AMTC, found this in The Independent
Three lines run out of Grand Central. One serves the Hudson Valley; the Harlem Line winds north into Westchester County; and the third takes passengers out to coastal Connecticut. Today I'm taking the train to the end of the scenic Hudson Line. Tickets can be bought at machines and booths on the concourse; my return fare is $31.50. The tracks run directly below glitzy Park Avenue and the train emerges from the darkness at 97th Street, rising on to the elevated tracks for its first stop at Harlem 125th Street.
From there, the route continues north before crossing the Harlem River and into the Bronx. The tracks follow the Harlem River, which joins the Hudson River within a few minutes, after the splendidly named Spuyten Duyvil station. Make sure that you are sitting on the left-hand side seats for the best views of the river. At times the track hugs the waterside. You feel as if you could almost jump into the Hudson from the platforms of small riverside stations such as Riverdale and Ludlow, just 15 minutes from Manhattan. Sailboats bob in the breeze, and there's the impressive high bluff of the Hudson's west bank.
My favourite stop on the way to Poughkeepsie is Beacon, one of the jewels of the Hudson River Valley, just over an hour's train ride from Manhattan. The small town is awash with bohemian cafés, art galleries and boutiques and has attracted artists such as identical twin brothers Mike and Doug Starn. More importantly, Beacon is the home of the Dia Art Foundation. The Dia Beacon occupies a former Nabisco factory, which means it can exhibit some colossal works. There are some stunning sculptures here by Richard Serra, a Louise Bourgeois spider and large-scale works by Andy Warhol and Gerhard Richter.
The train continues north along the east riverbank. The reason Poughkeepsie is so popular is its proximity to the fascinating Franklin D Roosevelt Home and Library at nearby Hyde Park. Time your visit to coincide with the National Park service tour, which picks visitors up at the station (arriving on the 10.35am train) and includes a guided tour of all the Roosevelt sites as well as one of the Vanderbilt's suitably extravagant mansions.
I make my return as the sun sets over the Hudson. By the time the train crosses the Harlem River, the sparkling Manhattan skyline has started its evening light show. Back at Grand Central, I make my way across the grand concourse. Here secret lovers steal one last kiss before their suburban commute home; rugged movie heroes make their escape from their devious pursuers. Grand Central is the most romantic of all railway cathedrals. - The Independent