Train trip to Pittsburgh via Buffalo July 24 & Baseball.

Sounds like a blast, Eddie!

 

A fun trip!   

 

Peter

I know you and your G'son will enjoy the 4 days. Have a safe trip. I enjoy my G'son and his activities in the scouts.
Ray.

Sunday morning go see the trains at the Carnegie Science Center.

 

http://www.carnegiesciencecent.../miniature-railroad/

 

It is one stadium down river from the ball park.

 

Jan

What a wonderful trip for you and the g'son--he'll never forget the trip.

Your team will probably lose(Pirates are hot) but you will enjoy the trip. Hope the RR s co=operate. You can watch the NS crossing the Allegheny R. and the CSX running along the Ohio R. on the other side. Enjoy.

Enjoy.

Eddie, Sounds like a fun trip. I assume from Buffalo you will be taking I-90 to I-79. Is so make sure to stop at Lakeshore Railway Museum in Northeast, PA. Its only a few miles off I-90 right after to cross into Pennsylvania from New York. Well worth the sidetrip. BTW Northeast is the name of the town, not its location in that state.

Also as you leave the Rochester station heading west move over to the right side of the car to check out the Genesee river gorge.

 

Pete

Eddie

That sounds like an exciting and memorable trip.

Your grandson is a very lucky boy.

 

Jim, He's a Pirates fan. I'm a Yankee fan but I am hoping the Pirates overtake the Cardinals.

eddie g,

    You are one great grandfather, a fantastic memory trip for you & your Grandson, no doubt about it.  Sense your Grandson is a big Pirates fan, I will give him a looks see at the men who taught me how to play baseball, on Dick Groat field in Swissvaile, Pa, way back.  Although Pie's picture (Pie Traynor) is missing he started Little League Baseball and helped us kids in the Pittsburgh area in a big way.  Billy Maz and Dick Groat in that era were the pros who spent many hours with us kids, I went to college on a full ride because of Maz, Groat and Pie, I will never forget their kindness to me and my family.  Pittsburgh Pirate Baseball in that era was the very best, the men were truly bigger than life.  The pictures below are Bill's Base Ball Hall of Fame collection, including MTH's 1960 World Series Box Car and Dick's 1960 Batting Title Picture, both personally autographed.

Pie Traynor often said Dick Groat was the greatest athlete who ever played Pro Baseball, and all American in both BasketBall and Baseball, drafted to play both Pro Baseball and Pro BasketBall he chose Baseball to stay in Pittsburgh/Swissvale, Pa were he grew up. In 1960 Bill and Dick broke the all time double play record for Pro baseball, Dick then retired, Bill and Gene Alley then re-broke the double play record in 1961, the record still stands today, Bill wanted Dick to stay around one more year so he would be Pro Baseballs all time double play short stop, Dick told Maz he could not due it, his legs were shot.  In reality they were the greatest double play team that ever played Pro ball, I know, I watched both Dick and Maz and Gene and Maz play, they were both great, Billy Maz is the greatest 2nd Baseman in the history of Pro ball his stats prove it, nobody even comes close.  Pie was the Greatest 3rd Baseman in baseball history, his stats also prove it, both were Pittsburgh Pirates.  Dick Groat #24 was probably the greatest pure athlete to ever play Pro Baseball, he was a Pittsburgh Pirate born and raised in Swissvale, Pa just down the street in our neighborhood, one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.  I watch him sign autographs for all the kids, never leaving till every kid was personally talked to and taken care of, I was one of those kids, these men were Pittsburgh Pirate Baseball and always will be.  IMO the modern day pro baseball players could not even carry their spikes.

 

Just a little Pittsburgh Baseball history for your Grandson.

 

PCRR/Dave

 

Sounds like a great trip, just be prepared for a late arrival in Buffalo. The nickname Lateshore Limited is well deserved.

Awesome.  You have plenty of time to practice this phrase:

 

Raise the Jolly Roger!

Brad, i just rode it to Chicago 4 weeks ago and it was on time. What I don't like about the Lake Shore is that you have to change trains in Albany, & It doesn't go right into Buffalo. It stops in Depew, & you have to take a cab into Buffalo.

My personal recommendation is that instead of riding the Lakeshore to Buffalo and driving, ride the Downeaster from Portland to Boston's North station, then take a cab across town to Boston's South Station. From there, ride the Northeast Regional to Philadelphia, then catch the Pennsylvanian to Pittsburgh. It will almost certainly be longer than driving, but it is an (almost) all-rail route that will deposit you right across the river from PNC Park. The issues I see with this plan are that it will require a layover in Boston to get the correct Regional train.

 

That being said, you probably already have hotel reservations in Buffalo, in which case, you probably will not want to change your itinerary. If you can spare the time, the Washington PA trolley museum is about an hour's drive from downtown in Washington, Pa. http://pa-trolley.org/visit-ptm/hours-of-operation/ If you arrive earlier in the morning on Thursday, you are welcome to stop by the D.A.R.E. Model Railroad Club in Venetia, Pa, provided you email me first. Like the others suggested, downtown Pittsburgh has a plethora of easily accessible rail fanning spots. A ride on one of the two inclines might also be fun. There's also the Heinz History Center, and the Strip District if you like shopping for food and souvenirs. There's a whole lot of attractions within an hour or two drive from downtown, the only limiting factor being your rental car situation and the amount of time you have.

