Any long distance railfan excursions in PA/NJ 2011?

HighIronTravel.com heard a rumor that their cars might be part of a Bennet Levin special out of Hoboken to Ohio via NS Aug. 5-8, 2011. It's not on their website yet, but was in an E-mail.

JimBoylan wrote:HighIronTravel.com heard a rumor that their cars might be part of a Bennet Levin special out of Hoboken to Ohio via NS Aug. 5-8, 2011. It's not on their website yet, but was in an E-mail.

Rumors, rumors and more!!! I can't find it on their site now, so just treat it as such, with probably only a 20% chance of it occurring!

Yes, when was the last time we had a decent excursion of that magnitude here in NJ. Rumors come up and hardly ever happen... especially with NS owning tracks and their high prices. I wouldn't bet any money on this happening any time soon.

GCarp wrote:Don't know about tickets. The mailed flyer was no more specific than the online version. I would contact NH&I or the Willow Grove 300 contact.

Any updates on this??? Will they use steam or not?? I'm having a very hard time getting solid answers, and the train trip is only a few weeks away! Thanks!!!

bttt

I called the NHI to ask this earlier this past week. Here's the answer I got. #40 is still in the shops. They're trying to have her out by the end of May, if not sooner. Yes, the Willow Grove 300 group requested to have #40 for the trip, and NHI will try to have #40 ready for that trip, but there are no guarantees. If anything, they'll know a couple of days beforehand. So we may not know until the Thursday or Friday (or even the day before) whether or not #40 will be doing the trip.

JimBoylan wrote:HighIronTravel.com heard a rumor that their cars might be part of a Bennet Levin special out of Hoboken to Ohio via NS Aug. 5-8, 2011. It's not on their website yet, but was in an E-mail.

I heard a similar "rumor" from a rare mileage enthusiast who has made many trips onboard High Iron Travel's private car CARITAS, as well as trips onboard our private car MOUNT VERNON. He said this proposed trip is envisioned as an all private car special train, with Juniata Terminal Company power (PRR 5711 and 5809), hauling a group of private cars, all first class (implying no coaches).

However, there is no such trip advertised on High Iron Travel's website, or the AAPRCO or RPCA websites, as of May 4th.

When Juniata Terminal Company did a similar all PV special train ("The Susquehannock", Philadelphia - Steamtown - Olean - Philadelphia) a few years ago, the advertised ticket prices were in the range of $3,500 to $3,000 for the full 4 day package. Those prices were relatively high, even by PV travel standards, but there was sufficient demand from rare mileage collectors and luxury rail travel enthusiasts to make it a successful outing.

JimBoylan wrote:HighIronTravel.com heard a rumor that their cars might be part of a Bennet Levin special out of Hoboken to Ohio via NS Aug. 5-8, 2011. It's not on their website yet, but was in an E-mail.

It is now on their website. Aug. 5-8; Erie Limited Revisited. They state pricing has not been set as of yet, but i'm sure it's up there.

I rode the 2002 version, over the Philadelphia & Erie and the Bessemer & Lake Erie. For most of the trip, Mr. Levin's car was on the rear, so the best seats were in one of the dome cars.
Does anyone want to share a Bedroom or Drawing Room with me, and save the Roomette surcharge?

Curious how they were able to get the routing out of Hoboken. In the CNY lease NS states no passenger trains, 25 mph max even if somehow to run and $100 mil in liability.

I know Levin has the cash and the pull, but this is interesting if it pans out.

dano23 wrote:Curious how they were able to get the routing out of Hoboken. In the CNY lease NS states no passenger trains, 25 mph max even if somehow to run and $100 mil in liability.

I know Levin has the cash and the pull, but this is interesting if it pans out.

Amazing, but it is slated to happen!!

Bennett's pockets are much deeper then you think!

A short distance fan trip is scheduled for Saturday June 4: West Chester to Lansdale and return. The opportunity to ride a diesel train through the Center City Commuter Tunnel is worth the fare; the remainder of the trip is icing on the cake.

Couple of questions about the "Erie Limited" trip:

-We're talking about Hoboken Terminal, NJ, right?
-What would fares approximately cost (based on past trips by other railroads over similar distance)? $2000?

rwk wrote:What is this Allentown to Scranton excursion? Can anyone confirm this? It would only have to use NS from Allentown to Lehighton, about 26 miles, then Reading and Northern up to Dupont or Pittston, and CP into Scranton then Steamtown Yard. Would NS object to an excursion using a lightly used freight line for 26 miles? It would then leave NS and go onto R&N. There hasn't been a railfan excursion in Allentown since the Bennett Levin train to Steamtown that ran through ABE in Nov 2007. So, we might be going on the Wilmington and Western Fireworks Express on July 4 because it's steam powered, and covers the entire line. Lehigh Gorge (Reading and Northern) is doing a diesel trip in June from Jim Thorpe to White Haven and back. I can't believe Lehigh Gorge/R&N could go south of JT to originate a trip from Allentown because NS has a rule prohibiting older railroad equipment with friction bearings, which are all of R&N's coaches. So, who would be the operator of the Allentown Steamtown trip?

I heard it would be Steamtown equipment with DL&W Boonton Cars and CNJ coaches pulled by Reading F7's, which all have roller bearing trucks, AFAIK...
However, I believe this trip is still up in the air, and probably has not been given the green light from all parties involved... I wouldn't hold your breath until it is posted on the Steamtown government site.

I know Steamtown has run excursions before on track other than the Pocono Main and Carbondale line, like to the Viaduct between 1989-1992 and more recently a couple years ago on one Saturday in September and Sunbury for the convention last year, so it seems possible that such a trip could happen. If NS cooperates, that is. They would have to use NS between Allentown and Lehighton. Then, it would use Reading and Northern track up to Dupont or Pittston then CP into Scranton. I'm wondering, where would such a trip board in Allentown? It would have to be on the other side of the Lehigh on the former CNJ tracks north of the yard. It would be somewhat rare mileage being able to ride the section between Allentown and Lehighton which almost never sees an excursion train anymore. Blue Mountain and Reading ran trips to Jim Thorpe from Temple using that section in Sept 1985, fall 1987, and 1988. The 1987 and 1988 trips also departed from South Hamburg with pickups in Shoemakersville and Leesport. Since then, I think there has been zero excursion trains of any kind on that section between Allentown and Lehighton.