"THE ERIE LIMITED" AMTRAK Excursion Hoboken-Bingo

There will be a special AMTRAK excursion over VERY rare mileage from
Hoboken, NJ to Binghamton, NY and return, over the former Erie RR
mainline and Graham freight line, on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25,2004.
Train will depart Hoboken at 7:30AM and return there at 9:00PM due
to 25mph speed restriction on Delaware Division. Trainside catering
for lunch and (carry back on board) dinner will be provided at passengers' own option at the old DL&W passenger station parking-lot
in Binghamton. CONSIST: Up to 13 AMFLEET I 70-seat coaches; 1
AMFLEET snack car; plus PV "NEW YORK CENTRAL 3"--all being deadheaded from PHL 30th Street to Hoboken and back for the excursion behind two AMTRAK Genesis diesels. Tickets cost $185RT in Coach
and $495RT (just 13 seats available) on the "NYC 3", including 3 meals
for PV passengers-only. INFORMATION AND
TICKETS: (a)ONLINE: www.ticketweb.com ; (b)TELEPHONE:
(866)468-7619. As this is probably the first passenger train on the Erie
side west of Port Jervis all the way to Binghamton since November 27,
1966, seats should go pretty fast.

I'll be either trackside or on board, but this trip has run more recently than that.

One I know for sure, since I was on it: Memorial Day weekend of 1973, High Iron Co ran a steam trip up the del division and back via Scranton the next day. Power was the Reading 4-8-4 2102, dolled up as "D&H 302" for their sesquicentennial trip the previous month.

I recall the trip vividly, since it was my first big "away from home on my own" railfan adventure. I was all of 15 at the time.

I'm not sure, but I think there was another trip on that route before CR took over.

$185 for coach tickets? You gotta be kidding.

What organization is chartering the train?

Les, you can probably thank the greedy lawyers for driving up the insurance policy for whatever group is doing this event.

I thought Amtrak already had insurance? I'm sure that because it's a private charter - that it doesn't qualify for federal subsidy, but 14 hours at 25 MPH? Gonna be a long day!

Round-trip is kinda misleading...see the link below.
http://www.ticketweb.com/user/?region=n ... act=137594

Still....maybe.

Tom H>

NYS&W, DO System had the "Murder Mystery Express" trains in the early 80's which ran the Delaware Division from NJ to Binghamton and back. This trip will be 25 mph?? Not good!! Also, a Saturday excursion could get delayed with a NYS&W SU99 in the picture...

ASD

Well from Port Jervis to Binghamton it will be 25 mph.... This is due to the Nazi's inflicting speed restrictions on that underused line....

A quick question. Will there be a starting trip from hoboken to binghamton? From the one site it seems that its just Binghamton to Hoboken.

I asked "Why so expensive?" over on the Amtrak forum when I first saw this, and I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks the price is a bit rich.

I rode one of the 759 trips back in the late '60s or early '70s, out to Bingo on Saturday, back via Scranton on Sunday. The two day ticket price was only fifty bucks. And that was behind steam, with some open window coaches. Not Genesis and Amfleet-

If you search the site listed, you will find that there are TWO listed trips, the one you linked to Thannon, and the more expensive round trip.

When you compare other things price increases from the 60s and 70s, its not that bad.

Sorry about the price, but AMTRAK is charging over $150 per mile (!)
for the train, and it will take over 600 passengers to at least reach
break-even. It was either this or watch NYS&W three days a week
from NY Route 97. Hope you all turn-out.

Plus, you will be able to get off the train and take pictures in Binghamton of NYSW/NS trains with a catered lunch that is included! You take what you can get this day in age!!

How long do you all think it will take this for this trip to be sold out?

I hope it doesnt get sold out too fast. I gotta get me a couple of tickets for the Bingo-Port segment. I say who cares if its Amtrak equipment. With the way NS treats these public excursions, insurance issues, etc.... I think its great that this can be pulled off. Even if I cant get tickets, I'll be trackside to watch Amtrak climb Gulf Summit and glide across Starrucca!!!!