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Again, I'm gonna run by that question again as to why Amtrak service to Long Island would be a huge benefit to anyone as opposed to hoping on an LIRR train into the city and switching over to an Amtrak train? We touched on the subject of equipment, and this leaves us with Amtrak using their GE DMs d...

I will echo Dutch on this that this is nothing more than politics. But lets dig deeper into this. Lets back track. Lets pick any Empire service train. It must travel down the west side into Penn station because unless they (the politicians) are planning on creating some new connection via MNR to Hel...

This makes an excellent conversation over coffee or even at dinner. At the end of the day we can explore, dream, etc... but this has little point in going further than that. Monetarily, this would be a grand waste of tax payer dollars. Then again, when we have a Governor who is hell bent on creating...

Nice to hear that the F40s are coming back. I still have picks of me in my younger days on 808 and 802 from back in the late 80s and early 90s. Back at a time when F40s ruled the roost. The new BL-36PHs are sharp looking and surprisingly quiet, and have a pretty good acceleration. still very nice to...

Actually you do have a point with MBTA's HSP46 and as long as we are on the subject, The customization of Locomotive orders also yielded LIRR's DE/DM30AC's which had too much of what we call "growing pains." I still see it as a GE rebuild vs the Charger order. This is my personal opinion, ...

I can see them going for the Chargers on this considering that they are using them on state sponsored trains across the country. Although the cheaper route might be a rebuild. I'm not sure how successful and efficient the rebuilt GEs are but if a rebuild is only gonna buy some time before a replacem...

I'm down visiting family here in south Florida for two weeks and decided to take both Tri-Rail and the new Brightline service. I used Tri-Rail on a round trip from MIA to Ft. Lauderdale last week. I actually rode on Tri-Rail when it first started back in 1989 and was amazed to see that it has been v...

On a side note, an article from the Associated Press today revealed that Amtrak typically pays all Legal claims from crash victims regardless of whether Amtrak had any responsibility in the cause of the accident or not. That's rather interesting and screwed up to hear. I would think that if in this ...

I don't think that I would be surprised if the trainmaster would have been questioned. I would expect that anyone that had anything to do with the movement of either train would be questioned by the FBI or the NTSB. On a side note here, and correct me if I am wrong, but I was under the impression th...

I'm gonna speak on what is my personal opinion and experience. Any employee who has been qualified to operate or work with the train equipment out on the main is theoretically aware and familiar with their surroundings including sidings, switches, and rules. If a situation arises where you either qu...

ApproachMedium:: The LIRR is not lucky to be in that position. It actually says a lot when it hasn't happen since then, and even so, it's not to say that nothing has happened since then. They had the Atlantic Terminal crash recently, they have had a few occasions where trains have side swiped each o...

Fox news did report at first that there was an obstruction placed on the tracks but then you never heard of it again. In any case, if there was something there, there would have been damage to the rails or for that matter a visible view of the obstruction itself. The lead unit did not show damage th...

wigwagfan: in my neck of the woods I don't see advanced speed limit signs that far in advanced, although I have seen them on other RRs. And I would expect them even more so where freight trains travel at high speeds which would require brake applications at much greater distances. This of course doe...

Bostontoallpoints : Speed restriction signs are in place as a reminder to the engineer that the upcoming restriction must have the train at ___ speed. It is often placed prior to the curve but too close for a train operating at excessive speed to slow down and/or stop, but in some locations they are...

I don't want anyone to think that I'm saying that Amtrak's training is inadequate. My point is that as a train crew that is employed by another RR but having to qualify on Amtrak rails might not get the same type of treatment as say a full time employee for Amtrak. I don't know how it would be vice ...