The World's Longest Flight Just Got Longer

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 10/12/2018 at 14:36 • Filed to: wingspan, Planelopnik

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Before today, the longest commercial airline flight in the world, measured in great circle miles and time in the air, was Qatar Airways Flight 921, with service between Doha, Qatar and Auckland, New Zealand. QR 921 covers 9,033 statute miles (14,538 kilometers) and has a scheduled flight time of approximately 17 hours and 30 minutes. But a new contender has arisen and knocked QR 921 off the top step of the podium.

The honor now goes to Singapore Airlines, who have started flying an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! between Singapore’s Changi International Airport (SIN) and Newark International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey. Flight SQ21/SQ322 (depending on which way you are going) will take passengers over the top of the world on a journey of 9,540 statute miles (15,353 kilometers) with a scheduled flight time of 18 hours and 25 minutes. Singapore Airlines was the launch customer for the new ultra long range variant of Airbus’s A350 XWB, the ULR, which has the capacity for 37,000 to 44,000 US gallons of fuel. Still, this flight will push the aircraft just about to its limit.

Though Singapore returns to the top of the list with this flight, it’s not the first time they’ve flown nonstop between SIN and EWR. From 2004-2013 they flew the route using an Airbus A340-500. But even when the plane was filled with nothing but pricier business class seats, it was hard for the airline to make money on the route with the less fuel efficient four-engine airliner. Now, with the much more economical A350-900 twin-jet, the airline looks to return the route to profitability. As with the original A340 flight, there will be no economy class seats, only business class. And a quick search of the Singapore Airlines website shows that the cheapest business class ticket available for a one-way trip will set you back 6,695.90 SGD, or 4,856.84 USD.

If you don’t want to spend 19 hours in the air, you can still fly a Singapore Airlines A380 from Singapore to New York’s John F. Kennedy airport, but you’ll have to stop in Frankfurt for an hour-and-a-half. As we push the boundaries of aircraft capability, and human endurance, perhaps that 90 minutes of leg-stretching may be more important.

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If you enjoyed this post, please join in the conversation and let me know. For more posts about airplanes, aviation history and aircraft oddities, head over to   !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:39

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I NEED to do that flight.  Over the pole?  Hells yes.  

ttyymmnn > HammerheadFistpunch 10/12/2018 at 14:42

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Inaugural flight is in the air right now.

OPPOsaurus WRX > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:42

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i just cut the flight time by 75%. I’ll take take payment in cash check or mustangs .

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:43

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This is one flight I’d gladly pay that amount to upgrade to Business Class.

HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:43

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I mean, sure 18 1/2 hours is a long time to spend in a metal tube but what a cool chance to fly over, basically, the northern hemisphere.  

ttyymmnn > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/12/2018 at 14:44

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ttyymmnn > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 10/12/2018 at 14:45

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There is no upgrade. The plane has no economy or first class seats. Only business class. Apparently, that’s where the money is. BA has been flying between AUS and LHR for a few years now, but they recently changed from a 787 to a 747 because the 74 can hold more business class seats.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:45

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Then tell him how it works

ttyymmnn > HammerheadFistpunch 10/12/2018 at 14:46

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You could join the Air Force and do it in a B-52.

ttyymmnn > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 10/12/2018 at 14:46

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He needs to ask Mr. Mercator.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:46

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Whaaaa?! For real? That is very interesting .

ttyymmnn > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 10/12/2018 at 14:47

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Yup.

HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:48

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do they also offer seats that turn into beds?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/12/2018 at 14:51

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My plan flew circles around your plane.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:51

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I guess they don’t count the JFK to JNB because of the 1 hour layover in Dakar. That was an 18 hour flight total, and you couldn’t get off the plane in Dakar while they refueled. Never again. 

Milky > HammerheadFistpunch 10/12/2018 at 14:51

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I did Detroit to Beijing(PEK) , at only 12 hours its a lot more reasonable.

For Sweden > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:52

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Me: It would be worth five grand Yankee credits for a business -class direct flight

Also me: If you fly economy and take a connection , you can travel and buy four grand Yankee credits on car parts

ttyymmnn > HammerheadFistpunch 10/12/2018 at 14:57

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The business class seats do turn into beds.

ttyymmnn > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 10/12/2018 at 14:58

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If you read my older article I linked to, there are various ways to gauge the length: time, miles, etc. But I think the length record only counts time with the wheels up.

HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 14:58

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In the b52 I mean

ttyymmnn > For Sweden 10/12/2018 at 14:59

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These flights are not for people who worry about where their money is going.

ttyymmnn > HammerheadFistpunch 10/12/2018 at 15:03

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Sort of:

I can’t speak to the air crew sleeping arrangements except to say there was a “bunk” position on the upper flight deck. There was a 2' x 5' x 2" piece of canvas covered foam which was used as a mattress. I used it every once in a while myself. I was a B-52 crew chief who was on flying status stateside as well as the Vietnam war. How the flight crew used it i don’t know althought I suspect very rarely. ( link )

Ash78, voting early and often > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:06

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They’re probably not for people who are paying their own way. I’d guess fewer than 10% are traveling for pleasure on this route. The rest are in economy.

ttyymmnn > Ash78, voting early and often 10/12/2018 at 15:07

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There is no economy, nor first class, on this flight. Only business class.

Ash78, voting early and often > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:07

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By my math, 19 hours in Singapore’s Business Class is equivalent to 27 minutes in United’s Economy Class.

The math changes if you settle your lawsuit against them out of court. Then you can fly to Singapore as much as you want.

Ash78, voting early and often > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:08

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I meant the rest are taking the A380 economy class...

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:08

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I can see the appeal of taking a flight like that to leave New Jersey. But why would anyone willingly fly into NJ? I feel like they will only make money flying one direction here...

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:11

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Imagine being on a plane for 18 and a half hours,  you get off the plane annnnnnd... you’re in New Jersey.

BeaterGT > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:12

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Might end up taking this flight to see the GP. 

ttyymmnn > Ash78, voting early and often 10/12/2018 at 15:13

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Or else 19 hours in Singapore business class feels like 19 days in UAL economy class.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:13

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Is it bizarre that I would consider 19 hours in a luxury jet a “vacation” well worth my money? I would do the trip just to do the flight , it kinda sounds fun to me.

ttyymmnn > Ash78, voting early and often 10/12/2018 at 15:13

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Gotcha. I did not see how much that ticket costs.

ttyymmnn > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 10/12/2018 at 15:14

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.. neither count thou fly to New Jersey , excepting that thou then proceed to New York City .

Just Jeepin' > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:15

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Charter one of these for the flat-earthers and let them specify the route along the way. If you can’t find the ice wall in 18 hours of non-stop flight, then shut up forever.

ttyymmnn > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 15:16

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No, they’ll just point to that FlightAware map and explain how the plane is flying along the edge until it turns south.

ttyymmnn > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 15:16

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Agreed.

ttyymmnn > BeaterGT 10/12/2018 at 15:17

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If you do, I expect a full Oppo Review.

Just Jeepin' > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:19

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That’s why I’m saying they get to control the routing in-flight. Start from Chile and head south.

WilliamsSW > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/12/2018 at 15:20

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That’s why the flight is so long - they’re just trying to postpone the landing in Newark.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:22

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OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > WilliamsSW 10/12/2018 at 15:23

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^this

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 15:24

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Wow; I was under the impression that line of thinking became passe  several hundred years ago. But I didn’t know that an ice wall was part of that model.

LastFirstMI is my name > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:24

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Does Delta still fly from Atlanta to Johannesburg? 20 hours . In peasant class.  On one return flight we were delayed on the tarmac and ended up spending 22 hours in the plane. My butt still hurts just thinking about it...

Just Jeepin' > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 10/12/2018 at 15:26

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Beware, wandering into the world of this conspiracy theory takes you down some dark roads. They’re pretty serious about their delusion.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Ash78, voting early and often 10/12/2018 at 15:26

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United has the SHITTIEST economy class of all the majors.

Ash78, voting early and often > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 15:28

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The only thing worse is dealing with their desk agents, customs teams, and baggage crews. Basically all of it.

user314 > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:29

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18:25 is a long, long,   long time to be stuck in one spot.

Having said that, it does look like a very nice spot. I wonder how much it’d cost to get one for my man cave.....

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Ash78, voting early and often 10/12/2018 at 15:32

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There is only one route I fly united and I hate it every single time. Give me a Delta or Alaska flight any day and I am a happy person.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 15:33

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Dark? I think you mean hilarious.

WilliamsSW > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 15:34

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Oh god this is so true.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 15:36

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I’m a very literal guy when I’m not being ironic or facetious. Right now, I’m being serious: are there a faction of people in 2018  who are arguing straight-faced that the earth is flat?

