Amtrak Springfield Line: Greenfield/Boston B&A Shuttle Svc

[asull85]

For what it's worth, ACSES is being considered for the Conn River between Springfield and Greenfield.

[lordsigma12345]

Rode 417/412 tonight for a pizza dinner in New Haven. The shuttle cars now have the new seat cushions/carpets. First time I’ve had that on here.

[DutchRailnut]

For what it's worth, ACSES is being considered for the Conn River between Springfield and Greenfield.

considered or mandated ?

[Backshophoss]

Amtrak IS installing ACSES New Haven-Springfield,unknown if the No Cab Signal agreement on former B&M lines applies on this MassDOT owned trackage.
Figure on PAR/PAS to fight any PTC install on the Conn River Line.
MassDOT might install a cab signalless version of ACSES II that MBTA is installing on all lines out of North Station.

[lordsigma12345]

Relevant language from agreement between Pan Am and MassDOT:

4.4 Responsibility for Capital Improvements.
(a) In the event that a condition is identified on the Property that prevents the achievement of the Service Outcomes as set forth in Exhibit B of this Agreement and that can be remedied only by capital maintenance, the Commonwealth Parties shall be responsible for such capital maintenance costs that are required to achieve the Service Outcomes.
(b) The Commonwealth Parties' capital maintenance obligations include, but are not limited to, those set forth in Exhibit B to this Agreement.
( c) PAS, in its sole and absolute discretion, may pay additional amounts towards the improvement of the Property, including capital projects and modifications to proposed capital improvements to be constructed by the Commonwealth Parties, provided, however, that any such PAS-initiated capital projects or modifications to proposed Commonwealth Parties-initiated capital projects shall be subject to the written approval of the Commonwealth Parties, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. The Commonwealth Parties shall provide PAS reasonable notification of contemplated Commonwealth Parties-initiated capital projects in order to effectuate the intent of this section.
4.5 PTC.
In the event that positive train control ("PTC") is required on any Rail Operating Property due to the presence of Passenger Service and not solely because of PAS operations, the Commonwealth Parties shall, at their sole cost and expense, provide a PTC system that complies with applicable law and is fully interoperable with the PTC system adopted by the national freight system. In addition, the Commonwealth Parties shall equip at their sole cost and expense up to twenty (20) PAS locomotives with equipment necessary for said locomotives to operate over all PTC equipped Rail Operating Property conforming to the above-referenced national freight system standard.

[Backshophoss]

An possibility of another I-ETMS/ACSES II dual system install,I-ETMS for the PAR/PAS locos,Amtrak /"T" West locos installing ACSES II, if it
gets above the 6 Round Trip daily limit.
PAR/PAS needs o maintain a pool of ACSES rigged locos to reach Waterbury Ct and run on Amtrak's Springfield line to Hartford,then on MN rails to reach
Derby Jct(HRRC "interchange") to interchange Ballast Cars with MN at a nearby siding there.

[mtuandrew]

lordsigma: yeah, your GPS idea sounds similar to what Mr. O’Keefe and I were talking about in the PTC compliance thread. Kind of an electronic Form D or Track Warrant, using the ACSES or I-ETMS brain to collate data about speed restrictions with the locomotive’s GPS position. It would be out of range of dispatch, but would still automatically follow dispatch’s instructions and stop itself if the crew exceeded those limits.

Something to consider anyway.

[lordsigma12345]

lordsigma: yeah, your GPS idea sounds similar to what Mr. O’Keefe and I were talking about in the PTC compliance thread. Kind of an electronic Form D or Track Warrant, using the ACSES or I-ETMS brain to collate data about speed restrictions with the locomotive’s GPS position. It would be out of range of dispatch, but would still automatically follow dispatch’s instructions and stop itself if the crew exceeded those limits.

Something to consider anyway.

yes something like that sounds good to consider - especially for dark territory where there's really nothing to work with.

