Amtrak Vermonter / Montrealer

Another source: VTDigger.org

‘CARRY-ON’ BIKE SERVICE COMING TO VERMONTER AMTRAK TRAIN
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But that could change as soon as Sunday, when Amtrak starts a new, carry-on bike service for its train that runs daily between St. Albans and Washington, D.C.

It’s a pilot project spurred by Amtrak’s work with biking advocates and state officials. And while initial space for bikes is limited, some are expecting that to change relatively quickly – in part due to expected use by visitors traveling from the south.

“If there’s demand, then they may add more (bike) racks,” said Vermont Tourism and Marketing Commissioner Megan Smith. “I don’t see it being any problem, because this train comes from our core markets for recreators, for skiers, for tourism.”

Amtrak already has been allowing riders to box up their bikes and transport them as checked baggage at any station that accepts such baggage. But that can be a cumbersome process: According to the Amtrak website, passengers must arrive at least an hour before departure; there are fees for the box and for checking it; and bikes may have to be partially disassembled, including loosening handlebars and removing pedals.
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Let's see what kind of demand there is before purchasing bags.

I wonder what will happen if a bunch of non-bike Vermont-bound passengers board - say in ex PRR territory - and have the racks filled with baggage and then passengers with bikes get on the train later - someone will have to move it and someone won't be happy. NC DoT has some combination baggage-coach cars on their trains that have a better idea for bikes. I think there is a case for baggage-coach "combine" cars for the less traveled Amtrak routes. They should be planned for the next (if it ever happens!) "View II" order.

Yeah, I'd be unhappy if Amtrak sold a reservation but there were no spots. But that's why they're reservations to guarantee this doesn't happen.

Doesn't it seem like you ought to be able to fit more than one bicycle into the baggage area of an Amfleet if you take out the shelves?

Not if you leave the handlebars in place and have a fairly robust lock/hold mechanism.

The Amtrak Exhibit Train will be at the Claremont Junction stop in Claremont, NH on June 18th as the main attraction of the All Aboard Claremont festivities.

https://www.facebook.com/events/9651605 ... 2166125650" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CVRA7 wrote:Has anyone noticed that the Vermonters are losing time north of Springfield, primarily on the NECR? Looks like all those track repairs and upgrades done a few years back are starting to wear out. Usually 20-30" late each day. What worries me is that this is how the decline in track condition started before all the work was done as it seems that the NECR allows the slow orders to pile up instead of performing ongoing maintenance. Hopefully someone more acquainted with the area can comment on this.

Here's a recent posting from the Trains in the Valley site with details of the Vermonter's On Time performance (or lack of) for May 2016.
https://trainsinthevalley.org/vermonter-performance/

The Amtrak data was mined using this very helpful website:
https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/home.php

I'll be taking the Vermonter to visit my daughter in Windsor, VT on the 24th from Springfield. Should be interesting ride and I'll report back on any delays I encounter. I've always wanted to do this ride now that it follows the CT river all the way up to White River Junction, should be fun and I'm glad I won't be in a rush.

Local article about some modest increases in ridership at Claremont

According to the latest figures from Amtrak, ridership for the seven month period from October to April this year is up nearly 8 percent compared to the same seven months last year and for the month of April alone, the increase from 115 combined “ons” and “offs” riders in 2015 to 164 this year represents a 42 percent increase. The one month increase in March from 2015 to 2016 was 34.5 percent, or 44 travelers.

Still one of the bottom three on the Vermonter in terms of ridership.

That may be so, but we're not a large metropolitan area. We are seeing an increase in ridership (however small and insignificant it may seem to others) where many others are not. I think we will continue our efforts, no matter how futile they may appear.

The growth should also be credited in coming at a time when most other Amtrak routes have flat or declining ridership (low fuel prices generally encourage people to drive).

The exhibit train showed up at Claremont this morning to a pretty good reception. Visitor traffic was steady during the first hour. The train contents were interesting enough to keep me, my son (an experienced rider, but not especially a fan) and his 5 and 2 year old sons entertained. The train itself has a P42 on one end, F40PH 406 on the other, so it won't need to be turned. The Vermonter's 12:05 PM stop will probably require boarding through the vestibule on "Pacific Bend" to get to the main line mini-platform.

Just as they did on Friday night's northbound, they discharged passengers at the Plains Road crossing.

The event was a success, I felt, as a member of the organizing committee. We had 1215 people go through the Exhibit Train, compared to the 1075 that went through it last weekend in Brunswick. Many positive responses, so all in all, a good day!

Beware of "temporary" platforms. According to early plans, Northampton (NHT) and Greenfield (GFD) should each have had a 400-foot, high-level boarding platform by now. The wooden mini-platforms that were built in the interim are quite incommensurate with travelers' needs—especially in Northampton. The Trains in the Valley website reports that plans for full-length platforms at both stations are "on hold." (There is, alas, some discouraging talk of extending the temporary NHT platform to only 120 feet.)

https://trainsinthevalley.org/northampton/

By delaying (or halting) the construction of proper boarding platforms at the foregoing stations, is MassDOT trying to quell any hope of commuter rail in the Valley?