Uniq. Eqpmt Sightings: Private Varnish (PV's), Charters, etc

actually a few who operate out of NYP and stored in sunnyside during warmer months.

Tadman wrote:HOw often do PV's run through New York? IS it kind of a black hole for PV's due to volume of traffic and cost to park/switch?

The following Amtrak certified PVs are based in the NY metropolitan area. Their trips on Amtrak usually begin/end at Penn Station NY: ALEXANDER HAMILTON, BABBLING BROOK, BERLIN, BIRKEN, CRIPPLE CREEK, EPICURUS, HICKORY CREEK, KITCHI GAMMI CLUB, MORRIS COUNTY, MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK CENTRAL 3, NEW YORK CENTRAL 43, PACIFIC HOME and VISTA CANYON.

At least two of those cars have long term storage agreements with Amtrak for parking at Sunnyside Yard. The standard rate for this is $1,339 per month.

One reason why New York is not a major destination for PVs based elsewhere in the USA is the fact that there is no PV parking at Penn Station, and visiting PV parking at Sunnyside Yard is limited to crew only. Passengers must go to a hotel, and we all know how expensive hotel accommodations are in New York City. If you have deep pockets, you can pay Amtrak and Metro North to switch your PV between Penn Station and Grand Central terminal via SHELL, and pay Metro North for occupied parking at GCT. You could also pay Amtrak and the Morristown & Erie Railway to switch your car between Penn Station and the M&E Railway, for occupied parking at Hanover Park / Whippany NJ. One other factor is that only cars that meet Amtrak's "A" clearance profile can come to New York. No dome cars!

In general, a PV arriving NYP and entering Sunnyside Yard will not get to leave the yard on a departing train until the next day. One exception could be arriving NYP on an Empire Service trainset that turns and departs NYP later the same day, after a brief loop thru Sunnyside Yard.

The cost for transient parking at NYP (Sunnyside Yard) is the same as most Amtrak terminals across the country --- $132 per night. HEP, potable water and ice are included in the parking fee. Septic tank service is an additional $102. If your car is washed with an arriving trainset, then there is no extra charge for the car wash.

Yes, it is a very busy place.

I know there's various sidings in the NY metro area as well. Doesn't Hickory Creek spend a lot of time at URHS in Jersey? I believe one other area is off the Danbury branch of MNRR; I imagine that would have to be a "special", done with a Brookville or P32, and added to a train at an appropriate terminal. I imagine there are a few other sidings that might work out, but you'd have to worry about security, HEP if occupied, and so on.

My unfortunately sole PV experience so far was Hickory Creek on a trip to Albany and back (another member from here was along for the ride). I wanted to ride Mt. Vernon last year to Niagara Falls (at a great price, I might add) but unfortunately it did not work out.

If I'd won Powerball, this discussion wouldn't be hypothetical LOL.

NYC 3 (portland) gets moved by CT2, the P&W stone train, MN has no access to freight sidings other than MofW.

I thought that might be the case. I know MNRR would not tack it onto the back of a mini or maxi. And since it's not in a coach yard, freight makes even more sense. That's why we pay you the big bucks, Jaap. Look for that check in the mail.

jhdeasy wrote:
One reason why New York is not a major destination for PVs based elsewhere in the USA is the fact that there is no PV parking at Penn Station, and visiting PV parking at Sunnyside Yard is limited to crew only. Passengers must go to a hotel, and we all know how expensive hotel accommodations are in New York City. If you have deep pockets, you can pay Amtrak and Metro North to switch your PV between Penn Station and Grand Central terminal via SHELL, and pay Metro North for occupied parking at GCT. You could also pay Amtrak and the Morristown & Erie Railway to switch your car between Penn Station and the M&E Railway, for occupied parking at Hanover Park / Whippany NJ. One other factor is that only cars that meet Amtrak's "A" clearance profile can come to New York. No dome cars!

Mr. D, thank you so much for this informative post. It is really enlightening. My read-between-lines is that one probably just goes to a hotel if they arrive via PV to NYP. Occupied parking in Hanover park is quite a ways from downtown (an hour drive or 1:45 by train) which seems like it defeats the purpose of visiting NYC.

This reminds me, I know there was discussion at one point regarding the work to be done at Albany about possibly putting in a couple of spurs to park PVs.

I thought it was shot down, but last time I looked (a few months ago) it looks like they may have been put in. At first I thought they might be temporary sidings for the flatcars to carry the pallets of ties, but I believe it looked like they were putting in hotel power. I could be mistaken however.

Anyone know for sure?
Albany wouldn't be a bad spot since you can get domes that far from the north and west at least.

