The End of Clockers is Near

This Exerpt from a Times of Trenton article.
see: http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/bas ... 5#continue

Amtrak's Clocker trains will be riding into history at the end of this
month, marking the end of a service that started in the heyday of the
Pennsylvania
Railroad.
The Clockers, which offered wider, more comfortable seats than NJ Transit in
rail cars that were designed for intercity rather than local rail service,
will make their last run on Oct. 28.
"NJ Transit will be adding four express trains beginning with the Oct. 30
schedule change to replace the discontinued Amtrak trains," said NJ Transit
spokeswoman Penny Bassett Hackett. The change will be officially announced at NJ

Transit's board meeting tomorrow. A number of other schedule changes will be
announced later in the week.
Amtrak and NJ Transit had agreed previously that the national passenger
railroad would stop operating the Clockers by next June 30, but the change was
moved up. Last spring Amtrak cut half the Clocker trains when its Acela Express
trains were taken out of service to repair a safety problem with their braking
system.
While the seats may not be as comfortable, passengers will have a better
chance of getting one. Each train will have an average of 300 more seats than
the
Amtrak one it replaces, Hackett said.
The new trains will stop at Hamilton, which never had Clocker service
despite repeated pleas from passengers since the station opened in 1999. And all
NJ
Transit tickets will be accepted on the trains that will replace the Clockers

How much of a per passenger bribe would it take (ie ticket surcharge) Amtrak to allow some of these trains to operate from Philly? Is there any will in Harrisburg to try and make this happen? The last thing we need in NJ is a flood of PA commuters trying to compete for the already sparce parking spaces at TRE, HAM and PCJ(?).

Jersey_Mike wrote:How much of a per passenger bribe would it take (ie ticket surcharge) Amtrak to allow some of these trains to operate from Philly? Is there any will in Harrisburg to try and make this happen?

I don't know if the issue is Amtrak not allowing the trains to PHL, or NJT not wanting to run them. I can't think of any reason Amtrak would want to bar the trains from Philadelphia; the line is four tracks all the way between Trenton and Philadelphia, I believe, so there aren't really capacity issues, and if no new trains are being added, then the dispatchers are already used to the load.

As for "will in Harrisburg," I've read a few times how NJT has effectively offered to run revenue service to/from Morrisville, if PA would build a station, but it hasn't happened. Granted, NJT is already moving equipment in and out of Morrisville Yard, so operationally, it's no more difficult for them. When it comes to convincing NJT to continue service to/from Philadelphia, I don't know if PA is going to put the pressure on, or whether it would even matter (see NJT's (in)action regarding reactivating the Lackawanna Cutoff, in spite of PA's readiness).

I don't know if the issue is Amtrak not allowing the trains to PHL, or NJT not wanting to run them. I can't think of any reason Amtrak would want to bar the trains from Philadelphia; the line is four tracks all the way between Trenton and Philadelphia, I believe, so there aren't really capacity issues, and if no new trains are being added, then the dispatchers are already used to the load.

I believe it is on record that Amtrak is wary of one-seat alternatives to its pricey NEC service.

It's not just NJT riders that are losing out here. Amtrak monthly ticket holders from Philly north will be affected. And the Regionals, which are already flooded with monthly ticket holders during rush hour, will get even more crowded as a result of terminating the Clockers - unless a REGIONAL train is added to help alleviate Philly to NYP during rush hour.

And frankly the trains that NJT are adding - I don't know if they are in the right time slots!

For example, currently Regional Train 170 is notoriously overcrowded in the morning after departing Philadelphia. It then has a 1 hour and 20 minute or so ride to get into NYP - on a good day. It also stops in Trenton and Newark after Philly. So if you have a "Reserved Coach" ticket seat on 170, you could end up standing on a very crowded train, b/c it has the regular "reserved coach" passengers and the Amtrak monthly ticket holders who favored this train over the slower Clockers.

Amtrak will need another "Regional Train 170" north of Philly if it eliminates the Clockers - if it wants to adequately handle its monthly ticket holders and regular passengers.

Amtrak does not track the pattern or what trains monthly ticket holders use - which is a problem.

A train could look "open for seating" per reservation system, but in fact is filled to the brim due to the monthly ticket holders. I actually sent a letter to the Gunn about this issue.

Am I happy to see the Clockers go? Not really. Did I expect it - YES. I don't use these trains very often, but I do travel between Philly/Trenton and NYP about twice a month on average. I typically won't take NJT if travelling between NYP and Trenton - b/c I want to get some work done on the train and Amtrak is more conducive in doing this than on NJT. I just hope some service is supplemented by Regionals. Who really loses out? Destinations in between Trenton and Philly, Princeton Junction, and the Club that was on one of the Clockers. These people are going to be irrate!

Personally, I thought NJT would have waited until it had its bi-levels before taking over the Clockers - which would be 2006.

