Grab your beach gear, bring your sense of adventure, cast away your workday concerns and enter the wonderful world of nostalgia. A day of fun and revelry await onboard the New York Transit Museum’s second seasonal “Coney Island Bound!” Nostalgia Train excursion.
The train departs at 10 a.m. from mid-town Manhattan, July 13, returning about 5 p.m. featuring the fleet of R1/9 pre-WWII subway cars.
The day begins with passengers assembling on the platform for the majestic sight of the vintage railcars painted in ‘olive drab.’ The race for window seats is on and as the train departs the station.
The magic of nostalgia can be found in the bouncy wicker seats, flickering light bulbs, the gentle breeze from the overhead ceiling fans, the display of period car cards, and the gentle rumble of the vintage railcars that softens the disposition of normally stoic subway commuters.
As the New York Transit Museum’s Nostalgia Train passes through the stations, bemused people on the platform gasp, do double takes, and smile at the rare sight of seeing the vintage train roll by.
Arriving at the legendary seaside resort, Nostalgia Train passengers can opt to stay onboard for an additional ride to Whitehall Street in Manhattan before returning to Coney Island. Passengers not opting for the additional ride may ride on the roller coaster, try their luck at the carnival games, grab a few franks and lemonade, and take a stroll the boardwalk or a dip in the ocean. At 4 p.m. the train picks up its passengers for the return trip via the F line to 42nd Street.
Only 400 seats are available per excursion and tickets are going fast; reservations and advance payment are required: $30; children 3-17, $10. For reservations, call 718-694-1867.
