Saratoga Springs Meeting a Big Success!

Thank you to all the delegates who made the 86th meeting of TC 184/SC4 a big success. STEP Tools enjoyed hosting you in the beauty of the Fall in upstate New York.

We started several new standards for manufacturing with digital twins and resolved multiple issues. The link below has the Star Trek and other meeting photos.

Meeting Photos

Last Minute Details

The weather is wet today Saturday, but it will be dry tomorrow. It is no longer predicted to go below freezing any time next week.

Please join us for the reception at the Gideon Putnam on Sunday. Please arrive at 3PM for a complimentary tour of the automobile museum with its James Bond cars. At 5PM there will be snacks and a cash bar in the Garden room of the Gideon Putnam.

Other special events include:

• The opening plenary which will begin at 8AM on Monday in the Blue room of the Gideon Putnam. A light breakfast will be served on this day only from 7AM to 8AM.
• The Open Technical Forum will begin at 5:30PM on Monday in the Blue room.
• The technical meetings move to the Empire State College on Tuesday which has excellent electronic communications. The college will open at 7:30AM and the meetings will start at 8AM.
• A discussion of digital twin implementation at the Implementor's Forum which will be in the Holiday Inn on Tuesday from 5:30 to 7PM with light snacks
• The Industry day which will be in Room 126 of the Empire State College from 8AM to 11AM on Wednesday followed by...
• The Social Event on Wednesday which will include a leaf peeping boat trip on Lake George at 12:30PM, a visit to the set of Star Trek at 3PM, and dinner at an American Diner at 4:30PM
• The closing plenary will be on Friday from 8AM to 10AM in Room 126 of the Empire State College

Lastly if you need any help when you get to New York please call Martin at 518 817-8160

Background

Saratoga Springs is a mid-size town in upstate New York about 150 miles north of New York City. It is an area of high tech, and has been a tourist town for more than 200 years. GE Research is close by, IBM has multiple facilities in the Hudson valley and Global Foundries is a big silicon chip making plant. It is also a horse racing town and every year holds a big race called the “Travers” which is considered to be one of the big three in the USA. In the years when a horse has won the other two, the interest is intense.

There are multiple hotels, a European style high street, and a nice town park.

Transportation

The nearest large airport is Albany twenty miles south. It has direct connections to many towns in the East Coast and mid-west but is only called “Albany International” because of an intermittent service to Toronto. I recommend connecting via Chicago or Detroit if you are traveling from the Far East, or via Philadelphia or Washington Dulles if you are traveling from Europe.

Paradoxically, Albany is too close to New York City to have a good air connection. The best is to Newark, but Albanians go to New York City by car or by train. I frequently take the train but you have to change twice to get to Moynihan station from JFK. This is a new station that is replacing Penn station and advertises itself as the world biggest. (No way, I have seen the stations in Japan).

Hiring a rental car is a very good choice because there is lots of parking in Saratoga. If you hire a car then you may also want to consider flying to Hartford International airport which has direct connections to Europe. The drive from Hartford to Saratoga will take you over the Berkshire Mountains (really hills). The roads are very good and the views will be very pretty. It will take two hours. Driving from a New York city airport will also be pretty and take more than three hours. The train from Moynihan to Albany runs along the Hudson and is the prettiest choice. It takes three and a half hours. Boston is also a driving choice. As you leave Boston airport there is a sign saying Albany this way on I90.

If you fly to Albany airport then hiring a car should be relatively cheap because they make all their money during the horse racing season. You can also get an Uber or a Taxi. They should cost about $60.

Meeting Facilities

The meeting will be held at two locations within the town of Saratoga Springs. The Sunday pre-meetings and Monday plenary meetings will be held at the Gideon Putnam which is a luxury hotel at the edge of town close to a famous spa and concert venue.

The meetings from Tuesday to Friday will be held at Empire State College which has a new building near the race course., the down town dining area and most of the hotels.

Hotels

There is a large range of hotels in Saratoga. They are better than average, again because of the horse racing season. There is no recommended hotel. If you are on a budget then there are cheaper options in nearby towns. Clifton Park and Ballston Spa are both very popular because of their proximity to Albany and Saratoga, and the chip making plant. You can also go north to the Adirondack mountains and Lake George.

Hotel Discounts

We have negotiated hotel discounts at the Gideon Putnam and the Holiday Inn. The Gideon Putnam will be used for the pre-meetings and the first day (Monday). The Holiday Inn is the closest hotel to Empire State College which will be used for the Tuesday through Friday meetings. Please use the following links to make your reservations and note the deadlines after which reservations can be made at the normal rate (if available).

Holiday Inn (expires October 10, 2023 Extended Again)

Holiday Inn: Saratoga Springs
232 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY
1-518-584-4550

Group Code: ISO

ISO Manufacturing Link

Gideon Putnam (expires September 22, 2023)

The Gideon Putnam
24 Gideon Putnam Road
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
1-866-890-1171
https://www.gideonputnam.com/

ISO Manufacturing Link

Weather

Every year all the leaves are on the trees on October 1, and are all gone on October 31. Our meeting will take place during the peak fall foliage. The mornings will be crisp and the afternoons will be lovely.

Sunday Reception

We will hold a welcome reception at the Gideon Putnam hotel from 5PM to 7PM on Sunday. This will be your chance to meet old friends and make new acquaintances. There will be nibbles and a cash bar next door. We will have your member badges and order receipts ready for those that want them.

Plus, for those who are arriving early, and would like an activity, we have arranged a visit to the Saratoga Automobile Museum which is on the same grounds as the hotel. We will leave the hotel at 3:30 and take a brief walk around the grounds (if it is raining, we will take a shuttle). We will then get a guided tour of the museum and return to the hotel for the reception. The museum has the James Bond car for every movie.

Social Event

The social event will take place on Wednesday afternoon and will feature a boat trip on Lake George for lunch followed by a drive into the Adirondack mountains for a visit to Captain Kirk’s favorite Star Trek set.

Restaurants and Local Attractions

There are lots of restaurants in Saratoga. This is a random list of some I remember.

• El Mexicano - I may have been to this one the most frequently in recent years. It is just across the road from the Holiday Inn.
• Hatties - When I was younger and did not care about the calories, I would love to go here for the southern fried chicken.
• Wheatfields - This is where you used to take your significant other to beg for forgiveness, pasta with a good vegetarian selection.
• Scallions - Apparently this is where you now go to get forgiveness (I have not been!), also a good vegetarian selection.

The town park is very pretty and right next to the hotel. There are steps down to a stream and up the other side to get to the college. You can avoid the steps by walking along the road. The park is a quick and easy way to see the Fall leaves. Also, one of the original Ben and Jerry ice cream parlors is on the far side of the park. The main part of the town is similarly located.

If you are trying to keep awake while recovering from jetlag, then the high street is worth visiting. There may be bargains because we are reaching the end of the season. On the other hand, if you really want bargains then Walmart, Lowes and Home Depot are on the north side of town close to Interstate 87. You will need a car to get there. Also consider visiting the National Museum of Racing, it is world class for those interested in the horses. It is an easy walk from the college.

Registration Fee

The registration fee is $350. The web site for registering is below:

Eventbrite Registration Site