New York City Toy Train Walking Tour

Hi Skip,

 

I always look forward to your posts this time of year. Being originally from Long Island they remind me of great family trips in the 60s and 70s. One family rule we had was that the season did not begin until Santa got off that sleigh, a rule my wife daughter and I stick to to this day.

All the best,

Miketg

This year I am actually going with my 11 year old son.  Reservations made, taking the Amtrak from DC.  Go ahead, bite the big apple.  He is looking forward to this as am I.

Skip:  I will be coming to NYC on the 19th and staying until the evening of the 22nd.  Since I have never been there before and very well may never be back (getting older) is there something (or a couple of things) that you would reccommendfor someone to do.  Right now all we have planned is going to Radio city music hall for a show, a harbor tour and maybe a live theatre show.

Besides the train layout walking tour, I recommend the Museum of Natural History, the New York City Transit Museum at Livingston St in Brooklyn, Grand Central Station,  a ride on the subway, Circle Line Tour around Manhattan, Times Square at night, walk Canal Street during the day, Statue of Liberty, the Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum and the site of Twin Towers.

Would you have an updated 2012 version of the walking tour??

Skip:

 

I always look forward to your annual tour of NYC Christmas highlights. It would not see like Christmas on the Forum without your family photos. I look forward to your 2012 event.

2356: Take an F train to Ditmas Avenue in Brooklyn and visit [the late Peter] Bianco's Train World at 751 McDonald Avenue. The subway becomes the elevated ("EL") as it leaves Manhattan. GREAT views!

I'm planning on taking the kids to see "Elf" on Broadway. It's one of their favorite Holiday movies and should be a lot of fun live! It is at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

 

Add me to the list of those who look forward to your Holiday tour each year, Skip. It's getting to be a tradition!

Skip,

 

Thanks for the mention of "Elf" on Broadway.   Also a favorite movie at my house each holiday season.  I need to start planing a NYC weekend trip using Amtrak Downeaster from Portland to Boston.  Then Amtrak BOS to NYP. Now, should I make it a long day?  Or find a Hampton Inn near the theater and Penn station for a 2 day trip?

 

Mike.   

Skip;

 

Your mission, whether you choose to accept it or not , is to take lots and lots of picturess and post them here on the forum for those of us who cannot get up to NYC during the holidays.

Thanks for starting this up again Skip.

Skip, many thnks for continuing a holiday tradition for OGR Forum members that you started quite a few years back. In early December, Paula and myself make the trip and much of it is a walking tour. We no longer have the City Station layout to see but its still fun stopping at GCS, Macys and seeing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. We always take the train in to avoid traffic and the outrageous NYC parking fees. The city is just electric during holiday season but saying its crowded is an understatement.  

I'll meet you at Plataforma Churesceria for din din.  We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.

Ben, Plataforma it is! That is one great place. When you going?

Skip and Ben....please count me in to let me know when you are doing the tour...would love to join you.  Jim

Scrapiron and Ginny want to join the group !

The scramble to get the display windows in is going on in force.

An special add on to the tour this year should be a trip to the Upper West Side to the New York Historical Society to see the J Green collection of Toy Trains. It opens the day before Thanksgiving so you could watch the Macys Ballon inflation around the Natural History Muesum across the street, go see some really old toy trains and grab a Burger at Shake Shack on 78 and Columbus.

New York New York it's a wonderful town. The Bronx is up, The battery's down.

Tks for the tips.

 

Took Amtrak in from Orlando great relaxing trip arriving night before thanksgiving. A few blocks to hotel by cab.

Up early the next morning to walk a couple of blocks to wait the Thanksgiving day parade worth the wait. Excellent front row seats but sore from standing for hours.

 

Rested then walked Times Square and various shops all open and packed out on Thanksgiving.

 

Empire State building and the best show for kids and Christmas theme is the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular the Rockettes 85 year".

http://www.radiocitychristmas.com/newyork.html

 

Great 90 minute show lots of neat effects and acts from A visit to the north pole to a Nativity Scene, Nutcracker, and a cool 3D video game the kids would love. Great concert hall to visit. 

 

Black Friday got a multi ride pass to subway, 1st stop Trainworld an easy ride, pity mostly all underground. Ground Zero area and waterfront to look at Liberty closed due to docks washed out. Sub to Macy's crushing crowds no trains or Thanksgiving day parade box cars darn. Toys R us had a battery G train cheap and Battery Lionel Polar Express G for cheap no other train sets (other then small plastic and wood push toys) and Disney store no trains.

Central park etc. good day.

 

Missed Grand Central as was told no train layout!
If I am wrong please post some pics.

Grand Central has a layout in the Transit Museum store  It was built by TW Trainworx

How long does the Macy's train display stay up for?

It's nice to see your post, Skip.