Thanks for that information, but I am sticking to my original plans. I know about the way to Phila, but if you check it out the trains don't connect. You have to stay overnite in Phila. I don't like the Downeaster, it's too slow, & I don't like going from N. station to S. station. I would drive the whole distance, but it's about 12 hours, too  long for me to drive in one day, but 4 weeks ago I drove the Pacific coast highway from SF to LA 440 miles, & I always drive straight thru from Maine to York 540 miles. Anyway the plans are made.

You may just have to sit through a Fireworks Night--I'll check and get back to you tomorrow!

 

Norm

Eddie,

 

I have to agree with pittsburghrailfan's suggestion of taking a ride on either one of the two Pittsburgh inclines.  As you look across the Monongahela/Ohio River towards the opposite bank from the stadium,  the Monongahela incline is on the left(directly behind the old P&LE terminal-at night the P&LE sign is lit up) and the Duquesne incline is on the right.  The ride itself is quite a kick and the view from the top(whether day or night) is spectacular.  There are websites for both where you can check out the operation schedules and cost to ride.  Of course these don't compare with the Mt. Washington railway that you guys have up there in the Northeast!!! LOL

 

Nick

Wow, that's the place I stopped at a few years back, on the way home from Charlotte.

They were busy outside painting or working on that "little joe". The guy who runs the place, stopped what he was doing and guided us around to see everything. People like that, I never forget. I had as much fun talking with him, as seeing all the trains.

eddie,

   The advise on traveling thru Phily and across the state to Pittsburgh all on the train is definitely the way to go, and definitely safer travel for you and your Grandson, spring for a compartment and have a great time on the train trip.  With the games and return in the same manner.

PCRR/Dave

Dave, I just checked back with Amtrak. To do it your way I would have to leave Boston at 6am which would mean I would either have to leave Maine at 3:30 Am or sleep in Boston. It just doesn't work that way. I am doing it the best way, but thanks for trying to help me.

eddie g,

    Some people are not early morning people, I fully understand that, my wife does not function in the early morning either.  Have a good trip with your Grandson, enjoy and be careful!  Post some pictures of your trip for us when you come back.

PCRR/Dave

Fireworks Night will be on Thursday vs the Nationals.  This is a little strange since they have always been on the weekends.  Anyway,enjoy your trip.

Norm

Eddie:

 

Thank you, we need all of the help we can get to overtake those Cards! 

 

Regarding train-related attractions and considering your time constraints, as Jan pointed out above, close by is the Carnegie Science Center which has the huge 3-rail O Gauge layout which has been discussed often on this Forum.  You and your grandson would certainly enjoy the layout and many of the other exhibits in the CSC.  But they don’t open until 10 on Sunday morning and the Pirates game starts at 1:35 which wouldn’t give you enough time to completely tour the CSC.  I would suggest going to the CSC on Saturday afternoon instead which would give you more time.

 

You could ride the incline on Sunday morning.  Just take the T to Station Square and the lower incline station is nearby.

 

HTH, enjoy your trip and Beat-em-Bucs!

 

Bill  

I-79 isn't that far from New Castle, PA and The Underground Railroad Shoppe!

 

Jon

As is Mercer Junction. They both have great layouts any kid regardless of age would enjoy.

 

Pete

Bill, How far is the CSC from the Residence Inn Marriott @ 3896 Bigelow Blvd?

Too far to walk, you will need a taxi. The CSC is hugely expensive, I think. There are a lot of "games", half which don't work but you can look in the sub and the train layout. When I was there the layout was closed for maintenance. If you do go and see the game where you shoot a puck towards a goal, you can beat the goalie. Its sensors and mechanism is too fast. But, bounce the puck off the side and you can beat it all the time. It can't think, sort of, like our politicians. Hope you enjoy your trip and the games themselves will keep you pretty busy.

I thought you were staying at the Marriott by PNC Park which is within walking distance to the CSC.

 

Bill

Eddie, you have a real plan there.  Your grandson will surely remember the weekend as one of the best he ever had.  

 

And you really woke up all the Pirates fans on the Forum.  

Eddie

 

The Marriott on Bigelow is in no way easy walking distance to PNC.  It's 3.7 miles away and a few hills.  You may want to double check those reservations.

Another PNC thought: On most Sundays, there's a giveaway for 14 and under and there are inflatable bounce houses, etc. set up by the stadium. Kids can also stay and run the bases after the game.

Sorry guy's, I made a mistake, the reservation is at the Marriott 574 W. General Robinson St.

Eddie

 

Much better.  The Carnegie Science Center is .7 miles or about a 15 minute walk from the hotel just past the football stadium.  Also along the river are some nice memorials to veterans and police officers.

 

For the general admission to see the miniature RR you can also tour the submarine docked outside.

Bill,

   Great Pirates shirt in your Avatar picture buddy!

 

Marty E,

   I agree a much better/closer place to say for them and a nice walk to the Ball Park also.

 

PCRR/Dave

   

Eddie,

 

After you have recuperated from this past weekend,  you have to tell us how the trip went(Pirates went 1-1 at the two games yinz saw).

 

Nick 

Had a great time in Pittsburgh. Yes the Pirates lost 9-3 on Sat nite, but they came back & won 3-1 on Sunday. The Lake Shore Ltd was an hour & a half late into Buffalo on Friday night got in at 1:30 AM. On the trip back to Boston it was again hour & a half late Monday nite. got in at 9:30 pm. The Marriott where we stayed was unbelieveable, cross the street and you were at PNC park.      

Eddie,

   How about some pictures buddy!

PCRR/Dave

Dave, My grandson took all the pictures. I didn't take any. He got some autographs and some high fi's from Harper & a couple of others. We sat right next to the Washington dugout.