Trip Report on MNR (7/6/04)

Well, after not riding Metro-North for a hundred centuries (8 years), I decided to do so from Bridgeport till GCT during the morning rush and afternoon off-peak. First of all, I picked up my tickets at the Bridgeport Ticket Machine plus an NYCT pass, and I got the inbound train (probably at 9:45 or something like that). I got to see through the front, it was an M2 8425. Ride was smooth, we went pretty fast at times, probably 90 maybe 105 mph, but most likely 89.9, since that's the limit. Then at around 10:20 AM we then arrived at GCT, and there I took some NYCT Subway rides.

Then I got the 3:34 PM out of GCT back to BRP. I picked up another M2 (8420) as the lead (motorperson) car, again I got to see thru the front for much of the trip. Ride was also smooth, we went pretty fast again, even at the approaches to 125th Street, and I arrived at BRP at around 5:10. Not a bad MNR trip after all, considering that I haven't taken it in AGES, but I'll be sure to visit another MNR train again

Typical Boston influence... "inbound" and "outbound." Pfff. Out here, we use timetable direction east and west and north and south! :-)

-otto-

You guys up there even use the term "Peak" and "Off-Peak"?

-Tom

Yeah, sort of, especially in the Commuter Rail here, although I take the Subway there, The Red Line.

But this MNRR system here is nice and reliable I have to say.

Rob: I'm just catching up on all these posts. You did that whole trip from Boston to NYC and back in one day? Whew! That's more traveling than I could handle. You're lucky you rode Metro-North almost during rush-hours, so all cars were open, for the front window. I gave up on M-N a few years back 'cause several times I rode mid-day trains from Grand Central on the Hudson and New Haven lines, and only 4 cars in the middle were open with the 2 end pairs being closed off. I guess mid-day passenger load doesn't justify all the cars being used. And I'm just not willing to get up early on my day off to ride the morning rush hour. Not a morning person!