New York's Prettiest Commute! Metro North's Hudson Line

Hello and welcome to Croton-Harmon Station! Today we are taking a ride on Metro North’s Hudson Line, New York's Prettiest Commuter Line, from here down to Grand Central Terminal.
Trip Information
Train: Metro North Hudson Line Train 854
Locomotive: GE 'Genesis' P32AC-DM
Consist: Shorliner 4 Coaches
Departure Time: 11:42 am
Arrival Time: 12:37pm
Journey Time: 0 hr 55 min
Ticket Price: $11.25
Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed!
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Huge Thank You to My Patrons!
First Class:
Jonas Jonson
Caleb
Joshua Bedel
Eli Taubman
Business Class:
James Schock
Coach Class:
Marlo Fairhurst
Arthur Sievers
Stephen Keever
Sam Jennings
Michael Cronin
Want your name in the video, or just want to support the channel in more ways than one? Check out the Patreon or become a Channel Member!
/ lonestartripreports
kzbin.info...
Chapters
0:00 Hello and Welcome to Croton-Harmon Station!
0:31 Station Facilities
1:24 Out to Platform 1 and MNR's Harmon Yard
1:55 Off-Peak Railfanning!
2:37 The NYC Trash Train!
3:36 One Last Train: MNR Hudson Line 821
4:09 Our Route to NYC
4:50 Train 854 Arrives, Our Ride to Grand Central
5:35 Seating on Metro North's Shoreliner 4s
6:32 Back on Schedule by Ossining
6:41 Cab Views! (Distorted, but Better than Nothing!)
7:05 Subscribe!
7:30 The Gorgeous Hudson River
7:48 Shoreliner 4 Interiors
8:01 Toilet Time!
9:00 A Sneak Peek of the Controls
9:13 Speeds on the Hudson Line
9:26 Stats for Nerds!
10:24 More Cab Views and Amtrak's Empire Connection
11:00 Rejoining the Harlem and New Haven Lines
11:52 Harlem 125th Street
12:04 Arrival at Grand Central Terminal
12:21 Next Week: Greensboro to Raleigh (The LONG Way)
12:42 Subscribe! And Check Out the Patreon!
13:05 Thanks for Watching!
Equipment:
Camera: iPhone 12 Pro Max
Gimbal: DJI OM5
Camera: GoPro Hero 9 Black
Camera: Sony AX-43
Mic: Rode Videomic Pro+
Tripod: Coman DF06 + Manfrotto 502 Head
#MetroNorth #Amtrak #tripreport

[@tokugawa12able]

A New Yorker calls the bridge “The Tappan Zee.”

[@h8GW]

The old one, too. No one ever called it the "Governor Wilson Bridge". I didn't even know that was its official name until after Wikipedia was invented.

[@spuds6423]

​@@h8GWKing Andy pushed it through the dead of night as part of a state budget deal ...the cost of signage was a few million dollars. 🤬🤬🤬🤬

[@eliaomg]

As Miles in Transit said, “The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Memorial Hudson River Tappan Zee Interstate 287/Interstate 87 Memorial Bridge Structure Bridge Pillar Bridge Suspension Whatever Truss Bridge Thing Bridge Cable-Stayed Bridge”

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

I lived the first eight years of my life along the Hudson Line, so it was the line that made me train-pilled (kid me even got a Lionel Metro-North M7 from the NY Transit Museum store at Grand Central)! It's definitely one of the most scenic railway routes in the country, and it's even better during Fall with all the foliage. The Palisades are a gem along the Hudson, the Lenape called the cliffs "rocks that look like rows of trees", or Weehawken, which of course became the name of the place where Hamilton and Burr did their famous duel. This country is lucky to have so much natural beauty like the Hudson Palisades, and it's so important for us to keep America's beauty this way. The trash train exists because the city's last municipal incinerator shut down in 1990, and the last municipal landfill (Fresh Kills on Staten Island; at one point the largest dump in the WORLD) shut down in 2001, so thus all the trash has to be shipped to landfills and incinerators outside the city. Trash specifically from Manhattan goes to the Essex County Resource Recovery Facility in Newark where it's generated into energy.

[@ice319]

I'm a current NYC Transit supervisor (for the subways in NYC). I just got notified that I will have an interview for Metro North for the Locomotive Engineer position next Tuesday! This video has me pumped up. I definitely can't wait to have that view of the Hudson River every day!

