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Celebrate the holiday season with the New York Transit Museum’s annual Holiday Train Show. On a two-level 34-foot long layout, Lionel trains travel through a miniature Manhattan to the North Pole. A new Long Island Rail Road train joins Metro-North, New York Central, and Pennsylvania Railroad cars on the elevated track, while New York City Transit’s R-27 subway cars run below. Vintage Lionel trains from the Museum’s collection are also on view.

If that description doesn’t give you a good idea of what this great show looks like, check out the video. The other day I did promise you all a video of the show, so on my lunch break today I stitched up a few of the clips I took. Enjoy the video, and be sure to check out the show in Grand Central. It runs until January 18th.

Here is a video in HD I took the other day when I was in Grand Central, a portion of the Laser Light Show that is going on for the holidays. It is pretty cool, but not much to rave about. Check it out on the way to do something more worthwhile, such as viewing the Holiday Train Show.

One of the many things I did yesterday in the city was to take photographs of the Holiday Train Show at the Transit Museum’s Grand Central Annex. I’ve always loved this show, and it is a major favorite for young children. The detail always amazes me… you definitely need to kneel down to see the “underneath” where the subways go by, and little people wait on the platform.

Anyways, enjoy the photos. The show will run through January 18, so there is still plenty of time to get down to Grand Central and take a look. It is a nice thing to see for the whole family, but I especially recommend it for all the little railfans.

Additional note: I’ll be posting video of this event soon! You can always subscribe to your new YouTube account!

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The holiday season is fast approaching, and many interesting holiday themed events will be happening along the Harlem Line. The Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show opens tomorrow, which is accessible via Metro-North’s Botanical Garden station. Grand Central’s Holiday Gift Fair, located in Vanderbilt hall, opens on Monday. Starting on Wednesday the Transit Museum’s Annex in Grand Central will host their Holiday Train Show (please note that this will be closed on Thanksgiving). And of course, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be held on Thursday. Of course, Metro-North has come up with some new holiday schedules, including additional trains, to help you get to these events.

Thanksgiving Metro-North Schedules

Thanksgiving Eve 11/25 extra early getaway trains will be offered, beginning at 1 PM. Because of decreased ridership in the PM peak, some trains will be combined or eliminated.

Thanksgiving Day 11/26 Operating on a holiday schedule with extra AM inbound service for those of you going to the Macy’s Parade. There will also be lots of late morning/early afternoon outbound service, and plenty of inbound evening service to get you back home.

Day after Thanksgiving 11/27 operating on a “Saturday” schedule with extra service during the AM and PM peak time periods.

For the most up to date schedule information, consult the schedule search on Metro-North’s website. Information for the Harlem Line’s Wassaic branch can be found here.

Regarding events, I’m trying to come up with a nice schedule of all varieties of events accessible by the Harlem Line. These events will be listed on the right side of the site. If you know of an event that I should mention, please contact me!

The more I post in this blog, the more I find myself split between posting pictures and stories of the crazy people I see, and relevant news regarding the Harlem Line. I think that I have come to a compromise of doing half and half. However, today is certainly a pictures of crazy people day. Oh, and remember, if you see some crazy people around the MTA trains, subways or buses be sure to take a picture and send it to me. :D

This funny guy kept trying to read, failing, and then falling asleep. I seriously thought he was going to fall out of his seat and onto the floor. There were a lot of sleepy people today, that is until one of the other crazies came upstairs and started shouting at them, “WAKE UP!”

I just thought this woman was funny, she was carrying this small rocking horse around on the platform, and then onto the train.

The other day I mentioned a girl with crazy hair carrying a mannequin torso… apparently she visited the train station again last night, this time she chose to carry a halloween pumpkin bucket. But this time I did take her picture. My coworker that saw her said that the tattoo on her face is probably real as well.

Also for amusement, here are some of the pictures that I was mailed today from the Christmas Carol Train Tour that was in Grand Central two weekends ago. On the train they took your photo, and then did a few “face morphs” to make you look like some of the characters from the movie.

If you’re looking to go to the victory parade for the Yankees tomorrow, Friday November 6th, Metro North will be running a few extra trains on both the Harlem and Hudson Lines. Extra cars will be added to trains on the New Haven Line.

The ticker-tape parade will begin on Broadway at Battery Place at 11 AM and continue uptown along the “Canyon” to Chambers Street, ending at 12:30 PM. At 1PM a ceremony will be held at City Hall Plaza, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg will present the Bronx Bombers with the Keys to the City. The ceremony will end at 2:30 PM.

The extra train on the Harlem Line will make the following stops:
Southeast: 8:30 AM
Brewster: 8:33 AM
Goldens Bridge: 8:43 AM
Katonah: 8:47 AM
Mount Kisco: 8:53 AM
Chappaqua: 8:59 AM
North White Plains: 9:10 AM
White Plains: 9:14 AM
Harlem-125th St: 9:37 AM
Grand Central: 9:48 AM

From Grand Central, you can take the subway, 4 or 5 train downtown to any of the following stations:
Fulton Street, Wall Street, Bowling Green or Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall. Additional subway and bus information can be found here.

Also, for anyone who rides the train in the Wassaic area, trains will not be running this weekend due to bridge work, November 7th and 8th. Instead, buses will ferry riders down to Southeast. These buses will follow the normal train schedule.

Riding the subway on Halloween is always interesting. Crazy people running around with fake blood pouring down their faces, and females wearing costumes that are more skin than clothes. Bert and Ernie were sighted in Grand Central, as well as many child train conductors, princesses, power rangers and firefighters. And even a rather cute Teletubby.

Anyways, have a Happy Halloween everyone, and enjoy some pictures from the Christmas Carol Train Tour in Grand Central. Remember, tomorrow is your last chance to see the train. Grand Central is the final stop in this tour across the country.

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