Poughkeepsie Train Station

Our primary goal for today was to find out all there is to know about our train ride into New York City which is scheduled for tomorrow. We wanted to know how to get to the train station, how long it would take to get there, the times of departure for Grand Central Station, where to park, and just how much will it all cost. If you know us at all, you know that we wanted all this information today because we don’t want any surprises tomorrow. So even though it was a 25 mile drive to Poughkeepsie, we went anyway. Besides, that is where the cheapest diesel fuel is in the area (but not as cheap as in Vermont).

Tuesday is a busy workday for Gene especially in the afternoon with conference calls beginning at noon. So we got up and got going early. And so did the thunderstorm. I don’t know about you, but when I am trying to find a place I have never been to in a strange city, rain doesn’t help. Our instructions were to turn right on the main road a short distance from the campground and follow it all the way to the Hudson River, go over the Mid Hudson River Bridge and follow the signs to the train station. Well, that sounds pretty easy and the map showed a heavy black line for the main road that went straight as an arrow from our campground to the Hudson River. This is great—should take about 35 minutes. Well, make that 40 since it is starting to rain. I guess, because maps are small, they just can’t put in the curves in the roads. This road was no less curvy than the mountain road over the Smokies. Then we got behind a school bus on morning rounds. We came to the detour just as we were approaching Poughkeepsie. Thank goodness it was well marked. It decided to really rain as we crossed the Hudson River hindering our search for the sign that directed us to turn right to the train station. Funny how one little sign can make so much difference. Gene had looked at the map on the internet and knew that the station was very close to the river and north of the bridge, but getting there in the maze of one-way streets and a monsoon was a challenge. Finally, we saw the tracks and headed down hill.

We got our tickets and walked around the station enough to feel like we knew where to go, even walked down to the platform. With a few questions we were able to figure out how to get to the parking garage and found the machines to pay for a parking space. We even drove down and talked with the parking attendant who assured us that we would have no problem finding a parking space in the garage at the time we wanted to depart. The only thing we were not able to do was purchase a subway card. We’ll have to do that once we get to Grand Central Station.

The Poughkeepsie Train Station was modeled after Grand Central Station and was great on the inside. I had my camera, of course, but the space was too large for a small flash and, because of the storm, too dark inside to try to get a good picture not using a flash without the tripod. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day for pictures.

We will be spending Wednesday night with Gene’s nephew and his wife, so I will not be posting tomorrow. But we will be returning to the campground on Thursday evening (can’t leave Peanut by himself too long) and I know I’ll have a story to tell.