Ash78, voting early and often > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 15:37

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I’ve only been on United a couple times, and it was back to back with either Delta or American (who I don’t love ...but who I no longer hate. It’s all relative.)

Chinny Raccoon > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 10/12/2018 at 15:41

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BA also do a LCY-JFK route in an all business A318.

Tekamul > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/12/2018 at 15:46

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*turns around, gets back on 18 1/2 flight*

Just Jeepin' > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 10/12/2018 at 15:46

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Yes. They have conferences where they discuss theories about how the world governments have kept this a secret all this time; at least one story is that NASA is maintaining a security force along the ice wall that borders the known world.

In essence, we are surrounded by Antarctica. They have maps and everything.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 15:47

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my plane i s not havin any of that shit

ttyymmnn > LastFirstMI is my name 10/12/2018 at 15:48

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They give a flight time of 15.5 hours.

Arrivederci > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 15:49

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19 hours in a plane, no matter how nice the seat, sounds miserable to me.

Arrivederci > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 10/12/2018 at 15:50

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While Newark is a god-forsaken place, EWR is essentially another New York airport.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Arrivederci 10/12/2018 at 15:53

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I am aware. I was making a tired, cliched joke about NJ being abjectly terrible.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Ash78, voting early and often 10/12/2018 at 15:54

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Is that 27 minutes with or without a beating?

Cé hé sin > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 15:55

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Yes.

LastFirstMI is my name > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 15:56

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Yeah but that’s Eastern time zone. Have to add a few hours, right?

/s

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/12/2018 at 15:57

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RIP Highlander plane. 10/12/2018-10/12/2018.

TorqueToYield > Arrivederci 10/12/2018 at 15:58

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Out of JFK, LGA, or EWR I’ll take EWR every time.

It’s also the easiest to get to by car even though it’s not even in NYC.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 16:07

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One way flight over $1k, nope.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 16:11

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No. This cannot be.

Just Jeepin' > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 10/12/2018 at 16:13

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The scary part: you know, you know , that at least one of the U.S. president’s top advisors believes it too. I’m shocked we don’t already have one heading NASA .

Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST) > LastFirstMI is my name 10/12/2018 at 16:30

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This is what terrifies me about long flights. I’ve only flown on airplanes a handful of times, but the only international flights I’ve ever been on was from Houston to Doha, and sitting in those tight economy seats on the return flight (15 hours) had my right shoulder in so much discomfort that I treasured the moment I could get off the plane. Within 15-20 minutes of being off the plane I was feeling infinitely better than before.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/12/2018 at 16:34

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This is the best thread I’ve read all day. This somehow needs to be COTD on Jalopnik, just for the resulting thread alone.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Just Jeepin' 10/12/2018 at 16:37

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I’m shocked we don’t already have one heading NASA.

I was going to propose just that.

Ash78, voting early and often > WilliamsSW 10/12/2018 at 17:00

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Every time they land there, the captain is like “why can’t I just ingest some birds and land at Teterboro?”

/too soon?

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 17:20

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I taxiied past that plane in EWR today about 30 minutes after it landed. Gorgeous airplane. I feel really bad for those poor bastards, the remnants of the hurricane were in the area and we had moderate borderline severe turbulence in the area, along with windshear on the RNAV into EWR. It was a REALLY bad day. I can’t imagine doing it after being in the air that long. 

Spanfeller is a twat > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 17:28

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I’d love to be the captain in one of those flights. Maybe they get to see some aurora borealis. 

BeaterGT > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/12/2018 at 18:00

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Can't wait! 

BeaterGT > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 10/12/2018 at 18:01

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Flying into EWR is much more preferable than JFK.

BeaterGT > ttyymmnn 10/12/2018 at 18:07

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I’ll try! Longest flight I have done so far is 14 hours JFK- NRT. Flying to/from EWR would be so much better.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! 10/12/2018 at 22:32

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4 pilots, due to the flight time. 

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 10/13/2018 at 05:01

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Yes, I’m aware of the use of augmented flight crews  on longer flights. I wasn’t saying poor them for the pilots, I’m referring to everyone on board. It was violent out there yesterday, I’m sure some people were injured from how bad the turbulence was in the north east. 

pip bip - choose Corrour > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/13/2018 at 07:14

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consolation is qui ckish train ride to NYC