All things Harrisburg (Keystone) Line

Does anyone know the deal that Amtrak and the state of PA have to subsidize the Keystone service?

FRN9 wrote:Does anyone know the deal that Amtrak and the state of PA have to subsidize the Keystone service?

Link is from several years ago, but you should get an idea of how much from it.
http://articles.philly.com/2012-10-08/b ... stone-line" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Amtrak will end its $8 million-a-year contribution for running the service on Oct. 1, 2013, to comply with a 2008 law that requires Amtrak to shift operating costs to the states, Amtrak spokeswoman Danelle Hunter said.
Pennsylvania, which already spends about $9 million a year to underwrite Keystone operations, has its own financial woes and is negotiating with Amtrak to avoid service cuts.

I wish I had later figures, but around $17 million/year should be close.

Thank you for that article.

Also, does anyone know what it cost per mile to re-electrify and upgrade the quality of the line to Harrisburg?

FRN9 wrote:Thank you for that article.

Also, does anyone know what it cost per mile to re-electrify and upgrade the quality of the line to Harrisburg?

Do you mean the keystone corridor improvement project?

http://nec.amtrak.com/content/keystone-corridor" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any progress on installing new signals on the line? Haven't been to the section I last some them working on. I check photo sites. Mainly railpicturesarchives.net. And ask on Facebook pages. No responses yet.

I saw on Amtrak's website for a boarding platform change at Elizabethtown. It mentioned track improvements. Does anyone know what exact work is being done?

New changes for October schedule. Of note:

Eastbound train 600 departing Harrisburg at 6:30 AM is rescheduled to depart Harrisburg at 6:45 AM and continue to New York City. Travel time to New York City is reduced by 13 minutes.

A new eastbound train, 644, will depart Harrisburg at 6 AM This change allows the train to continue to New York City and eliminates the need for passengers to change trains in Philadelphia to continue to New York City. The change cuts the travel time to New York City by 13 minutes.

Eastbound train 648 departing Harrisburg at 11:00 AM is rescheduled to depart at 10:00 AM.

Westbound trains 641 and 643 departing Philadelphia at 9 AM and 11 AM, respectively, will also stop at Coatesville and Mount Joy. Two minutes will be added to the Harrisburg arrival time.

Westbound train 609, which currently originates in Philadelphia at 10:00 AM, will now originate in New York City and depart at 12:55 PM, Philadelphia at 2:45 PM, and arrive in Harrisburg at 4:30 PM.

I have not heard how the rest of the eastbound schedule will be restructured to handle these changes like hiw the move of 648 affects 646 or the vacated 9:05 AM spot from 644. At this stage, it's still possible that there is train number confusion.

The Sarge:
When are these changes supposed to go into effect? Is it published yet ? It may take a comparative analysis of current trips to this schedule change. It sounds as if another round trip is going to be from PHL - NYP. That may be only at certain times of the day. It may be loads are increasing on that segment but not enough information yet ?

Yeah it would be nice if something was published - as of now, Amtrak.com does not have any of these changes reflected. Oh nice would it be if the 6am train would run on the weekends, too..

The changes will start on October 5th. Nothing official published public yet except for the PennDOT news release. It pretty much states what was sent to me. I'm still waiting for the answers on how the rest of the schedule will accommodate these changes.

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/pdN ... r?OpenForm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, take note of the press release below this one. Here's the link to the presentation:

http://www.planthekeystone.com/staterailplan.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

the sarge wrote:New changes for October schedule. Of note:
Eastbound train 600 departing Harrisburg at 6:30 AM [...]Travel time to New York City is reduced by 13 minutes.
Eastbound train, 644, will depart Harrisburg at 6 AM [...] cuts the travel time to New York City by 13 minutes.

What accounts for the reduced travel times? Is this simply the end of construction-induced congestion (getting back to pre-constuction schedules), or the start of 125mph service? (using completed signal/track/crossing improvements), or a shorter dwell at 30th St? Or "other?"