And now what will Amtrak do with these extra coaches off the Clockers? That's the answer I am looking for.

jp1822 wrote:And now what will Amtrak do with these extra coaches off the Clockers?

Probably put them into service protecting a storage track from the snow and rain.

Im curious as to where NJT is getting the equipment to run these trains.....

.....when the Acelas were sidelined earlier this year, NJT had to really manipulate its equipment to get the extra coaches for those trains.......they tightened up the turns of equipment and got extra revenue runs out of others....but in doing this, they have at times shot themselves in the foot by encountering more delayed trains because of lack of equipment when its running only a few minutes late.

How they are gonna get another couple of trains worth of coaches (which is the problem, not really loco's - id guess the 5 '46's used on the Clockers will revert back to NJT) for these trains will be interesting and probably a problem for NJT"s other lines and trains where the equipment will be taken from.

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced Warrington is a true buffoon.

So if you have a "Reserved Coach" ticket seat on 170, you could end up standing on a very crowded train, b/c it has the regular "reserved coach" passengers and the Amtrak monthly ticket holders who favored this train over the slower Clockers.

I had to take 170 once and had to stand. However I usually stand at the back window anyway so it wasn't that bad Generally my day is already ruined if I have to sit next to someone. I will lay down in the Handicapped spot at the end of the car rather than have to sit next to someone on the isle.

I don't use these trains very often, but I do travel between Philly/Trenton and NYP about twice a month on average.

I traveled a clocker once to see how it was used below Trenton and there was hardly any ridership. I talked to the crew and they told me that they get about 40 people on the train below Trenton. I have gotten the feeling that, while we would like not to think so, the ridership below Trenton just dosen't justify the service.

Destinations in between Trenton and Philly, Princeton Junction, and the Club that was on one of the Clockers. These people are going to be irrate!

Depending on who uses the club, it may be attached to a Keystone or Regional or put on an NJT train like the NYLB club.

Personally, I thought NJT would have waited until it had its bi-levels before taking over the Clockers - which would be 2006.

It looks like we'll get another year out of the Comet I's, which is a plus. If people are angry enough and the demand is present south of Trenton, hopefully when the Bi-levels do come NJT will run the service all the way from Philly with payments from Amtrak, PennDoT or both (or just high enough fares to pay the variable costs). In all honesty we need a proper PHL to NYP commuter run. Amtrak is too plush and the current two-seat ride is too slow and too much of a hassle. NJT 12 car Bi-level trainsets would really fit the bill, but again, the demand has to be there.

natethegreat wrote:

jp1822 wrote:And now what will Amtrak do with these extra coaches off the Clockers?

Probably put them into service protecting a storage track from the snow and rain.

Hopefully add more cars to Midwest Trains.

Would be nice to see SEPTA run a few limited trains to Trenton, but anyone with half a brain knows that won't ever happen. Can't put any extra mileage on those P/P's, might detract from their resale value when they scrap em in 2011.

I think the club that operated on one of the Clocker trains is done. I don't think Amtrak is going to accommodate the club on a Regional Train. The may on a Keystone train, but the first NYP bound Keytone train in the a.m. at present schedule is not conducive to rush hour traffic.

What the club should have done was start planning to convert a renovated Comet II or similiar car (not a Comet V) into a "club car" like what you have on the NJCL - only use the whole car as a club car. A club car on the NEC would be a sell out now that the Clockers will be history. And the lease payments would give more revenue to NJT. NEC riders enjoyed the "premium ride" on the Clockers. But creating such a club car with NJT takes a lot of planning and negotiation prior to startup.

Could the club rent a car from Amtrak and tack it onto a NJT consist - either Amtrak Amfleet or Amtrak Horizon? Even more coordination between Amtrak and NJT.

I strongly think Amtrak needs some sort of Wilmington/Philly to NYP train to handle its own Amtrak monthly ticket riders so Train 170 is not overwhelmed.

NJT needs to pull together two more trainsets to fully take over the Clockers. There's only two-round trip Clockers currently on the roster.

Amtrak better find some good use for the cars its removing from the Clockers. Assigning them to rush hour (peak period) trains (NEC) will help as well monitoring supply and demand of passenger loads and adding cars as needed (long distance and corridor trains) will also help. I just hope the cars don't fall into the trap of the Viewliner utilization I have issues with.

Perhaps to handle all those Pa. commuters flooding into Trenton and Hamilton reopening the station in Morrisville, Pa. would make more semse now.

its about time, let those commuters ride commuter trains paid for by their state...

its about time, let those commuters ride commuter trains paid for by their state...

Same here, I'm glad Amtrak is getting rid of those darn Clockers, since they have been nothing more than commuter trains, and have no food service for that NEC portion. I mean, those commuters ought to be riding SEPTA or NJT, the offer just about the same services, except make a little connection at Trenton. Also, the elimination of Clockers should help free up some coaches needed elsewhere in the NEC.