Parallel Trains Window-To-Window

[twropr]

Have any of you, as a coach passenger, experienced the sensation of catching up to a commuter train on the adjacent track and momentarily matching the other train's speed so that your window was lined up with the window of the coach being overtaken? I've experienced this sensation both on Amtrak (NY-Phila) and Metro-North (coming into Yonkers on TK 2, racing a Bomb push-pull on TK 4). Is wierd travelling 70 + MPH and being able to wave at the passenger in the coach of the adjacent train!

Andy

[JLJ061]

I've had similar experiences out of Chicago between pacing Amtrak/Metra trains but of course at lower speeds.

[Ken W2KB]

Many times on my NJ Transit commute and several times with the conductor and engineer in the cab of a freight train.

[Mcoov]

Happens all the time as trains pull in and out of N. Station in Boston. Granted these trains are only doing <15 mph, but it's still cool to be coming in from Littleton, and being able to wave to someone who came from Salem, some 40 miles to the east.

[HBLR]

Very frequently coming into or leaving newark penn station. Sometimes PATH plays along as well.

[R Paul Carey]

In 1963, riding a NYC Harlem Line Mount Vernon local in the morning to Fordham, we were regularly overtaken by The New Haven's "Owl" (IIRC) as we were accelerating Eastward (toward GCT) on the four-track sgement between Woodlawn and Williams Bridge. The NH train carried sleepers, and it was time to rise with arrival at GCT less than 20 minutes ahead. It was obvious that many of the NH passengers in their rooms were unaware of this effect, so NYC passengers riding in the rear car (i.e., the first car overtaken) on that local were regaled with a show of panic and a succession of "high dives" for the window shades as their sleepers pulled abeam!!

[Limited-Clear]

Happens alot on the NEC near Frankford Junction as both tracks have to reduce speed there, and generally the Septa locals will accelerate quicker providing an amused look from Amtrak passengers as they get overtaken by a set of 45+yr old Budd cars!!!

[CarterB]

Way back when, there was many a time that the Broadway Ltd and the Century paralleled each other going East past Englewood and the 'dunes' Both 'at speed'.

[CSX Conductor]

I pace Metro-North trains as much as I can to "check out the scenery", lol.

[Jtgshu]

Its fun to race, especially Amtrak trains The NJT trains generally accelerate faster, so they "win" but then the Amtrak blows by them when the NJTs top out at max speed, which is lower

I was racing an Amtrak once whie I was running an NJT Princeton Jct express. We both left Newark at about the same time, IIRC, I was on track 3, he was on Track 2. We were pretty close, I was winning for a bit, as the speeds through Hunter interlocking and the Elizabeth S curves and even down through Metropark and Metuchen curves are close, he pulled ahead around Rahway, he could go faster, I was topped out at 100....I was on his tail the whole rest of the trip tho, til I had to divert over to track 4 at Midway.

I like to wave at people when they look up and over and look startled to see someone right next to them, I might even give a toot on the horn if they are pretty! haha

[cobra30689]

Its fun to race, especially Amtrak trains The NJT trains generally accelerate faster, so they "win" but then the Amtrak blows by them when the NJTs top out at max speed, which is lower

I was racing an Amtrak once whie I was running an NJT Princeton Jct express. We both left Newark at about the same time, IIRC, I was on track 3, he was on Track 2. We were pretty close, I was winning for a bit, as the speeds through Hunter interlocking and the Elizabeth S curves and even down through Metropark and Metuchen curves are close, he pulled ahead around Rahway, he could go faster, I was topped out at 100....I was on his tail the whole rest of the trip tho, til I had to divert over to track 4 at Midway.

I like to wave at people when they look up and over and look startled to see someone right next to them, I might even give a toot on the horn if they are pretty! haha

Along the same lines...going east at Elmora on 2 track...you catch up with a local in the turnout from A to 1....folks do look a little wigged out cause they think the two trains are gonna whack each other lol

And JT....quite often i'll pull into Alexandria, VA with another train next to me(I go first regardless...he crosses over behind me), and yes, i do spot my headend next to the window of the prettiest one in the car....exchange a few smiles and be on my way lol

[Noel Weaver]

Back in the pre 1955 flood days when I would occasionally take advantage of the New Haven Railroad excursion from Waterbury to New York on a Saturday or Sunday when the round trip could be taken on a through train for a fare of $2.49. On the way back from New York usually the first stop was Bridgeport for the engine change and usually we would be on track 2 while the "Bootlegger" (Montrealer to you non NHRR types) was on track 4 between Stamford and Bridgeport. Sometimes we would run more or less next to each other for several miles until one or the other had to wait while the winner of this stopped and worked at Bridgeport. I think we went in to the station ahead because even though we changed from an electric motor to a pair of RS-3's, the "Boot" had a bit of mail work to do there and probably had more station time than we had. Not only was the fare $2.49, i still have some of the advertisements of these trains, but the runing time in a through train was a flat two hours, this does not happen today.
Noel Weaver

[DutchRailnut]

I was asked not to go window to window or slightly faster than ACELA, by officials.
event happened between Stamford and South Norwalk as I was embarising Amtrak with a 1946 F10 a few days in a row

[Matt Johnson]

Not sure if the schedule is still the same, but for a while there was a Princeton Jct express leaving Newark Penn, typically from track 4, just a couple of minutes before a Keystone departed (usually from track 3). I was on that train a few times where the Keystone paced us for a bit, whereas other times it would blow by anywhere between Newark and Metuchen, depending on timing. But a couple of times we played leapfrog as the Keystone passed us doing 110 - 125, then had to slow for some restriction that didn't affect us, then overtook us again...

[Jersey_Mike]

Hmmm, does this count?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt00bqRRTXM