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Beautiful! Currently passing through Rochester and the sky is indeed looking pretty

I, too, am taking Amtrak today. The 10:30am from D.C. to NYC and... we're not there yet. 🫠 Multiple delays including downed trees. But, the heat and power are on, the wifi is plentiful, and the views are beautiful. I'll take a 3 hour train delay over a 3 hour airline delay any day of the week!

Welcome to Western New York! I hope it's "smooth sailing" for the rest of your trip.

Oh you got one of the renovated Amtrak cars. I spent a very weird 23 hours in a combination of those getting home once. (My MSP->PHL flight was canceled by snow and had to divert to Detroit, so I did Detroit->Philly on Amtrak) Had to change trains at ~2AM in Pittsburgh.

The stark beauty of western NY

*waves from Syracuse* this isn't upstate NY at its prettiest, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

"Have you tried turning the train off and on again" 🫠

10/10 would ride again

I took a train journey in Japan last year and was surprised to find it was the Anpanman train. 😂

Onward! Are you in New York State yet? If I were in NYC now I'd come to see your talk. Say Hi to Micah (OpenSpace) for me.

Ah! Too bad I didn't go in to work today, I could have waved to your train as you passed by!

I hope they serve better food.

what a strange and singular journey ... the visuals really help

I asked and this train didn’t have one! 😞

Watch out for the Tailies!

This is s wonderful coincidence! Land stolen from the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and others. The name is a corruption of Mohawk 'skahnéhtati' -- 'The Place Beyond the Pines.' (hence the movie)

I am somehow only just seeing your saga but I know that train route very, very well (syr <-> nyc at least) and these mechanical issues are all too familiar, but I'm also amazed you made it through Niagara unscathed, almost every winter train I've taken was late bc of ice near there.

Same same same

Europe built new tracks on key connections so trains could go much faster. We drilled new tunnels through mountains.

Glad it’s working out for you… I’ve taken the train many times from Buffalo going either east or west and it’s so much better than flying if you have the time (and sometimes it’s about the same amount of time depending)

obv everything depends on what you like but last yr I rediscovered those little packs of honeyroast pnuts

I have a very bad habit of planning travel days in which I forget that lunch is a thing. I had the presence of mind this time to pack a sandwich, and I checked online to see that there would probably be something edible for dinner, but I also brought a bag full of snacks!

Not as brave as meat burger

As an avid train passenger, I can safely say that "fine" is the peak of quality for the cafe car. I'm glad yours met that criteria.

Dining cars with tablecloths, silverware, glasses, full-course menus and servers in white jackets...as the train clakclaks along... Strangers would be sat at your table if there was space, you'd introduce yourselves and dine together... That may be where civilization peaked. Still a thing...?

Glad it’s gone so well with the current conditions.

There's bad tempeh?

I'm just happy to see something vegan and filling on the menu!

It’s got a pen cozy!

Does not look fine, but ok.

definitely scran

Oohh, we've done that lonely interchange many many times. But in a sleeper car. It's quiet other than the sporadic train maintenance operations. A properly liminal space.

You could try catching a flight from Albany to LaGuardia 😂

There'll be a lot more snow on the ground as you head down the Hudson Valley: we got (at least) 34 inches here in Poughkeepsie yesterday. But one advantage of the Hudson Line is that AMTRAK only shares it with commuter rail: the freight line is on the other side of the river.

I did NYC to Albany r/t a few years ago to give a talk at RPI. Hope you get to see the Hudson valley.

I took that train (the Maple Leaf, right?) in September. Loved the statue of Nipper in the Rochester station.

Great thread! Thanks for sharing.

Musicology duck would approve

I love this thread. (But 13+ hours could have gotten you to Japan.)

I love riding on a train, but 13 hours is... a lot. Traveling mercies! And hope your talk goes well!

Next you should try a week on the trans siberian railroad!

That can be a gnarly layover, particularly this late. Mind the big *CLUNK* and travel safe

The train rocks but yeah, 13 hours is a long time. This should be yet another high-speed corridor, at least in part.

I love the train! If I have to travel from NYC to Boston or DC it's way more comfortable and less hassle than flying and ends up taking about the same amount of time once you factor in getting to/through an airport.

I lived in Albany and Rensselaer (RPI grad!) for many a year. I've taken this route numerous times. I miss trains now that I live in the South again.

I hope I live to see high speed rail between New York and Canada!

I love the word Rensselaer

The train has mostly been very comfortable — it’s sparse enough that everyone has two seats to themselves and the seats are spacious anyway — with a notable exception being that there is way too little foot-level heat, even though I’m wearing boots & thick socks. My poor frozen toes 😣 #KatieTrainDay

Safe travels I hope your time in Toronto is good!

Hope you get there ok.

fast isnt the word. 8-10 hours from Buffalo to NYC

+1, an absolute delight.

Not "Ugh!" U2!

I am enjoying this thread so much…I love the beautiful snowy scenes but there is also the lingering sense of dread that the mechanical fault is going make the snow very unappealing if it all goes awry! It’s bedtime here in the UK so looking forward to picking up the story tomorrow.

Trains FTW!!!