electricron wrote:Philly Amtrak Fan wrote:The negotiations seem to be on going... Sure it's just Harrisburg to Pittsburgh but I figure it's a key step. If there's a second train from PGH-NYP there might be a better chance Amtrak implements the through cars or at least adjust the schedule(s) that minimizes the wait time in Pittsburgh to/from the Capitol Limited.
Maybe that could reschedule one of the two trains for better transfers to the Capital Limited, but not both of them.
We really only need one schedule close to the CL westbound. Technically the eastbound wait time isn't bad except for the time of day (more of a CL problem than a Pennsylvanian problem).
In the 2010 PRIIA (
https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/152/943/PR ... ed-PIP.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) Amtrak was in favor of through cars (even though nothing happened with them) but did not recommend changing the westbound Pennsylvanian schedule:
"The essence of this PIP is a route improvement, specifically the introduction of direct service
between the Midwest, eastern Pennsylvania, and points in New Jersey achieved by operating
through Chicago - New York cars on the Capitol Limited and the Pennsylvanian east of
Pittsburgh. The introduction of a one-seat ride will mitigate a significant deterrent to travel on
Amtrak between these points and is expected to add over 20,000 passengers annually.
Except for the addition of 15-20 minutes at Pittsburgh for switching cars, the proposed PIP
requires essentially no change to the current schedules of either the Capitol Limited or the
Pennsylvanian. Although maintaining the current Pennsylvanian schedule results in longer dwell
times at Pittsburgh for the through New York-Chicago cars, preserving the current schedule
times between Pittsburgh and New York is important because the Pennsylvanian is a corridor
service that serves local markets between these points. The present and recommended future
schedule for the Capitol Limited is shown below; the future schedule includes the additional time
in Pittsburgh. "
Well if there were two trains daily PGH-NYP then they would be more likely to make the change. Even right after they canceled the Broadway and the initial Three Rivers terminated in Pittsburgh the arrival time in PGH was 10:10pm so the layover there was less than half the time it currently is now.
http://www.timetables.org/full.php?grou ... &item=0018" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
But back then the Three Rivers was essentially the second Pennsylvanian so that allowed them to do so. That's the problem with pushing back the current westbound Pennsylvanian times now. I kind of actually think the current schedule is a compromise because ideally they would arrive in Pittsburgh earlier than 8:05pm. I would guess if there were two daily PGH-NYP trains you would see schedules closer to the old Pennsylvanian/Three Rivers (
http://www.timetables.org/full.php?grou ... &item=0030" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) or Pennsylvanian/Broadway Limited (
http://www.timetables.org/full.php?grou ... &item=0018" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) schedules. My dream would be to one day see a train travel the graveyard shift between PGH and PHL where Philly residents can travel overnight and wake up in Pittsburgh the next morning (and vice versa for the return trip). I don't even think sleeper cars would be necessary. Of course you'd need at least 3 if not 4 daily in each direction before that would happen. And overnight service doesn't even exist in California between Los Angeles and the Bay Area and LA-SF have way more people than PHL-PGH.
Of course the bigger problem with the Pittsburgh transfer is the Capitol Limited. Even Pittsburgh residents are screwed with the CL as they would arrive back in CHI at 5:05am (the westbound departure is just before midnight). That's why the BL/TR was a better CHI-PGH train than the CL is now. I don't see a real reason to rush to get to Washington to catch the southbound Silver Star when the connection from the northbound SS isn't even guaranteed anymore and a later departure out of CHI helps with connections from the western trains. In Amtrak's 2011 PRIIA, they suggested pushing the eastbound CL back to 7:30pm and the eastbound LSL leaving at 6pm.
https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/570/756/20 ... _final.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I think Amtrak is well aware of the problems in Pennsylvania as they pertain to LD trains. But there are two big pain in the butts in the way, NS and CSX.