New York City has no rail museum???!!!!

[MStrain]

My wife and I are headed up to NYC next weekend for a little trip and I have yet to find a rail museum in Manhattan. :angry:

Sure, I know real estate is limited....but I figured there would be SOME sort of memorial to the train there. We do have Grand Central terminal on our agenda, but I just want a transportation museum to go to.

Does anyone know of one in the NYC area that I haven't been able to find?

Thanks!

MStrain

 

[the_traveler]

Besides Grand Central Terminal, the only other "train museum" (of sorts) that I know of is an old Subway station that was forgotten and recently discovered (I think somewhere in Brooklyn). I never went there.

 

[saxman]

The transit museum is worth the visit. They turned an old subway station in Brooklyn to the history of building the subway and other transportation facts about NYC.

 

[MrFSS]

Info on that museum is HERE.

 

[AlanB]

And it is an excellant musuem, although it only deals with NYC subways and buses. It does not cover any commuter ops in it's displays AFAIK, unless they've recently updated things. But inside that old station, which still sits on servicable tracks, you'll find an active interlocking station, almost a dozen old subway cars lovingly restored, as well as old maps and dozens of other interesting things.

The easiest way to get there is an A or C train to Hoyt/Schemerhorn. Then walk about two blocks west from there. If you could see the tracks under ground, you could actually follow them right to the Transit Museum. In fact, the two outermost platforms at Hoyt/Schemerhorn service the tracks that lead to the Court Street Station, the station that now hosts the museum.

The tracks were actually supposed to continue west from the Court St. station into Manhattan and hook into the 8th Avenue line, but other than a few bellmouths on the 8th Avenue line just south of Canal St., nothing else was ever built. The Court Street station saw service for a number of years via the Court Street shuttle, but eventually due to low ridership and the complexities of switchng things, service was discontinued many years ago.

But the tracks are still powered and cars can be moved in and out of the station/museum as needed.

 

[The Metropolitan]

Would definitely recommend the NYC Transit Musuem as well. It does tend to get a bit stuffy inside in warm weather months, but you should be OK.

Otherwise, in Manhattan, GCT is pretty much going to be your living memorial to Train Transportation. While there, you may want to wander over to track #34 if possible, as this was the berthing spot of the famed "20th Century Limited!" The Limited is now long gone, its red carpet vanished for decades, and its track now assigned to lowly commuter runs, but I'm pretty sure that just looking at the spot where the NYC's signature train once boarded will give you a moment for pause.

Aside from GCT, if you have time, you might also ponder wandering over to Hoboken on the PATH line, and seeing the Hoboken NJT terminal. This is another fine terminal that has much of its historic character still very much evident, even if it hasn't seen anything more than commuter trains for nearly 40 years.

 

[AlanB]

Aside from GCT, if you have time, you might also ponder wandering over to Hoboken on the PATH line, and seeing the Hoboken NJT terminal. This is another fine terminal that has much of its historic character still very much evident, even if it hasn't seen anything more than commuter trains for nearly 40 years.

Actually Hoboken still sees ferry service too, just like it did in its heyday. And it has to some extent replaced long distance service with light rail service these days. So it is still a vibrant, useful, and wonderfully restored old station. They are actually working on restoring the original ferry slips right now, and the whole station area got a major refurb about 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[GG-1]

An addition if you can find the book "Under the streets (maybe Sidewalks) of New York it is an interesting look at subway, and other trains in NY.

Aloha

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I agree with the others. The musuem is awesome. Also, take a look at NYP if you haven't been there. Its sad, and interesting, and it has a story to tell. The layout tells a story about how much PRR cared about its passengers when the great station was demolished.

Also, Newark Penn Station is a somewhat under-rated station, easily accessed from NYP by a 15-20 minute train ride. It is in really nice shape and still says "Pennsylvania Railroad" in many places, as well as Keystones.

 

[saxman]

I just took a joy ride to Coney Island the other day. It looks like they've kept or fixed up the original station back when the BMT built and ran trains and lots of passengers to visit the amusement park. The station still says BMT Lines, back when the subways were privately built and run. I stood there, trying to imagine all the steam engines coming in. In fact I do that for all the old stations I visit, that are still in use.

 

[AlanB]

I just took a joy ride to Coney Island the other day. It looks like they've kept or fixed up the original station back when the BMT built and ran trains and lots of passengers to visit the amusement park. The station still says BMT Lines, back when the subways were privately built and run. I stood there, trying to imagine all the steam engines coming in. In fact I do that for all the old stations I visit, that are still in use.

CI just had a major rebuild that IIRC was only completed about 3, maybe 4 years ago. And they did a very nice job too IMHO. It's also a very green station, since about 40% of its power now comes from solar panels on the roof.

Less than 10 years ago that station was in a very sorry state.