Hickory Creek debuts at Grand Central - 10/24-27

I got my first "in person" sight of the NYC hickory creek car this afternoon at secacus junction. I had just gotten off my montclair bound creek and walked to the other side of the platfrom just in time to see an Amtrak AEM-7 towing the hickory creek through the station and towards NYP. This was really cool to see.

It is a really cool car to see... here she is in 2007 laying over at Niagara Falls...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/255 ... 424c_o.jpg

-otto-

Kaback9 wrote:

Tom Curtin wrote:I regret we may find MNR and/or Amtrak Gendarmes barring access to railfan photographers at GCT. I hope I will be wrong about that

I have been thinking about that too, there is no way I'll be able to get a shot of her if the AmGestapo is there, at least ill be able to get shots from Harlem-125th.

After corresponding with Metro North about photographers and media, it doesn't seem that there will be an issue with citizens accessing the platform to take a photo of the car (and the red carpet). Please use good judgment, meaning that we shouldn't be seting up 50 tripods on the platform and blocking customer access to the Metro North and Amtrak trains. Honestly, the smaller the rig - the easier I think getting the shot will be. If everyone acts professional and doesn't create any issues, I think we will all be able to enjoy the day. MTA PD has been notified to expect some activity around the track 34/35 area.

DISCLAIMER portion of my post: Please keep in mind that this is no guarantee and that there is a chance, while unlikely, that you may be asked to leave if they feel that the situation is becoming uncomfortable.

See everyone this weekend and please be smart and safe if your out along the railroad taking shots.

Thanks for clearing that up 20th Century Limited! I guess I will make the trip then and see her in her proper home.

Thanks are due to Otto for publicinzing this event here. I was able to take advantage of multiple photo ops --- a couple at speed along the Hudson, and one in GCT Sunday afternoon. BTW, MNR people were largely tolerant of photographers. They made a couple of announcements that photographers had to stay "behind the line" or "outside the gates" but they didn't push it [bless them]. The terminal announcers had great fun announcing the "Amtrak 20th Century Limited," which I would have to guess was largely lost on at least 80 % of the people in the terminal!!!

Very glad I was able to catch this.

It was surreal to hear throughout Grand Central... "Now boarding on Track 35... Amtrak... Hickory Creek... Twentieth Century Limited..." It certainly made me double take. Thanks to everyone who made this trip possible. I'll post photos as soon as I can. Nice to see some RAILROAD.NET alum out as well...

-otto-

ps- thanks to ATK for the new avatar photo!

If you have photos of the Hickory Creek to share, please email them to me. No more than five, please. I don't want my inbox to become flooded!

Otto Vondrak wrote:It was surreal to hear throughout Grand Central... "Now boarding on Track 35... Amtrak... Hickory Creek... Twentieth Century Limited..." It certainly made me double take. Thanks to everyone who made this trip possible. I'll post photos as soon as I can. Nice to see some RAILROAD.NET alum out as well...

-otto-

ps- thanks to ATK for the new avatar photo!

HAHA - Thanks to an employee, who shall remain nameless, we were able to make arrangements for those announcements. Had I taken the time before hand and known that we would have the opportunity for a PA broadcast, I would have typed out the actual verbiage (kinda like what is heard in North by Northwest). Oh well - next time... Thanks to everyone that showed up for photographs. If you have any shots that you wouldn't mind sharing for our website, please contact me via PM or http://www.startrakinc.com/hickorycreek/contact/1c.htm. Thanks again!

Sorry I'm late, here's some of the digital outtakes from my trip aboard the Hickory Creek. It was hard to juggle two cameras and a cocktail!

http://flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/se ... 693639893/

-otto-

More pictures of Amtrak 254 with the Hickory Creek...

Good photos, Otto!

Two more from Yonkers, Amtrak 254 departing northbound on 10/26/08...

http://flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/3060042950

http://flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/3059206443/

Enjoy!

-otto-

I have yet to be inside the Hickory Creek, but was outside it yesterday in Lebanon, NJ, on the way to meet good chums for dinner in NJ and a Celtic show!

Photo included with this post.

I admit my interest in the Hickory Creek did not start with trains, but with Alfred Hitchcock!

There is GG1 being restored t the same location (Lebanon, NJ).

Jeanne GG1
http://www.jpalazzo.org/

Jeanne GG1 wrote:I have yet to be inside the Hickory Creek, but was outside it yesterday in Lebanon, NJ, on the way to meet good chums for dinner in NJ and a Celtic show!

Photo included with this post.

I admit my interest in the Hickory Creek did not start with trains, but with Alfred Hitchcock!

There is GG1 being restored t the same location (Lebanon, NJ).

Jeanne GG1
http://www.jpalazzo.org/

Need to get a photo of you and Jeffrey the raildog by the GG1.