BOONTON, N.J. – Construction work in Amtrak’s East River Tunnels will indefinitely sideline the United Railroad Historical Society’s Hudson River Rail Excursions after trips scheduled for February and March with the group’s former New York Central lounge cars.
The historical society will operate “Farewell (For Now) Excursions” from New York Penn Station to Albany-Rensselaer, N.Y., and return on a dozen dates in February and March. Tickets for the trips go on sale on the group’s website at 10 a.m. on Jan. 29.
“With a heavy heart, we must announce that, after our February excursions, Hudson River Rail Excursions day trips will pause indefinitely,” URHS said in a statement. “This decision is unfortunately beyond our control. Amtrak’s vital rehabilitation of the East River Tunnels and subsequent changes to the Empire Service have made it impossible to integrate our historic railcars into these trains for the foreseeable future.”
The farewell trips will use former NYC lounges Hickory Creek, Swift Stream, and tavern-lounge No. 43. All proceeds will be used to maintain the cars and sustain the nonprofit organization.
URHS also said it encourages passengers to submit letters of support at HudsonRiverRail.com/KeepUsRolling.
“These letters will be shared with Amtrak as we work to bring back these experiences,” the group said. “While this hiatus is a significant setback, we are actively pursuing new opportunities. In the interim, our 20th Century Limited Experience overnight excursions will continue this summer, and our historic railcars may embark on other adventures across the country. We also have plans to develop new excursion experiences beyond New York City to supplement and eventually complement the Hudson River day trips.”
The $1.6 billion East River Tunnel project will restore two of the tunnel’s four tubes that sustained significant damage as a result of 2012’s Hurricane Sandy.
Suspect that it is a matter of either Amtrak and / or the historical society not wanting to have the cars directly behind a locomotive. Horn noise & diesel smoke are definite downers.
The diesel smoke residuals might be very hard to eliminate in the interior of the cars.
Time to add some Pullmans to the set.