Ah, train travel.
The rumble of the rail cars on the tracks. The friendly conductor. Snacks in the café car. Stunning views outside the window that come and go in a moment. The absence of stress from a long drive and the chance to reduce your carbon footprint.
Wholly intertwined with the story of our great nation is the enduring spirit of the railroad. And keeping that
story alive today is Amtrak, America’s very own rail service, and one that provides the perfect platform from which to enjoy the wonders of New York State.
From Manhattan to Niagara Falls as well as north to the Adirondack Mountains and everywhere in between, Amtrak is ready for you to board. Now, to help plan your next Amtrak getaway, the New York By Rail team is very proud to present our 2022 edition – along with expanded magazine content available at NewYorkByRail.com.
So much has changed since the last time we were about to publish New York By Rail in the spring of 2020. The pandemic forced us to publish a bi-annual 2020/2021 edition for the first time in our 17-year history. At the same time, we pivoted to ramp up our digital offerings on NewYorkByRail.com, with weekly e-newsletters, blogs and social media.
The 18th annual edition of New York By Rail brings with it a desire to travel once again, particularly closer to home. We hope you enjoy the unique content contained herein, and we hope it will inspire you to embark on a journey, board a train and enjoy the wonders that can only come through that rail car window.
For your reading pleasure:
- Daniel Spitzer, Contributing Photographer and avid Amtrak supporter, has provided stunning aerial photos from his plane. Daniel captured sweeping views of Amtrak trains en route, as well as the destinations to which they were heading. Daniel shot our cover photo along Lake Champlain and his pictures are featured prominently throughout the magazine. Daniel’s work reflects his passion and illustrates the stunning scenery viewable from the train. Daniel’s photos truly embody the phrase, “A picture paints a thousand words.” What a hobby!
- Biking the Empire State Trail is another reason to plan an Amtrak getaway to enjoy New York’s great outdoors. The
recent completion of the 750-mile contiguous Empire State Trail, easily reachable by Amtrak, and Amtrak’s new policy
allowing you to bring your bike on trains, make the Empire State Trail an easily-accessible destination. We have some great suggestions for making the most of Amtrak and the Empire State Trail.
- Discover why Miss New York, Sydney Park, enjoys riding Amtrak, and follow along on her recent trip from New York City to Buffalo via Amtrak in which she shares some of her favorite western New York places to visit.
- Our 4th Annual survey results from the NYC Association of Hotel Concierges outlines what’s new in New York City
following the onset of the pandemic. I couldn’t wait to visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, a concierge pick for “Best New
Attraction,” and I’m happy to share a photo in my letter.
- With the popularity of college students taking Amtrak to get to school or return home, we profiled two New York State
college students to learn why they prefer taking the train.
- Our interviews with four Amtrak conductors provide insights into what they like about working for Amtrak, their favorite routes, sights from the train, interesting passenger encounters and famous people they’ve run into on the train.
For expanded New York By Rail coverage, we’re providing QR codes so you can easily access our unique online content. And check back throughout the year for updated information.
NewYorkByRail.com also contains an expanded calendar of events, local guides of things to do within the nine destination regions, content from past editions of New York By Rail and blogs that are generated year-round. A great way to be reminded of timely content is to subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter, which features the latest news regarding fun things to do via Amtrak, blogs and more.
Don’t forget to send us your comments and feedback, as we’d love to hear why you enjoy Amtrak travel. Maybe we’ll even include your comments within “Train Talk.”
Best Regards,
Thomas Martinelli
Publisher & Chief Content Officer
