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A bit late to be thinking about it, but I'm wondering how complicated and expensive it would be to have heated steps (for future orders, not retrofitted on existing equipment).

According to the post immediately above, that's after the anticipated revenue is added in.

Why would a heritage railway want new equipment? Doesn't that sort of miss the point of a heritage railway? Seems like another solution in search of a problem.

(I wonder -- did the BBC mention what percentage 26 passengers was of the total rail ridership in the UK that year?)

It could have something to do with the need for an Approach Diverging indication on the distant signal, requiring the train to reduce speed much sooner than would be necessary if the home signal at the gauntlet displays Clear. (This could cause a significant delay under PTC, which is designed to mak...

That regulation seems particularly silly considering that from the beginning of railways until the 1970's or so passengers routinely opened and closed the exterior doors themselves, including on short-haul coaches (known as "slam-door" stock) which had such exterior doors on both sides of ...

Snow and ice accumulation? But the steps appear to be sheltered while the door is closed. Just wondering: is there an interlock preventing a train from starting if all doors are not closed and steps retracted, or does it depend on the crew eyeballing the train and checking indicator lights before gi...

If the New York Central Historical Society has copies of "Central Headlight" (their monthly employee magazine), it very likely devoted a page or more to that sequence and named every employee involved. You might also try reposting under New York Central in Fallen Flags and Historic Roads -...

Complete with streetcar-type gong -- thanks for the info. Had they gotten as far as considering how far the B&A electrification would go?

True, but it doesn't take long for a nonstop (except for Palo Alto?) to catch up with a local with only one track for each direction. Maybe put in a few additional stops to discharge passengers (Redwood City, Hillsdale, Burlingame?) to avoid hitting yellow blocks at a steady 30 mph -- bad practice i...

A related question just occurred to me: was it contemplated that the B&A would also be electrified and have access to the lower level?

SEPTA rents out former living quarters in suburban stations for law offices, real-estate agencies, and other business purposes; maybe restrictions are less stringent for non-residential uses? Last time I was there, the former WP station on 3rd Street in Oakland was a law office. Back in the 1970's t...

... and a sleeper to LA is in no sense a competitor of CalTrain -- rather a possible feeder if there's a scheduled stop at San Jose Diridon, as there should be in any case. Maybe also in Palo Alto? The main issue would be slotting the northbound into the AM rush hour, particularly if the overtakes a...

Wasn't the Delair bridge extensively rebuilt not too long ago? I seem to remember that major work was done (perhaps in the 1960's) and again when passenger service to AC was restored.

I don't think Jamaica has a place to stash the Amtrak equipment between arrival and departure unless Tracks 4 and 5 could be used outside of rush hours. Also, only trains terminating at NYP could be extended to Jamaica, leaving lots of gaps in the hourly pattern. I can't help feeling that Amtrak tra...

I don't see room for hourly service. Where would they find slots through the East River Tunnels in rush hour? Every Amtrak train would displace an existing LI train with a much greater capacity, crowded as it is with commuters originating at NYP. Maybe file this away until all the related Gateway wo...