Does anyone know how many passenger trains can be added on the CT River Main Line before the number of passenger trains triggers a PTC requirement? As mentioned before, Per the Knowledge Corridor agreement between MassDOT and Pan Am, Pan Am has zero skin in the game on any PTC requirements unless the PTC requirement is caused by an increase their freight operations. If the requirement is due to an increase in the number of passenger trains MassDOT has to pay for everything and also has to fully carry Pan Am along as well on the state's dime - they would have to pay for up to 20 Pan Am locomotives (number up to Pan Am - maximum of 20) to be fully compliant with the PTC system installed and the system chosen would have to be compatible with the PTC systems used on the national freight system which means I-ETMS would have to be included - it does appear they are going to get a bunch of upgraded locomotives from the other issue they have with MBTA in the eastern part of the state so it is unclear how many additional locomotives would actually need to be upgraded for them to maintain their EDPL/PLED trains and whatever local operations they are doing for customers along the line if PTC becomes needed on the Knowledge Corridor.

[east point]

Although I-etms is the national it would appear not needed north of Springfield. Pan Am does not seem to use foreign locos on that segment ? ACSES ground equipment is easier to install an program and Amtrak locos already have that equipment.

[lordsigma12345]

Although I-etms is the national it would appear not needed north of Springfield. Pan Am does not seem to use foreign locos on that segment ? ACSES ground equipment is easier to install an program and Amtrak locos already have that equipment.

Although Pan Am can demand I-ETMS on that segment per the agreement. I could see them push the issue simply if it would gain them additional locomotives equipped for I-ETMS for free.

[lordsigma12345]

Service disruption on northbound Vermonter tonight - anyone know what the deal is?

[asull85]

Service disruption on northbound Vermonter tonight - anyone know what the deal is?

Fight with a tree. The tree won.

[lordsigma12345]

Service disruption on northbound Vermonter tonight - anyone know what the deal is?

Fight with a tree. The tree won.

It appears they then had equipment problems on the southbound on Saturday. I saw it come into SPG nearly 3 hours late and the normal Vermonter train had a Shuttle trainset coupled behind it. The Shuttle trainset must have been sent up to rescue at some point. I then had a treat on my way home to SPG that evening from HFD on northbound 146 when the Shuttle trainset dead headed back to Springfield on the front of 146 with the cab car leading the long train.

[Traingeek3629]

I assume that the trains extended to Greenfield will have an extra car on them for the extra ridership?

Actually, let me rephrase that: All Amtrak trains along the line need an extra coach on them. The busiest trains of the day for commuters going to New Haven (or Hartford, for points along the northern part of the line) are both 2-car Amfleet shuttles, not 4 car MBBs. Not only that, but the Amtrak trains have higher ridership anyway, since they have been around and used by commuters for years and are faster and more comfortable than the CTrail trains. More people already use the Shuttles, and there will be another boost of ridership when you have more people riding from the busy towns of Northampton and Amherst.

[Train60]

I assume that the trains extended to Greenfield will have an extra car on them for the extra ridership?

Actually, let me rephrase that: All Amtrak trains along the line need an extra coach on them. The busiest trains of the day for commuters going to New Haven (or Hartford, for points along the northern part of the line) are both 2-car Amfleet shuttles, not 4 car MBBs. Not only that, but the Amtrak trains have higher ridership anyway, since they have been around and used by commuters for years and are faster and more comfortable than the CTrail trains. More people already use the Shuttles, and there will be another boost of ridership when you have more people riding from the busy towns of Northampton and Amherst.

I wouldn't assume anything. CTDOT officials said about a year before the Hartford Line service started that the Shuttles would be expanded to four cars when the HL launched. This didn't happen. Reasons that I've heard are cost, and apparent lack of spare Amfleet I coaches. Thanksgiving week will be a good test -- when significant numbers of students appear with CTrail tickets in-hand looking to step on any old train on the HL line.