Railroad Forums 

  • AMTRAK NEC: Springfield Shuttle/Regional/Valley Flyer/Inland Routing

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1487992  by lordsigma12345
 
Has it been determined if the final double track phase will include connecting both tracks on the River Bridge or would the bridge remain a single track until they do the eventual full rehab - seems like if you needed to you could connect both tracks on the bridge, but signal it so the opposing track would get a stop signal if there's already a train on the bridge.... it seems the second track on the bridge is usable as I've seen work equipment on it many times. I'm sure the state may also try to do the bridge rehab at the same time if funding was available.

I have seen a lot of work on the bridge lately I'm almost wondering if Amtrak is fixing up the other track on the bridge and is planning to shift trains over to it - if they did it would restore the correct line up on the bridge with the track 1 mainline connecting with track 1 on the bridge so you could then easily connect to track 2 when its eventually installed.
 #1488027  by njtmnrrbuff
 
I believe that first, the bridge is going to be replaced over the Connecticut River at some point and then the second track will be added. Just like the fact that restoring the second track at Hartford Station will have to wait until the highways are realigned, at the same time, a brand new station will be built in Downtown Hartford.
 #1488145  by daybeers
 
asull85 wrote:There are currently no plans to extend Track to from WOOD to the north end of the Parkville Industrial Track. It was part of the original plan but has since been scrapped. Maybe once the state figures out what they want to do with I-84, they'll do something but as of now Amtrak and CDOT are focused on completing HAYDEN to FIELD.
Can you remind me the locations of those interlockings?
 #1488165  by shadyjay
 
daybeers wrote:
asull85 wrote:There are currently no plans to extend Track to from WOOD to the north end of the Parkville Industrial Track. It was part of the original plan but has since been scrapped. Maybe once the state figures out what they want to do with I-84, they'll do something but as of now Amtrak and CDOT are focused on completing HAYDEN to FIELD.
Can you remind me the locations of those interlockings?
HAYDEN is about 1/2 mile south of (existing) Windsor Locks Station. FIELD is in the Thompsonville section of Enfield, just south of the Mass state line. South of Hayden and north of Field, the line is already double-tracked. So between Hayden and Field still needs to be double-tracked. That includes the track through Windsor Locks downtown (alongside the canal, etc), across the CT River (which is still 2 tracks but only 1 in service), around the curve in East Windsor and up through Enfield.

As far as Wood, I believe this is somewhere in West Hartford, or closer to the Hartford city line. IIRC, the track plans that were posted on the NHHSRAIL.COM site before active construction began showed the interlocking in place (WOOD) before the old #2 track ended (this may have been the Parkville Industrial Track). Then the industrial track continued for a mile or so before ending, meaning there would've been an interlocking at the end-point. This would've reduced the single-track mileage for the Hartford viaduct.

When Amtrak single-tracked the Springfield Line, they retained #1 track (the old southbound track) and kept #2 track in spots for use as controlled sidings. In some spots, where freight customers still existed beyond the controlled siding, the siding interlocked back in with #1 track, thus #2 track continued (often as a different number and with much less maintenance), before dead-ending. An example would've been what was originally, and what is now once again New Haven Line Track 3 through West Haven. Before Metro North put the #3 track back in, it still existed, but was Track #5 - a CSX industrial track, complete with jointed rail. When West Haven station was being built, #5 track became #3 once again, and upgraded, though I don't remember if #3 dead ends or if it remains #5 for a spell, before Milford.
 #1488346  by shadyjay
 
Found it... WOOD interlocking is just south of Oakwood Avenue (just north of MP 33) in the Elmwood section of West Hartford. And its just what I thought... the double-track continues but the #2 track (former NB track) becomes an industrial siding and continues a couple miles, with several freight spurs branching off of it, ending at MP 35 north of Hamilton St, where it merges back into the mainline. Hamilton St is still a good 1/2-3/4 mile south of where the I-84 project would begin, so that should not have been a valid reason to upgrade the IT into a mainline. Perhaps it was indeed to give freights a space to get in the clear, seeing as how the track connects at both ends into the mainline. Hartford is ~ MP 36.5.

This view, looks south from the Oakwood Ave crossing, and shows Wood interlocking. Above the interlocking, #2 track on left and #1 on right. At the crossing, #1 track on right is the passenger track, while freights use the track in lower left, which is now the "Parkville Industrial Track".