[@NortheastCorridorFilms]

did he get the job lmao

[@ghostengineer]

Mario, did you get the job ? I could check the roster…..but I’m lazy 😂😂😂

[@ice319]

Unfortunately, there has been a snag in the process for me. I will have to reapply next year, but I'm still working on getting myself there 👍🏾

[@TiyMiiTim]

So my dad used to work in the yard at Croton-Harmon, and this commute down to Grand Central is one I take about once a year. It definitely was shocking for me to see you do something I've done so many times in my life! Keep up the great content!

[@LonestarTrips]

Ha that's great! My scheduling often takes me to start or end points that most other content creators don't check out, hence why I ended up in Croton-Harmon. Thanks for the support!

[@Agustin01]

My commute and I will never get sick of the riverview!

[@LonestarTrips]

Awesome! Glad I was able to cover your regular route!

[@FaLO66traintravels]

I agree!!!!

[@deanchapman1824]

Mine too!!! Usually I'm sleeping for most of it!!!

[@stephenlaarkamp7344]

Quick correction: The electrification on the Hudson line is actually 750 volt DC, so it's not AC at all. The AC in the P32AC-DM's name comes from the fact that it uses AC traction motors when the diesel engine is in operation, like most modern diesels do. When it gets to the third rail section, it runs on DC exclusively as all third rail systems do (you can't really run AC with third rail because of the skin effect, so AC electric power is only able to be used with overhead catenary wires.) Minor gripe, since the video is fantastic as usual with your stuff, but something worth pointing out. Maybe long-term, they can replace the third rail with catenary since it's a better system to manage and the trains would perform better anyway.

[@spuds6423]

I am not sure you have the proper clearance to run catenary on the Hudson and Harlem lines ... You would have to raise existing bridges and environmental preservationists like Scenic Hudson would protest against any towers on the Hudson line.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

The Harlem River Lift Bridge does take you to the island of Manhattan but technically, you were already briefly in Manhattan because the Hudson Line goes through Marble Hill! You see, Marble Hill may have a Bronx zip code, Bronx area codes, and is attached to the Bronx, but actually it's an exclave of Manhattan! Marble Hill was once part of Manhattan Island, but it became its own island in 1895 as the result of the Harlem Ship Canal. Then in 1914, it became attached to the Bronx as the result of the Harlem River on the north side of Marble Hill being fully diverted to the canal. Some Hudson Line lore: The Hudson River Railroad was chartered on May 12, 1846 to extend the Troy and Greenbush Railroad, which connected Troy and Albany, south to New York City along the east bank of the Hudson River. Service began on the first 41 miles (66 km) of the line from Chambers Street and Hudson Street in Lower Manhattan to Peekskill on September 29, 1849. The full line to Poughkeepsie opened in October 1851. Cornelius Vanderbilt purchased the Hudson River Railroad in 1864, soon after he bought the parallel New York and Harlem Railroad, which is today's Harlem Line. He merged these and other short line railroads to form the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, which was renamed the New York Central Railroad in 1914. This line was rebuilt and realigned in 1905 to 1906 when the Harlem River Ship Canal was built.

[@stephenkeever6029]

Nicely done with some quality rail fanning! With your presentation style, I always feel like I’m along for the ride.

[@LonestarTrips]

I'm glad you enjoyed as always! I'm starting to add more railfanning to the videos as I quite enjoy it, and I figured y'all would as well.

[@kl6361]

Next month, I am going to travel on the coast starlight from Emeryville to la like you did

[@thealmightydoge5653]

i practically grew up on this railroad. until 2020, i used to live in the bronx, surrounded by 3 metro north stations connected to the harlem line. those 3 stations were marble hill, fordham and university heights. i was practically raised on the metro north / nyc subway and it makes me a little upset that in 2020 i had to say goodbye to riding the metro north, as it had gorgeous views of the hudson river and dozens of new york gems when it comes to scenery. but thank god in 2021, i got to ride the maple leaf as my first ever amtrak ride. it was probably one of the best experiences i have ever had on a train. thank you for making a video on my home railway!

[@LonestarTrips]

Gosh to have the Maple Leaf as your first Amtrak ride is a hell of a route to start with! I'll be taking it later this year, and have heard that the views on both it and the Adirondack are stunning.

[@spenceradams2908]

Yankees stadium also is served by all three lines east of the Hudson during game days there’s a curve just south of the station that links to the Harlem and New Haven lines allowing them to run into Yankees e 153rd

[@deanchapman1824]

Yep, that curve is at Mott Haven, where all 3 lines come together.

[@tf51d]

A little surprised he didn't reference passing Yankee Stadium as it's a rather significant landmark on the route!