 

My family and I did up New York at Christmas time about 5 years ago, very cold winter that was, and saw many of the train-related attractions. Very pleasant memories. One subtle highlight was having hot chocolate at the Waldof Astoria hotel; it was absolutely the best hot chocolate I ever had. I drank the better part of an entire pot myself.

Bill,

 

The Macy's train display is in Santa Land, which closes on Christmas Eve at around 5pm, as Santa has other business to attend to.

 

Nice photos, KJ! I haven't been to the parade in person since I was in High School! Have to do that again.

My family and I will be flying from California and spending one day in New York...

We would love to do this walking tour !

Can you offer any further help (addresses ??) for us ?  

We want to waste as little as possible of our limited time there lost and confused !

The annual Skip Natoli NYC Walking Tour will have its New York City premier in about 15 minutes. Admission is free . . . . . 

More on the news at 11 .  .  . Watch for it at a theater near you.

 

Scrappy

Skip

Could you post an itinerary for the walking tour. My daughter lives and my there and my wife is going to visit for a few days.....they may want to do part of it.

BTW......I'm really looking forward to your Christmas layout pictures......I love all your New York City Dept 56 buildings!

 

Thanks.

Peter

Here you go Peter.

 

We usually arrive at Penn Station and start at Macy's Herald Square and see their Windows and visit Santa Land. Alternate years we climb to the top of the Empire State Building. We then walk north on 5th Avenue checking out Lord & Taylors Windows. Then head east on 42nd Street to Grand Central. North on Park passing the NYC Building and the Waldorf Astoria. Then head west back to 5th Avenue. We stop at Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas Tree and on alternate years climb the Top Of The Rock. We continue north on 5th Ave passing St Patrick's Cathedral, Cartiers, Trump Tower, Tiffany, FOA Schwarz, the Plaza Hotel, Bergdorf Goodman. Then we head over to 6th Avenue and head south passing Radio City and stopping at Bryant Park. the we wind up back at Macy's, and Penn Station.

Thank you, Skip.

 

Peter

Thanks Skip for the detailed map. I will save this one! I look forward to seeing your tour every year.

Hi Skip,

I just showed the pictures to my wife and daughter, made my wife a little homesick. there is no place like NY this time of year. A big thank you and all the best,

Mike

Hey Skip Thank You!

 

I will be in NYC on a day trip this coming Saturday Dec. 8th.  Our bus drops us off in front of Macy's around 8:30am so this is just what I was looking for.  As for toy train layouts I see Macy's and Grand Central Station are there others?  I think we are suppose to be back at Macy's by 7:30pm so how much time should we allot for each stop?  Sorry for all the questions but as you might can tell I'm a first timer.  

SantaCon is the 15th of December. 

You will definitely be able to do the tour and be back by 7:30pm. Go directly to Macy's Santa Land because there should be little to no line at 8:30am. You should be able to be out by 9:30am. Then if you want to go up to the top of the Empire State Building you should alot a couple of hours for that. So you can head up to Grand Central, check out the terminal and layout, perhaps grab some lunch and be ready to head north by 1:30- 2:00pm. That will leave you 5.5 hours for the rest. The walk up 5th Avenue can be done at your own pace but allow a good 30-45 minutes for Rockefeller Center. If you return to Macy's along 6th Ave, check out Bryant Park at 6th and 42nd St. Then you might want to walk over to check out Times Square, one long block west of Bryant Park. Then you can follow the Broadway Pedestrian Walk back down to Herald Square. I can't tell how long your stops will be, but you should have no problem in that time frame.

 

The two layouts mentioned are the only two left in midtown. Have fun and post pictures.

A bit out of the way, the Toys & Trains from the Jerni Collection at the NY Historical Society Museum & Library (170 Central Park West at 77th Street) looks very interesting.

Just received a flyer in the mail today advertising it.

Wow Skip!!! Terrific plan!!!   Well done & thanks for sharing.

If I may be permitted to add another train event in NYC. I just got a flyer from the New York Historical Society at 170 Central Park West (77th st.) They are having an exhibit called "Holiday Express" that contains historical model trains, stations and structures from the 1850-1940 era. The exhibition highlights mostly European Toys from the Jerni collection. This should be a good stop to make on the walking tour as it offers a chance to see some of the rarest toys and oldest trains in the world in perfect condition.

Info is here 

http://www.nyhistory.org/exhib...ins-jerni-collection

The exhibit runs daily to January 6th 2013 but is closed on Mondays.

 

OOPs I just noticed that ed h already mentioned this but the link may help.

(I also mentioned the Historical Society about a month ago if you scroll up.)

Penn Station has a sad loop of 3 rail track. An Amtrak wave scheme Genesis and train was sitting on it when I saw it with some Plasticville and G scale.