MOUNT VERNON and KITCHI GAMMI CLUB on train 97 from New York to Miami, passing Princeton Junction NJ on 1/28/2016. Photo by Dr. Tom Coughlin.

http://www.dominionrailvoyages.com/jhd/ ... an2016.jpg

Greg Moore wrote:This reminds me, I know there was discussion at one point regarding the work to be done at Albany about possibly putting in a couple of spurs to park PVs.

I thought it was shot down, but last time I looked (a few months ago) it looks like they may have been put in. At first I thought they might be temporary sidings for the flatcars to carry the pallets of ties, but I believe it looked like they were putting in hotel power. I could be mistaken however.

Anyone know for sure?
Albany wouldn't be a bad spot since you can get domes that far from the north and west at least.

Yes. AAPRCO has been advised that there are stub end yard tracks installed to the north side of the station that will be designated for occupied private car parking. There will be easy access from that area to the (motor vehicle) parking lot and the station. That new improved capability may be available later this year.

ALB may become more of a PV destination in itself once when that improved capability comes online. Some PV moves such as Chicago - Albany - Niagara Falls, Chicago - Albany - Montreal, Boston - Albany - Montreal, or Boston - Albany - New York, require an overnight stay at ALB.

Tadman wrote: Mr. D, thank you so much for this informative post. It is really enlightening. My read-between-lines is that one probably just goes to a hotel if they arrive via PV to NYP. Occupied parking in Hanover park is quite a ways from downtown (an hour drive or 1:45 by train) which seems like it defeats the purpose of visiting NYC.

You are correct. Hanover Park / Whippany is more of a long term PV parking location, but the M&E Railway will remind you that they can accommodate cars visiting New York for a shorter duration. I know that there are people who have left their PV parked in WAS and ALB for several days and visited New York, traveling as an Amtrak passenger.

NYC 3 is one of the cars with a long term storage agreement at Sunnyside Yard. However, it customarily hibernates winters inside a warehouse in Bethel CT. This requires the freight move that Dutch mentioned.

If you operate your car frequently on Amtrak, then it is smarter to pay the higher Amtrak storage fee for Sunnyside Yard, and to avoid the cost and risks of moving the car in freight service between a home storage siding and Hudson Yard (near Harrison NJ), for the Amtrak switch move to Sunnyside Yard.

Train 97(28) Silver Meteor had thirteen cars: bag, three sleepers, diner, cafe, four coaches, another cafe, and Private Varnish Mount Vernon and Kitchie Gammi club.

Thanks for the heads-up, Jack.

jhdeasy wrote:MOUNT VERNON and KITCHI GAMMI CLUB on train 97 from New York to Miami, passing Princeton Junction NJ on 1/28/2016. Photo by Dr. Tom Coughlin.

http://www.dominionrailvoyages.com/jhd/ ... an2016.jpg

Greg Moore wrote:This reminds me, I know there was discussion at one point regarding the work to be done at Albany about possibly putting in a couple of spurs to park PVs.

I thought it was shot down, but last time I looked (a few months ago) it looks like they may have been put in. At first I thought they might be temporary sidings for the flatcars to carry the pallets of ties, but I believe it looked like they were putting in hotel power. I could be mistaken however.

Anyone know for sure?
Albany wouldn't be a bad spot since you can get domes that far from the north and west at least.

Yes. AAPRCO has been advised that there are stub end yard tracks installed to the north side of the station that will be designated for occupied private car parking. There will be easy access from that area to the (motor vehicle) parking lot and the station. That new improved capability may be available later this year.

ALB may become more of a PV destination in itself once when that improved capability comes online. Some PV moves such as Chicago - Albany - Niagara Falls, Chicago - Albany - Montreal, Boston - Albany - Montreal, or Boston - Albany - New York, require an overnight stay at ALB.

Thanks, confirms my suspicions. And yes, the access will be real easy to the parking area. Bit of a walk to the station itself, but no worse than the long-term parking is.

I look forward to seeing more PVs in Albany!

For some reason, NEC P42 #101 is on the empire builder

P40 and P42 units generally get to roam all over the system, so seeing the Phase IV P42, actually numbered 184, on the Empire Builder isn't out of the question.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:P40 and P42 units generally get to roam all over the system, so seeing the Phase IV P42, actually numbered 184, on the Empire Builder isn't out of the question.

But units 101-111 are supposed to stay around the NEC and yet I saw a video of 101 on the Empire Builder in Wisconsin

MetroBostonRailways wrote: But units 101-111 are supposed to stay around the NEC and yet I saw a video of 101 on the Empire Builder in Wisconsin

Really, where did you read that?

Those units have special cab signals equipped for lines in and around new england. They are based out of New Haven and Boston.