Arlington wrote:

the sarge wrote:New changes for October schedule. Of note:
Eastbound train 600 departing Harrisburg at 6:30 AM [...]Travel time to New York City is reduced by 13 minutes.
Eastbound train, 644, will depart Harrisburg at 6 AM [...] cuts the travel time to New York City by 13 minutes.

What accounts for the reduced travel times? Is this simply the end of construction-induced congestion (getting back to pre-constuction schedules), or the start of 125mph service? (using completed signal/track/crossing improvements), or a shorter dwell at 30th St? Or "other?"

It's just pr, they're eliminating a forced transfer since train 600 terminates in philadelphia. They actually lengthened the trip time from lancaster (the largest inbound trip generator) to accommodate all local stopshttp://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/355/78/Keystone-Se ... 100515.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Suburban Station wrote:It's just pr, they're eliminating a forced transfer since train 600 terminates in philadelphia. They actually lengthened the trip time from lancaster (the largest inbound trip generator) to accommodate all local stopshttp://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/355/78" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 100515.pdf

Train 600 did not add any stations and the schedule was lengthened one minute between Paoli and 30th St because of line traffic. I assume the fine people of Lancaster will not get their panties in a wad over this extra minute; especially since the new train 642 (The 6:00 dep from Har) was mostly moved/created to accommodate them with an arrival to Philly before 8:00 AM.

Passengers who board 600 from Harrisburg to Philly and continuing to NYP will be boarding a train that leaves their station 15 minutes later and arrives at NYP 29 minutes earlier then the prior service. I would not call that a simple 'PR" statement and the one minute extra between Lancaster and Philly a non-issue.

The new 646, which was the old 644, added The 'Ville to its schedule; also adding a whole dreaded minute to the run.

640, old and new, will remain the only eastbound all local stops in the AM

I just wish the morning westbounds to Har would be nudged a bit to arrive a bit before the hours, not after. But, most likely will never happen.

barciur wrote:Yeah it would be nice if something was published - as of now, Amtrak.com does not have any of these changes reflected. Oh nice would it be if the 6am train would run on the weekends, too..

The new schedule for the Keystones that takes effect on October 5 has been posted to the website. There is a prominent note on the front page about track work on State Interlocking continuing through December 23 requiring some Keystones to operate with diesel locomotives. Anyone know when the State interlocking track upgrade project is supposed to be completed?

the sarge wrote:

Suburban Station wrote:It's just pr, they're eliminating a forced transfer since train 600 terminates in philadelphia. They actually lengthened the trip time from lancaster (the largest inbound trip generator) to accommodate all local stopshttp://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/355/78" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 100515.pdf

Train 600 did not add any stations and the schedule was lengthened one minute between Paoli and 30th St because of line traffic. I assume the fine people of Lancaster will not get their panties in a wad over this extra minute; especially since the new train 642 (The 6:00 dep from Har) was mostly moved/created to accommodate them with an arrival to Philly before 8:00 AM.

Passengers who board 600 from Harrisburg to Philly and continuing to NYP will be boarding a train that leaves their station 15 minutes later and arrives at NYP 29 minutes earlier then the prior service. I would not call that a simple 'PR" statement and the one minute extra between Lancaster and Philly a non-issue.

The new 646, which was the old 644, added The 'Ville to its schedule; also adding a whole dreaded minute to the run.

640, old and new, will remain the only eastbound all local stops in the AM

I just wish the morning westbounds to Har would be nudged a bit to arrive a bit before the hours, not after. But, most likely will never happen.

What an obnoxious and verbose reply that at no point disproved my post. The train is not faster it is in fact, slightly slower...the opposite of the pr claim that travel time was cut. More travel options to nyp are being offered and rush hour service is being improved but those are different claims. nobody claimed anyone's panties were in a wad but that was a nice touch.