Cannonball to operate out of Penn Station.

The Cannonball does have its share of the Rich and Famous, and frankly, they buy up the seats to avoid sitting with the "Riff Raff"
I will not drop any names, but it is interesting how Many of the Rich and Famous Ride it from time to time. One very famous Person has a RR pass Because He Married an MTA Board Member! He was seen on the train on a few occasions.. He even has a Helicopter, but prefers the train sometimes because he is a bit of a Buff, and likes Riding trains. I know this because I chatted with him.
This guy likes trains so much that on occasion, he rides a bicycle to his home station on weekends, and has been known to wave to Engineers..

Doc Emmet Brown wrote:The Cannonball does have its share of the Rich and Famous, and frankly, they buy up the seats to avoid sitting with the "Riff Raff"
I will not drop any names, but it is interesting how Many of the Rich and Famous Ride it from time to time. One very famous Person has a RR pass Because He Married an MTA Board Member! He was seen on the train on a few occasions.. He even has a Helicopter, but prefers the train sometimes because he is a bit of a Buff, and likes Riding trains. I know this because I chatted with him.
This guy likes trains so much that on occasion, he rides a bicycle to his home station on weekends, and has been known to wave to Engineers..

His wife, Nancy Shevell, resigned from the board few years ago..

My family used to ride the cannon ball between Westhampton and New York. It always stopped at Jamaica to change power: DD1 off; G5 or K4 on, or vice versa.

When I was a Toddler, we had a summer place in Port Jeff. My Father used to take the train home, and he told me how they switched Engines at Jamaica.
I dont know who took this picture, but in it you can see the DD-1's in front of the Tower, which had just come off a Train from NY, and the steam engine waiting to back down to the train. You can also see a Fairbanks Morse engine also waiting to make the same move, for another train.

I'm keeping that picture.

Everyone:

The LIRR has announced that the 2015 Summer Cannonball service will begin on Friday May 22nd and run until
Monday September 7th - Labor Day...

Friday Afternoon Cannonball East to the Hamptons and Montauk:
Leaves Penn Station at 4:06 PM - nonstop to Westhampton stopping at 5:41 PM
Southampton at 6:03 PM; Bridgehampton at 6:13 PM; East Hampton at 6:25 PM
Arriving Montauk at 6:48 PM (A special eastbound train will also run on Thursday July 2nd)

Sunday Evening Cannonball West to Jamaica and Penn Station New York:
Leaves Montauk at 6:37 PM; East Hampton at 7:01 PM; Bridgehampton at 7:10 PM;
Southampton at 7:20 PM; Hampton Bays at 7:31 PM; Westhampton at 7:39 PM;
Arrives Jamaica at 9:09 PM and Penn Station at 9:31 PM.
(Special Monday westbound service on May 25th and September 7th)

Eastbound Tickets cost $28.25 prepaid or $34.00 on board (Zone 14 Peak)
Westbound Tickets cost $20.50 prepaid or $27.00 on board (Zone 14 Off Peak)
Ten Trip tickets can save regular riders money - Peak Ten Trip is $282.50 and
Off Peak Ten Trips cost $174.25 to Zone 14.

Hamptons Reserve Service 2015:
Eastbound Rail and Seat Reservation: $49.25 in advance
Westbound Rail and Seat Reservation: $41.50 in advance

Order forms can be available at: http://web.mta.info/lirr/hamptons/reserveservice.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Email address: [email protected]
Cancellation and refunds: [email protected]

MACTRAXX

Doc Emmet Brown wrote:When I was a Toddler, we had a summer place in Port Jeff. My Father used to take the train home, and he told me how they switched Engines at Jamaica.
I dont know who took this picture, but in it you can see the DD-1's in front of the Tower, which had just come off a Train from NY, and the steam engine waiting to back down to the train. You can also see a Fairbanks Morse engine also waiting to make the same move, for another train.

DD-1? Did they run these trains through from NJ?

philipmartin wrote:My family used to ride the cannon ball between Westhampton and New York. It always stopped at Jamaica to change power: DD1 off; G5 or K4 on, or vice versa.

You're showing your age! The DD1s were retired, I think, in 1952.

Last day of DD1 operation (Locomotive assignment) 06/22/51
sheet for 12/31/51 shows 3 DD1s on the roster [#s 341, 348, 352] but were probably in storage at Morris Park Shops. Assignment sheet for 02/29/52
shows them gone from the roster. Ron Zinn data, courtesy of Dave Keller

If I wanted to take pictures / video of the Cannonball as it passes Patchogue I'd have to be near the tracks around 8pm? maybe a little later? Does that sound right?

From the LIRR website, the service remains as popular as ever.

Cannonball Hamptons Reserve Eastbound Service
(Fridays at 4:06 PM) from Penn Station is sold out for the following dates: 5/22, 6/5, 6/12, 6/19, 6/26, 7/2, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7, 8/14, 8/21, 8/28 & 9/4.

That leaves next Friday, may 29th as the only open date.


Ken

If it's that popular, any chance of doing another section, say 1/2 hour later?

edflyerssn007 wrote:If I wanted to take pictures / video of the Cannonball as it passes Patchogue I'd have to be near the tracks around 8pm? maybe a little later? Does that sound right?

EF: For the Sunday evening Cannonball this should be about right - the train should pass Patchogue between
8 and 8:15 PM...The train is scheduled to leave Westhampton at 7:39 PM...

On Friday afternoons the Cannonball should pass Patchogue sometime between 5 and 5:15 PM noting that
this train is due into Westhampton at 5:41 PM...

MACTRAXX

Doc Emmet Brown wrote:I will not drop any names, but it is interesting how Many of the Rich and Famous Ride it from time to time. One very famous Person has a RR pass Because He Married an MTA Board Member! He was seen on the train on a few occasions.. He even has a Helicopter, but prefers the train sometimes because he is a bit of a Buff, and likes Riding trains. I know this because I chatted with him. This guy likes trains so much that on occasion, he rides a bicycle to his home station on weekends, and has been known to wave to Engineers..

Well he did have a hit way back when called "Ticket To Ride"

MACTRAXX wrote:

edflyerssn007 wrote:If I wanted to take pictures / video of the Cannonball as it passes Patchogue I'd have to be near the tracks around 8pm? maybe a little later? Does that sound right?

EF: For the Sunday evening Cannonball this should be about right - the train should pass Patchogue between
8 and 8:15 PM...The train is scheduled to leave Westhampton at 7:39 PM...

On Friday afternoons the Cannonball should pass Patchogue sometime between 5 and 5:15 PM noting that
this train is due into Westhampton at 5:41 PM...

MACTRAXX

However Sunday WB runs are infamously late. 30+ Late. Particularly Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day weekends.

So it can be tough to gauge on those days.