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7369112 ... bfov%3D100" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1488380  by Backshophoss
 
As is shown on a track chart,the single track starts at (CP)Wood thru Hartford station to(CP)Hart(mp 33.5 to mp 36.9)
(CP)Park at mp 34 is the planed end of double track,depending on what the construction zone for I-84 is staked at.
Since the intention is to build a trench and station as part of the I-84 project,CONSIDER everything between (CP)Wood and (CP)Hart
as in "flux" for now. That will include any industry tracks,running tracks,etc in that section.
Member "F-line" did an extended set of posts on the proposed plans in the downtown Hartford/I-84 including links to plans, upthread
from this page.
 #1489384  by lordsigma12345
 
Looks like it's time for a third car on the Shuttle trainsets. There's been a couple incidents where CTrail customers were asked to de-train as there were not enough seats due to a lot of Amtrak ticketed passengers. If I had to guess it was probably a really late Northeast corridor train into new Haven where the connecting Shuttle didn't wait and they had to accommodate passengers from two NEC connections on one Shuttle. The Amtrak tickets continue to be "reserved" even though Amtrak accepts CTrail so they are giving Amtrak riders priority in a full train scenario. I can't really say I blame Amtrak - Amtrak is selling guaranteed/reserved tickets so if the train is full I guess that's probably what you have to do. Obviously this needs to be resolved - not a good thing for a growing service. They probably should let the overflow passengers stand rather than kick them off - they were letting passengers stand on the Shuttles during the opening weekend of CTrail. Here is the story:

NEWS LINK — "CTrail Customers Kicked Off Amtrak Trains On The Hartford Line" | WNPR

As reported in this story, CTrail ticket passengers have recently been asked to leave a some Amtrak Hartford Line trains to make room for passengers holding Amtrak tickets.

"Jim Redeker, Connecticut’s transportation commissioner, said that’s not supposed to happen. 'That may be something that occurs in the field,' Redeker said. 'That could be simply that the particular crew that’s on that train is not familiar with our policies.' "

The basic problem is a simple one — on certain Amtrak Hartford Line trains there are simply more passengers than there are available seats, at the moment.

CTDOT and Amtrak need to correct whatever is "occuring in the frield" and discontinue the reported practice of removing selected passengers from oversold Amtrak Hartford LIne trains right now. The optics of this practice is very bad, at multiple levels.
 #1489386  by lordsigma12345
 
Apparently the problem is actually southbound train 475 in Hartford. Until this is figured out I'd recommend anyone that might be using train 475 to buy an Amtrak ticket and not a CTrail ticket. Amtrak tickets are available at Springfield and Hartford from the Amtrak counter or you can buy using Amtrak app or 1-800-USA-RAIL. The price is the same as Ctrail.

More information in this article:
http://www.wnpr.org/post/ctrail-custome ... tford-line" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Multiple options are being looked at including:
1) Amtrak finding Amfleet cars to expand the current Shuttle trains.
2) Connecticut providing equipment for Amtrak to use.
 #1489390  by east point
 
We do not feel Amtrak can spare 2 or 3 cars for the shuttle. Amtrak needs every car possible for the NEC regionals especially for the upcoming Thanksgiving - New Years rush period. Revenue per car mile is much higher on NER trains. Does anyone know if any CT DOT cars are compatible enough to operate on an Amtrak shuttle ? Problem of course is the cab car being at other end with a CT car in the middle ?
Guess CT did not sign a contract for enough cars on the shuttle and now Amtrak is very short of cars due to the Nippon failure and Siemens not yet delivering. Maybe once Siemens cars are delivered ? Of course there may be other agencies also wanting more cars such as Downeaster, Ethan, NY state, Michigan, Illinois, Hiawatha, California north and south. Maybe Sounder ?
 #1489413  by njtmnrrbuff
 
It’s been time for a third car on the 400 series shuttles since the SPG Line has been upgraded. Those shuttle trains have been doing so good ridershipwise, especially with the uniformity of fares of Amtrak’s shuttles and NE Regionals over Ctrail trains. The shuttles have been standing room only-many of them, especially the ones that run during the rush hour.
 #1489469  by njtmnrrbuff
 
I'm very pleased about the ridership numbers but am not pleased on the fact that Amtrak still operates two cars on their shuttle trains. Amtrak should be operating with at least three cars on their shuttle trains. From looking at the first sentence of the third paragraph, I want to add that Amtrak has been operating on the SPG Line first and in fact, they own the tracks. If Amtrak can't spare any more Amfleets for the SPG Line service which they should be able to. How many Amtrak shuttle sets are used on a given day? At least maybe CDOT can let Amtrak borrow a four car Mafersa set which has happened. It did on the very first day of Ctrail operations.

The last sentence of the article, we pretty much know the reason, excessive riders.
  • 1
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 155