[@straighft]

Haha nice used to ride always on the river side when I lived upstate , never could get over how the train overlooked the water

[@LonestarTrips]

It's a gorgeous ride. Definitely one of my favorite commuter lines.

[@montyb10009]

Very good!

[@walkaboutboy72]

Nice trip - done that last year amazing upload thanks

[@OregonRailfan83]

Well done!

[@Benasorus]

Beautiful. If you ever have a chance, I recommend riding all the way up north. IMHO most scenic section of the hudson line is north of peekskill.

[@LonestarTrips]

I definitely want to revisit this line in the future. I was pressed for time on that particular day, hence the changeover at Croton-Harmon, but if I do get the opportunity, I'll ride it all the way to the end of the line.

[@Benasorus]

@@LonestarTrips awesome. Another Scenic Metro-North trip I recommend is the Harlem line all the way up to wassaic. It's about a two-and-a-half-hour trip but the north section of the line passes through lots of rural Countryside. Feels like you're nowhere near NYC. I've been on pretty much every single Commuter Rail line that serves NYC and would be glad to provide recommendations if you're interested. Love your videos!

[@LonestarTrips]

@@Benasorus Oh that's an interesting one that I've never though about. As far as recommendations go, do fire away, as I may have a day or two at the end of my next adventure to hang around the NYC area and film some more interesting routes.

[@deanchapman1824]

@@LonestarTrips the ride all the way to Poughkeepsie is beautiful. My suggestion is to do it in the middle to late October, likely around the 20th. The colors will be just about at peak. Once you get to Poughkeepsie, you can exit towards the river. Walk north towards the Walkway Over the Hudson. You can take the elevator up 21 stories to the Walkway. It was originally the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge, opened in 1888. The views are spectacular!!! If I could post pictures here, I would. It's well worth the trip from GCT.

[@williamkay6916]

The bridge you mentioned at 4:20 of the video is actually the Tappan Zee Bridge

[@LonestarTrips]

It is officially named the Governor Cuomo bridge, and thus can go as either.

[@williamkay6916]

@@LonestarTrips Then you do NOT know the true story of the overnight back room deal that was made. Nobody in this entire area uses that name on it at all.

[@LonestarTrips]

@@williamkay6916 Clearly I don’t, care to share?

[@deanchapman1824]

​@LonestarTrips yes I will. The public consensus was for the bridge to remain the Tappan Zee Bridge. For historical reasons and that the part of the section of the river that it crosses is the Tappan Zee. The "name change" was snuck in the state budget bill right before midnight, before it was voted on. It was shenanigans. It doesn't matter what party you belong to either. Most locals on both sides of the river will forever call it the TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE, no matter what the "official" name is. It's a matter of contention because of the way it was done, and there was no public support behind it. Something that Stalin would've done. As a commuter on the line from New Hamburg, great job!

[@LonestarTrips]

@@deanchapman1824Oh interesting, thanks for the insight. I'll definitely refer to it as the Tappan Zee Bridge from here on out.

[@this_jedi_crafts6626]

So glad the KZbin algorithm brought me to your channel! I was happy to find this video as I'll be taking this train up to TarryTown (Sleepy Hallow) (mid-September, with.a group of co-workers) and was excited to see some of what the ride is like! Keep up the great content!

[@johnburke1317]

Nice video

[@LonestarTrips]

Thanks!

[@spenceradams2908]

Nice to see my daily commute being reviewed that coffee shop in croton is great but they sell out early in the morning with commuters using it

[@LonestarTrips]

That shop was pretty much out by the time I got there, but a coffee was all I really needed, so a perfect pitstop. 😊

[@spenceradams2908]

@@LonestarTrips they only get one delivery of bakery stuff in the morning and they used to be closed by 10am it’s nice they are now open all day

[@deanchapman1824]

If I may suggest a future itinerary if and when you have time. On the Hudson Line, Cold Spring, Beacon, and Poughkeepsie are well worth it. Peekskill has a beautiful waterfront. If you take the local train, Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, and Tarrytown are beautiful. On the Harlem Line, Bronxville, Scarsdale, Katonah, Mt. Kisco are worth checking out. New Haven Line, New Rochelle, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Greenwich, and the Connecticut Gold Coast are beautiful. New York suburbs are very different from most of the nation, as well as Boston.

[@deanchapman1824]

It's Mott Haven where all the lines come together.

