Railroad Elegance during ESWA Meeting


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Corporate Sponsors	Railroad Elegance during ESWA Meeting By Dick Healy The Record Newspapers Forty or so members of the Eastern Ski Writers Association boarded a dome car of the Saratoga & North Creek Railway Sunday, Dec. 17, at the North Creek’s New York’s historic station, for a two-hour round trip ride along the upper Hudson River to the small hamlet of Thurman. The ESWA contingents were forerunners, so to speak, of many ski groups expected to ride the ski train, which started Dec. 30 and will run through March between Saratoga and North Creek. Jody Moore, conductor and manager of train operations, says, “The dome can seat 52 on top offering full breakfast and dinner service. Attached coach cars carry can carry up to 88 passengers.” According to Moore, more coaches can be added to the train depending on demand. The Delaware & Hudson railway originally purchased the dome car that was used in many states between 1931 to 1951.Since being acquired by SNCR the dome car, and coaches, have been refurbished. Steve Torrico, general manager and engineer, assured the group that the railroad is fully compliant with CFR 238 rules governing commuter passenger trains like those applicable to Amtrak. There is a nurse on board during operating times, and the staff is trained in first aid. The train travels at 30-miles an hour, which makes travel time from Saratoga to North Creek about 2 hours 20 minutes. Plans are in the works to spend $500,000 on track upgrades that eventually will increase the speed to 45 mph. As one passenger remarked, “Riding the train is like experiencing old fashioned elegance.” As for price, an adult can ride the dome round trip (to include a lift ticket to ski Gore) for $87. Multi-day packages are offered at substantial discounts. It was quite clear to everyone that the ski trains of the 1930-40s that stopped running 60 odd years ago are about to make a grand revival. The Amtrak train from New York City, via the Saratoga & North Creek Railroad connection will make winter travel all that much easier. The train leaves Saratoga Springs station at 7 a.m. and arrives in North Creek 9:20 a.m. It returns from North Creek at 4:30 p.m. and arrives in Saratoga 6:20 p.m. Phone: 877-726-7245 [This story appeared in The Snow Industry Letter a few days after the ESWA Conference and Meeting at Gore Mountain, Dec. 16 to 18. Visit the TSIL Web site, www.snowindustryletter.com or contact Editor Mary McKhann, tsileditor@madriver.com.]

Corporate Sponsors

Railroad Elegance during ESWA Meeting
By Dick Healy
The Record Newspapers

Forty or so members of the Eastern Ski Writers Association boarded a dome car of the Saratoga & North Creek Railway Sunday, Dec. 17, at the North Creek’s New York’s historic station, for a two-hour round trip ride along the upper Hudson River to the small hamlet of Thurman.

The ESWA contingents were forerunners, so to speak, of many ski groups expected to ride the ski train, which started Dec. 30 and will run through March between Saratoga and North Creek.

Jody Moore, conductor and manager of train operations, says, “The dome can seat 52 on top offering full breakfast and dinner service. Attached coach cars carry can carry up to 88 passengers.”

According to Moore, more coaches can be added to the train depending on demand. The Delaware & Hudson railway originally purchased the dome car that was used in many states between 1931 to 1951.Since being acquired by SNCR the dome car, and coaches, have been refurbished.

Steve Torrico, general manager and engineer, assured the group that the railroad is fully compliant with CFR 238 rules governing commuter passenger trains like those applicable to Amtrak. There is a nurse on board during operating times, and the staff is trained in first aid.

The train travels at 30-miles an hour, which makes travel time from Saratoga to North Creek about 2 hours 20 minutes. Plans are in the works to spend $500,000 on track upgrades that eventually will increase the speed to 45 mph.

As one passenger remarked, “Riding the train is like experiencing old fashioned elegance.”
As for price, an adult can ride the dome round trip (to include a lift ticket to ski Gore) for $87. Multi-day packages are offered at substantial discounts.

It was quite clear to everyone that the ski trains of the 1930-40s that stopped running 60 odd years ago are about to make a grand revival. The Amtrak train from New York City, via the Saratoga & North Creek Railroad connection will make winter travel all that much easier.

The train leaves Saratoga Springs station at 7 a.m. and arrives in North Creek 9:20 a.m. It returns from North Creek at 4:30 p.m. and arrives in Saratoga 6:20 p.m.

Phone: 877-726-7245

[This story appeared in The Snow Industry Letter a few days after the ESWA Conference and Meeting at Gore Mountain, Dec. 16 to 18. Visit the TSIL Web site, www.snowindustryletter.com or contact Editor Mary McKhann, tsileditor@madriver.com.]