to do with selfishness or immaturity.

From what I understand, the NYC seat checks were donated by a railfan from Colorado who could not attend the trip, but in some way wanted to constribute. The seat checks were issued on a lottery basis because they werent sure they had enough to give everyone one... too bad! It seemed like everyone around me won one except me! hehe.

-otto-

chuchubob wrote: There was water on board. 1146 and 1132 both had bottled water. I assumed all the cars did.

The water by the south* set of doors on 1132 was for public consumption?? I was in the north end of the car and we assumed that it was water for the "crew hosts". Wow, MN really did take care of us...

Nester


[* South being inbound-nearest for all segments of the trip excluding the reverse run from the Mott Wye to GCT ]

Here's my contribution to the subject of photo courtesy (read the caption):
http://www.transitspot.com/gallery/Bobs ... _12_05_095

and the result:
http://www.transitspot.com/gallery/Bobs ... _12_05_097

Seriously, I echo everybody else's statements that the trip was very well thought out, planned, and executed.

My photographs are here:
http://www.transitspot.com/gallery/Metro-North

Also, on my way to GCT I got a subway station art photo at Times Square:
http://www.transitspot.com/gallery/trai ... _12_05_001

and photographed the Redbird train on the O-gauge layout in the Transit Museum store in GCT.
http://www.transitspot.com/gallery/trai ... _12_05_040

http://www.transitspot.com/gallery/trai ... _12_05_041

Bob