[@martincruz8319]

Great that you've taken this ride from Croton -Harmon, but you should've went all the way to Poughkeepsie, a town of about 30,000 people in the Mid-Hudson region in New York, around halfway between New York City and Albany. A worthy ride to and from the Hudson Valley and the Big Apple. 🍎🍏

[@SirKenchalot]

I'm excited for next week's video; I assume from your test you're going to take hte long way round via Canada right?

[@LonestarTrips]

🤣It's not that far lol, but it's definitely much farther than anyone would ever want to go.

[@SirKenchalot]

@@LonestarTrips Well in that case you must be going via New Jersey; shudder.

[@LonestarTrips]

@@SirKenchalot I wouldn't dare subject myself to that. Just thinking about it makes me sick...

[@jaytee1057]

👍🏽

[@JJRol.]

Love the Hudson line and Croton-Harmon railfanning. I think 101 got a little lost though, not sure a switcher is supposed to go that far away!

[@LonestarTrips]

I'm glad you enjoyed! Always love seeing you in the live chat and comments. 😊I'm trying to add some more railfanning to the videos, as I quite enjoy it, and I figure y'all would as well.

[@cyklebs7402]

Daylight freight.

[@cats0182]

Were there passenger service on the old NYC River Line, I believe it would rival the Hudson Line

[@The.NycStuntMan]

Thank you for doing my request

[@LonestarTrips]

Ofc! I hope you enjoyed it!

[@The.NycStuntMan]

@@LonestarTrips I did enjoy it especially the cab views. Also fun fact that’s a shoreliner 5 because it doesn’t have an engineers door. Shoreliner 5s ranges from 6315-6222. Also shoreliners always had the film on the doors

[@LonestarTrips]

@@The.NycStuntMan Happy to hear it! And I was unaware it was a Shoreliner 5. I thought it was a 4, but I must have misread that somewhere. Good catch!

[@The.NycStuntMan]

@@LonestarTrips your welcome

[@danielcapson9842]

By starting in Croton Harmon you missed the best parts... Tisk, tisk, tisk....

[@LonestarTrips]

By starting croton Harmon I was able to make my connection in New York to film more videos… Tisk, tisk, tisk….

[@danielcapson9842]

@@LonestarTrips Then don't call it the pretiest commute. False advertisement and crappy click bait. It's all about you. I see how this works...

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

One of these days, I really wanna try to ride all of the east-of-Hudson lines in one day, Harlem,. Hudson, and New Haven (+ New Canaan, Danbury, Waterbury branches). Got it all figured out, too.

[@LonestarTrips]

Same here. I've now technically done all three of the main east lines, but I haven't taken them all the way to their termini, so I'll have to revisit them at some point.

[@DTD110865]

I doubt you could ride the entire system East of the Hudson in one day. But good luck clinching that portion of the system. Sounds like it might be fun.

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

@@DTD110865 I wonder if bussing substitutions are still happening on any of the NHL branches - as that would throw a wrench into things. Anywhoo, I consider a day not in terms of daylight, but the literal calendar day, which I should have clarified before - and would make the task a lot more doable than restricting it to literal daylight hours.

[@DTD110865]

@@DanknDerpyGamer I don't think bustitution is used unless trains break down or lines are under reconstruction.

[@timbacchus]

Is that raised rail electricity?

[@LonestarTrips]

It's third rail electric, though our locomotive operated on diesel for most of the journey.

[@organchoirman9698]

Took this route into Grand Central many times from Albany (when the bridge to Manhattan was damaged). It is beautiful. So is the ride between Albany and Syracuse, along the Mohawk/Erie Canal.

[@LonestarTrips]

I definitely want to revisit this route when I have more time. As you mentioned, the latter sections are quite beautiful, and I'm disappointed my schedule didn't allow me to go farther than Croton-Harmon.

[@adriano6k]

I’m curious, why does Metro North use CT rail (the red cars) on the Hudson lines? I thought those red cars are soley for the New Haven line? This line doesn’t go into CT.

[@sharonstanley2396]

information amtrak silver meteor

[@OwlGreene]

I liked Cuomo! He's Andy & Chris's dad!

[@Transportationviews]

I once got yelled by the conductor for filming through the polarized glass and heres the short of it if you want to see. Lucky that you didnt get yelled at kzbin.infoOzHbzmY2Dg8

[@douglasslotolowicz9454]

I use this line to get to Yankee games, a little surprised you didn’t mention the Hudson line tracks bisect Sing Sing prison, not a big deal but that’s where “up the river” in the movies referenced.

