In Vermont, these RDCs do not have to have PTC installed. The rail corridors in Vermont are not owned by Class I freight railroad companies, nor have enough business to warrant it. The limitation for them is 12 passenger trains per day, or if you prefer 6 round trips, along any section of track.
That’s up to six trains in one direction in the morning, and six trains in the evening in the opposite direction. Amtrak already uses 2 of the 12 possible passenger trains south of St. Albans towards New Haven ever day. So that leaves 5 round trips between St.Albans and Exeter, and 5 round trips between Exeter and Montpelier. That also leaves all 6 round trips between Exeter and Burlington and towns further south towards Rutland.
The tracks from St. Albans south to New Haven and Burlington south to Rutland have recently been or in the process to be refurbished to 60 mph maximum speeds. That leaves the sections of tracks between Burlington and Exeter, and between Montpelier and Barre left to be refurbished. As I understand the conditions, both of the latter segments of track are limited to 10-15 mph max speeds. Refurbishing either or both sections of tracks will be necessary for a useable commuter rail system.
AllEarth does not really want to operate these RDCs, they want the local transit agency or the state to subsidize the operations. All they wish to do is be the provider of the RDCs. Besides finding the money to refurbish the tracks left needing to be done, and subsidizing the rail operations, someone is going to have indemnify or fund the freight railroad companies higher insurance costs.
I do think when push comes to shove, Vermont will not fund this commuter rail push because it would be too expensive. ViA wanted these RDCs badly, but were outbid for them. As soon as AllEarth realizes Vermont will not fund these trains, they will sell them to the highest bidder. AllEarth can not and will not hold onto them forever, there is a time when these RDCs will be sold. Canada does not require PTC for passenger train operations, and the lack of PTC equipment in these RDCs will not be a problem for them.
And I do not think NICTD will buy them mainly because they will run more than 6 round trips per day, and some of the tracks they plan to use are owned by Class I freight railroads, so PTC will be a requirement for them. Whereas I have no idea if PTC can be installed on these or not, why do so? There is a reason why the TRE decided to sell them, and those same reasons are also true for them.
That’s up to six trains in one direction in the morning, and six trains in the evening in the opposite direction. Amtrak already uses 2 of the 12 possible passenger trains south of St. Albans towards New Haven ever day. So that leaves 5 round trips between St.Albans and Exeter, and 5 round trips between Exeter and Montpelier. That also leaves all 6 round trips between Exeter and Burlington and towns further south towards Rutland.
The tracks from St. Albans south to New Haven and Burlington south to Rutland have recently been or in the process to be refurbished to 60 mph maximum speeds. That leaves the sections of tracks between Burlington and Exeter, and between Montpelier and Barre left to be refurbished. As I understand the conditions, both of the latter segments of track are limited to 10-15 mph max speeds. Refurbishing either or both sections of tracks will be necessary for a useable commuter rail system.
AllEarth does not really want to operate these RDCs, they want the local transit agency or the state to subsidize the operations. All they wish to do is be the provider of the RDCs. Besides finding the money to refurbish the tracks left needing to be done, and subsidizing the rail operations, someone is going to have indemnify or fund the freight railroad companies higher insurance costs.
I do think when push comes to shove, Vermont will not fund this commuter rail push because it would be too expensive. ViA wanted these RDCs badly, but were outbid for them. As soon as AllEarth realizes Vermont will not fund these trains, they will sell them to the highest bidder. AllEarth can not and will not hold onto them forever, there is a time when these RDCs will be sold. Canada does not require PTC for passenger train operations, and the lack of PTC equipment in these RDCs will not be a problem for them.
And I do not think NICTD will buy them mainly because they will run more than 6 round trips per day, and some of the tracks they plan to use are owned by Class I freight railroads, so PTC will be a requirement for them. Whereas I have no idea if PTC can be installed on these or not, why do so? There is a reason why the TRE decided to sell them, and those same reasons are also true for them.
Last edited by electricron on Tue Jul 30, 2019 7:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