[@WBTravels]

OK please come to seattle to ride sounder the N line not S line. It has a really bad frequency, but it runs directly along the puget sound the ENTIRE WAY to Everett from seattle. It is the MOST BEAUTIFUL COMMUTER RAIL LINE IN THE WORLD. show it to the world and how underrated it really is. 💯 and lastly there is no distortion film over the cabcar window and if u ask u can get cab rides (as I have done at least 10 times in the past)

[@LonestarTrips]

Really?! I’ll have to check it out! I was able to take a ride with Sounder last week, but on the S line to Tukwila, which was fun, but that ride up to Everett sounds fantastic.

[@qjtvaddict]

World? Doubt it

[@WBTravels]

@@qjtvaddict I mean its a commuter train that runs directly on a beach for basically the entire journey, and on a good day it is spectactular watch the video to find out.

[@sarahcasteel2594]

Hmm I take this to work every day but have never gone all the way to Croton Harmon, now I'm considering going for the entire ride and turning back around just for funsies! I will say I have an absolutely amazing view sitting there waiting for the train in the morning!

[@AndreiTupolev]

Croton-Harmon Station clearly follows the shopping mall school of architecture

[@Dyl.2icy]

Can you do the Silver Service from Baltimore to Florida

[@LonestarTrips]

I definitely want to do the whole thing from Miami to New York! And with some news I’ve received recently, that may be happening before the end of summer!

[@Dyl.2icy]

@@LonestarTrips ok I'll be expecting it cause the Silver Meteor/Silver Star is my favorite Amtrak Train on the whole network and btw your videos are amazing especially the ones wit the 21 Texas Eagle from Fort Worth to Austin and the 193 Northeast Regional from Wilmington to D.C👍👍👍🔥👑

[@Agenteyes007]

Crazy seeing this video I operate on this line last week lol.

[@dylanryall]

My grandfather used to commute by train from Croton-on-Hudson to Grand Central. My mom did as well the summer after high school. She’s losing her memory now. Recently we were riding the Capitol Corridor in California and she asked if there was a river over there. The view of the coastal range from the train in the Central Valley reminded her of the West Bank of the Hudson as seen from the Metro North Line.

[@moeboggie]

No Hudson Line trains run with 4 Bombardier M7’s as mentioned at 2:01 mark. It’s either 6, 8 or 10 cars.

[@LonestarTrips]

Bombardier M7s are manufactured and operated in 2 car married pairs, so while the train was 8 cars, it’s 4 EMUs.

[@johnalder6028]

Good video. The 20th Century Limited used to stop at Croton Harmon.

[@LonestarTrips]

Wow what a throwback! I would've loved to ride on the 20th Century Limited over to Chicago, but I'll have to settle for the Lake Shore Limited. Still a great route, but it lacks that steam era charm.

[@johnalder6028]

@@LonestarTrips As a kid i rode the 20th Century Ltd. With my parents. It was in croton harmon where they switched from electric to diesel. From chicago we took Santa Fe to Kansas City. Trains in my opinion looked better then. In the early seventies you could smoke in the club car of Silver Meteor they had a bartender to bring drinks to your seat the seats had buttons to push to let him know which one wanted a drink. The seats were cushioned like sofas in a living room. Today? More like a Macdonalds on wheels.

[@marcitos_9329]

Love this series on the NY Metro area rail. Really hope the new Chargers come with new coaches to replace the aging Shoreliners.

[@LonestarTrips]

I can't wait for the chargers and new rolling stock. Metro North has some really great services, but those aging coaches detract from the riding experience.

[@kl6361]

You lied

[@LonestarTrips]

Dude I literally said it would be a few weeks.

[@mirzaahmed6589]

About what?

[@LonestarTrips]

@@mirzaahmed6589 He's been wanting me to make a video on the Coast Starlight for a while. I completed the journey last week, and he assumed that I would be posting it today, but I haven't had the time to produce it yet. He assumes I'm "lying" even though I already explained to him that it'd be a couple weeks before it goes out.

[@qazisnotapeopleperson7167]

​@LonestarTrips Dude, you need to stop enabling them, just ignore their comments.

[@LonestarTrips]

@@qazisnotapeopleperson7167 🤷It's fine tbh. Helps boost engagement.

[@danielwaitzman2118]

Please-lose the music.

[@LonestarTrips]

I’ll take it into consideration.

[@car_tar3882]

Nah

[@null7879]

Do you know why they installed the filter? Seems like an odd thing to bother with

[@LonestarTrips]

Security maybe? I've seen similar filters on other trains around the US, so it may have something to do with that.